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As you are swapping your stings to thicker strings, what about the nut? Do you make the slot bigger? And then supposed you decide to go back to smaller gauge?
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12-15-2013 10:22 AM
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It's really pretty easy . . and inexpensive to fill in and reslot the existing nut to accommodate the smaller string size. It's also pretty simple to change out the nut totally and reslot the new nut.
Originally Posted by Andrew B.
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I had to open the slots a bit when I switched to TI Jazz Flat 12s, not a big deal but I did have to tweak the truss rod a bit. Also, if you are interested in keeping your nut and making the slots smaller again, there was a Stewmac video about 6 months ago showing how to do the "filings and super glue" trick. I've never tried it, but it looks like it would work. As Patrick says, swapping out the nut is not rocket surgery, you just need to be mindful. Just my opinion.
Never underestimate the things to be learned from a $20 Goodwill guitar and a handful of bits from your local luthier or Stewmac. You can try out any mod/repair you can think of without any worries, and just might end up with a pretty cool $20 Goodwill guitar. Just sayin'.
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Flatwound strings will work fine and sound good on a tele, if that's the sound you want.
However, as a practical matter many working musicians use a tele as an all-around swiss army knife kind of guitar. It's a guitar that you can use for anything, so when I'm going to a gig where I might have to play some mix of jazz, funk, blues and rock -- I'll take the tele. But if you're going to use the tele that way, flatwound strings are too limiting, and you probably need to go with a lighter gauge roundwound string.
It's a compromise, but unless you're going to take three guitars to a gig, it's what you're likely to end up doing.
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I have flatwound D'Addario 12s on my ASAT (<---) now and a set of T-I Swing 13s for when those wear out. (I admit that I keep strings on until they start to sound or feel bad.) 13s on a Tele! On TDPRI they think I need to see a doctor! I will have to peel the silk off the strings to get them through the holes on the string-through bridge. If the nut needs to be filed a little, that's not a big deal.
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I've gotten much closer to Ed Bickert's sound(my own personal standard for Tele jazz tone) with 10 gauge and recently 11 gauge roundwounds than I ever did with flatwounds of all sizes and gauges.
Don't get me wrong the flatwounds sounded great, but even with low action 12 gauge D'addario Chromes were tough for me to play with ease for a long time on a Telecaster style guitar. I have pretty small hands 5'6 height as well and find the roundwounds give me more of that long ringing sustain with less effort. But that's just my view.
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For no p[articular reason, I decided to change strings on the tele. I searched locally for a set of flatwounds with plain g, which proved to be mission impossible, as I knew it would be. So, I decided to try half rounds/ semi flat/ brushed, whatever they call them. The only brand they held arround was D'Addario, XL, Half Rounds, EHR370, medium gauge, 11, 14, 18, 28, 38, 49.
So far so good. Still havent played anything for real but
- Intonation improved immediatelly, I think even more than it usually does with new strings. I think old ones were 10s, so it also maay be playing a part.
- volume/ loudness of individual strings is more ballanced.
- squeek of sliding fingers is much lover
- experience is a bit odd, as they resemble really old strings you forgot on a guiar for years, so they are smotthed in both the surface and sound,
but still, they're dry unbder fingers, no grease, so fingers experience lots of friction and they intonate all over the neck.
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Maybe a set of light TI flats? Good/bad idea?
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It’s the way I roll. Set of 11s with an Ernie Ball 13 & 17 on the top.
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I've tried chrome 11s. Very nice.
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Yes!
Thomastik Swings, .011
(but I have flats on all my guitars, even my Strats)
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What's so wrong about playing with round wounds? I really quite like them. And I'd think that they'd bring out more of the natural twang of the tele--what's wrong with that? Maybe I'm an alien species in the world of jazz... methinks not
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I used to use flats on my tele for jazz, until I found out Bickert used 10 gauge rounds.
I save flats for my surf guitar now.
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Either works. Got Chromes 11 on there right now.
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It's not a "good vs bad idea" issue. It's really personal preference.
I currently have chrome 11's on.
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Depends on the twang you want. Pete Anderson? Go rounds. Originally Posted by Irez87
What's so wrong about playing with round wounds? I really quite like them. And I'd think that they'd bring out more of the natural twang of the tele--what's wrong with that? Maybe I'm an alien species in the world of jazz... methinks not
Luther Perkins? Flats are where its at.
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I have flats on mine, just to try, and I don't play it enough to bother changing them. It's really just a matter of whatever floats your boat. It's not a huge investment to change strings.
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I have TI 12s on both my electrics - a telecaster and a Rickenbacker 350. I would never go back to roundwound. I much prefer the sound.
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I put flats on my tele and the guitar just disappeared from the mix in a band situation. Basically made a tele not cut through! It may have something to do with the pickups (area t) and amp (octal tube), but on my archtop it sounded like crap too. I'll stay away from flats for good, I rather have flats on my car.
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flats on tele is great...thats classic 50's tone...jimmy bryant, luther perkins on his "esquire"....
just don't go too heavy and you can still bend and twang...ti makes a 10-44 pure nickel set...or you can cobble your own set together..ghs makes a 09 flat set!!!
cheersLast edited by neatomic; 06-27-2019 at 09:36 PM. Reason: sp-
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What kind of strings and string gauges are Bill Frisell using on his Telecasters?
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I get that. Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive
So often "cutting through the mix" basically means I need more treble zing !!!
But that sound is not really the same sound as the best sound you can get at home.
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Ugh, "cutting through the mix" aka, "sign the guitar player is a hack."
Find your own place to occupy in the mix and there's nothing to "cut through."
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Yes, at home it's a different story. I actually thought I quite like it at home, especially playing through plugins in computer with headphones. But my tele is not particularly treble zingy to begin with. Which is good for jazz though. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
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The job of a rhythm guitarist is not to be heard, it's to make the rest of the band sound good. If you're being heard clearly while comping, you're doing it wrong. At least that's long been my opinion.
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