Roundwound Strings for Jazz

[wzpgsr]

FYI, you can no longer get Newtone Archtop strings in the US. I learned this because they recently became my preferred string for electric archtops and I haven't been able to find them in a while. Wonderful strings and they feel great. TI Bebop are the next closest in feel but they don't sound as good and the gauges are a little weird. I'm hooked on the feel of double wound strings. If anyone knows of others, please let me know.

I recently switched. Damn.

[omphalopsychos]

I recently switched. Damn.

yeah it’s a shame. Best of all worlds. Round core, pure nickel, double wrap, perfect gauges (except I go up a gauge on the trebles). TI bebops are almost as good but I think the A-G strings are too light and they have more of the unpleasant “zing” than the newtone.

[ccroft]

There's a place in Canada called The 12th Fret that seems to carry them, and advertises they'll ship worldwide. Canada is close. I get stuff shipped up here from the US all the time.

Newtone Archtop Double Wound Strings - Shop The Twelfth Fret

And remember, those are Canadian dollars.

I'll also mention there's a guy selling 2 sets of 12's and 4 sets of 13's on a local Craigslist type site. Ten Canadian bucks a pop. No idea how old but they're un-opened. If anyone's desperate enough I'd buy them and mail them for no charge to a brother forum member. Maybe you can buy me a burrito if I'm ever in your part of the globe :-)

[pcjazz]

Also, Newtone will mail them to you for a minimal charge (but maybe there will be customs/brokerage considerations at your end):

Postage Details – Newtone Strings

[DavidKOS]

I've always played rounds, on everything. Good enough for Charlie Christian, good enough for me.

I've tried flatwounds on my guitars several times over the years, and always went back to roundwound strings. I don't like the feel nor tone of flatwounds on anything except certain electric basses; a "Beatle" bass where flats make it's one-trick-pony deep tone just right, and if I wanted to sound like Carol Kaye on a P bass w/ hard pick and flatwounds. However I keep my other basses set up w/ roundwounds too.

Now, on bowed instruments, of course I like flatwounds, but my string bass and other bowed strings days are past.

As for tone, I can get close enough to a flatwound sound by rolling off some treble, but I always liked a guitar tone with more highs than many jazz players seem to.

[Cunamara]

Wow ! I ordered two sets of TI Bebop strings 12-50 gauge. A couple of hours later I discover they have an unwound G strings wtf? It is not till the 13-53 set they include a wound G. grrrrrrrrrrrr yes I have a wood saddle set up for a wound G.

Will

I ran into that a few years back, and the G string was also way too heavy and stiff. Impossible to intonate on my guitar and way unbalanced with the rest of the strings. Even the gods have feet of clay.

I have gone to SIT 11-50 (S1150 set) on all my guitars (archtop and Tele/Strat) and am really happy with them; they come with both plain and wound G. Plus they're readily found for about 1/5 the price of TIs.

[wintermoon]

I've tried flatwounds on my guitars several times over the years, and always went back to roundwound strings. I don't like the feel nor tone of flatwounds on anything except certain electric basses; a "Beatle" bass where flats make it's one-trick-pony deep tone just right, and if I wanted to sound like Carol Kaye on a P bass w/ hard pick and flatwounds. However I keep my other basses set up w/ roundwounds too.

Now, on bowed instruments, of course I like flatwounds, but my string bass and other bowed strings days are past.

As for tone, I can get close enough to a flatwound sound by rolling off some treble, but I always liked a guitar tone with more highs than many jazz players seem to.

Agree 100% I don't like a very bright sound but to me flats sound, well, flat. rounds have sparkle.

[Tal_175]

I've tried many strings. To me the best sounding strings are D'addario nickel wounds. They are a little bright but get just perfect after about 2 weeks and stay good for sometime.
I like not only the feel but also the balance between liveliness and warmth these stings give.

[DavidKOS]

Agree 100% I don't like a very bright sound but to me flats sound, well, flat. rounds have sparkle.

I guess flatwounds right out of the pack already sound dead to me; plus I liked the tones of guys like Charlie Christian, Les Paul, Barney Kessel, etc. who use a full range tone.

Django didn't use flatwounds either but that's a whole other matter.

[wintermoon]

I've tried many strings. To me the best sounding strings are D'addario nickel wounds. They are a little bright but get just perfect after about 2 weeks and stay good for sometime.
I like not only the feel but also the balance between liveliness and warmth these stings give.

If you haven't try the pure nickels

[Tal_175]

If you haven't try the pure nickels

I tried pure nickels many times from various brands including D'addario. I wanted to like them but I find them uninspiring. I guess it's all personal preference.