New to Jazz - Strings/Tension/Action/Tuning/Astrology Questions

[SixStrings_Monk]

I am not the best, but I've been playing guitar on and off for some years now.
I've been using 4ths tuning for some time now, my guitar is a Strat, I change between 9s and 10s, tuning is D in fourths.

So, I am looking into flatwounds (D'addario Chromes to be precise), and that's quite the rabbit hole...
I just don't know what would work for me.

Apparently higher gauge can help with getting a lower action, which combined with reduced string noise could help with making complicated chord passages less 'impossible'.
As I am so used to light strings I imagine it unlikely I would enjoy my time with 13-flatwounds : >
I also know my guitar's neck isn't very flat, but I don't need ultra low, I think, just want flatwounds, ease of play(chords and fingering, vibrato would be great).

I've had Chromes 10 and 11 on my shopping cart for since last night now, don't have enough knowledge to judge things...
How much tension "do I need" to get smoother action?
Would the slacking strings from the lower tunings be counterproductive?

I wonder if D'addario XT or Elixir Optiweb would also be good for me, but they have an upper limit to gauge, AND are harder to find here in terra Brasilis.
(oooooor, 'common' strings, but I already go quite long without changing strings, so if I could have strings that keep intonation for longer that would be pretty cool.)

(Yeah, whatever strings I get, will send to a luthier for proper setup.)

Any lights would be well appreciated,
I hope to learn a lot here ^^

[Socalbill]

Hi, I’ve never tried flats on my tele, but I do use “semi flat” or rollerwound 11s on my tele. I like the GHS rollerwounds. Strings are cheap and my advice would be to try a few sets yourself and then pick what’s right for you and head to your set up guy.

[Strbender]

Welcome aboard. If you are looking to start out with using Chromes on a Strat I would choose 11's if you don't plan on bending strings. If you have the $ Thomastik-Infeld Swings or TI's for short are really nice and the gauge runs thinner for the given number. I couldn't use Chrome 13's, but I can play the TI 13's all day on my archtop.

Can't help you with the tuning but good luck

[djg]

i use TI 11s swing on my strat and LP custom

[gitman]

Welcome ! One thing you should take into consideration is the attack/sustain and decay characteristic of a flatwound string - it's different from a round wound : if I were to play mostly chords, fingerpicked or strummed I'd probably go with roundwound strings because I get better note-separation, longer sustain, more brilliance (which can be tamed with a tone control). When comping in a rhythm section you'll have more presence, you'll be heard better without having to turn up.
For strict single note playing and only occasional comping a set of medium flats/halfrounds would be ok. But in the end there's so much more that comes into the equation :
which guitar are we talking about, the pickup, the action, pick/no pick, 2/3/4/5/ note voicings, the volume, your picking technique, fingerstrength, ...
I've never liked flats on my Tele, love them on my Super-400 !

[Lobomov]

vibrato would be great).

Thicker and thus higher tension gauges vibrate less, which is why you can slightly lower them compared to thinner gauges. And sure, a set of 13 set up just right and lot won't be difficult to play, if you just fret the notes

But the moment you try to do vibrato or bend then it get a lot harder


I mean, try it .. that is a lot more effective than reading about it on the internet. If you don't like it then you can just change the strings to something else.

That being said ... Chromes feel like normal daddarios a gauge up. So if you put on a set of 10s then they're going to feel like a set of 11s. That 10 gauge light e-string is on the thin side .. Notice that the b-sting is a 14, which is what is usually on a set of 11s.

I actually tend to change that light e-string to a 11 .. or preferably a 10.5, it's just not always that I have those lying around. .. Oh yeah .. I like bending and vibrato, so in a set of 10s Chromes I'll also swap the wound g-string for a plain 18.

[citizenk74]

I am not the best, but I've been playing guitar on and off for some years now.
I've been using 4ths tuning for some time now, my guitar is a Strat, I change between 9s and 10s, tuning is D in fourths.

So, I am looking into flatwounds (D'addario Chromes to be precise), and that's quite the rabbit hole...
I just don't know what would work for me.

Apparently higher gauge can help with getting a lower action, which combined with reduced string noise could help with making complicated chord passages less 'impossible'.
As I am so used to light strings I imagine it unlikely I would enjoy my time with 13-flatwounds : >
I also know my guitar's neck isn't very flat, but I don't need ultra low, I think, just want flatwounds, ease of play(chords and fingering, vibrato would be great).

I've had Chromes 10 and 11 on my shopping cart for since last night now, don't have enough knowledge to judge things...
How much tension "do I need" to get smoother action?
Would the slacking strings from the lower tunings be counterproductive?

I wonder if D'addario XT or Elixir Optiweb would also be good for me, but they have an upper limit to gauge, AND are harder to find here in terra Brasilis.
(oooooor, 'common' strings, but I already go quite long without changing strings, so if I could have strings that keep intonation for longer that would be pretty cool.)

(Yeah, whatever strings I get, will send to a luthier for proper setup.)

Any lights would be well appreciated,
I hope to learn a lot here ^^

My '66 Custom Telecaster (rosewood fingerboard; binding; w/b/w pick guard) came from the factory with 0.011 flatwounds.* It's a Goldilocks set - not too anything, just right. I've had consistently good luck with D'Addario flats - great tone (brightish, for flats [that's what tone knobs are for], but the tone lasts for a long time), excellent intonation - in general, stable and good-sounding. The only modification I made to the guitar was to replace the three-threaded steel barrels to compensated brass barrels at the bridge for better intonation.

Telecasters are awesome for jazz. And pretty much everything else.

* Fender branded, probably made by D'A or GHS**

** GHS Brite Flats are also great. More of a highly polished semi-round. Bright and quiet - one of my favorite strings!

[Jim Soloway]

I use Chrome 10's and have been using them for the last 3 years or so. I often use them tuned down to either Db or D on a 25.5 scale length. They should work for your D 4ths tuning and feel quite familiar to you.

[SixStrings_Monk]

Sorry for disappearing, I did end ordering chromes 10s, should be a good entry point and I can decide from there what to do.
I wish strings were cheaper here : >

I am watching some Pat Martino lessons, checking if my choice of tuning won't mess with anything.
Gotta train and learn while the package isn't here haha