D'Addario Semi Flat Wound Jazz Medium are no more

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 10:41 AM

I just found out that my beloved D'Addario EHR360 Semi Flat Wound Jazz Medium are no longer produced. Those were the 13s. 12s and under are still available, but no more good stuff.

So I'm looking for something comparable. I can use the chromes, but I hate the low E string in particular. It just doesn't have any kind of tone...

I know Thomastik Infeld swing or bebop would be great, but at 30 freakin bucks a pop, it's a bitter pill ...

Anyone have any suggestions?

**burchyk** · 12-20-2021, 02:23 PM

I buy Thomastiks from Thomann in bulk. Cheapest I've found so far (although I'm in the UK).

I really like them for not giving me obvious intonation issues and lasting quite long.

But equally important is having relatively fatter high strings and thinner low strings. The only other maker doing that is GHS with Pat Martino signature but those seem to be flatwound.

So keep this in mind if you decide to go Thomastik. Recommend going up a gauge when switching from other manufacturers.

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 02:27 PM

I have used TI before and honestly I thought it was the best string I ever tried...

However, I thought the D'Addario was not bad and for 1/3 the price, I decided I could live with it!

Do you use the swing or bebop?

Originally Posted by burchyk

Recommend going up a gauge when switching from other manufacturers.

Now that is useful info! Thank you.

**burchyk** · 12-20-2021, 02:42 PM

Yeah, they are worth it for me, considering the consistency and the fact that they last me anywhere from a month to 3 depending on how often I skip practice

I use bebop (roundwounds) 14-55.

Forgot to mention, I think they sound a bit different from nickel D'Addarios. The top end is smoother - I'm sensitive to frequencies of 4-5k upwards and I think D'Addarios have more of it (or maybe they just stick out more due to the balance with other frequencies).

Just looked up the half-rounds and they are stainless. Thomastiks are nickel. That's another variable for you

**Archie** · 12-20-2021, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by furtom

I just found out that my beloved D'Addario EHR360 Semi Flat Wound Jazz Medium are no longer produced. Those were the 13s. 12s and under are still available, but no more good stuff.

So I'm looking for something comparable. I can use the chromes, but I hate the low E string in particular. It just doesn't have any kind of tone...

I know Thomastik Infeld swing or bebop would be great, but at 30 freakin bucks a pop, it's a bitter pill ...

Anyone have any suggestions?

Wait are you saying the D' half rounds are no longer being made? I just bought 4 packs last week to restring some guitars.

Bummer. Have been out of love with flat wounds for some years now. I prefer the dynamics you get from half wounds. The bass is always tighter and more defined.

**blille** · 12-20-2021, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by burchyk

But equally important is having relatively fatter high strings and thinner low strings. The only other maker doing that is GHS with Pat Martino signature but those seem to be flatwound.

So keep this in mind if you decide to go Thomastik. Recommend going up a gauge when switching from other manufacturers.

Spot on.

Plain strings are cheap and pretty indistinguishable so I buy two fatter high strings to complement a set.

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

Wait are you saying the D' half rounds are no longer being made?

The sets of 13s are no longer being made. 12s and under are still in production.

No more 13s.

I prefer the dynamics you get from half wounds. The bass is always tighter and more defined.

Well said. That's pretty much exactly what I meant when I said the chromes lack tone, especially the low E string!

**Archie** · 12-20-2021, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by furtom

The sets of 13s are no longer being made. 12s and under are still in production.

No more 13s.

Well said. That's pretty much exactly what I meant when I said the chromes lack tone, especially the low E string!

Phewwww! I play 12's

**Peter C** · 12-20-2021, 07:10 PM

I don't follow the logic: if you're contemplating TIs, with their comparatively skinny wounds (except maybe the E), just put a set of half wound 12s on there and sub the plains for a 13 and a 17. GHS Brite Flats only go up to 12s, IIRC.

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Peter C

I don't follow the logic: if you're contemplating TIs, with their comparatively skinny wounds (except maybe the E), just put a set of half wound 12s on there and sub the plains for a 13 and a 17. GHS Brite Flats only go up to 12s, IIRC.

Well, that's because there is no logic as of yet. I'm not nearly as familiar with TIs, so I don't know how they will turn out. Yes, I have tried them and really liked them, but that was a very long time ago! I don't remember them as having skinny wounds, but I don't think I played 13s yet at that point. So I probably didn't notice.

Your idea has merit. I ordered some bebop 13s (I couldn't find 14s) and we'll see how it goes. If I don't like them, I'll keep experimenting.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 12-20-2021, 07:56 PM

I bet if you looked around you could find D'Ad 13s for sale.

**Greentone** · 12-20-2021, 08:08 PM

Furtom,

I feel your pain. D'As are a good deal, making the loss of the 13 set a downer. A decade ago I bit the bullet and switched to TI Jazz Swing 13s.

Expensive? Yes, but very long lived. They sound good for so long that they are worth the price.

**bluejaybill** · 12-20-2021, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by burchyk

Yeah, they are worth it for me, considering the consistency and the fact that they last me anywhere from a month to 3 depending on how often I skip practice

I use bebop (roundwounds) 14-55.

Forgot to mention, I think they sound a bit different from nickel D'Addarios. The top end is smoother - I'm sensitive to frequencies of 4-5k upwards and I think D'Addarios have more of it (or maybe they just stick out more due to the balance with other frequencies).

Just looked up the half-rounds and they are stainless. Thomastiks are nickel. That's another variable for you

Here's a question: do stainless steel wound strings deliver more magnetic output to a pickup than nickel?

I have one guitar where the unwound strings are noticeably louder than the unwound, seems to be a characteristic of the pickup no matter the adjustment (minihumbucker).

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

I bet if you looked around you could find D'Ad 13s for sale.

Yeah, I did find some. But others have already begun to jack up the price!

Anyway, it's only a matter of time...

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

Furtom,

I feel your pain. D'As are a good deal, making the loss of the 13 set a downer. A decade ago I bit the bullet and switched to TI Jazz Swing 13s.

Expensive? Yes, but very long lived. They sound good for so long that they are worth the price.

Thank you! You get where I'm coming from!

In the grand scheme of things, TIs aren't going to break me. But it just seems unnatural to have to think of electric guitar strings as an expense...

I'll get over it.

**furtom** · 12-20-2021, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by bluejaybill

I have one guitar where the unwound strings are noticeably louder than the unwound, seems to be a characteristic of the pickup no matter the adjustment (minihumbucker).

Does that mean that you can't mitigate this by adjusting the pole pieces? Weird. That's exactly what they are for!

**HCarlH** · 01-02-2022, 03:10 AM

I believe the GHS Rollerwound strings are semi-flat and available in True Medium gauge. (.013).

SETS - NICKEL ROCKERS™ WOUND 3RD - GHS Strings

**kevmoga** · 01-02-2022, 06:59 AM

I feel your pain re the price of TIs. My strategy is to hit your favorite online string retailer during their Black Friday sale, usually 15-20% off. That typically gets them down in the low $20s here in the states. Order up enough for the year; as others suggest, that doesn’t take too many sets. When they arrive, wrap them up and put them under the tree as a gift from your significant other to yourself. Everybody’s happy!

**Gabor** · 01-02-2022, 07:49 AM

During the search of the Holy Stringset I had tried once an concluded this set combined the disadvantages of both flatwound and roundwound world... plus my fingers went gray while I unpacked them... which I had to take a very bad omen.

**furtom** · 01-02-2022, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by HCarlH

I believe the GHS Rollerwound strings are semi-flat and available in True Medium gauge. (.013).

SETS - NICKEL ROCKERS™ WOUND 3RD - GHS Strings

Thank you!

**furtom** · 01-02-2022, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by kevmoga

I feel your pain re the price of TIs. My strategy is to hit your favorite online string retailer during their Black Friday sale, usually 15-20% off. That typically gets them down in the low $20s here in the states. Order up enough for the year; as others suggest, that doesn’t take too many sets. When they arrive, wrap them up and put them under the tree as a gift from your significant other to yourself. Everybody’s happy!

It's a good strategy. I ordered 2 sets the same day I started this thread, but they apparently are on the slowest boat to leave Europe since the 19th century. They are still over a week away...
Anyway, this is a learning process. We'll see how they go and I'll try a few other brands as well. Eventually, I'll settle on something.

**furtom** · 01-02-2022, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Gabor

During the search of the Holy Stringset I had tried once an concluded this set combined the disadvantages of both flatwound and roundwound world... plus my fingers went gray while I unpacked them... which I had to take a very bad omen.

You are taking about D'Addario Semis, I assume?

If you say so, I don't doubt you, but I never had any problems.

Vive la différence!