Flatwound Strings on Fender Stratocaster

**0zoro** · 10-29-2012, 03:06 PM

Thank you all, och tack katten, for your views. I have suddenly gotten it in my blood that I need a Godin exit 22, or similar. Now that is the subject of another thread, just how do these needs arrive, just at this particular time, and why that one? I will leave those questions for someone else to ponder on.

**hot ford coupe** · 10-29-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by 0zoro

Thank you all, och tack katten, for your views. I have suddenly gotten it in my blood that I need a Godin exit 22, or similar. Now that is the subject of another thread, just how do these needs arrive, just at this particular time, and why that one? I will leave those questions for someone else to ponder on.

That's nothing more than good old GAS or Gear Aquisition Syndrome. It happens when you see other instruments. It's not easily curable.

**Androo** · 10-29-2012, 05:31 PM

I'm feeling evil

**0zoro** · 10-30-2012, 03:38 AM

Thanks Androo, I needed that!

**jazzkatten** · 10-30-2012, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Androo

I'm feeling evil

Hehe

**jazzboob** · 10-30-2012, 12:50 PM

I use D'Addario Chromes XL ECG25 Light Guage ( replacing e&b with 13 and 17 ) on my Bartolini PBF 55 & 57 modded Blacktop Strat and I very seldom pick up my archtop anymore. Strings sound great!!

**chipmonk78** · 10-30-2012, 02:01 PM

Use D'addario Chromes on the Strat. D'addario XL Chromes ECG23 Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings 10-48 | eBay. Best thing is I can switch from Fender Bullets with no messing with truss rod or trem.

Pickups are Lace Sensors and the neck pickup will provide a credible jazz tone with the tone rolled off halfway. Very useful in a band that covers jazz, show tunes, rock 'n roll and blues in a single set! I default to 13s on the archtop, but bit difficult to do the solo from "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" with 13s!

**jazzkatten** · 10-30-2012, 02:27 PM

I use .011 on my strat, really like the tone

**miken** · 10-30-2012, 08:45 PM

I put flats on a Tele and loved them. However, I took it to a rock/blues jam and it just didn't get in there. Playing by myself it was killer. Just something to know.

**jazzman22** · 10-30-2012, 11:37 PM

i may have put flats on a tele once.not quite sure...id give it a shot then put it on the neck pickup and turn down the tone.prolly would sound cool

**Frank67** · 10-31-2012, 01:35 AM

Once put flats on a tele and hated it. They came off right away.

**hot ford coupe** · 10-31-2012, 01:50 AM

I once put .013 flats on a tele, used the neck pickup and never took them off. It's funny we basically had the same experience and have 3 different opinions. Go figure. In all seriousness, it was perfect for the type of music I play.

**Flint** · 10-31-2012, 07:27 PM

I've tried flats on just about everything. On hollow and semi-hollow guitars, they work great. On solid bodies (except pure metal guitars), they're as good as rounds. They don't bend easily enough for metal or some blues, especially with whammy bars. On acoustic guitars (yes, I tried that!) they suck.

**0zoro** · 11-01-2012, 04:46 AM

Thank you all!

**Robertkoa** · 11-11-2018, 08:07 PM

The trick on a Strat (especially a Fender ) is to get the plain strings warmer ...so the Elixirs can help and 11s help (I don't play a Fender ) because the coating dulls them a little ...I haven"t tried the thicker coatings -just the 'nanoweb' but there's a thicker coating they have that is more dull...you might try the Flats and order individual Elixir Polyweb for the plain strings .

I only like bright Guitars for short periods of the day ...except Acoustics .

**Greentone** · 11-11-2018, 08:59 PM

TI .11-.47 Swing Flats on mine for several years. Great. ..for rock and blues, too.

**life_with_a_song** · 11-12-2018, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Androo

I use flats on all my guitars, archtop, Tele, Strat. To me, it is the absolute best!

This is me. I recently started going through all of my electrics and making the switch over to flats. No question for me they're best for what I do (jazz/jazz-inflected rock stuff). I don't like the "extra noise" that rounds make now when I pick up a guitar with them. To me, the flats just give me the pure sound without any squeak or harsh things that that rounds give that I wasn't even aware of until I'd played flats for a while then went back and played a guitar strung with rounds.

**Robertkoa** · 11-12-2018, 09:14 AM

I wonder if this is true but a long time ago a guy from a string manufacturer ( I think Daddario ) told me that no matter what alloy and winding etc etc.- that when you get to the plain strings - they may have different plating but they are all steel .

I asked why don't they use alloy - he said steel was the only thing that would withstand tension and flexibility so they were 'all the same '- but that was in the 80's .

So when you have Flatwounds on a twangy decoupled Stratocaster (lol)- what happens on the plain strings ...?
Does it magnify the differences even more ?

**neatomic** · 11-12-2018, 09:32 PM

the great ry cooder used flats on his strats his whole career!!...influenced lowell george to do same

most surf bands used strats with flats too...dick dale perhaps the exception

fenders and flats go back a long way!!!

cheers

**neatomic** · 11-12-2018, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Robertkoa

I wonder if this is true but a long time ago a guy from a string manufacturer ( I think Daddario ) told me that no matter what alloy and winding etc etc.- that when you get to the plain strings - they may have different plating but they are all steel .

yes all unwound plain strings are made of same carbon/swedish steel...the inner cores of the wound strings are also carbon/swedish steel...the outer wraps of the wound strings is what makes all the difference..and the thickness of the inner cores!!...

so yes all plain strings are basically the same ..most have super thin tin plating, tho brass plated is also around..any slight differences occur in the construction of the ball end.. xtra soldered wind etc..but basically all same

how they match with your wound strings depends upon the guitar, pickup and very importantly the material used on the wound outter wraps..be it 80/20 bronze,bronze phosphour, monel, pure nickel, nickel plated steel, stainless steel, alloy 52 or cobalt...(in ascending magnetic strength order)

cheers