Flatwound strings for acoustic?

[TedBPhx]

I’ve used these. They’re more of a polished round than a true flat but they do significantly reduce string noise.

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[maxsmith]

Yes I’m using the Martin “Retro” Monels on my small body, 12-fret Breedlove - they’re the best roundwounds I’ve found so far. Maybe what I need for the tone I’m looking for is an all mahogany guitar. My current guitar is all solid mahogany EXCEPT the top is solid “torrefied” spruce - some sort of toasting or aging process.

Martin Retro Monels go well with my Martin 00-15M all-mahogany guitar. They don't "shimmer" or squeak as much as phosphor-bronze strings. I use 12s, my normal gauge, on the Martin.

[RJVB]

Funny that you have settled on Martin Retros; they are definitely very shimmery for almost a week when new!

I also gradually moved to an even thicker pick and currently use 13-56 gauge, so I pretty sure thinness of material is not an issue.

What I seek is more fundamental tone, a rich, masculine voice - no zing no jangle, just a big warm note. Like a cello or an oud, perhaps, even more like a old school gut, silk and silver classical guitar tone.

What guitar is that, and have you experimented with different pick materials? I missed that you're playing with a pick, and the material can make a huge difference. My own favourite is wood (ebony) because it gives a nice fundamental tone, but it wears too quickly on steel strings. Horn is a good second.

You may end up adding a crossover or even a classical to your garem because that's the only real way to get the tone you're after, as far as I can tell. But if your current guitar is small and light enough it might actually work well enough with nylon strings; there are several brands that offer ball-end nylon strings (d'Addario EJ33; GHS also do).

You asked about the Monel silk-and-steels. I already answered but forgot to mention that Pyramid offered to polish them (if memory serves me right !).

[mrwoland]

Hi!
I really like Dogal Nightclub.
They are exactly what you seek: acoustic bronze strings flatwound.
The tone is reminds me of a classical guitar.

Here are two examples

[RJVB]

[COLOR=#000000]Hi!
I really like Dogal Nightclub.
They are exactly what you seek: acoustic bronze strings flatwound.

Actually, they're brass wounds

But wow, I thought Thomastik strings were expensive ... and I wonder what they mean with "laminated". Double windings?

[mr. beaumont]

I've tried flats on acoustics...never liked them. Settled on the Monels, really like them on my all mahogany flattop.

[mrwoland]

Brass! You're right.
Yes, they are very expensive... but I must says that I changed them after 6 months, and they were still fine!

[maxsmith]

I’m still open to suggestions, but I ordered the Thomastik Plectrums in both 12-59, and 13-61, hopefully the low E strings will pass through the bridge, nut, and tuning peg. Depending on how it goes, I may give the Dogals a spin.

Thanks to all for your input!

[maxsmith]

These arrived today - will put on the 13s if the bass string fits.

[RJVB]

/methinks the low E from the AC112 set would work just fine with the AC113 too.

You may have to file the slot in the 6th bridge pin, if your pins are slotted. AFAIK there's no drawback to doing that when you go back down in gauge.

[maxsmith]

Beautiful playing!

Hi!
I really like Dogal Nightclub.
They are exactly what you seek: acoustic bronze strings flatwound.
The tone is reminds me of a classical guitar.

Here are two examples

[maxsmith]

My initial impressions of Thomastik Plectrum AC113 set, 13-61:

I was happy to discover that the 61 gauge low E string fit through my bridge, nut, and tuning peg.

This is MUCH closer to the sound I am looking for than the Martin Monel “Retro” 13-56 set I have recently been using.

All the strings have a stronger fundamental tone, even the plain strings, once the initial “zing” wore off.

The wound strings have a warm, rich fundamental tone with no rattling or upper mid-range twang. I would liken the tone to a cello or baritone voice - round and masculine.

Aside: I think it’s odd that we have such a thing as a “baritone” guitar or even “bass” guitar when the standard tuned guitar reaches down past the baritone voice lowest pitch (A2) down to the standard lowest bass voice pitch (E2 - that’s your low E-string fellas!) The guitar is a much lower voiced instrument than we think, I think.

The only criticism I have is that the windings aren’t as flat and smooth as I would like, still a little too much string noise. But overall, a very big improvement.

[Note: I am using a Hense 1.4mm “Happy Turtle” large triangle pick - it’s the one in my avatar. This pick also contributes to the darker tone I am getting - my Hense “Cream Speedy” and Blue Chip TPR 50 rounded triangle (both plastic) produce a brighter attack, more upper mid-range emphasis, and more harmonics than the “Happy Turtle”, which is made from organic material.]

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments!

[Filmosound 621]

thanks for the write up.

I use Thomastik Jazz Swing strings on all my guitars ... give them a try with your flat top as well,

if you haven't yet.

[maxsmith]

Beautiful playing and tone - I’m interested to know what plectrum you are using.

Hi!
I really like Dogal Nightclub.
They are exactly what you seek: acoustic bronze strings flatwound.
The tone is reminds me of a classical guitar.

Here are two examples

[Betz]

TI Classic s Rope Core. The KF-110 gives you 5 flat wounds with a plain steel E and KR-116 gives you 6 flat wounds. Low tension and the solid spruce top on my Taylor GC6 seems to just love ‘em.

[RJVB]

I tried a number of trebles of those sets on an acoustic despite the fact they're for classical guitar. The rope-cores are wound with nylone tape but I'm pretty certain I also have a plain steel with nylon tape winding. The KF set has stainless steel flat winding over a silk-and-steel core for the B and G strings. The rope cores do not really like the thin tuning posts used on acoustic guitars so beware of that.
Maybe the work on a smallish and really lightly built acoustic but on my mini-jumbo they were clearly too light to drive the top adequately. Maybe that's also the reason I found they combined the bad traits of nylon and steel strings: jingly open strings and on the low frets, and dead sounding higher up.

[dhd]

I recommend Magma Flat Phosphor Bronze (GA120PBF) acoustic guitar strings.

[L50EF15]

I use D’Addario Chrome on all my guitars, acoustic flattops included (Martin 000X and Yamaha dreadnought). Really brings out the fundamental, lots of body in the sound, definitely not jangly.

[s11141827]

I recommend Magma Flat Phosphor Bronze (GA120PBF) acoustic guitar strings.

Magma Flat Phosphor Bronze Wound Strings, basically Flatwound Versions of Phosphor Bronze Strings which IMHO would work great on Acoustic Archtop Guitars so you can get that slick Flatwound Jazz Feel while retaining the Acoustic Bronze sound. These Strings are pretty slick because they start out as Round Wound Strings & then they literally Flatten the Wrap Wire all the way to make them feel & look like Flatwound Strings, so they're more like a Special Variation on Ground Wound Strings (or Semi-Flattened Strings) which I refer to as "Fully Flattened Strings" (or Super Ground Wound Strings).

[s11141827]

These strings are pretty slick because they start out as Round Wound Strings & then they Flatten the wrap wire all the way.

[mrwoland]

I'm currently using Galli Strings AJF and I really like them.

AJF Jazz flat acoustic

And there is also a set for NST Tuning (CGDAEG)!
AJF Jazz flat acoustic : AJF1260 MEDIUM

[noober]

I too think it’s more the guitar than strings. A lot of modern acoustics (like since the 90s) have that Taylor-ish zing you’re talking about.

Try guitars that are modeled after depression era guitars - Waterloo, Iris, Recording King. Shorter scale length, smaller body, sometimes using mahogany tops or maple back and sides. They tend to have the more focused, direct, warm sound that I think you’re looking for.

[RJVB]

Funny that you mention Taylor, short-scale and maple in the same post - you were just missing 12-fret. I've been very surprised by and attracted to the 612ce 12fret in the recordings that I heard of it (the normal version isn't half bad either).

Ultimately though, if you're looking for you're looking for a tone like "a cello or an oud, perhaps, even more like an old school gut, silk and silver classical guitar tone" you should get a classical or crossover guitar. You could also put nylon strings on your current steel-string acoustic(s) if you don't mind the loss of volume that will cause.

As luck has it, someone is selling a high-end Breedlove crossover for a very discounted price on here

To reduce fingernoise on the wound strings you could then put on LaBella 900 Elite basses; those are ground-wound with brass, are perfectly smooth to the touch and once broken in give a really warm, fundamental tone.

You can still play with a pick, of course, but I'd suggest experimenting with different materials. The nicest sound I got flat-picking nylon was with an ebony pick from the UK brand Wood Tones (even my classical teacher was surprised she liked the sound - but buffalo horn isn't too bad either).