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I’ve been playing acoustic guitar exclusively for over a year now, after playing primary electric for over four decades. There’s a lot that I like about acoustic - no extraneous gear and cables, pick up and play anywhere anytime, shaping the tone with nothing but your bare hands - but there are a couple of things I don’t like, as I’ve listened to myself play over time.
I don’t like any of the twangy, wiry, upper midrange “aannhh” sound that comes from roundwounds on acoustic. I’ve tried phosphor, brass, bronze, steel, nickel-bronze “zebra”, pure nickel, and - what turned out to be the best to my ear so far - monel - specifically the Martin Retros.
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.
The other thing that disturbs me is the finger noise against the string windings, much more pronounced than on electric, where I guess it is reduced by the magnetic nature of pickups.
I have considered trying flatwounds from various brands but they are expensive to experiment with. Have any of you tried and had good results from flatwounds on flattop acoustic guitar? Or have any other suggestions for string types/brands to address the above issues?
Thanks!
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06-04-2022 08:39 PM
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Have you tried TI plectrums? On the 11s only the low E string is wound. I've been going back and forth between the monell's and the plectrums lately on my L7.
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Originally Posted by nopedals
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Originally Posted by nopedals
From Thomastik’s website, it looks like the wound strings are flats, except for the low E which is roundwound - which seems odd. Maybe they would get the nice warm tone I’m looking for, and if the wraps are pretty small and tight on the low string like on the Bebops, maybe the string noise would be less.
I’m also concerned that the low E string on the 13 set (AC113) is .61! I’m not even sure if that will go through the bridge, nut, and tuning post hole. And I do want to stay with .13s.
Thanks for the suggestion - I may order a set and hope the low string fits.
I’m open to other ideas, folks, thanks!
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Flat wound
Maybe these are worth a try.
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I love flatwound strings but I haven't tried them on any flattop acoustics. One more acoustic set to try are the Martin Silk and Steel, if you haven't already. They definitely have a warmer, mellow tone and less string noise. You lose a little on overall volume but they have a pretty rich and interesting tone. I had a set on a 30's Gibson-made ladder-braced flattop for several years and I think I prefer them to the Martin Retros I have on there now.
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I'm not playing a lot of flattop right now but I once experimented with some D'Addario Chromes, with interesting results. Obviously, the tone is considerably subdued. There's a guy on YouTube who did the same thing and you can judge the results.
Other than that, you'll have to experiment with different brands, just like we do with electric strings. You may love Magmas, you may not. Good luck!
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Didn’t the Beatles use flatwounds on their acoustics?
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Originally Posted by RJVBOriginally Posted by RJVB
The gauges are a bit weird. The AC111 set is very light. With the AC112 set, the high E goes up one step, but the lower strings go up considerably in diameter - .59 on the low E, I could hardly fit the string when I tried them last. I can’t begin to think what the 13 set is like.
I wish Thomastik offered a set in between the AC111 and 112. I actually put some TI Spectrums on since they come in the right gauge. The tone is still warm enough, but they are certainly no flatwounds.
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Originally Posted by RJVBOriginally Posted by RJVBOriginally Posted by RJVB
The gauges are a bit weird. The AC111 set is very light. With the AC112 set, the high E goes up one step, but the lower strings go up considerably in diameter - .59 on the low E, I could hardly fit the string when I tried them last. I can’t begin to think what the 13 set is like.
I wish Thomastik offered a set in between the AC111 and 112. I actually put some TI Spectrums on since they come in the right gauge. The tone is still warm enough, but they are certainly no flatwounds.
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Perhaps it's the guitar though, and not the strings? If your acoustic is the type that has a lot of overtones and a jingly sound (typical Taylor for example), changing strings can only do so much. For a more focused sound, Martins come to mind (to use a known brand). Or mahogany guitars, or even gypsy guitars, but these come with a very specific midrange that not everyone is into.
The dullest strings i 've tried on my Taylors are the Monet brand. To my ears they didn't get along with the guitar's sound.
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Originally Posted by maxsmith
Originally Posted by docsteve
None of that is proof, but I'll have a look through a magnifier glass.
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Those look interesting, thanks, hadn’t seen them before. Bronze flats, interesting.
Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
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Thanks a good point. My acoustic has solid spruce top and solid mahogany back, sides, and neck. I’ve considered looking for a Martin or other all solid mahogany guitar of the small bodies 12-fret type - I like smaller acoustics for the focused tone and reduced volume is not an issue for me. Maybe something like this:
000-15SM | 15 Series | Martin Guitar
Originally Posted by Alter
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Thanks, I couldn’t find the YouTube video you mentioned but I did find this one of Joe Gore demonstrating TI Plectrum flats. In his intro he pretty much describes the same tone I’m looking for, I’ll have to have a close listen when I can get to my nice headphones.
Originally Posted by Peter C
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Originally Posted by RJVB
ATM I am happy with the Spectrums SB111 roundwounds. I guess I just needed a little more zing.
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Originally Posted by docsteve
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Anyway, I installed a set of Plectrum AC111s on my mini-jumbo last year, and was quickly taken away by how much she opened up with those strings and the lowest tension I'd ever had on. The low E didn't really like drop-D though.
And then I got my Loar, and put a set of AC112s on it. After playing on that guitar for a while, going back to the jumbo she sounded flat & dull. Since then I've tried the Spectrums on her (probably the best PB steel strings I tried but still not my taste) and now have a set of monel silk & steels on. That set is interesting, at least.
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Which goes to show that there is not a best set of strings, but just a best set of strings for a given guitar at a given point in time.
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Who makes the monel silk and steel set?
Originally Posted by RJVB
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Here you go.
Joe Gore sounded good.
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Plectrum user here. I think it does the trick, but you could go one weirder with the Thomastik KR 116, or the KF 110 to avoid having to file the nut. They're designed for classical guitars, but they've got ball ends, so why not? In fact, if no one else does it I'll do it myself as soon as I decide upon what steel string guitar to buy.
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Originally Posted by maxsmith
Originally Posted by mr quick
However, as you said these are strings for classical guitar. They're OK'ish for fingerpicking on a steel-string acoustic but don't expect to get a lot of volume out of them and they may feel like rubber bands.
One weirder would also be a set of nylon tape-wounds (Pyramid, La Bella or Galli make them).
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Happy to see this thread.
I've been wondering the same thing.
I'm writing more things on acoustic guitar lately but I don't like the squeak. (I use flatwounds on my Tele and PRE SE Custom; not just to end the squeak, either: I prefer that tone.) But I hadn't tried flats on my acoustic (Eastman E10M).
Now I have a lot to think about...
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Originally Posted by maxsmith
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.
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