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Hi fellas, Im used to play what I call normal strings, basically Daddario XL 10s, for me coming from rock and blues that supposed to be the regular type but a friend of mine told me that now that I enjoy playing more clean sound and listening to jazz/fusion players I should try Pure Nickels and Flats, actually seems that both have less tension than the ones Im using so I could even consider to gor for 11s and see if bending wise still ok for me or maybe a bit stiff, question is, which ones you think are more versatile and have less tension? I think flats have less tension than pure nickels in general right?
Which are your fav sets?
Cheers
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09-16-2022 10:20 AM
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GHS Brite Flats, .012 for solid-body electric
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I am not sure how you can judge a comparison between nickel wound strings and flat wound strings. Some flat wound strings are nickel wrapped, some are chrome steel wrapped, some are stainless steel wrapped, some are nylon wrapped. There might be other varieties that I don't know about.
FWIW my favorite strings are Pyramid Gold. They are nickel wrapped flats with a round core.
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You could look at brands that list actual tensions and compute/compare. I don't think there's that clear a difference. You'll often read that Thomastik strings have less tension, but actually a .12 Thom set is a .11 set with the high E and B bumped up a gauge, so naturally they have less tension as a set.
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D'Addario's website gives the tension of every string they offer. Some other manufacturers do as well. Keep in mind that the tension may not be the same on your guitar, but the relative differences will be the same. .010 sets are pretty light, and .011 is considered very light among jazz players. But heavier strings allow lower action, since there is less excursion when the strings are plucked. Getting the lowest possible action does require a good setup - perfectly cut nut, straight neck with little or no relief, and proper saddle height. Regardless of the string gauge, a good setup is essential. Having that makes the perceived tension less than with a poor one. My recommendation is to buy some strings and try them, because that's the only way to find out what works best for you. Most aren't that expensive, so it won't take a second mortgage, or the rent money, to buy a few different types and gauges.
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I prefer playing my „Jazz“ with a clear and bright tone at the amps sweetspot to achieve some grit when I dig in. Pure nickel strings are the perfect choice to me. They are warm yet bright, got a tad less tension and last forever. Pure nickel strings got a vintage tonal character which I really love, I swear they‘re also sustaining longer.
Can‘t get wrong with D’addario pure nickels (my favourites) or expensive Stringjoys. Pyramid offers round core pure nickel strings- they sound amazing and really generate an endless sustain. Unfortunately there are often faulty strings in their sets.
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D’addario pure nickels seem the way to go but those Payramid with nylon make total sense to me as I spend a lot of time practicing with my classical guitar and I love the soft feel of nylon so Ima try both, unfortunately Pyramid Gold are pretty expensive here in Spain but it could be worth the try.
Cheers guys.
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If you're in Spain and want Pyramids, try here. Shipping is (or was) reasonable.6-string sets | E-Guitar | Strings | SchneiderMusik.de
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I recently noticed Pyramid is now easily available through Thomann, not expensive, I don't remember that being the case before.
Originally Posted by Peter C
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Actually, I'm not sure that pure nickel have less tension than the regular Daddario XL 10s. If you go to Daddario Website you can find string tension charts. Originally Posted by Basshead
Hi fellas, Im used to play what I call normal strings, basically Daddario XL 10s, for me coming from rock and blues that supposed to be the regular type but a friend of mine told me that now that I enjoy playing more clean sound and listening to jazz/fusion players I should try Pure Nickels and Flats, actually seems that both have less tension than the ones Im using so I could even consider to gor for 11s and see if bending wise still ok for me or maybe a bit stiff, question is, which ones you think are more versatile and have less tension? I think flats have less tension than pure nickels in general right?
Which are your fav sets?
Cheers
Look at 10-45 pure nickel, EPN110. Tension is given in lbs.
PL010 E 0.010 in 16.22 lbs PL013 B 0.013 15.39 PL017 G 0.017 16.58 PNG025 D 0.025 19.25 PNG035 A 0.035 20.82 PNG045 E 0.045 18.85
and compare tension with 10-46 EXL110 regular light gauge
PL010 E 0.010 in 16.22 lbs PL013 B 0.013 15.39 PL017 G 0.017 16.58 NW026 D 0.026 18.38 NW036 A 0.036 19.04 NW046 E 0.046 16.91
Pure nickel have also smaller gauge for D, A and low E string but more tension.
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Use a string tension calculator to compare, or look up the tensions of the sets you're interested in.
I like both roundwounds and flatwounds. I like the bright zing of roundwounds and the dull cluck of the flatwounds. For roundwounds, I prefer nickel plated steel.
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Really? Originally Posted by Jazz_175
The pure nickel D’addarios feel less stiff to me and isn‘t it illogical (concerning that table) that a thinner string has more tension?
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Not at all illogical. The winding wire is a different alloy, and the core, which makes the most difference, can be thicker even though the outer diameter is smaller, depending on the diameter of the winding wire. Note that the plain strings are identical in both sets, only the wound strings are different.
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Hi, B,
I started playing Pure Nickels 12's/13's about 1 1/2 years ago. I would get 22 to 26 hours of playtime before they began to lose intonation--an important consideration for me. Recently, I switched to 12's chrome flats and I have 95 hours of playtime with no loss of intonation on the bottom 4 strings. However, I replaced the trebles(E,B) at 76 hours. I liked both sets of strings but I'll stick with the Flats since I also play Classical guitar and they're easier on the hands. I think the Chromes are a great deal based on longevity, feel and sound.
Marinero
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