flat wound strings???

[flank]

what exactly are these all about? whats the difference between flat wound and standard electric guitar strings?

reason im asking is because i have a humbucker in an acoustic and it sounds a little jazz boxy......but its not quite there, and i have a vague feeling that these flat wound strings are used for jazz?........ and if so, will they really make a noticable differnce? and in what way?

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: flat wound strings???

I just put a set on my guitar the other day just for poops and giggles. While I don't exactly have a jazz setup guitar-wise and pickup-wise (it's a strat hot-rodded for metal), I noticed a bit of a difference, but I wonder if it's just "feel" or my imagination. I swear it not only feels like playing an upright bass, but kinda sorta has a little bit of that crack and snap. Worth a try, why not?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: flat wound strings???

There are actually 4 different sting types; ROUNDWOUND, SEMI-ROUND, FLAT WOUND, and COATED. Flat wound strings differ from standard round-wound strings in that the sides are ground down and polished giving them a rectangular look if you were to see a cutaway. This will give you a lot less finger noise and an almost fretless sound. Yes, they are often used by jazzers on big boxes. A friend of mine has (or had) flatwounds on his Fat Strat (11's) and I thought it sounded great for chording as well as really fast runs on the guitar due to the lack of finger noise.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: flat wound strings???

Hey Blue Calx, what exactly is the 'detah metal' listed in your sig??

 

[Sprinter]

Re: flat wound strings???

One of my Dean Hardtail's has a bright tone. I cured the brightness with a set of Gibson flatwound strings. I say try them, strings are cheap.

Sprinter

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: flat wound strings???

Hey Blue Calx, what exactly is the 'detah metal' listed in your sig??

It's a direct WFD quote... must be a brazilian thing :laugh2:

 

[flank]

Re: flat wound strings???

hey thanks guys...... i think ill try out a set of flat wound strings........ any particular companies make good ones? i found dadarrio and gibson so far......those will be good right?

 

[bvc310]

Re: flat wound strings???

Fender also makes a set of flatwounds, I love flatwounds for their feel and particular sound. They can really cure an overly bright guitar. Ive been using them for about 6 months and im switching to roundwounds on my new g&l to since the guitar is not overly bright. I have a feeling ill be back at flatwounds on my next string change with the g&l though.

 

[flank]

Re: flat wound strings???

well i will be using them mostly for jazz chording....i have the jazz box sound very close on this guitar....but its just not quite there, need a little more depth and airy-ness to the bass notes

eh, ill try em out

 

[yes-fan]

Re: flat wound strings???

i use flat wounds on my strats. i like there feal more than round wounds.

 

[Studiobuddy]

Re: flat wound strings???

i have d'adario flat wounds on my tele, it sounds amazing for jazz, these string's arent made for shredding though lol

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: flat wound strings???

Depends on what you consider shredding. I had no problem playing intense picking passages on flatwounds ... The only thing I had troube with was finger tapping and bending, b/c the guage was 11's ...

 

[flank]

Re: flat wound strings???

ive read about ribbon wound strings......these are essentially flat wound strings arent they?......cause i see daddario has strings called ribbon wound jazz strings.....and they are listed under the flat wound section......so???

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: flat wound strings???

i want to try these flat wounds. seems pretty cool.

 

[Pandemonium]

Re: flat wound strings???

Flatwound strings always sounded dead to me. I don't even like them on a lap steel or reso.