String Gauge

[Keith7940236]

I'm looking for advice on how heavy a gauge string I would be able to use on my Eagle TDC. I got the guitar with 10's on it, and had 11's put on when I had the set up done. Now that I have my Prospect (also set up with 11's) I want the Eagle to have a heavier jazz type sound. I'm probably going to have the bigsby removed and go back to the traditional tail piece. The pickups are Schaller Golden 50's, which I like, but I'm looking for a heavier, smokier tone. I was thinking that heavier gauge strings could do that. Maybe I need to try some flat wound? I've got a Polytone Minibrute II, so the jazz amp component is covered.

Anyway, I thought I would like to throw that out there and see if anyone had any advice.

 

Thanks,

Keith

[Genericmusic]

Flat wounds will make a difference. There are many different sounds from the various manufactures and the metals they use. You should have your choice of brass, stainless, nickel, and composites or alloys. Good Luck.

[unikh550]

Hi, Keith, Flats may give your guitar, being a little thinner, more sound depth. However, the 6th string on many sets often has a thunk to the sound that muddies the sound from the 3rd fret to 1st. Flatwounds have recently gone up in price. Musicians Friend has gone up to $10.75 per set. Unlike some roundwound sets that they offer, MF does not sell 3 or 10 packs to bring the cost per set of flatwounds down. Even though they're SUPPOSED to sound less bright than roundwounds, I find that flatwounds usually have seen better days somewhere between 50-75 hours of playing. Since the 1st and 2nd strings are plain steel, which have to be replaced after 30 or so hours of playing anyway, you're really only getting something unique for the other four strings. Have found that roundwounds, going for between $1.99 and $3.95 per set, depending on the brand, will give me 30-40 hours of playing time, and they usually all go bad at the same time (roughly), which makes the decision to change strings a lot easier than with flats.

 

Most importantly, you don't want to be another one of those in vogue today who sound like elevator music. They all sound like they're playing scalar patterns, and are monotonous after a few minutes of playing so perfectly. Play brighter, with fiery chords mixed with other techniques, sort of like Barney Kessel. I, also, use a Polytone (Minibrute IV) because it limits the feedback from my Charlie Christian pickup on my H-550. Usually mix and match so that my strings are something like:

1st: .013-.014 2nd: .016-.018 3rd: .024-.026 4th: .032-.036 5th: .042-.046 6th: .052-.056. These sizes make playing fast a challenge, so I go more for texture and slower techniques, like smears, sonic shapes, slight bends, etc. Good luck, fellow jazzer!- Charley Bevell, Bloomington, IN

[Keith7940236]

Wow Charley, Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. I'm going to try the heavier strings and let you know how it works out!!

[Genericmusic]

Flatwound strings are popular among jazz players, as they offer more bottom end and less brightness. These tend to be more tightly wound, offering better comfort and longevity. The lack of grooves in the string prevent dirt and oil buildup, meaning you'll experience less "dead" strings. Additionally, your fretboard will thank you for less wear and tear. Roundwound strings are common stock strings that will come with your guitar. These are the strings that give that squeak when shifting positions; this is due to grooves set between wrappings. Roundwound strings go dead much more often, as dust can collect within these grooves. Additionally, the grooves will wear on the frets and fretboard much more. One advantage to roundwound strings, however, is their brightness. Bassists who use pop slap techniques will swear by roundwound strings, as these offer the best compatibility to their style. So you don't want your tones too low, but you don't want squeaky shifts either. There's an answer for you: halfwound strings. These offer the best of both worlds, with mid-level tones and the comfort and smoothness of flatwound strings. These are also called groundwound strings, as the surface is literally ground down to flatwound smoothness. Halfwounds allow for pop slap style, while providing flatwound comfort and longevity. Another option are hexcore strings. Essentially, these are roundwound strings wrapped in a hexagonal pattern. This serves to increase the life of your strings, but players will still suffer from squeaky shifting. Additionally, your frets will suffer the same wear and tear of grooved strings. Strings should be an extension of your fingers; they're your physical connection to your guitar, and careful thought and consideration should be given. Do not be afraid to experiment with different strings until you find the perfect set.

[Kuz]

Thomastic George Benson Flat wounds 12-53 is all I use on my Heritage Archtops. Thomastics have less "thud" sound and last forever, but they are pricey. But I only change them 2 times a year.

 

The other advantage of this set is less tension on the top. Heritage ships their archtops strung with 11s. Vince Lewis plays with lighter strings than this and gets awesome tones. But I did ask Ren at Heritage what string guage Heritage recommends and he said close to 11s because the tops of Heritage archtops are a little thinner for more projection and tone.

 

The above set I mention feels great, but doesn't have the regular amount of tension that say D'addrios Flats 12s would have.

 

Here is a link to Thomastic GB Flats 12-53 from "Just Strings" and you can see if they are for you.

http://www.juststrings.com/toi-gb112.html?cmp=nextopia&kw=toi-gb112

[iim7v7im7]

My Sweet 16 is set up with either Thomastik-Infeld Bebop or Jazz Swing .013" -.053". If I m playing more acoustically, then Bebops or if electrically then Swings. Also, I have found that the intonation on my bridge is better with a wound G string (my bridge is not compensated and E and A go a bit flat above the 12th fret).

[tsp17]

Thomastic George Benson Flat wounds 12-53 is all I use on my Heritage Archtops. Thomastics have less "thud" sound and last forever, but they are pricey. But I only change them 2 times a year.

 

+1 on Thomastik GB flat 12's. I finally settled on these for my 575MH.