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Flat Wound Strings

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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

I recently tried a set of D'Addarrio's Flat Wound .11s. Just doing some basic Jazz barre chords on a clean setting for the time being, but so far I kind of like these. A couple points of interest.

#1: Moving a chord shape up and down the neck as FAR less of that scratchy sound.
#2: I can manipulate some pretty Jazz tones far easier. With regulars, I just kind of slowed things down to a fast rake kind of thing. These I can attack harder and still get the pretty noises.
#3: It's got a wound 3rd. I don't know if it's because of that or what, but there seems to be quite a boom to the strings. Not sure if that's lows or mids, but quite a bit of power still. Far less ringing out.

So, has anyone else used them? Got any tips or thoughts at what else they're good for. I'm under the impression that it's mainly for Jazz, but as I've learned over and over again, nothing is totally as it seems with the 'ol six-string we love.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@gosurf80)
Eminent Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 28
 

It's been a while since I used flats on guitar, but that's all I use on my bass. I love the feel and the mellowed out tone the flats give you.


   
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(@gnease)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

also associated with some country and surf.

a duller (though NOT less interesting) timbre with a smoother, rounder attack and less sustain is characteristic of the flatwound strings. one advantage of less sustain is that moving through chord changes containing tension and release is a much cleaner affair, as the ear gets a flavor of the dissonances without getting smacked upside the head by them. jangly doesn't always mix well with jazz chords. flatwounds def are not jangly.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@dan-t)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5044
 

I've used the D'Addario Chromes on my Oscar Schmidt semi-hollow guitar & they were pretty good. I switched back to regulars though because I couldn't get used to the 11's. Yep, I'm a wimp! :wink:

"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge


   
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(@joehempel)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2415
 

Roy,

I just got a guitar about a month or so ago that uses flat wound...was my first experience with them, and I noticed everything you did. I loved the fact when I was fingerpicking that I didn't get all that scratchy noise from the strings, made it sound so much more clear.

In Space, no one can hear me sing!


   
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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
Topic starter  

I've got a setting on my multi-effects board that is clean for the most part, but aggressive with the gain enough to know it's rock and not James Taylor. Good for "Sweet Home Alabama". Anyhow, I busted this out on that setting yesterday and it took on more of the flat wound melodic tone than I expected. I'm pretty certain that I will leave these strings on for quite some time.

Just messing around this morning with a patch that has a bit of chorus, delay and reverb to it. Pink Floyd's "Breathe" and "Time" did pretty well with these things. Not quite so good on "Wish You Were Here", but one would expect that. "Comfortably Numb" and Led Zep's "Tangerine" were good too.

The best, though, has been "Girl From Ipanema". I'm not up to proper speed yet, but I'll post something when I get there. These strings allow me to get energy and that Jazzy tone at the same time without great effort or over-doing the effects.
I've used the D'Addario Chromes on my Oscar Schmidt semi-hollow guitar & they were pretty good. I switched back to regulars though because I couldn't get used to the 11's. Yep, I'm a wimp! :wink:

I can do the .11s some days. Open chords usually never a problem. Barres are a little tougher. BUT, on those bad days I struggle with '10s too, so not sure about net-loss. Only rhythm so far.
I just got a guitar about a month or so ago that uses flat wound...was my first experience with them, and I noticed everything you did. I loved the fact when I was fingerpicking that I didn't get all that scratchy noise from the strings, made it sound so much more clear.

That Guitar Research came with 'em? Pretty cool. All of the semi-hollows and hollow bodies at my local Sam Ash had D'Add regular 9's on them when I was doing some test drives last month. I was somewhat disappointed as I wanted to try them out.
also associated with some country and surf.
I know it isn't pure Country, but I played the Rolling Stones' "Sweet Virginia" and was pleased. No, it's not accoustic like the original, but it still sounded pretty good for what it was.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@gnease)
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Joined: 20 years ago
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should have said: country (or western) swing

-=tension & release=-


   
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