electric wound 3rd

[bobbyg67]

i'm getting back into playing electric some. just purchased a fender american special tele.i don't like real light strings. i remember using at least 11-49 and maybe even 12s. just don't remember. but i do remember using a wound 3rd string. what sets can i purchase with a wound 3rd.

[Steve DeRosa]

D'Addario EXL115W - 11-49 roundwound w/wound G (note: regular EXL115 has plain G)
D'Addario ECG24 - 11-50 flatwound

Most makers' 12-52/12-54 sets have a wound G, as do the D'Addario ECG 23 (10-48 flatwound) and EXL110W (10-46 roundwound) sets if you'd like to try something lighter...

[HogsNRoses]

Thomastik infeld IN111 has a wound 3rd in 11 gauge. You can also go with a custom set with StringJoy or pick your own strings at Strings by Mail.

For a custom set, just pick the set of 11’s you like and substitute a 20 gauge wound string (about 20).

For 10’s, there is the EXL110w.

For 12’s, I think lots of sets come with a wound G.

A wound G might change your intonation, either in a good way or bad way.

[davenumber2]

Daddario EJ21 if you like nickel strings

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by davenumber2

Daddario EJ21 if you like nickel strings

^^^ these are on all my electric guitars.

[Dadzmad]

All the above string sets mentioned are good strings.
I favor a wound 3rd too - unlike most I play an electric finger style with a thumb pick doing an alternating base.
I have Fender single coils and P90's and use:
Stringjoy Broadways, Pyramid Nickel Classics, and Rotosound Top Tapes (flats)
I also use Martin Retros on my Kingpin. You can't go wrong with D'Addario strings but I thought I might mention some others.

[FrankHudson]

I have Martin Retro "acoustic guitar" strings on an inexpensive Washburn full hollow-body archtop with a single floating magnetic pickup. They seem to work well in that use and give a nice "cross" between acoustic and electric sound on this guitar. A wound 3rd of course.

Here's that guitar getting a Christmas strum-along to anonymous Edwardian-era music hall parody. Note, there are some mild vulgarities in the lyrics on this one.

Christmas In the Workhouse

I'm plugged in for this recording, but the vocal mic is picking up a good deal of the acoustic sound of the archtop as bleed in the room.

[SCVJ]

Would someone chime in with the pros and cons of using a wound 3rd string?

Seems that lighter gauge sets come with plain, and the heavier ones switch to wound.

I'm mostly an acoustic player so am used to heavier strings. I've always used 10s on my electrics, but don't remember why I chose them. I'm now playing electric more (just at home, I never play out, or even with other people). I guess my goal at this point is to use the strings that feel best to me, since I'm not chasing tone, really.

So I guess this question has turned into "what gauge strings should I use". I think I'd appreciate strings that feel more like those I am used to on acoustics, so maybe 10s or 11s? My acoustics are heavier, of course, but I don't need to go to 12s on the electrics, right?

I know the best answer is to try a bunch of different sets, but I think I need to get my guitars set up for whatever strings they will be wearing. I'll be moving away from my set up guy in a few weeks, so need to get that done soon. Any input is welcome.

Hope this isn't a thread hijack!?!

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by SCVJ

Would someone chime in with the pros and cons of using a wound 3rd string?

Seems that lighter gauge sets come with plain, and the heavier ones switch to wound.

I'm mostly an acoustic player so am used to heavier strings. I've always used 10s on my electrics, but don't remember why I chose them. I'm now playing electric more (just at home, I never play out, or even with other people). I guess my goal at this point is to use the strings that feel best to me, since I'm not chasing tone, really.

So I guess this question has turned into "what gauge strings should I use". I think I'd appreciate strings that feel more like those I am used to on acoustics, so maybe 10s or 11s? My acoustics are heavier, of course, but I don't need to go to 12s on the electrics, right?

I know the best answer is to try a bunch of different sets, but I think I need to get my guitars set up for whatever strings they will be wearing. I'll be moving away from my set up guy in a few weeks, so need to get that done soon. Any input is welcome.

Hope this isn't a thread hijack!?!

As I understand it: At a certain string diameter an unwound "plain" string would be unwieldy to fret and bend, and won't vibrate right either. In in-between string gauges, like .011 top E string sets it plausible to use either.

With some guitars: most often archtops with wooden bridges, the fixed intonation steps assume a wound 3rd. You can still make do with a plain 3rd (just cheat a bit on intonation), but that's what they were designed to use.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by SCVJ

Would someone chime in with the pros and cons of using a wound 3rd string?

it helps the tuning issues that are inherent with the plain G string

but, they are a bit of a chore to bend.

and if you think about it, the G string is probably the one out of all 6 that get the most work when soloing.

Personally, unless it was for an archtop, I'd not go there.

to each their own.