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  #1  
Old 05-31-2014, 02:23 PM
Bikewer Bikewer is offline
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Default Jazz guys.... Strings?

As I posted before, I bought an Ibanez semi-hollow. Came with standard strings... Don't even know what they are.

Have never thought much about electric strings, frankly. I long ago settled on D'Addario phosphor bronze for all my acoustic guitars, till I got my GS Mini, which came with Elixirs and I put the Elixir "PB" jobs on that and they do seem fine...

But reading the jazz guitar forums it's apparent that flatwounds are pretty much the standard....
Have never tried flatwound strings. The D'Addario "chrome" models seem popular... They also mention the Thomastik but they are 'tres expensive...

Any experience?
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Old 05-31-2014, 02:43 PM
s2y s2y is offline
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I'm new to archtop playing. I picked up a Greg German 7 string and it's strung with half wound 13s. The strings essentially sound between rounds and flats, which I find to be a little more versatile. Your tone knob can roll off the high end. Can't really add high end to flat wounds. The D'Addario ones are cheap and sound good. I'd say they're cheap enough that they're worth trying.
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Old 05-31-2014, 03:03 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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I use D'A flats on almost all my electric guitars - they're easy to get, come in a variety of gauges, sound as good and consistent as anything I've used in the last 50+ years (brighter than you'd think, BTW), and cheaper than most. If you're used to a 10-46 electric set the CG23 set at 10-48 will get you very close in terms of feel; be advised, though, that they come with a wound G (not a drawback in my book since it provides a more even string-to-string response to my ears). If you're looking to get some "wood" into your tone, however, you'll probably want to go with a CG25 12-52 set; FWIW these were standard issue on all the "classic" electrics of the '50s-60s (LP/SG/ES, Strat/Tele/Jag/Jazzmaster, Gretsch/Guild hollows, et al.) back in the day, so if you're not bending up a fifth on every song and you're after authentic vintage vibe, these would be a good way to go. One fringe benefit IME is that you'll also be able to set your action lower than with roundwounds, without buzzing (something the old-time bebop guys discovered 60+ years ago) which not only compensates for the additional thickness but allows you to execute speed licks far more easily - and if you also own a Strat and a blackface amp, a set of flat 12's is an instant trip back to SoCal summer '63. Definitely worth a try - I used half-rounds and nickel wounds through the '70s-80s, rediscovered flats about 25 years ago and been using them ever since...

BTW, you might want to duplicate this thread over on the Archtop forum - most of the hardcore jazz guys hang out there...
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Old 05-31-2014, 03:40 PM
Paikon Paikon is offline
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Thomastik infeld for me. Round wound or flatwound they are great and last a long time.
I like Wyres a lot too.
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Old 05-31-2014, 09:58 PM
muscmp muscmp is offline
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i use d'addario exl 115. they are 11s with a wound 3rd. great for jazz.

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  #6  
Old 06-01-2014, 06:19 AM
Paully Paully is offline
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Default Jazz Strings

+1 on the DAaddarioXl chromes. I get'em flat wound in 11/50. Use'em on my hollow body Epiphone Joe Pass very mellow, polar opposite of the DAddario EXL 115, 11/49 round wounds I tried at first those were really bright. These flat wound DAddario's are the right ticket for my ear. Be advised that they've got a wound G (22).
Bon ChancePaully
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Last edited by Paully; 06-01-2014 at 06:29 AM. Reason: Left something out of post
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