Flatwound strings: Thoughts

[Rogueleader]

I've recently gotten sick of the feel of the strings I've been using (56-13 for d standard) and want to switch back to a lighter gauge. On all of my basses (I primarily played bass for several years before I switched to guitar) I use flatwound strings (Steve Harris Fanboy) and I prefer the feel. I've been told that, barring jazz applications, its not a good idea to use flats on an electric guitar. I might just throw caution to the wind and try it out for a little while. Any thoughts or reccomendations?

 

[Edroz]

i used the D' Addario Chromes flatwounds .11 - .65 set for awhile a few years back on my sevens...

they can most definitely be used for metal applications. it's a different sound and feel for sure, but it can work.

the D' Addario 1/2 rounds strings are really nice too. as the name implies, they're in between a roundwound and flatwound string. i still use them on some of my sixers from time to time

 

[Elysian]

IMO they sound like doodoo unless you're playing jazz...

 

[Rogueleader]

i used the D' Addario Chromes flatwounds .11 - .65 set for awhile a few years back on my sevens...

they can most definitely be used for metal applications. it's a different sound and feel for sure, but it can work.

the D' Addario 1/2 rounds strings are really nice too. as the name implies, they're in between a roundwound and flatwound string. i still use them on some of my sixers from time to time

I'm looking at those strings right now. I'm usually a DR man but it seems like most of their sets are thicker than I would like to go. I'm also changing my E standard axe to flats and I can't find any lighter gauge (9s). How are the D'addario strings tension wise, are they about the same as a comprable set of rounds. Also how long was the strings lifespan? On basses flats sound good way longer, is it the same on guitar?

In terms of sound did you just eq more highs? Any tips on making it work?

Thanks

IMO they sound like doodoo unless you're playing jazz...

I'm not going to judge them till I try them but thats what I've heard from several people.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

IMO they sound like doodoo unless you're playing jazz...

In full agreement with this. They feel horrible to play too IMO.

 

[sevenstringj]

Funny, I'm a recent convert myself! First bass, then guitar. (TI or Sadowsky for the bass, Chromes for the guitar.)

With gain typical of teh br00t4Lz, they're pretty much indistinguishable from roundwounds... except that they eliminate finger chirping. At the same token, forget about Van Halen-style pick scratching! :/

For cleans, they can sound dull or lush depending on the pickups. With single coils or Q-tuners, they sound gorgeous so far. They're a hair dull with the Duncan Jazz. I'll try parallel wiring. If that don't do the trick, I'll swap it for a Q-tuner.

Love the feel, btw!

 

[MF_Kitten]

they are far from indistinguishable from roundwounds, the high end is all gone!

it´s noticeable as hell, too. all the upper harmonics and clarity disappears, and you´re left with low end and mids.

you can still do chuggachugga stuff and metal with them, but don´t expect a really clear tone. it´s better for warm and growly stuff in metal applications.

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

On basses flats sound good way longer, is it the same on guitar?

Not entirely sure since I've never done it but flats sound good on basses so long because they are already dead straight out of the pack. That coupled with the fact that there are no grooves for dirt to cake into and rust up the string and you've essentially got really dead sounding coated strings. Since they're already dead and dirt resistant they take way longer to get even more dead.

So hypothetically they should last much longer than round wounds.

eh, let us know how it works out!

 

[AvantGuardian]

I've been switching between flatwounds and roundwounds on my Raines 7 string semi-hollow. The flatwounds definitely have less of the high end. For that particular guitar though, I like that because its all maple (expect the fretboard), so they kind of mellow out a naturally bright guitar (along with the fact that its a semi-hollow). I prefer the jazz tone with the flatwounds, but for more modern fusion tones I think the roundwounds cut through better. I don't think I'd ever use flatwounds on a guitar that wasn't primarily for jazz or that I wasn't trying to get a very dark/bassy tone out of.

 

[troyguitar]

I like them on bass, hate them on guitar. I might try some on my 9-string though because that thing is BRIGHT and I've been playing mostly jazzy stuff on it anyway.

 

[sevenstringj]

they are far from indistinguishable from roundwounds, the high end is all gone!

it´s noticeable as hell, too. all the upper harmonics and clarity disappears, and you´re left with low end and mids.

you can still do chuggachugga stuff and metal with them, but don´t expect a really clear tone. it´s better for warm and growly stuff in metal applications.

Not entirely sure since I've never done it but flats sound good on basses so long because they are already dead straight out of the pack. That coupled with the fact that there are no grooves for dirt to cake into and rust up the string and you've essentially got really dead sounding coated strings. Since they're already dead and dirt resistant they take way longer to get even more dead.

Whatchu talkin bout, Willis?

 

[ArtDecade]

Flatwounds = Jazz and Surf to my ears.

 

[shogunate]

ive tried them for metal applications and initially hated them, and tried them awhile later and loved them. the difference was that the first set i had tried was coated (kills high end enough by itself) and the second set was uncoated. the uncoated felt soooo much less sticky on my fingers, and leads became unbelievably smooth. smooth, not raunchy or trebly, which some people love in their lead tones. i dont use them because i like roundwounds where my pick hits so i can coax the strings to be more aggressive or mellow, whereas the flatwounds dont do that, or pickslides.

as far as eq'ing, i REALLY dont suggest just trying to turn up your treble and presence controls and expect it to make up for the extra treble smoothness, if youve got a bright guitar, like a maple neck and maple or ebony fretboard, and a relatively bright amp, you could easily get away with it and sound great. however, if youre running a darker amp that has more growl than bite, it may be a lost cause. youve just gotta make sure your high end has a lot of bite and cut before you swap the flatwounds in, then you get the best of everything and wont lose your high end.

 

[John Drysdale]

I agree flatwounds sound good for jazz and surf.

I have Chrome 11's on my 1960 Jazzmaster and it really captures the instrumental/surf sound.

 

[Rook]

I just wanna super clarify (no pun intended); regardless of whether some people here have managed to make compromises and get something that works, flats will never sound anything like rounds, there's a huge discrepancy in high end and you should really go in expecting that IMO, if you can get it bright enough to not just sound dead then that's good but it depends on a lot.

All that said though, a set won't cost you much may as well try and decide for yourself!

 

[Pav]

I used flatwounds exclusively back when I was still playing jazz. They were incredibly warm sounding on a hollowbody but I would never use them for metal, like ever. Like Rook said, they sacrifice so much high end that even though they may be workable...I don't see a point. Experimentation is always key though.

 

[MF_Kitten]

Holy bumping 3 year old thread guys!