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Are flatwound strings better for jazz?

Are flatwound strings better for jazz?

These Roundwound strings are bright, with lots of overtones, and work well with more ‘electric’ guitars, such as semi-hollow or solid-body guitars. Flatwound strings are wrapped in a flat wire, producing a more mellow, duller tone, favoured by straight-ahead guitarists, such as Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell.

What are flatwound strings good for?

Flatwound strings are known for being used in jazz, but they’ve also been used by many blues and country guitarists as well. Regardless of playing style, flatwound strings can also be useful in taming the sound of an overly bright or harsh sounding guitar.

What string gauge is best for jazz?

light gauge strings (0.9, 0.10) will be easier to press down and bend. In general they give a bit of a “thinner” sound, and are commonly used in rock or fusion styles….String Gauge.

String Gauge Generic String Name
0.11 – 0.49 Blues Medium Gauge
0.12 – 0.52 Jazz Light Gauge
0.13 – 0.56 Jazz Medium Gauge
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How long do flat wound strings last?

These strings usually last me 5-6 months.

Are flatwound strings easier?

Nickel-wound strings (using a high nickel-steel alloy for the winding) tend to sound warmer/darker than nickel-plated windings, stainless steel or bronze. Bigger gauge. Thicker strings tend to reduce higher harmonics. Flatwounds.

Are Flatwounds higher tension?

Flatwound strings hold more string tension than roundwound strings. More string tension increases the amount of pressure the fingers need to use to push down the strings. In other words, your finger and hand muscles will need to work harder to produce the tone than when using roundwound strings.

Do Flatwounds strings have more tension?

Why do jazz players use thick strings?

Another poster here mentioned that jazz guitarists tend to use heavier gauge strings, which are harder to bend. Heavier gauge strings give a louder acoustic sound, provide a richer, fuller tone, are easier to intonate and stay in tune longer, but have nothing to do with jazz players not bending notes.

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When should you change flatwound strings?

As long as you are still happy with the sound, flats should last indefinitely.

How long do electric bass strings last?

It’s all about how often you play, your hand-sweat, your maintenance and the material of your strings (+coat). So bass strings last from roughly 1 month to 5 years. 😉 As some people have said already it depends on how you want to sound.

Are flatwound strings more expensive?

Some players, usually rock players, do not like flatwounds at all because of their dark tone and lack of brightness and harmonics. The best flatwound guitar strings are also considerably more expensive than roundwound strings because they are more difficult to manufacture.

Are flatwound guitar strings better?

In this case, flatwound strings have an advantage. Flatwound strings hold more string tension than roundwound strings. More string tension increases the amount of pressure the fingers need to use to push down the strings. In other words, your finger and hand muscles will need to work harder to produce the tone than when using roundwound strings.

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Should I buy a roundwound or flatwound bass?

If you only have one bass, you may want to borrow a bass with flatwound strings to try it out first. Although flatwound strings cost twice as much as roundwound strings, they last much longer. Without the small grooves for dirt and grime to gather, flatwounds will hold their tone and last longer than roundwounds.

Are roundwound strings harder on your fingers?

These strings are harsher on the fingers because of the grooves between the wire and causing more fret damage over time, although not enough to rule out roundwound strings purely based on that. Roundwounds are also easier to tune and have a lower tension than flatwounds with the same gauge.

Why do old-school flatwound guitars sound different?

Old-school flatwounds typically produce a darker sound and feel tauter, with a little clunk to the E string. That is probably due to the thick core and amount of extra wrap needed. In some cases, the E string may have a wildly different tone to the rest of the set, which you’ll hear if you listen to some older tracks.