Flatwounds on a Telecaster,good idea?

[KATMAN]

Years ago I knew a guy that had a 1951 Fender Equire.He had heavy flatwound strings on it.At the time,I was only a beginner and played with the ligtest strings possible,mostly because I was learning to bend and stuff.Now,nearly three decades later I find myself toying with the idea of playing a jazz style with a piano.I have a Squire Telecaster,Standard series,and a Fender Strat.The Telecaster has always the backup and I hardly ever play it.I loved the old guitar looks,with the blacken finger marks 0n the maple fretboard.Mine won't ever look like that,since it has a rosewood fretboard.But I still like the idea of it.Anybody ever try flatwounds on a Tele?

[Stackabones]

Yeah. It's cool & it'll work just fine, but I don't really dig the flatwound sound, not even for jazz.

[KATMAN]

I'm just looking for a different sound.I'm too poor to go out and buy a good jazz guitar,so I'm trying to use what I have.He used his with a tremolo sound he had on his amp,and I'm going to try the same thing.

[Stackabones]

Jazz is music, not gear. A tele will do just fine for jazz, with or without flatwounds.

[poolshark]

It's cheap enough to try out. I use flats on my dedicated jazz guitars.

[Alecto]

Go for it. That's what the Tele sound was originally designed for.

[KATMAN]

 

Go for it. That's what the Tele sound was originally designed for.

 

 

Actually the Tele was intended to have a twangy sound for country artists,if I remember right. The Les Paul was intended for jazz,since that's what Les Paul played.Either guitar would work I guess.

[KATMAN]

 

Jazz is music, not gear. A tele will do just fine for jazz, with or without flatwounds.

 

 

I feel more comfortable with the flatwounds.Less temptation to bend strings!

[Stackabones]

I feel more comfortable with the flatwounds.Less temptation to bend strings!

 

You can bend strings in jazz. It's a crazy notion that you can't or that you aren't supposed to -- that it violates some unwritten code of jazz guitarists. Check out Django.

[Uma Floresta]

Years ago I knew a guy that had a 1951 Fender Equire.He had heavy flatwound strings on it.At the time,I was only a beginner and played with the ligtest strings possible,mostly because I was learning to bend and stuff.Now,nearly three decades later I find myself toying with the idea of playing a jazz style with a piano.I have a Squire Telecaster,Standard series,and a Fender Strat.The Telecaster has always the backup and I hardly ever play it.I loved the old guitar looks,with the blacken finger marks 0n the maple fretboard.Mine won't ever look like that,since it has a rosewood fretboard.But I still like the idea of it.Anybody ever try flatwounds on a Tele?

 

It worked for Luther Perkins

[Greg.Coal]

As Uma said, there's a long history of it. Check out this video (Kenny Vaughan of the Fabulous Superlatives) talking about flat wounds on Tele's:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHNAY6mvFdc?fs=1&hl=en_US

 

Some time ago I bought some after watching this video and reading other threads elsewhere and if I knew where I put them I could tell you how I liked them on a Tele!

Greg

[DaleH]

 

Actually the Tele was intended to have a twangy sound for country artists,if I remember right. The Les Paul was intended for jazz,since that's what Les Paul played.Either guitar would work I guess.

 

 

Actually it was used for bass lines. Untill the electric bass came along.

Modern wiring kits in most teles now.

[BoneNut]

No flatwounds. Just a Tele and talent.

 

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[akapuli]

 

Now,nearly three decades later I find myself toying with the idea of playing a jazz style with a piano. Anybody ever try flatwounds on a Tele?

 

 

I use them (D'Addario Chromes), they perfom well for my funk and jazz needs. I like the direct percussive sound.

 

The main advantage in a piano-driven jazz combo that these won't produce extra harmonic content which would often clash with those of the piano.

[Saturday]

i played with flatwounds strings in my fender tele and my gibson sg.

i love those strings. i don' play jazz or anything - mostly alternative and indie rock stuff. they are very versatile, and sound great with distortion. of course, if you want steve vai sustain and crazy bends - look elsewhere. but they are so warm and "meaty" sounding.

[Angry Tele]

flatwounds work great on a Tele...Luher Perkins and Im pretty sure Don Rich used them as well.