Whats the Difference between Flat wound and roundwound strings?

[wanderoo222]

Thinking about using flatwound on my strat, Have always used roundwound. I played a tele that had flat wound, Very smooth feeling stinngs. Didn't play it thru an amp though. How would they sound? waht are the advantages or dis advantages.

[NHLfan2010]

Dont know about on guitar as I have never used them for it, but on bass flats are less bright and smoother and can sometimes give more "umph"...

[Doctor Morbius]

IMO, they sound great on a Strat. I have them on several Strats. Are they better? Depends on the person playing/listening. I prefer them over rounds though for everything but bends. I mainly use D'Addario Chromes 10 gauge, which seem much heavier than 10 gauge rounds.

 

Give 'em a try. you'll only be out $10. Start out light before jumping into the heavier gauges though. They'll seem very stiff.

[Elias Graves]

A lot mellower sounding. They can tame an overly bright or harsh guitar.

A smoother sound, no screeching as you move up or down the neck, easy on the fingers.

Now, if you like bright, sharp sounds, bend a lot or do pick scrapes, you'll be disappointed.

If you bought a new strat in the 50s, it came with flats...that's all they had.

Like was said before, try em. Not like it's a permanent thing.

 

EG

[cratz2]

Yeah, they are smoother and fuller sounding than round wounds. Bending is... difficult to say the least as the G string is almost always wound on a flatwound set. On a roundwound set, the G string is the easiest to bend... I can bend up a minor third on roundwound 10s on a strat without feeling like I'm going to break it. Flatwound 10s on a strat, I can get about 1/4 of a step and it feels like it's gonna snap.

 

I'd say flats are most at home on a jazz or surf guitar in my opinion. Pick slides don't work so I'd say they are useless for 80s hair metal.

 

 

Give 'em a try. The DAddario Chromes are a cheap way to try them and are pretty cheap. The Thomastik's definitely feel more slinky, but they are about twice the cost. Sometimes when playing the Thomastik's, I forget I'm playing flats until I try to bend. With the DAddarios, you'd never mistake them for rounds.

[mnhhngbfs]

are roundwounds more bendable if you tune down a whole step or so? i'd like to try them like that, the only time i played them they were tuned to E standard

[GAS Man]

Just to mess with your head a bit, there's a step in between, i.e. "Roller Wound".

 

They aren't as flat as flat wound, but are flattened round wounds.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/GHS-Eric-Johnson-Signature-Series-Nickel-Rockers-Light-Electric-Guitar-Strings?sku=100448

The tone is definitely less bright (fuhgetta bout the description, they are not "bright")

Also available in 11s http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/GHS-Eric-Johnson-Signature-Medium-Electric-Guitar-Strings?sku=100449

 

I bought a Squier Affinity Tele Special (Butterscotch finish) that sounded a bit too tinny and wispy, I put a set of these on that guitar and it actually dulled down the tone too much.

 

That said, I do still agree with the folks above that with certain guitars flat wounds can be a bonus. They are generally associated with Jazz tones.

 

But it's not only the shape of the wrap that affects the sound. Stainless is brightest, nickel plated in between, and pure nickel wrap (like the EJs above) have the smoothest sound.

 

Personally, I'm usually a happy camper with round wound nickel plated 10s. I like the extra vibe and chime.

[Flintc]

In my experience, flatwounds not only sound a lot better, but last a lot longer. Dirt and skin from your fingers doesn't clog them up in a few hours of play like happens with round wounds.

 

But they are NOT good for bends, not even the .18w G string which is the thinnest flatwound G string I've found. You can bend a whole tone with some effort, but you gotta know it's coming and have several fingers working together.

 

They also tend to be more expensive, and a set of flatwounds for a 12-string electric can be very hard to find. I ordered a set of LaBellas from JustStrings a couple of months ago, and I'm still waiting. I put together a set using individual strings from SIT and GHS.

 

I haven't tried them on an acoustic guitar. On fretless bass, they're the only strings to use unless you like deep grooves being dug in your fretboard.

[paul44]

To begin with I'd try a set of extra light D'Addario Chromes 10-48 (ECG23),but replace the wound G with a plain one.

Not saying one is 'better' than the other,just different,but they do nail that 50's and 60's vibe.

Only your fingers and ears will tell you if you like them or not.

[cratz2]

 

To begin with I'd try a set of extra light D'Addario Chromes 10-48 (ECG23),but replace the wound G with a plain one. Not saying one is 'better' than the other,just different,but they do nail that 50's and 60's vibe. Only your fingers and ears will tell you if you like them or not.

 

 

Definitely an option to consider, but since the G string is usually the brightest in a full roundwound set, if you replace the flat wound G with an unwound G, it is by FAR the brightest string, esp on a strat with staggered pole pieces.

[wanderoo222]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to try the D'Addario Chromes 10-48 without changing the G first. Then try it with G unwound. Just Got a squeir Affinity tele butterscotch off CL with a great feeling neck I want to try these on too!

[Jkater]

I use Thomastik Infeld on my Heritage 575 (full hollow). For me, I got to have at least one guitar with flats. Until I bought the Heritage, I had them on my beloved Yamaha SA2200 but it took the versaltility out of that otherwise very versatile guitar. And that's something to know: that flats are great for what they do but they are not versatile. Some stuff, you simply couldn't play and sound right with Flats. I tried the D'Addario chrome and HATED them. I removed them the next day and put Thomastik infeld on.

[Steadfastly]

So for beginners who get store fingertips, would the flat wounds be easier on their fingers?

[Jkater]

 

So for beginners who get store fingertips, would the flat wounds be easier on their fingers?

 

 

sore fingertips are best healed by growing a callus (playing the {censored} out of the guitar).

[akapuli]

 

So for beginners who get store fingertips, would the flat wounds be easier on their fingers?

 

 

I started on these when I was still a beginner and didn't any other type existed :-D

 

Fingertips are essentials in any guitarstyle. No pain, no gain, no good sound.

[lefchr]

They are duller sounding, all of the strings kind of feel like unwound strings. Imagine all the strings feeling like the high strings.