I was a long time flatwound user(Chromes, then Rotosound, then Thomastik) and I've got Flatwounds on a Jazzmaster(.11s) and Jaguar(.12s) now because I have so many.

I prefer roundwounds because of the expression I get out of them. And I do have quite the preference for a plain third string. Roundwounds also have a little more bite. Also, turn down the tone a little bit and it rolls off the added brilliance the roundwounds get you(sounds more like Flats)

Flatwounds sound really cool, that is what they have going for them. They are also quite a bit easier to learn how to play surf on, both from a playing standpoint and a tone standpoint. Playing, it is easier to double-pick and tone, you don't have to do much to get that deep thud. With roundwounds, I've learned how to get that.

With roundwounds and flatwounds I have a deep preference for ROUNDCORE strings, I much prefer their tension to those with HEXCORE. The roundcore allows me to be more expression with my left hand. I'm not a big bender of strings, but I do like to allow them some movement to add some flair.

Roundwounds - DR Pure Blues .11s(on most my guitars)
Flatwounds - Thomastik Jazz Swings in .11s or .12s. These strings are stupidly expensive, I get a nosebleed thinking about it. I bought 9 pairs at cost and wanted to die. Their acoustic strings are the best as well.

I think there are more pros than cons for sure. I like the smooth feel and lack of squeak you get from rounds. The slightly darker tone is nice to balance the brightness of the reverb. I find them to last much longer than rounds! I always seem to blow out rounds. I also like the wound G string. I am not a big fan of the Chromes though. Like Jake I prefer the TI Jazz swings as they have a bit of a tooth to them, and the Stainless steel la Bella & Fender 11's also a round core I like. I feel you get what you pay for with flats, Plus they just feel soooo good. There is a fair amount of info under the String gauge pole in the search feature on the site. Strings are a very personal part of your playing style and enjoyment, you real have to try a few sets before you realy settle on a set.

I think it is also worth mentioning, in contrast to Larry's observations, that flats are rarely used on Strats and more common found on Jaguars or Jazzmasters.

jonastronaut wrote:

to tame the 'icepick'.

1.) Tone on your guitar
2.) treble volume/EQ on your amp
3.) Tone on your reverb unit

And for good measure

Fady

El Mirage @ ReverbNation

I switched from rounds to flat about a year ago and I really like the touch and tone. But I'm using Pyramid flats on all my guitars (mostly Mosrites, but also a Jaguar and Strat) and these are pure nickel strings! IMO the material makes a major difference in tone and maybe some people tend to associate nickel with flats (not all flats are made of nickel - the unwound strings are not nickel anyway), some people might think that they tame the ice picking. It is not the string structure, it is the material. I've tried nickel rounds as well and had the same effect (much less volume, little bit dull).

The Hicadoolas

Onslow_Beach wrote:

And for good measure

Thank you for both of those again. I could listen to that whimsical, UN- self-absorbed gentleman talk for awhile.

Directly to the thread title:
I tried flats on my JM (perhaps the wrong ones by someone else's preference). Pros: stable on the guitar much longer, seem to last for-EVer. Also, fewer string squeeks.
Cons: Migrated back to rounds simply to get the life back in the guitar (for me). As playing progressed I remembered I have attack control & knobs on the guitar, not being much of an amp-knob twiddler when switching between guitars.

Possibly I'm not hitting the flats as hard as is needed, but a large part of that is a wrist issue I'm working on gradually in terms of impact & gradually working up to a heavier pick. Just like the jangle of rounds.

Just doing what works for my ears & setup.

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

Noel wrote:

If you want to play that whooshing arrow sound The Ventures used in Apache and Diamond Head (it sounds more like a zipper to me) you have to have rounds. Flats have no zip.

For the win!

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

This wasn't a reply that was meant for the turntable thread...

And Ivan, thank you for writing that. I always cringe when I hear "flatwounds for surf" because it isn't that simple. "roundwounds for surf" doesn't work either. "roundwounds for Jake", that works. But that might not work for another person.

Also, Kyle Alaniz and his Ernie Ball .09s on a JAG! There is a thread on offset guitars right now where they say you can't use .09s on a Jazzmaster, let along a Jag with its lower tension.

Set up, set up, set up....

Last edited: Feb 10, 2015 12:24:12

I'm a simple guy... I use flat wound for jazz; round wound for surf, rock, etc.
I could always approximate the sound of a flat wound just by turning the tone control down on a round wound string guitar. Turning down the tone control eliminates the ice pick shrillness and gives you that dead thud (if that's what you want).
Works for me
J Mo'