These Strings Made My Modern Guitar Sound Vintage (flat wound strings)
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- čas přidán 7. 07. 2024
- Here are some of my favorite Flat Wound Strings:
D'Addario Chromes Extra Light (affiliate link)
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/2330848/9...
La Bella Jazz Flats (affiliate link)
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/2330848/9...
Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
History of Flat Wounds - 00:40
Novo Serus T with Round Wounds - 01:16
String Swap - 01:45
Sound Comparison - 01:56
What's The Difference? - 03:08
The Flat Wound Sound - 04:19
Use Effects - 05:49
Drawbacks - 06:31
Wrap Up - 07:02
In this video, we explore the versatility of flatwound electric guitar strings beyond their traditional association with jazz music. Contrary to popular belief, flatwounds can offer a range of tones that make them suitable for a variety of genres, from rock to pop to country.
To illustrate this, we take a look at how the Beatles incorporated flatwounds into their music, and compare the sound of flatwounds versus round wound strings in several examples. You'll hear how flatwounds can provide a smoother, more mellow sound that works well for ballads, while also having enough bite to handle more upbeat songs.
Whether you're a seasoned musician or just starting out, this video will give you a new appreciation for the versatility of flatwound electric guitar strings and how they can enhance your playing in unexpected ways. So sit back, grab your guitar, and let's explore the world of flatwounds!
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Flats are aight
Let's make this random, short comment the top comment lol
@Twan Theunisz I second this,
(Edit): We got it pinned, we did it Reddit!
Best comment on the topic
Such a British comment
@@twantheunisz9281 let’s boost the shit out of this
The early Beatles (and other artists) from the UK were smart using the Vox amps with the flat wound stringed guitars. The combination of the darker guitar sound and bright chimey Vox sound were a match made in rock heaven.
There was little else available in the UK at the time as well as no “knowledge” of string types. You bought what was available. This was usually Black Diamond in the early sixties.
All the UK bands used Vox as they were the best England had to offer. The Beatles did have a Vox deal.
I'm a major Beatles buff, and I don't recall them using any Telecasters prior to George's famous rosewood in 1968-1968. Early mods used consisted of a lot of Rickenbackers, Gretches, the Casinos, and George and John got matching blue Strats in 1965, one of which George painted and is the famous Rocky. Great video on the differences between flat and round strings, though. I've never played flats, and you've sparked an interest so that may need to change. Keep up the great work.
Loved Brian Jones' teardrop Vox 6 string.
they used what was available at the time , Back then there weren't that many companies or a lot of options, Like now days.
@@davidyelland908 a LOT of unique sounds people often attribute to whichever artist's "genius" ends up just being dumb luck and using what was available to them... not to take anything away from them, cause they did capture that sound, after all. i just think its funny how people are always like oh, how did you ever come up with that? you're a genius! and then, if they're honest, just whatever happened to be in the room.
I've used half round strings for a while now. You get the same benefits as flats, but they come in lighter lighter gauges and are easier to bend. I love them because they get rid of the string noise when sliding and they change the sound to something a little warmer.
Same! I feel like they really last too! Halfround 11s on my jag is proving to be a great combo!
I used to play them when I played bass. I think they called them ground wounds, as that's exactly how they make the outer flat. Felt great, and great tone. I'll have to try them on guitar. Might be great on a tele.
Absolutely.
I've had a set on my electric for about two or three years;I can't remember. Once you get used to em and their warmth, hard to get away from em.
Yup - I've been using half rounds on my Jazzmaster and Jaguar and especially when you play the bridge pickup you really get the benefit of the extra warmth of the strings, they tame the harshness nicely and still sound bright.
I recently put flat wounds on my semi hollow and tuned it to D standard and I love it. I don't play jazz or anything but it just feels and sounds cool.
Tbf d standard on most strings feels awesome
Thanks for the tip, I definitely plan on trying it out. Did you happen to increase the string gauge when tuning down to D standard?
@@tito.tarantula Yeah, I think it's kind of a necessity. I'm not sure if I used 11 or 12 now, but they're difinitely much thicker than I usualy play, which would be mostly 9.
I use flatwounds exclusively on all my guitars and basses. It has always been because of the feel, but the fact that my Jackson soloist with a Floyd rose has them on definitely gives it a unique sound you just don't hear elsewhere.
Been playing flats for over a decade and I LOVE them. That thick ass thump attack, note bloom, and no squeaks. Heavier the better, and the low end is spectacular.
Flat wound strings paired with Rickenbacker guitars and played through American voiced amps = heaven.
I agree. I recently bought my luthier’s twenty two year old jet glow 360 off him, it had been his studio guitar for twenty years, and asked him to put my usual flat wounds on it when it came around to the first time to restring (with flats I usually find a set will last me about three months on each guitar). He described it as ‘transformational’ and was kicking himself that he never tried it. Through my boutique ‘57 Tweed knock off… No pedals required.
@@francispower1418 the 22 years old is really strange referring to a ric when that means it’s still just from 2001
@@Viper-dz2kw We’re all slapping on mate! I think I’m past vintage and bordering on ‘antique’ myself!
What flats do you recommend. I got a gretsch with p90’s and a PRS conzeca so I’m trying figure which ones to get that are still easy to bend
That's the Beatles sound dawggg😊
I've been using flat wound strings for years, both guitar and bass. I love the sound and, perhaps even more important to me, the feel.
Same here I personally don't like rounds ever since I was 7 when I first started playing I'm 20 now turning 21 soon
My favorite use of flatwounds is putting them on a 12 string; the flats have less upper harmonic content, which is great on a 12 string, because the octave strings are already providing tons of upper harmonic content. Roundwounds on a 12 make the strings kind of compete with each other, whereas the flats give you a more cohesive sound to my ears.
We talkin acoustic or electric
Electric
@@OldManStoli silly qkestion. cool.. i should probably think harder on having one as well, glad u mentioned it!
@@chinmeysway I play flats on both my 335/12 and Gibson acoustic 12str
Good call. Take some of the bright edge off.
This is one of the few videos I’ve come across where one can clearly hear the difference. Good job.
10/10 for having a quick comparison demo at the very start of the video. Way too many people will bury it in the video and this immediately grabbed me and gave me what I was looking for. Subbed immediately 👍
same!!! excellent video!
"You ever been in a guitar shop, and seen the flatwound guitar strings are for? What do they sound like, compared to rounds? Why would you buy those and put them on your Strat, or Tele or...whatever? Well, I bought a set, put them on my guitar, and recorded a comparison just for you- BUT FIRST...
"...in 1993, I was just a young boy of six years old. I hadn't even picked up a guitar yet, let alone should any interest in music. But I remember, I was out with my Uncle Gordon. Now, Uncle Gordon was a former R&D engineer at a cheese grater factory in my home of Scrotal Falls, Pennsylvania, which had sadly just shut down as American Allied Cheese Graters wound down domestic production in 1993 and moved it off shore. I still remember him bringing around all the new cheese grater designs for my mom - his sister - to use, and I think she appreciated that, even though everyone in our family was lactose intolerant and never any dairy, because our house only had one toilet. But I remember him bringing back all these models, some half-finished, some with the tool marks still on them, and, dutifully, we'd go out and get a block of gouda - for some reason, gouda upset our tracts least of all - and seeing how it shredded. Or didn't, in many of the cases. We had piles and piles of the stuff, and what we used to down was give most of it away to our neighbour, Old Jim. He wasn't that old, or even called Jim, but that's what we called him. I don't think he minded.
"Now, you may be wondering what this has to do with flatwound guitar strings..."
I love the feel of flats. I had them on a gretsch and it sounded really nice and not just for jazz. I use them on electric bass as well. Sounds fantastic!
Agreed. I've played with flats, and they do feel better and give you a nice kind of glide as you move up and down the neck. The problem I have is that I just don't like how they sound :(
@@TundraMaster It's definitely a specific sound. It does work in some contexts but often needs an eq tweak on the amp
In my country it’s so hard to find flat wounds for bass. They’re also super expensive when u do find them
Yeh, I have flats on my Tenny (with HiLoTrons) - really happy with the sound and feel.
I truly appreciate your contribution to the guitar society. Straight to the point with excellent audio examples.
Your videography has gotten so amazing, such great content informative and very pleasing to watch. Keep up the great work!
Great demo / comparison. I've been using flat wounds since the 70's. Love the feel and the sound.
I'm a bass player that uses flats and most of the guitarists I play with use them too, They're SORELY underrated nowadays, on top of having a great jazz sound they're fantastic for getting clean recordings, and getting drive sounds that boost the treble without also boosting a load of fingernoise. Most people just associate them with 60's thump sounds but there's so much more to them than that, especially nowadays with the much more modern sounding flats you can get.
Most guitarists I know use the Thomastik-Infeld flats, they seem to be the best of both worlds in terms of having brightness close to rounds but low fingernoise. Thomasiks Jazz used to be the best option for bright, clear sounding bass flats too and are still up there with the best but nowadays there's also Rotosound Monels and Ernie Ball Cobalt flats (which are the best ones IMO), I use the Cobalts on my bass and they're great in the studio, take drive really well and bring out the sound of a fretless quite well, I'm never going back haha
Must be said, man. All your videos are so informative and entertaining. I love guitars and that great sound we always searching for.
Well thanks Rhett! I started using these on my guitars and bass a few years ago after I had a hunch that it would counteract a particularly bright guitar, and it worked wonderfully. I was chuffed with my little secret. Now everyone will be doing it. THANKS RRHETT!
i like how there’s a clear separation between the low strings and the unwound/high end end strings, very good strings do more finger style playing and smoother 60’s style playing
i switched to flats on my tele, strat, and danelectro U2 about 2 years ago. dropped from 10's to 9's to make the bends a bit easier. couldn't be happier. your video really tells the story. very well done.
So smooth and fun to play
Great info thanks. I put these flats on my Fender MIM Strat which took the country twang out of it, which is what I was really looking for. Also so much of a softer feel and no more string squeak when changing chord positions.
Always love the flats!!!
I don't know if this is related, but I really like the fact that you play stuff that highlights the things you want to show. I first noticed in videos where you showed the Strymon Volante or the DS-1, but in this video I can hear clearly what properties you're trying to communicate about the strings.
Keep doing you, Rhett, you're one of my favorite guitar channels in this site.
Drop B with flats for blues sound amazing.
Great video! This opened my eyes... and answers a question I've had about the Beatles sound which I love...am definitely going to be trying these...I dig the sound!
This is a great companion video to Paul David's recent string test vid! Cool stuff!
Everyone needs a guitar with flatwounds in their arsenal, the sound is essential. I have a 1959 Harmony Meteor and a couple of lap steel/slide guitars with flat wounds and I use them often.
I LOVE flat wounds! I put XL Chromes on everything.
Just put my first set of flats on a kit build I’m working on. Hollowbody with bigsby style trem. I hadn’t really played it much with the cheap rounds that came with it but went with higher gauge flats in hopes that it would pull the trem arm down a bit further. There wasn’t as much punch as I was expecting so I found your video. Everything is making better sense now. Thanks!
I LOVE that guitar and tone!
That clean ethereal sound is great! I like hearing Rhett play that genre, sounds fresh!
Thanks for the video Rhett! I feel like more people need to learn about flat wound strings, they're great if you're after that vintage feel and tone. Pure nickel strings would be worth looking into as well!
They are a delight for slide playing
My bass player friend recommended me flats and I thought he was just waffling, but after watching you break it down I really should give them a go!
It also needs to be mentioned that different brands of flatwound strings sound quite different from eachother. For example D'addario Chromes are rather bright while Labella Jazz Flats are much mellower with more of a low mid thump.
GOOD COMPARISON!!... THANKS FOR YOUR TEACHINGS!!!.... Greetings from Argentina!
As a bass player as well, I always have a bass with flats. But, I never tried flats on a guitar until I got a Godin xtSA. Several users commented the acoustic piezo tones were best with flats, so tried a set. LOVE flats! I only use them on that guitar but just love how it adds a different voice to that specific guitar.
One thing I enjoyed about studying Jazz in High School and College was buying one set of flats that lasted all semester and never had to worry about them breaking or losing tone.
Great video! That guitar sounds great either way and your playing is top notch.
Love the variety when I play my guitar that's usually strung with flat-wounds. I have them on a Reverend Manta Ray 390 and it's a richer and darker feel overall. So great for so many styles. I have round-wounds on my Tele so plenty of room for bigger bends and obviously a different sound and feel overall with that one.
Kenny Vaughan turned me on to flats on Teles, and Madison Cunningham combining them with lowered tunings helped take my tone to another plane..thanks for sharing the good word on flats.
For me ever since I was a kid Luther Perkins and has always been my favorite guitarist and I was always trying to get that same tone like you hear when I Walk the Line the Sun records 55 version and I finally was able to get that tone
been using 'em since i got my first telecaster in like 2009. used the stock guages and wound G sets up until a few years ago when i started picking up 9 11 and 17 gauge singles to create a big fat bottom tension and it's been the best of both worlds.
I have flats on all my guitars. I buy a set of 13-56 put away the 6th string and use the rest as 2 to 6th. then i add a 9 as first string and get a set of 9-45 flats without a wounded G string. Sounds amazing and last forever
That sounds like a really good hack. I will try that one on my strat.
That's exactly what Mark Speer from Khruangbin does
what kind of 9 high string do you use?
great video, this is something I never thought about, thank you
What a great video. Beatles, using flat rounds is news to me. When I bought a Gretsch 6119 I put flat wounds on it after using round wounds that it came with. That’s when I got the Gretsch sound I was looking for. 👍🏻
Thanks man , getting me a set of flats tomorrow
I bought a set of flat wounds a few years ago because that’s all the store had in 12s … I built a guitar exclusively for slide and want heavier gauges. I’ve exclusively used them since for my slide guitars … love them!
Rhett.. your video changed my life. 35+ years of playing guitar... Thousands of dollars spent on guitars, amps, pedals... None of that compared to this. I feel so elated to know this now and equally so intensely upset that I went my whole life missing out on these! $20 on a set of XL chromes 10-48s popped them on my strat and absolutely everything about it is far superior. The feel, the overall tone, and the sound. The warmth, the tight bass, the bright but not harsh treble, and the somehow more accurate tuning to each note. But the biggest value was, my playing sounds so much tighter and cleaner without all the added string noise. My whole life spent looking for that one thing that would make me sound legendary/professional, better than my abilities, and this was it. it was right here. I never would have thought that strings could be completely transformative. I am absolutely shocked, and will be forever in your debt.
@OilmanCTtraight up 100% man. I will never go back to shitty round wounds and that string noise. Absolute garbage. This is the real deal. If you can't hear the difference maybe your ears suck 😲🤣
@@infn8loopmusic
35 years of playing? And you just figured it out? Lmao. I been using flats since 19 and 43 wasn't that hard to figure out.
Hey Rett thanks for doing what you do then watching you. I don’t know better part of two years now and I feel like I learned a lot from you. I’m at 68 going on €69 frustrated guitar player but you have a lot of insight on the way things work and glad you’re passing it on to all of us, oh yeah PS my amp just died. If you know anybody who has a low very low budget and they wanna sell let me know John P.
I have a set of Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Swing Flats 13-53 on my highly modified Epiphone Broadway jazz box. The guitar is modified for Rockabilly with Seymour Duncan Staple p90's and other mods. The combination of the strings, pickups and my Fender Excelsior Pro with a 15" Eminence Legend 1518 speaker is just amazing. Such clarity between the notes, easy on the fingers and they last a very long time.
Khruangbin’s guitarist Mark Speer uses flat wound strings exclusively! You are also conjuring some sweet tones with them. I like them on bass, now I gotta try it on one of my guitars some day.
Jazz guitarists swear by it. So bought the famous thomastik for my 5th Avenue. Still need to install them & try them out. 🤩
Love 1/2 Rounds as well on my Jazzmaster, great for surf guitar
Flats are my favs...always
Rhett's playing is out of this world. really advanced
😆
I have 2 guitars that always have flats on them. I also keep flats on all my basses but one and I’ve found that they just make the perfect sound for me.
Yeah I have my semi stringed with flats ! And I haven’t figured this out but flats are definitely cool.
flats are great, especially for a vintage sound!!
This is so cool! I've of course used flatwounds on fretless bass (though Alembic compression-wound will always be my favorite) but never thought of it as an option anywhere else -- but quite an option it is! Will have to try this out on the jazzbox, and hopefully they baritone as well.
I love flats. I have them on my tele parts caster and my Highway One Strat.
If you love the flats, you've GOT TO try Thomastik Infeld Jazz Swings. Flatwound sound and feel but with nice punch and warmth. $30 yes, but worth it.
Agreed. I use their .009s, they eliminate finger fatigue, have zero friction and last for months.
I try to keep flats on my semi. Love that low mid sound. And the feel is great.
I've had the same flats on my jazzbox for 3 or 4 years now, and the still sound and feel great, but I've never thought of using them for any of my non-jazz playing. Between this video and Julian Lage's recent Rig Rundown video where he talks about playing flats on his tele, I'm convinced I'm gonna have to start playing around with them on my other guitars.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll swap mine out once my current set are out of life.
Went to flat wounds on my Casino and Starfire over a year ago. Glad I did. Comfortable and they don’t make that horrible scraping noise while you play.
Thanks for the video! Flats last longer but sound also better with time. Roundwounds may not last as much but also sound good rather early on, then slowly fade away. The mellowness of flats improves as the rounds' brightness dies. Of course depending on the preference of the player, bright new flats or dead old rounds may be delightful.
That was quite informative. Thanks!
Cool. Going to give them a try. Thx.
I run flats on my Ric 660-12, from "Pick of the Ric's". Never tried rounds on it. I also play a acoustic 12 which I run round wound Elixer lights. The ric plays really smooth. Back in the day when I played hour long sets flats were much easier to play as they were easier on the fingers. Amazing difference in the sound for sure. Flats are not just for jazz players anymore.
I play Thomastik Jazz Flats on my Fender Precision. It has an ashtray bridge cover and I put a piece of a kitchen sponge in there. I cut it to size and also cut four slits into it to go over the strings. I plug it into a 1993 or so Ampeg B-1 combo with two NOS 1950s black plate RCA 5751. It gives me that clean, woody, warm, and thumpy sound I want for my Honky Tonk / Western Swing band. I have much more complicated setups for my Rock bands with rack gear and effects and MIDI switching and whatnot and also a digital modelling amp which are all fun to play, but the simple setup above is what I truly love and what sounds the most musical to my ears.
mccartney used flats on his basses, and flats on a rickenbacker 4001s is so magical, the pepper tone
That’s most of the Beatles’ recordings actually.
Let It Be is the Höfner with tapewounds
@@McDoinky i know that he used flarwounds on most of their recordings, that is why i said BASSES, but i dont believe that during the get back sessions, the hofner had roundwound strings
@@randallpinkfloyd
The Hofner had Rotosound tapes. Black strings with yellow silk ends.
And I meant he used the Ricky on most of their recordings.
@@McDoinky gotcha, well we know mccartney used both hofners during get back, so im guessing you mean the 63 500/1
I’ve been using D’addario flats on my Casino Coupe for about 3 years now, they sound spectacular! I started with ECG24’s but moved to 23’s. These days I use unwound G .19 for bending
Glad to see flats getting some love, I've been playing flats for almost a year now, Never gone back!
I put some 13 gauge Labella flats on my Casino, absolutely loving it!
I bought a cheap mustang copy and put 15-56 gauge Labella flatwounds on it, and they feel GREAT for rhythm parts, bending?... not so much...
The flat wound strings seem to be more resonant than the traditional round wound guitar strings. I love the tone they produce. It's definitely richer.
Flats on a bass is where it's at! So smooth and less slide noise. Nice and fat low end. I put some on my strat just to see and I dont feel as much difference in the playing but probably notice less noise with a slide.
I've never tried flats, but it makes sense to use them for a consistent sound between the bass and treble strings.
love em on bass
Great information
Excellent video
Amazing!
i havent watched one of your videos in a few years and it feels like seeing an old friend. I know its just a random ass video, but it got me kinda in my feels lol
Excellent video and spot on!! Flat wounds are indeed smooth feeling, produce a more pronounced sound and also last forever. A bandmate used them on his baritone Jag to compliment my tele (which had gibson brite wires on it) and the big vintage baritone with snappy tele combo was amazing live. The only downside is that there are no lighter gauge versions... So if you have crappy old arthritic fingers like me, they may not be your best bet.
Super video as usual ! And very cool watch Rhett btw.
Rhett, great video. I used Black Diamond flats exclusively until the mid-60’s when I swapped guitars with another lead player and realized I was working too hard. I play D’Addario NYXL .008’s now and don’t have to work at all.
I've used flatwounds on my Duesenberg for years. I've found they provide a levelling out of bass and treble frequencies and volumes, kind of like a natural compressor.
Love flats on my guitars- telecaster is strung with Thomastik Infeld George Benson 12 gauge and have Jazz Swing 11 gauge on my LP style guitar and love the tones
Flatwounds were the standard for all the early years of electric guitar. I enjoy using them on brighter guitars, I think it adds a nice richness to them
I have an old Yamaha SA-30T (1967), I've tested several string gauges and types with it. It definitely sounds the best with Thomastik 11-47 flats. Unbelievably good tone.
Recently switched my tele to flats. Sounds great with slide!
My favorite strings for a Les Paul are the Gibson Les Paul 10's that are pure nickel with the silk wrap. When I catch them on sale, those are going on my Epiphone Special I P90. Studio level strings for noise reduction/elimination.
Leslie West used La Bella Flat Wound strings on his Les Paul Juniors~on all the Mountain LP's, into West, Bruce & Laing. Thanks for the informative video. *R.i.P. Leslie West.
Rhett, this may be one of your more practical, useful videos - and makes one realize a possibility for different sound and inspiration - and for only the cost of a pack of strings!
This is a great idea, might try this on one of my main instruments that could use a slight roll off in tone
I have a guitar that had a problem with the truss-rod, and needed more tension on the neck. I switched from 10 to 11 roundwounds, and liked it well enough. People worry about not being able to bend heavier strings, but fact is heavier strings require less excursion to cause the same change in pitch (try it: push your G-string over to where your D-string is, then push your B-string over to your G-string. Same amount of bend = greater increase in pitch for the heavier string.) I was working in a guitar shop, and a customer requested a setup with flatwound 12's. Okay, it's your dime, buddy! When I got it done, it was awesome. It was so awesome, I bought a set of flatwound 12's for my guitar and haven't looked back. It was just the increase in tension needed to solve the truss rod problem too.
Rhett, that's a good point. I put a set of nylon tape wound strings on my fretless bass and won't go back. the sound great and are so sexy to play! I suspect the flat wounds on a guitar also feel great as well as sound great. I'm ordering a set right now!
Thanks for the video!
Yeah man, I dig flats. Esp on a tele guitar as it tames the twang a little and balances things nicely. Of course it’s cool on a jazz guitar but useful on many other guitars. Feel great to play too
its so different sounding. its like acoustic but electric at the same time, almost like a jazz box.
I have flats on a tele and my p bass. Love how the sit for recording rhythm parts.
Great video. That's actually a fun low cost project of discovery. Cheers.
I love flats on my ES-330. I like the D'Addario 10 gauge flats and then I swap the G with a non-wound string (like an 18). That way it is still easy to bend.