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Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 9:07 pm
by gunslinger_burrito
I want to order some different string sets from LaBella to try out some stuff, and I'm thinking of trying flats. I detune to (dropped) Bb, so I wondered if any of you have tried a combo like this? In the low tuning, will the strings be really, really, muted and mellow? OR will the high strings still have some bite?
Experiences?
Thanks!

Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 9:32 pm
by Chankgeez
I don't have any recordings, but I play flats and I prefer to tune to CGCFGC.
I don't have a problem with not enough treble, but it really depends on your combination of strings, pickups, amp and such.
I play Thomastik George Bensons, which are pure nickel. Because my pickups and amp are on the bright side, they seem plenty bright. I've even got the treble on the amp rolled all the way off. If you need brighter strings, try chromed steel flats. I don't think you'll have a problem, but there's only one way to find out.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 1:24 am
by gunslinger_burrito
I think I'm going to get some from a local shop tomorrow. I remember playing a friend's hollow-body that had flats on it. The tension was crazy and he said they were only 11s..... I just nerded-out earlier tonight and watch a rig rundown with Omar Rodrigues-Lopez and he said that he's playing 13-56 flatwounds. I'm intrigued to try them in my tuning and see if I can still play fast with them.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 1:38 am
by Chankgeez
I think you'll do fine.
I've been playing in DADGAD because I've been playing through a small practice amp and the guitar is strung with .012s. I wanted to be able to bend more easily. So, I tuned down a half step. When I play in C, I like to use the .014s. .013s should be OK down to B flat. .014s would probably be better though.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 6:48 am
by DarkAxel
Wait, ORL uses flatwounds? :o mind BLOWN...
i probably should try them at least once on my jazzmaster once i have some free money... i still need bite tho
maybe half-rounds then
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 10:55 am
by skullservant
Bought my first set of flatwound guitar strings that should be here monday, I believe. Going to be putting my telecaster back together and using them with it, I think
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:33 am
by gunslinger_burrito
DarkAxel wrote:Wait, ORL uses flatwounds? :o mind BLOWN...
He's at least using them recently. The video was for Bosnian Rainbows. I dunno about in the past. I know he likes heavy gauges in standard, though.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:30 pm
by gunslinger_burrito
Been playing some 13-56 flatwounds on one of my guitars, down in C standard. So far the tone difference is minute so I've ordered some 14-67 labellas from juststrings because I'd like some stiffer tension. I like the feel of them though. Also, the 56 is too loose for me down in Bb (which is what I regularly play in) so I've been playing in C standard more, which is fun because I haven't played in a standard-style tuning in years.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:50 pm
by Chankgeez
Glad to hear you seem to be liking them. Yeah, I've always felt .056 is a little light for downtuning. .067 sounds like it'd be great.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:41 pm
by Psyre
I use flats on everything except my Les Paul currently, and that's probably because I just don't play it anymore.
I use LaBella's on my Bass VI and they are perfect.
I started with Fender Flat 11's on my Jag and they are what turned me to flat wounds. I got some Pyramid 11's at christmas and must say I have NOT been very pleased with them, much more dead sounding than the fender's were and already had a string break (D string back in January). Don't think I will buy Pyramids again, will probably get another seyt of the Fender's though. at $11 they were fantastic.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:49 am
by univalve
all my analog pattern robots stuff is a jazzmaster w/ flatwounds (standard tuning though). See my sig if you are interested.
Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:09 am
by DarkAxel
Tried 011 flats on my jazzmaster, really loved it for some stuff, but without the twang, they don't really fit my style

Re: Who has recordings of their flatwounds?
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 4:22 pm
by gunslinger_burrito
Sooooo I totally wasn't paying attention to anything other than the gauge of the set I ordered, and I ended up with the black nylon-wound strings....
I'm trying to decide if I should switch them out with the flats on the one guitar, or put them on my other guitar which has different pickups and such. I read that they're "best used" on archtops and hollow-bodies, for jazz, obviously, so I'm hoping that they won't be too dark.