Flat-wound strings?

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 20 Nov 2004 11:24 pm

I recently got a new steel that came with flatwounds. Anyone using them? Obviously, they would have less string noise but how's the tone and sustain?

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Dan Sawyer
Carvin D8, Rickenbacher B6, Fender Deluxe 8® (stringmaster), Fender Deluxe 8 (trap), Gibson EH-150, Wayne Lap Steel, Fender "White" 6-string w legs, Carvin steel w HiseTri-plex.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 21 Nov 2004 5:45 am

On my Ricks I use GHS semi-flats and I am very happy with the sound and feel. You have to assemble the sets yourself from singles. Here is a link.
http://www.juststrings.com/purenickelghsguitarsinglestrings.html

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 21 November 2004 at 05:54 AM.]

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 21 Nov 2004 7:10 am

I use flatwounds on all my steels ... electric or acoustic.

In my opinion ...

Aside from the obvious noise reduction ... they produce a certain ... hard to describe ... haunting tone.

Thomastik-Infeld nickel flatwounds are the best ... but I also like D'Addario "Electric Chromes" and GHS "Percision Flatwounds".

A variety can be found under "Single Strings" ... using the link that Gerald provided.

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Travis Bernhardt · Post by **Travis Bernhardt** » 21 Nov 2004 3:40 pm

Personal preference, of course, but I don't like the flatwound strings. I don't like the tone.

-Travis

Del Rangel · Post by **Del Rangel** » 21 Nov 2004 5:19 pm

Flatwounds can't be beat for surf-sound 6-string or hawaiian lapsteel IMHO. YMMV but I really like them the best

Michael Devito · Post by **Michael Devito** » 22 Nov 2004 6:00 am

I use semi-flat on one lap, round style on the others. Both sound good, but different. You do lose a little top-end with the semiflats, but they have a pleasing sound all their own.

It may depend on the steel too. My Rick Academny definitely sounds better with semi-flats. Don't know why.