Anyone use flat wounds? Results?
Anyone use flat wounds? Results?
If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison
strictly anecdotal. I put some on the first rosewood fingerboard CVC neck I had on my CV50 tele (avatar). Loved them. Then it started getting weirdly buzzy and hard to tune. Truss rod was maxed out and I could not adjust the relief. Now that particular neck had never needed an adjustment before the flat wounds and i don't know what happened. I did read that apparently flats have more tension than regular strings.
I ended up getting another neck whose truss rod definitely does work but I have not put flats on it, yet. I'm a little gun shy at the moment because necks aren't cheap and finding a rosewood fingerboard that I like (dark and even) is really difficult. I've tried a couple of replacement necks from Fender but the rosewood on them was fugly as heck and i sent them back. At this time, I won't be using any flats
Adding a washer behind the adjustment nut will sometimes allow you to adjust the relief more, read an article by Dan Erlewine from StewMac about it.
I've only ever played flats on a bass, for Jazz band. I don't particularly like that tone, but others seem to do ok with it. But yeah, they're higher tension than the same size roundwound.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
Could flats do damage to my Rick bass neck? Had them on about 3 years and was considering putting them on the Hofner.
If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison
If not adjusted properly, yeah that's a possibility. I wouldn't worry too much. Sir Paul didn't GAF in the old days and his basses seem to have lasted just fine... 😎
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
it's definitely a jazzy sound. more mids and bass less treble.
my willingness to put them on a guitar would have a lot to do with the neck. if you have a big boat neck tele like a Nocaster or something ultra stable (like a Suhr roasted maple quartersawn) then it should be fine.
I dont personally think a tele needs them; rolling the tone off to half on the neck tends to get the sound I associate with flatwound strings. that's my personally favorite tele tone.
Well I thank you for the info. I never realized flats created more tension. I keep learning here all the time. Cheers!
If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison
I use GHS Nickle Rockers on all my lectrics they are semi flat love the mellow tone... Give um a try..
I have them on my California Fat Tele--it is currently my primary guitar for our jazz sets because it sounds better and more authentic than the semi-hollows I've had. No tuning or neck issues thus far, although I use the lightest flat set I can find that still has a wound G.
Chucko--sent you a pm.
If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison
I think it's still possible to do? I might be wrong though, but you might as well try? I think even a super thin washer might help. I've never experienced bottoming out on the truss rod. So I'm only repeating what I've read and been told.
Best of luck to you amigo! 👍
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
Anecdotal, having never put flats on a tele...
Had a set of stainless flats on my #1 Precision for 20 years before taking them off.
Granted I installed the EMG's on the same day - KahWhump.
Have a Taylor 810 that got fed a steady diet of .15 flatties for years - channeled Lowell with ease.
Now I'm squirming like a toad...
What happend?
Who let the magic smoke out?