Stupid question time: Are you using flats on purely acoustic archtops or ones that have a floating / neck pickup?
String Suggestions for Vintage Archtop Acoustic?
- Thread starter LesB3
- Start date
Stupid question time: Are you using flats on purely acoustic archtops or ones that have a floating / neck pickup?
In my case, both. I have them on a 1940ish Cromwell that is primarily played acoustic (I use a stick-on pickup otherwise), and a 1959 Hopf jazz. For whatever reason, the difference between flat and round is subtle on the Hopf, extremely pronounced on the Cromwell.
rockinstephen
Gretschie
I have an old archtop guitar. It has no truss rod or any kind of markings. About 15 years ago it was re-worked by a luthier and a Benedetto pickup was added in the neck position. I was told that it was a Regal, from the 1930's. The neck is like a baseball bat, but it has super low action. I don't keep it tuned to pitch because of its age. Right now, it's strung with D'Addario EJ 17 Phos Bronze, .013 - 056. Next time I might try a lighter gauge to put less stress on this antique.
afire
Friend of Fred
My answer was actually aimed at your intended query and then I started rambling. My point was the standard strings when these guitars were made were just regular steel roundwounds, which by my thinking makes them pretty suitable.
I think volume is going to come more from gauge than type of string.
afire
Friend of Fred
They still should be in my book. I go back and forth with flats on guitars. They work on some, not on others. I'd only string a bass with flats.
I tend to agree. My Warwick and my Bass VI are both strung with flats.
With regards to guitars, I tend to favor flats, but I have several exceptions. My G6119-1959 has Thomastik Jazz Bebops, which are pure nickel round-core, round-wounds. They are tremendous sounding strings. I also use these on one of my Telecasters. I also have another Tele with a set of 9-46 Fender branded round-wounds. My Mustang bass has Fender branded round-wound strings, and sounds pretty decent.
On most of my guitars, I use Thomastik Jazz Swing, pure nickel, round-core, flat-wound strings. These are not particularly dead sounding strings, although the attack of the notes is different from round-wounds.
ToneM1
Gretschie
I would use either Pyramid round core Nickel Classics or Pyramid round core "Western Folk" (bronze). Pyramid's are made in Germany! They will last 5 times longer than any American made string!
Lee Erickson
Country Gent
For my acoustic guitars (Including the Gretsch G400), I use D'Addario EJ17 strings. Since they are Phos-Bronze, they are a too bright when new, but break in fairly soon and last forever. I like the heavier gages for acoustics because you can dig in and play louder with them.
Lee
Lee
The local shop didn't have Martin Monels (I *know* I bought them there before) so came home with a set of D'Addario Nickel Bronze's (13-56) instead. Never heard of them, but the guy said they were similar to the Monels I was looking for.
Volume is about the same as before, and they definitely have a "vintage character" to them. Cool sound, a little "plinky," but not exactly what I was going for.
Next up will be the ground wounds that @tartanphantom suggested... Truth be told, if UPS hadn't lost my package, I'd have those on there today instead.
I do appreciate all of the suggestions, thanks a bunch.
Depends on if your playing acoustically or with pickups. And wether your playing solo or in a combo. I've used flatwounds quite a lot and loved 'em. Lately I've tried something different. I've been using GHS White Bronze strings. The alloy is designed to drive magnetic pickups and they're a little brighter than flatwounds. They're not too bright though. They cut through better in a band setting both acoustically or with pickups.
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Those are nice strings, a little hard to find around here
You from Northern California? These are the cheapest I found 'em with a quick cursory search.
GHS White Bronze Alloy 52 Acoustic Guitar Strings WB-TL True Lt 12-50
GHS White Bronze Alloy 52 Acoustic Guitar Strings WB-TL True Lt 12-50
Best service and prices on GHS White Bronze WB-TL True Light, Full Set | Fast Shipping | Educated Staff | Huge Selection | Shop Now!
www.stringsbymail.com
Yep, Dunlop strings are made around 5 miles from me.You from Northern California? These are the cheapest I found 'em with a quick cursory search.
GHS White Bronze Alloy 52 Acoustic Guitar Strings WB-TL True Lt 12-50
GHS White Bronze Alloy 52 Acoustic Guitar Strings WB-TL True Lt 12-50
Best service and prices on GHS White Bronze WB-TL True Light, Full Set | Fast Shipping | Educated Staff | Huge Selection | Shop Now!
GDP Refugee AndyJ
Electromatic
I finally got my May-Bell back from the luthiers a week or so ago. The Martin Monels arent a particularly " Acoustic-y" string. They kind of respond similar to a pure nickel string on an electric archtop with Dynas. I personally like that. A big mistake is to try to get an acoustic archtop to sound like a flattop, which is understandable because that is what our ears are used to. But they're not a flattop and will never sound like one, so why not embrace and emphasize the difference. I am finding that's what the Monels do. That said, it still may not be everyone's cup-o-tea . . .and that is okay. Sound how you want to sound. 
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I’ve been playing for a long, long time, and I have owned precisely one flattop. I don’t know why, but from my earliest days, I wanted an archtop, and I’ve owned archtops more than any other type of guitars. I love the acoustic sound of an archtop. It’s not as jangly as the typical OOO-28, but there’s a different acoustic sound that can just drive the rhythm.I finally got my May-Bell back from the luthiers a week or so ago. The Martin Monels arent a particularly " Acoustic-y" string. They kind of respond similar to a pure nickel string on an electric archtop with Dynas. I personally like that. A big mistake is to try to get an acoustic archtop to sound like a flattop, which is understandable because that is what our ears are used to. But they're not a flattop and will never sound like one, so why not embrace and emphasize the difference. I am finding that's what the Monels do. That said, it still may not be everyone's cup-o-tea . . .and that is okay. Sound how you want to sound.
GDP Refugee AndyJ
Electromatic
Tru dat!
Chet Harrison
Gretschie
Most of the time my “educated” guess on what type/gauge strings will work best with a particular guitar is wrong… so, anyway, I’ll see myself out.
afire
Friend of Fred
My first good acoustic was a 1940s Gibson L-7. I never should have let it go. For some reason over the three ensuing decades I've only bought flat tops and never really cared all that much for any of them. I'm not sure how it's just now dawning on my that maybe I need to try a nice archtop again. Also, maybe it was just that particular guitar, but that L-7 was never finicky about seasonal changes and every flattop I've ever owned has given me headaches.
IMO, archtops are much more stable. Flattops suffer a lot of problems with the tops, or the bridges.
