Pyramid Gold Flatwound Strings

[bazmusicman]

Do flatwound strings have more tension than the same gauge round wound strings?

Regards,
Baz.

[anniv 63]

Yes, there is a good bit extra tension on Flatwounds as compared to Roundwounds
D' Dario have tables on their website for string tensions on comparable Gauges, so you
can see the string pull in terms of tension of pounds or kilograms.
Handily the tensions are printed for individual packets, which help too.
Cant think offhand if other manufacturers give as much detail as this?
Bearing in mind the differing materials in string manufacture, an important factor in the equation.

Mike

[bazmusicman]

Hi Mike,
Thank you for that. I did use tapewound strings in the sixties (they didn't squeek when changing chords!) and was thinking of trying them for the Shads tunes but for the last 6 years I have had weak hands which makes it hard to hold down chords.
On my Shadows guitar I have Newtone Electric Masters 11-52 gauge. So going to 12-52 wouldn't be so bad if the tension was the same.
Regards,
Baz.

[anniv 63]

Hi Barry
Yes I also found Newtone Electric Masters to be good in 11s
Not sure if the company does Flatwounds for us would be "That Sounders" !!!!!

Mike

[Didier]

If you can't make up your mind between round wound and flat wound strings, you might try half round ones, which are available in many gauges :

http://www.daddario.com/DADProductFamil ... 04afb44545

Didier

[bazmusicman]

Hi Didier,
Thank you for pointing that out about half wounds, I have seen that before. What I was wondering about was the tone difference between flatwounds and roundwound strings for Shadows tunes?
Regards,
Baz.

[ErikMAMS]

Hi Erik, that may have been something I read online although I cant find it now.

Thanks Steve - no problem. Odd how little technical info and specs Pyramid offers on their strings in general.

Erik

[Didier]

Hi Didier,
Thank you for pointing that out about half wounds, I have seen that before. What I was wondering about was the tone difference between flatwounds and roundwound strings for Shadows tunes?
Regards,
Baz.

Hi Baz,
I don't know anyone who has tested them. They are supposed to give the best of both round and flat types, but this remains to be checked !

Didier

[Quadraverb]

Hi Mike

I brought a set of 11s and have them on my American Standard, i found them ok but nothing to excite me particularly.

I did have a lengthy discussion with Colin from the Rapiers at Lakeside and he uses guage 13 pyramid gold flatwounds and apparently the guage 13s are a different construction to the 11s and he believes that is the key, of course his talent has a lot to do with it aswell but interesting subject. I have yet to try the 13s but i will be shortly.

Thanks

Regards

Steve

Pyramid do 2 set's of Gold Flatwound 13s strings > Heavy 13 -17 -24w -33 -42 -52
True Vintage 13 -18 -26w -36 -47 -56

[ErikMAMS]

.....What I was wondering about was the tone difference between flatwounds and roundwound strings for Shadows tunes? ...

Hi Baz - I can't speak for Pyramids, but for the D'addario Chromes 12-52 what I hear is a tone with more mids, and for live playing (or playing LOUD to BT's) the tone seems more full and compressed when you really dig in and whack the strings (as required for many early Shads tracks). Acousticly and by themselves the Chromes do sound a bit dull(er), but plugged in and in context the flatwounds comes alive and seems to have more presence and kind of a more "focused" sound to my ears. Hard to describe - hope I make some sense. When I for comparison switch back to (any)one of my Strat with my long time favorite Elixir 12-52 strings, the tone I hear is less solid and kind of "wimpy" - and lacks the compression feel and presence I hear from the Chromes.

FYI. I've been very satisfied with Elixirs 12-52 (with a plain G - as I've never managed to get a wound G to work with Elixirs) for more than 10 years. But after hearing a couple of live performences by swedish The Ryders on YT last year, and having a talk with Kurt Fröberg discovering he used Chrome flatwound strings (much to my surprise) I decided to give Chromes 12-52 a try. For the test I use a spare Strat put together for the purpose (MIJ RI body - MIM maple neck - and "nothing special" PU's) in order not to disturb my main Strats and A/B compare. I've had the Chrome flatwounds for 3 or 4 month now and my Strats with round wounds haven't been used much lately. I plan to put Chromes on my #1 Strat this week.

You can find The Ryder on YT - look for the "Verden 2014" video. Here's one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvBdMeGxFyM

Erik