Opinions on Thomastik "George Benson" strings
Tim
I'm not a guitarist by nature, and I sent a friend a couple sets of
them. I was wondering if anyone here uses them and if so, why... and
how do they rate compared to other brands?
Thanks!
Tim
Joe Finn
news:fc9175f3-d551-4f1f...@r29g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...
I've been using them off and on for some time. I like the way they feel and
the sound quality is very agreeable too. ....joe
--
Visit me on the web www.JoeFinn.net
Or say hello via Facebook:
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uiop99
the same gauge on TI and on other brands I tried. I also think that the
tension gradient between the strings is more balanced. And in general I
like their sound and feel.
I change the top two strings every month and the wounded strings every
6-7 months or so.
Chickenhead
gauges on the Swing sets better.
TI strings rule. If you ever get a chance, look at a fresh (unused)
flatwound TI string under a magnifying glass, then look at another brand.
The difference is immediately apparent. Since I did that, I haven't gone
back to anything else.
As far as I'm concerned, there is no other string for trad jazz that come
even close. Those Austrians just have a knack for metallurgy.
"Tim" <tsch...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:fc9175f3-d551-4f1f...@r29g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...
rpjazzguitar
EXDC. Flatwound.
They sound good at home.
But, when I listen to group recordings, the notes I play on the E, A
and D strings seem to get lost. The pickup pole pieces aren't the
problem. And it happens with different amps.
So, I'm thinking it's the flat wound strings. Any suggestions?
Bryce
I was taught to use flats when getting the fingers in shape but to use
rounds for tone. The round wound strings sound much better, are easier
to control and provide for a more developed technique, IMO, from
experience. For one thing playing with rounds forces me to work on
precision playing and articulation since the result of not doing so
reveals scratchy string sounds emerging form both the pick and poor
left hand technique. Switching to rounds is liberating in many ways:
tone, better technique, more control, and lighter weight strings for
example. It's important to have equal tension on the strings, which
can be done by choosing individual string gauges that are closely
matched and using a wound G.
I use both types of strings, but the rounds always sound much better,
IMO. I use cheap strings too.
Bryce
Mr Maj6th
wrote:
What type of tone do you get with round, Burrell, Pass tone or a
Benson bright tone? I have only used flatwounds my whole life. I do
have a round hole spruce archtop with an active EMG floating pickup I
have been considering for rounds, but correct me if I'm wrong, don't
they squeak when you are fingering them? Do the polished rounds
prevent squeaking? I guess I need to get out of my comfort box more.
Maj6th
Keith Freeman
012 and 013 flatwounds ('Swing').
-Keith
Clips, Portable Changes, tips etc.: www.keithfreemantrio.nl
e-mail: info AT keithfreemantrio DOT nl
Chickenhead
definitely a different articulation with flatwounds. You might be a
roundwound guy.
I haven't tried the TI roundwounds, but if I was a roundwound guy I'd surely
give 'em a try. Roundwounds definitely have a definition and articulation
on the lower strings that I sometimes miss. There's a deadness to the
flatwound sound. It's a trade off for sure. I still use roundwounds on my
unwound 3rd pop planks.
It could also be the recording setup, mics, room acoustics, preamps, mic
placement, etc. I wouldn't rely on quick setup of a Zoom type recording
device to provide an accurate representation, especially on a gig where the
room acoustics are likely to be pretty unfavorable.
"rpjazzguitar" <rpjazz...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:da3c49dc-8e38-4006...@z17g2000prz.googlegroups.com...
DannyW.
I use Benson .012" rounds on all my archtops. I really like the lower
tension and the sound, but it seems to take a couple of days after
putting them on for them to sound good. Luckily, I don't change
strings very often :-)
Danny W.
ScotGormley
Ditto to Danny's comments, except I've mostly used the flatwound 12s.
They sound really good on my GB-10, as might be expected. They were
too dark on my Parker Jazz solidbody, though. (The Chromes 12s sounded
much better on that guitar--although I am using roundwounds on that
guitar now).
Rick Stone
> Ditto to Danny's comments, except I've mostly used the flatwound 12s.
> They sound really good on my GB-10, as might be expected. They were
> too dark on my Parker Jazz solidbody, though. (The Chromes 12s sounded
> much better on that guitar--although I am using roundwounds on that
> guitar now).
Yeah, I prefer the Chromes on just about everything. Tried the
Tomastiks and they were just too dark (I already roll the tone off quite
a bit and like the mid-range bump I get from that).
--
Musically Yours,
Rick Stone
Website: http://www.rickstone.com
Recordings: http://www.cdbaby.com/all/jazzand
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/jazzand
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rickstonemusic
EPK: http://www.sonicbids.com/rickstone
pmfan57
I also found the winding quality to be inconsistent. The chromes are
almost always wound perfectly for flatwounds, which is important. I
did have a great set of Sadowsky strings on my Eagle Classic when I
received it. Those seem to be good flatwounds.
Jonathan (Cleve)
I don't know what's not to like about Chromes. For me, they've
consistently sounded good, intonated properly, and lasted as long as
any string I've tried.
I tried the Bensons, which were ok, but I can't see paying the premium
price for them.
Paul K
>
> I don't know what's not to like about Chromes. For me, they've
> consistently sounded good, intonated properly, and lasted as long as
> any string I've tried.
>
> I tried the Bensons, which were ok, but I can't see paying the premium
> price for them.
+1.
I tried the TI and was disappointed when I got several sets of TI's
with the low E string dead, presumably some manufacturing defect, which
stung a bit at the prices they charge. Went back to Chromes and have
been happy.
--
Paul K
http://www.soundclick.com/paulkirk
http://www.youtube.com/user/fibrationboy
http://mypage.iu.edu/~pkirk/
David J. Littleboy
"pmfan57" <jwra...@aol.com> wrote:
I also found the winding quality to be inconsistent. The chromes are
almost always wound perfectly for flatwounds, which is important. I
did have a great set of Sadowsky strings on my Eagle Classic when I
received it. Those seem to be good flatwounds.
<<<<<<<<<<<<
The TI strings aren't available here, so I feel left out of this discussion.
:(
However, the D'Addario chromes, while I like them, have been being a bit
iffy lately; they seem to take even longer than they used to to break in; my
flaky theory being that the windings aren't as well done, so it takes more
finger grease to stop the windings from rattling than it used to.
But, unlike all the other web sites that sell strings, Sadowsky ships to
Japan! So I have six sets of their .011 flatwounds on order. (Translation:
thanks for saying nice things about them: you've got my hopes up<g>.)
It'll be too late for this thread, but I will report on them in a week or
two.
Of course, my report won't be much use: I'll be trying the .011 set on my
'52 L-4C, which is much happier with the D'Addario Chrome .010 set than
anything heavier in the Chromes. The ultralight strings with the ultralight
archtop give a very responsive acoustic punch, which although it requires a
bit of care not to be too heavy-handed with the picking to make sound nice,
is quite satisfying when I get it right. (It sounds like a boring electric
archtop through an amp, though; pretty and on the bright side (although not
ES-175 bright), but not particularly different from any generic midrange
archtop.)
--
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan
Keith Freeman
> discussion.
>:(
No postal service to Japan, eh? ;-}
David J. Littleboy
"Keith Freeman" <x...@x.net> wrote:
>> The TI strings aren't available here, so I feel left out of this
>> discussion.
>>:(
>
> No postal service to Japan, eh? ;-}
Apparently not. None of the usual string sites will ship to Japan.
Living here became a lot more pleasant/reasoanble when Amazon appeared.
Prior to that, books in English were of limited availability and what was
available cost twice or more the sticker price. So ordering from Amazon,
even with the most expensive shipping option, was cheaper and better than
the local bookstores. But even Amazon won't ship software and many
electronic gizmos (although they were quite happy to send me a Kindle).
Chickenhead
that were the same.
Also, Chromes were one of the sets I looked at under a magnifying glass next
to the TI's. Under a magnifying glass, the Chromes looked like gnarled old
ropes, while the TI's looked perfectly smooth and symmetrical.
Maybe I just got a bad batch or two, or bought them at a transitional time
in their manufacturing.
"pmfan57" <jwra...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:8da66898-6922-45be...@i32g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
Tim
guitarist as of to say. I'm a bass player and always have been. I use
Thomastik Jazz flats on my 3 fretless bass's and I love 'em.
I've tried a lot of different makes of flats and to me, the TI J flats
are the only string to have on a fretless. I dont' know about guitar
strings, so this has been great for my education.
Keep 'em rolling!
Bg
Have you recording your self acoustically to see if the same thing
happens with no amp?
Bg
Keith Freeman
says he often sends strings to Japan. No charge for standard postage, but
you might want to pay the extra for Signed-For, as it's more reliable.
I would imagine that my local guitar shop, http://www.casabenelly.nl/,
would also send strings to Japan.
Tim McNamara
Keith Freeman <x...@x.net> wrote:
> > None of the usual string sites will ship to Japan.
> I just had a chat with the nice man at http://www.stringmail.co.uk
> and he says he often sends strings to Japan. No charge for standard
> postage, but you might want to pay the extra for Signed-For, as it's
> more reliable.
>
> I would imagine that my local guitar shop,
> http://www.casabenelly.nl/, would also send strings to Japan.
I get my strings from a place in Traverse City MI and have had great
service from them. Dunno if they'd ship to Japan.
http://www.stringsbymail.com/store/
--
Gotta make it somehow on the dreams you still believe.
Keith Freeman
from there, as they won't have been subject to any import duties within
the EU.
Jonathan (not from Cleveland)
<kuNOrtSPAMshapTHANK...@YOUhoVERYtmail.MUCHcom> wrote:
> I used to use the GB flats, but switched to the TI "Swing" sets. I like the
> gauges on the Swing sets better.
>
Which gauge "Swing" set do you use?