Heaviest gage of Flatwounds

[cbw]

Can anyone tell what the heaviest gage of flatwound strings for guitars are? I tried several Ibanez GB10 guitars which were outfitted with some extremely heavy gage flatwounds, they were beyond 0.014's. The 6th strings, I'm guessing must have been about 0.070 in diameter. The attendent at the music store did not know what kind of strings they were. Anyhow I've been scouring Southern California to find these strings but without any luck. Thank you.

[shawn]

Might want to check out www.thomastik-infeld.com/start/index.html
They make really nice flatwounds, expensive, but nice. They don't have the really thick ones, but they have ones that are going to be able to sound a little more fat like what you may be looking for.

[ashaffer]

I have not seen any flatwound heavier than a .014 (which I use), but I have seen references to them on www.archtop.com. Perhaps a search of www.JustStrings.com will turn something up?

[Professor1]

.014s? On a 25 1/2 " scale?

My fingers hurt just thinking about it.








...but what might have been on those guitars was the bottom 6 strings of a 7 string set.

[ashaffer]

What are you using Professor?

[Professor1]

Well, I just got back from a 3 hour jazz band rehearsal and my fingers aren't even tired and my fingers aren't sore. I'm using D'Addario Chromes, .011s, on my 24 1/2 scale Epi Joe Pass.

[ashaffer]

Well that makes sense Professor. I hardly ever play for that long straight through. I am far from a professional and just work on recording songs and friendly jams. I just like the tone I get from the larger gauge. You know as Liberace said "I like em big and stiff" ;D

[Jaml]

How would folks here describe the sound of tapewound strings in comparison to roundwound?

Seriously - what difference to my [electric solid-body guitar] sound would result from changing over from roundwound to tapewound?

Were tapewound strings the first type and then were roundwound strings developed?

Or were tapes developed for a particular reason?

How about the issue of fret-buzz - do they lessen this?

[Professor1]

Tapewound strings are going to sound much more muted and mellow than roundwounds with almost no harmonics and perhaps no sustain either. Consider using flatwounds instead. That is what most people use. Try the d'Addario chromes .011s.

I always thought tapewound strings were developed for bass guitar. Perhaps to reduce feedback on hollow body or semi-hollow basses. Perhaps.

I don't think fret buzz will be effected at all.