Grateful Dead Music Forum

I just changed my strings and put on flat wounds. First impression - I'm not impressed.

I have flats on my jazz boxes, however, I just don't think they sound good for a Weir tone as they're too dark. I'll use them at my gig tomorrow - maybe I'll warm up to them. Maybe I need to EQ out more low end...

mk

ok - I performed lots of maintenance last night: replaced the tuners, replaced the bridge studs & lowered the action. It sounds and plays a lot better now. We'll see how it goes tonight.

btw....if anyone is looking to replace velve tune tuners on a vintage Ibanez Artist (and maybe other models), here is the replacement Gotoh tuner:

Gotoh SG301
TK-7740-002
They cost $49.79.

I got mine from here:

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/tuners_3+3gotoh.htm

Good price & fast shipping.

Installation was a snap! Less than 10 minutes for a dummy like me and it made a big difference!

mk

mkaufman wrote:I just changed my strings and put on flat wounds. First impression - I'm not impressed.

I have flats on my jazz boxes, however, I just don't think they sound good for a Weir tone as they're too dark. I'll use them at my gig tomorrow - maybe I'll warm up to them. Maybe I need to EQ out more low end...

mk

Always a good solution! IMHO.

I have an 1982 Ibanez Artist and I've been thinking about replacing some of the hardware. Thanks for the link for the tuners. My tuners are falling apart. They still work when there's string tension on them, but when I change strings, parts are falling out all over the place. Do you know of any places where I can get bridge parts? I know it's kinda like a Gibson tune-a-matic bridge, but I don't kow if the Gibson parts would fit. I'm looking for the bridge posts and saddles, or maybe the whole bridge. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Rip

MK,
I found my way back to flat wounds after @ 7 yr hiatus. Bailed on them for the same reason. Now, again, I am feeling, like they really do help in getting closer to Weir's tone. I think they help in the definition of each string while playing chords and I have a pretty aggressive strum, much to my chagrin. Also, with quick movements, slides, etc.. up and down the neck you don't get a lot of string noise. There is also that sort "clank" you get on the attack, first hitting a chord, that I just didn't get with round wounds. I hope somebody can relate to that clank, anybody...

I recall seeing your post re Cowboy pickup height, that may be another consideration. I don't know how Bobby's are but I have been happier with my tone when I have the pickups slanted higher on the G,B,E strings. Just enough so you don't lose the bottom, but you're not all "mudded out", for lack of a better term. I made pickup adjustments upon returning to flat wounds, brightened them right up, but night biting. Would love to know, if anyone has that info.

Kevin

Kev - that's easy enough to try. I'll let you know.

mk

Our rhythm guitarist has started using flatwounds recently (6 months ago). I like the sound of them.

Jim

I freaking love flatwounds. They're thick strings are a bit bassy so what I do is cut out a lot of lows with an EQ pedal before the amp so you lose all the mud from the distorting bass frequencies, then add in bass with the tone stack on my amp so you still get the depth of the higher notes. Produces a nice tone for doing upper register chord stuff.

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Which flatwounds? My D'add 10s are very nice!

Nice! I can't ever find them in less than .11s. Don't remember the brand offhand but they come in chrome.

Stevo123 wrote:Nice! I can't ever find them in less than .11s. Don't remember the brand offhand but they come in chrome.

http://www.google.com/products?q=d'adda ... ings+ecg23

If you have not used juststrings.com, you might also give them a try. The flat wounds 10-47's are easy to find on this site. I have ordered from them in the past - good, fast service.

I think I I got mine off eBay.

mk

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