String gauge on your archtop?

[Robert1950]

I don't have a dedicated jazz box. I use a small thinline hollowbody that I use for everything from jazz to blues rock. 11-50 all nickel round wounds provide a nice compromise for me. I just tweak the amp for a more jazz sounding tone.

[Pierrot]

012 for me too.

[rolijen]

I voted 12. I consider TI Jazz Swing 13s to really be akin to 12s. They are the perfect set and perfect tone for me on my 17” archtops w 25.5” scale. I like DA Chromes 12s on my 16” boxes. I like Ernie Ball Nickel Regular Slinky 10s on my solid body electrics. I’m set in my ways, but these sets work for me.

Roli

[Toddep]

I went to TI George Benson 14s on my 175

Been quite happy with them so far!

[smmllr]

I gotta keep it simple: 12’s on all acoustics, 11’s on all electrics—including flatwounds.

[mswilks]

TI Swing 12's-

That is a fine looking guitar.

[Gitpicker]

Thomastik round wound 13s on my L5. I feel like I could try going a bit heavier actually.

Nickel D'addario 12s on my Eastmans usually because they're good and very inexpensive. Recently I have been using D'addario Nickel Bronze 13s on one of my Eastmans. The extra tension takes some time getting used to. A world apart from the lighter TI 13 set.

Recently I had the chance to play Bruce Forman's Sonntag with D'addario Nickel Bronze 13s set but Bruce changes out the first two strings or a 14 and 18. That combination felt fantastic of course on his Sonntag, which is an exceptional guitar with an exceptional setup (owned by an exceptional player!!).

[Dr_turkey]

I like a 14 high string, love the way it feels under my fingers. I'm fixing to try those 15s from La Bella soon. I've got their tape wounds on my af75, no sense trying to drive that thick top with the 2 pickups in it but I'll be trying the 80/20 14s and daddario's 14 phosphor set on there soon.

[JaxJaxon]

The reason I didn't vote yet is that I have only had this arch top 5 wks and am trying different strings on it The 11 nickel didn't sound right so after 3 1/2 wks I whent with 11 chrome flat. and today I Bought a set of 12 chromes Diaddrio. the 11 chrome sound pretty good I might leave them on till they need replaceing.Then I will try the 12.

[Donelson]

15, 19, 26, 36, 46, 56. That is tuned D G C F A D. I tune all my guitars that way.

[Gilpy]

I just put Thomastik Bebop 14s on both of my Andersen arch tops....up from 12s and 13s.

I mostly play unplugged, and the 14s just give me a little "more" of everything. Surprisingly, I don't find them any harder to play.

[christianm77]

Depends on the guitar

[Tal_175]

I put 14 and 18 (or 17) on high E and B. The gauge of the rest is less critical. Flats can be lower gauge (as they have thicker cores). I use 12 gauge sets (replace the E and B).

[Vladan]

I put 14 and 18 (or 17) on high E and B. The gauge of the rest is less critical. Flats can be lower gauge (as they have thicker cores). I use 12 gauge sets (replace the E and B).

Funny, as from yesterday I have that same gauge set on tele. It was Thomastik BeBop 12 set, but E and B became totally unusable, so I replaced them with thinnest leftovers I had. 14 and 17.

[Esport]

When I started playing guitar, it was on a cheap nylon string and I always played it super quietly so nobody could hear me struggling. Over time, that translated into a very light touch that makes it frustrating to adapt to heavier gauge strings. I only play finger-style. I’ve tried .12 and even .13s on an Eastman I had for awhile but ultimately it interfered with how I played (which is not very well, still). Now, I’ve just decide to stick with what’s comfortable. Chrome .10s on the 345 and Nickel D’adario .10s on the Tele. It’s easier and more fun so that’s how it’s gonna be until I decide to try something new.

[dreamingJazz]

For those using 12’s on 24.75 scale, do you still bend strings?

ive been using 11’s (13’s on acoustic) on everything, no matter the scale is, but recently contemplating going 12’s on my ES-330.

but I still play blues and do bend, i love the stiffer feel of 11’s on 25.5 teles and thought of getting the same stiff feel on 24.75 scale.

[Tal_175]

For those using 12’s on 24.75 scale, do you still bend strings?

ive been using 11’s (13’s on acoustic) on everything, no matter the scale is, but recently contemplating going 12’s on my ES-330.

but I still play blues and do bend, i love the stiffer feel of 11’s on 25.5 teles and thought of getting the same stiff feel on 24.75 scale.

As long as you use a plain G string, bending is doable. For 12 gauge you got plain G options, 20 or 22 gauge. Wound G's require a lot more stretching to reach the same note obviously.

[dreamingJazz]

As long as you use a plain G string, bending is doable. For 12 gauge you got plain G options, 20 or 22 gauge. Wound G's require a lot more stretching to reach the same note obviously.

thank you! I tried an Epiphone Inspired by 1966 Century, with a wound G, and although the guitar is nice, it feels more like an acoustic guitar and I didnt like it, so i guess plain G it is.

[Tal_175]

I would just buy individual steel strings 20'is gauge and just swap the wound G from any 12 gauge set you like. A few come with plain G's but that would limit your options.
You probably don't want to go much lighter than 20 for G in a 12 set since you said you like the tension and also the B string would be 15 or 16 in those sets..

[dreamingJazz]

I would just buy individual steel strings 20'is gauge and just swap the wound G from any 12 gauge set you like. A few come with plain G's but that would limit your options.
You probably don't want to go much lighter than 20 in a 12 set since you said you like the tension.

i wouldve done that but the thing is I stock strings and I sometimes buy packs of 3 or 10 depending if there’s a sale and I try to buy strings that are always in stock and not hard to find. Buying individually might prove to be an effort than trying to be a bit more efficient, but then again if there’s a will, theres a way. Lol

my current teles use just normal Elixirs 11-14-18-28-38-49, and thats what I have on my ES-330 at the moment. My luthier’s shop is now open and I’m planning to bring it there next week to have the bone nut re-cut properly for the string gauge I’m gonna use.

And Ive actually just researched on 12’s and Elixir has 12-16-24-32-42-52, while normal Daddario has 12-16-20p-32-42-54..

so i guess it will be a matter of choice between getting a lighter G, but thicker low E, or a thicker G, but a more familiar low E.

[darkwaters]

For a long time now I've used regular old D'addario round wound 10s with a wound G on my Dot. It gives me the tone I want, without the arthritis that I don't want.

Interestingly I use 11s (plain G) on my Tele. They just feel and sound right. Go figure.

[MaxTwang]

Been using 13s on everything since high school and dropped the Tal down to TI 11's yesterday, restrung an acoustic with 11s too! Solid bodies recently went down to 9s. It's an interesting approach to re-thinking your playing after 40 years.

[xiv_R_A_I_D_E_R_]

13 flats where do people get 14s though?

[Tal_175]

13 flats where do people get 14s though?

They buy them as single strings.

[broturtel]

I personally love the 13-56 Pyramid Golds!! Not a popular set, but they are quite lovely. They aren't very muddy or flat compared to other flatwounds I've tried, and i've tried a lot. I'm a string addict. Everytime I get a new guitar, I keep trying string set after string set until I find the ones that fit that guitar. They do have a higher tension, though. "True Vintage" this set is called. I don't know anything about vintage. I don't spend a whole lot of time chasing a vintage tone. What's past is past. All I know is that, I love these freaking strings! Like I said, though, the PGs aren't very popular.