[greco]

I can't remember this topic ever being discussed in the GC forum in the past.

I recently bought a electric guitar with a wound 'G' string (regular wound...NOT flat wound/'chromes').
It is a single coil, Strat style guitar and the wound string 'G' seems less loud/warmer.

However, on my humbucker guitar, the plain 'G' seems overly loud and 'unbalanced' compared to the other 5 strings.

What are your findings?
I know that wound 'G' strings do not bend as well.

Any suggestions of brands of string sets that have a wound 'G' (10 or 11 gauge preferred)

Thanks

Cheers

Dave

 

[Guest]

Wound for slide, plain for most everything else.

 

[ZeroGravity]

Only G I ever broke was wound(D'Addario EXL110W), my thought is that is has to have such a thin core, that they aren't as durable, but I have a sample size of exactly 1.

 

[Hammerhands]

Some bridges are designed for a wound G.

You can balance the loudness with the screw pole pieces, if you have them.

The decision between wound and plain for me came down to using a sixth interval, with a plain g I have two flavours to use, a bell-like g & e string or a darker wound D & b string.

I think they used to have wound b strings.

 

[garrettdavis275]

I like the sound but it's just too unruly for my normal playing. I bend the G a lot so it just ends up being more of a struggle than I want.

 

[Mooh]

I usually play D'Addario Chromes (flatwounds) with a wound third on at least a couple of guitars, currently a Godin LG and a Gretsch, and usually a Telecaster too. I love the smooth feel, mellow tone, warm chords, and longevity.

D'Addario Strings : Electric Strings : XL Chromes Flat Wound

Related, sometimes I use D'Addario FlatTops on acoustic for the smooth, warm tone. One would expect the wound third on an acoustic set of course, but the flatwound nature feels much like the electric Chromes.

D'Addario Strings : Acoustic Strings : Flat Top Phosphor Bronze Wound

 

[cbg1]

I'm not sure you can get a wound to match up in a set of 10's. I did try a wound in a set of 11's but found that the winding was too fine...bending the string cut the winding in the fret contact area in no time...

 

[mister.zed]

Wound for slide, plain for most everything else.

Why is that?

 

[greco]

I'm not sure you can get a wound to match up in a set of 10's.

 

[Guest]

Why is that?

Why for slide? Because the wound strings sound better, and that's what historically the old bottleneck blues slide guys would have used. Why not for regular playing? Because it is hard to stretch and as others mentioned the frets cut the winding if you do stretch. This information comes with no warranty.

 

[greco]

I usually play D'Addario Chromes (flatwounds) with a wound third

I tried Chromes (flatwounds) recently and just couldn't get used to them.
Great feeling strings for sure!

Now that I am learning how to EQ my amp more to my liking, I might try them again. I saved the strings after removing them carefully and hope that I am lucky and can use the same ones again. At $~20.00 a set, it is nice that they don't wear quickly and that they retain their tonal characteristics.

 

[Budda]

I've been playing unwound G's for a long time, but the heavier packs (XL 12-60 I believe, maybe the 11-54?) had wound ones. I was playing downtuned metal and once I got used to it I didn't give it much thought.

That being said, I was not performing or recording the guitar - just being a bedroom guy.

 

[zontar]

I mostly use plain G's
But then I use 9-42 & 10-46 mostly.
Although on my archtop I have 10-52s--and the G was a pain to change as a plain--and it didn't like to stay in tune that well.
so I tried a wound G on one string change--much easier to change--and it sounds so much better on that guitar---but it may have as much to do with your gauge of choice and what you play as well.

So feel to experiment--and use what sounds best for that guitar.
I use different gauges on different guitars...

 

[greco]

Although on my archtop I have 10-52s--and the G was a pain to change as a plain--and it didn't like to stay in tune that well.
so I tried a wound G on one string change--much easier to change--and it sounds so much better on that guitar---but it may have as much to do with your gauge of choice and what you play as well.

I am certainly going to try a set with a wound 'G'. The guitar is a 335 copy and I play fake jazz (with minimal bending).

 

[nnieman]

Ive got a set with a wound g (dadario 11 gauge) on my silvertone/danelectro type guitar.
I think it sounds great, I find the g can sound a little harsh on my teles.
I will probably put a wound g on one of them and compare the 2.

I was primarily an acoustic player for years so it could be that a wound g just sound is what I'm used to.

Nathan

 

[greco]

I took the wound 'G' off of the single coil guitar and put it on my 335 copy...just what I was looking for!

Live and learn...

 

[butterknucket]

I can't remember this topic ever being discussed in the GC forum in the past.

I recently bought a electric guitar with a wound 'G' string (regular wound...NOT flat wound/'chromes').
It is a single coil, Strat style guitar and the wound string 'G' seems less loud/warmer.

However, on my humbucker guitar, the plain 'G' seems overly loud and 'unbalanced' compared to the other 5 strings.

What are your findings?
I know that wound 'G' strings do not bend as well.

Any suggestions of brands of string sets that have a wound 'G' (10 or 11 gauge preferred)

Thanks

Cheers

Dave

Is the pole piece for the G string on your single coil guitar lower than the other pole pieces?

 

[jdto]

I tried a wound G set on my Gretsch Duo Jet and irnos was alright, but I went back to unwound. Malcolm Young used heavier strings with a wound G, which is what I was going for.

 

[greco]

Is the pole piece for the G string on your single coil guitar lower than the other pole pieces?

No...the pole pieces are flat (i.e., level to each other).
It is a very inexpensive guitar with basic pickups.

 

[zontar]

I am certainly going to try a set with a wound 'G'. The guitar is a 335 copy and I play fake jazz (with minimal bending).

For the gauge I am using the wound G isn't any harder to bend than the plain G--maybe even a bit easier...