Archtop String Gauge

[ozziebluesman]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to string up the Archtop and setup. Before finish I strung her up with some 11 to 49 Elixir electric strings and they sounded ok. This is surposed to be an acoustic instrument so I was thinking maybe going a little heavier to 12 to 52 with a 24 thou wound G? The extra tension will give a little more acoustic volume.

I'm not a Jazz player so not sure what the norm is for an archie. I also know it is very much personal preference!

So what string brand and gauge do most of you archie builders use?

Thank you

Alan

[Dominic]

Alan, you've answered your own question. I strung up my first archtop with a set of Martin Phos Bronze 12's which is what i might put on any acoustic. I liked the sound, a nice woody low end with plenty of sparkle. Probably wrong for jazz. A guy I know used these flat wound jazz strings which to me sound horrible and plonky but that what he's going for. Can't understand jazz if you have to have guitars that sound like they are strung with rubber bands. I've been using DR strings lately and I like them.

Craig Clancy used something similar with mag pickups and they worked fine even with the bronze.

But I found playing my usual stuff on that archtop was such a nice change. Totally different sound, really refreshing and i was really enjoying it until a mate borrowed it for 6 months.
Cheers
Dom

[Clancy]

I used the elixer polywebs. I liked the sound acousticly (not playing jazz stuff) & seemed to work with the kent armstrong pickup.
When Frank Vandenboom visited he played it throught the amp & it sounded awsome, but he's a jazz musician so it was probably greatly improved by Frank's playing ability.
I tried phosphur bronze once and they were just too bright for my liking (but I like them on my OM)
They still worked with the pickup though.
I'm thinking of giving semi-round strings a try.
Here's a good page for archtop string info.
http://www.professorstring.com/archives ... trings.php
Oh, and I use 12 to 52 on all my builds, simply because it's what I've always used.

[Clancy]

I should also add that I visited another of my archtops last xmas, and it's owner had replaced the strings with a lighter set of phosphur bronze & it still sounded good.
That was the kauri topped archie, so maybe it's the king billy top on mine that makes pb's too bright.
Or maybe I just make them better now than that first one

[Nick]

I also know it is very much personal preference!

There you go Alan, answered your own question !
My first archtop I used Tomastik Infeld flatwounds (the George Benson series 12-53's) because, like you, I wasn't sure what strings should be used so George Benson seemed a fairly safe bet ( ). These had a fairly mellow jazz sound (funnily enough, typical of Benson's sound ). I personally didn't like the sound so switched out to D'Addario half rounds (12-52's), these brightened the sound but still didn't get that 'string wipe' sound (which, to me, seems to be more noticeable on an archtop). But there's nothing wrong with using any string (electric or acoustic) as long as the sound appeals to you.

[ozziebluesman]

Thanks to you all for your advice. I had some 11 to 49 elixirs in stock so I have been setting the guitar up with those. They sound ok but a bit thin acousticly. I would like the acoustic tone to be louder so will try the 12 to 53s and see how they go. I have played an Aria with flat wounds and it sounded dead to me. Nice through the amp though!

Cheers

Alan

[needsmorecowbel]

Try some D'Addario XL Chromes (flatwounds) if you get a chance they are in the 12-52 range

[vandenboom]

Try some D'Addario XL Chromes (flatwounds) if you get a chance they are in the 12-52 range

That's exactly what I use for my own playing on my archtops. But I rarely play acoustically - always through amps. I agree their acoustic sound is a bit fat and dull, but I just love the tone I get with those strings through my acoustic image Clarus/Raezer's Edge amp set up.
Frank