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A bit late to the party, but I have just slapped a set of Ernie Ball Classic Rock 'n' Roll Pure Nickel Electric Guitar Strings (10-46) on my Strat yesterday. I am quiet impressed so far, I'm sure they will sound better after a few hours of playing once the new string zing has settled. I've used loads of makes of stings and gauges but for the last few years stuck with the regular EB Slinkys. Apart from there being a little less brightness and just sounding a tad fuller on the wound strings, the first thing I noticed was there seems to be a lot less string tension. I'm not sure if that's true as I haven't checked the numbers but certainly feels like that.

Scott

These aren't what Ian's talking about Scott. He wants Flatwounds with a wound 3rd. Ernie Ball slinkys are normal roundwounds.

Len

In a post above Ian said that he wasn't a fan of flat wounds.

Paul.

Stu's Dad wrote:These aren't what Ian's talking about Scott. He wants Flatwounds with a wound 3rd. Ernie Ball slinkys are normal roundwounds.

Len

Thanks Paul, beat me to it

Len, I was just offering an opinion on another brand of strings, I am aware he wanted a wound third but I just mentioned the gauge I'm using.

Scott

rockinscott wrote:

Stu's Dad wrote:These aren't what Ian's talking about Scott. He wants Flatwounds with a wound 3rd. Ernie Ball slinkys are normal roundwounds.

Len

Thanks Paul, beat me to it

Len, I was just offering an opinion on another brand of strings, I am aware he wanted a wound third but I just mentioned the gauge I'm using.

Scott

My apologies Scott, I've been following this thread while while it's gone around in circles as usual, and I made the mistake of seeing the name Pyramid, who are quite famous for their flatwounds.

I really should get out more,

Len

Hi Again,

I think there's been a little misunderstanding here of what I was looking at. Going back to my original post, I said I was working down from 12-52's because of weakening finger joints. Looking at 11-49's, not all sets have a wound third which is what my guitars are set up for. I was therefore looking for sets of 11-49, be they straight sets or hybrid sets. Pyramid Nickels 11-50 had caught my eye and I gave them a try but I was disappointed, perhaps unlucky, but the set I obtained had a very 'dead' third. With regards to Flatwounds, Paul (Fenderplucker) is right, I am not a lover of Flatwounds although I have tried them on some early Shadows' tracks and they did sound OK. However, I wouldn't want them as a permanent feature on my guitars.

I ended up with a hybrid set of Fender Pure Nickels - a Mix of 9's and 11's giving me 11,14,24w,28w,38w,49w. They provide a good overall sound and what I am looking for. I've just received a set of the new Kinman's so I'm quite excited to hear how they go together on some of The Shadows' early tracks.

Best,

Ian

Agree 100% with Dave Robinson on Newtone Strings. A very talented luthier (Rob Hogdson) recommends these above anything else. He (almost) insisted on putting these on my Gordon Giltrap Deluxe acoustic guitar - fantastic sound.

Ian, perhaps staying with 12's but going from hex to round core, which gives the strings less tension, would solve your problem. I use DR 12-52 pure blues - pure nickel wound on a round core and they are comfortable and sound great (I even read somewhere that Hank used them quite a lot in the past).

Thanks Bojan,

I might just get a set and put them onto one of my other Strats and see how they feel.

Cheers,

Ian