Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Guitar Swing Series 6 String - Electric Flat Wound Guitar Strings for a Rich and Warm Traditional Jazz Sound - Pure Nickel Flat Wounds E, B, G, D, A, E Set

With occasional cleaning and a bit of string lube, these can last many times longer than strings that cost a third as much. They are well worth their ever-increasing price (I remember when these were $16/set just a few years ago.)These do not sound dull, but they do lack a lot of overtones. This means that chords with close voices (used a lot in jazz) sound especially clear and consonant since the fundamental note competes much less with the harmonics above it compared to standard round-wound strings. Single note passages are less percussive and more melodic. The wound "G" string makes for better-sounding chords overall as plain "G" strings tend to be the slackest and least attractive sounding in regular sets.Played clean, these poke through the mix with other instruments without being harsh or brassy-- basically what a lot of players wish their guitar sounded like but have never tried anything other than the easy-to-get round-wound strings.Not strictly for clean jazz, with overdrive or medium distortion the JS110s can really sing with the assertive, meaty presence of a strong fundamental. With such subtle overtones even the harshest transistor OD/distortion unit can sound musical and presentable. Turn down your guitar's tone control a bit, drive the input stage of your amp, turn down your amp's bass control a bit, and you'll get a great horn-like tone from these that's hard to get any other way.Have you bought one of those 22-23" scale "micro" guitars for travel or easy practice? Put these on it and it will sound good enough to be your main instrument. JS110s will make anything they're strung onto sound better.These hold their pitch well, better than most common string sets. Your results may vary if you're constantly changing the tension on them via string bends or extreme vibrato. Also, the lower strings are nearly core-less and probably too fragile for a movable bridge e.g. tremolo/whammy bar.The magnetic output of the wound strings in these sets is *much* lower than standard steel strings. You will have to adjust your pickup pole pieces to compensate in order to get an even signal output from each. This is particularly important when using magnetic guitar-synth systems-- those systems were never designed to work with low-iron strings like these and will require very careful attention to clearances between the hex pickup system and the strings (especially the "G" and "D" strings). That said, I have JS110s installed on a Gibson SG with a Roland GK3 pickup and the system tracks just fine, but I did have to raise the software gain settings for the lowest four strings to get even triggering. Piezoelectric synth saddles probably make this a moot point.I first bought these because I was unhappy with the stock pickups on my favorite guitar and it seemed a cheaper upgrade to try rather than replacing pickups. Those stock pickups are still in service as the JS110s immediately moved the instrument's sound to a much better, more versatile place.I tried the others on the market too. Other flatwound sets felt stiff, heavier than their size. These 10s feel more like 9s. Soft, buttery, smooth, never stiff or rigid-- like cello or violin strings.Try these once before you drop $100+ into new pickups. We often get caught up in hardware marketing and overlook how important to the guitar's sound the strings themselves truly are.If you try a set and you like what you hear, you'll agree that though they're expensive they aren't overpriced.

First, these are my favorite strings. I love the way they play, and I love the way they sound. They feel less stiff than most flatwounds. They bend SOME, though certainly not as readily as your typical roundwounds. The sound is ... pure. They are NEVER boomy or unevenly responsive to touch. If you are REALLY fond of brightness, they may not be for you, but for clarity and evenness across the strings, they are unequaled. They are particularly good for "close" chords with a lot of intervals in proximity to one another, so they are (not a surprise!) great for jazz. I like 'em for rockabilly too (Turn the bass down on yer amp.), but that may be idiosyncratic. For more traditional blues, the rawness and easier bending of roundwounds might be preferable, but for blues with more harmonic complexity, I like these. They last forever, almost LITERALLY forever. TI's are almost spooky in this regard.Two concerns: First, they ARE expensive. No getting around it. But to me, given their playablility and longevity and beautiful sound, they are worth it. Second, I see a lot of complaints about strings breaking soon after installation, particularly the low-E and A. I have never had this happen, and I've been using them for years, on multiple guitars. I install them very carefully according to the directions, more carefully than I install your typical flatwounds, certainly. Think of them, maybe, as the Ferrari of strings: fussy but worth the trouble. They have pretty Cardinal Red cloth wrapping which can cheer you up on a dreary day. And finally, if you have a Jazzmaster and hate it, as I did mine, put a set of these on it. The difference is stunning. I suspect Leo had flatwounds in mind when he designed that guitar. He did name it "Jazzmaster," after all

TI flats sound heavier than they are! This is great thing. Highly recommend these strings.

These are better than the D’Addario flatwound 10s for a number of reasonsThe G string is a 0.18w. Daddario uses a 0.20w and it’s impossible to bend a full step, with these you can easily bend a full step.The finish of the flat winding seems better and smoother. More polished.The high B and high E are brass plated, looks classy and sounds surprisingly different but it’s a small difference10/10. Worth the money, these should last 4-6 months of infrequent use and about 3 months of regular use.

Great strings-good tones and clarity-but if you’re like me and somehow have never tried flat wounds-you have gotta try these strings! They are crazy smooth! Very little buzz at all when sliding up the fingerboard-I keep a set on my Emily Wolf Epiphone Stealth (a rocking guitar with a jazz core) and I find it amazing what a difference these strings bring. I don’t think you can appreciate these until you try them yourself-a review or video can’t do them justice-if you’re thinking of venturing into jazz guitar styles, just get off the fence and try these-you will love them!

3rd and 6th strings broke just by stalling them proper set of expensive garbage. Love thomastik infeld strings and got them in 2 of my guitars but this package was faulty.

I've been playing guitar for over 50 years. I was turned on to Thomastik about 3 years ago and immediately became a loyal convert. They have the perfect depth and tone for jazz and once you get used to the "heaviness" they become easier and easier to finger. I used to buy Gibson for my 335 almost exclusively but these are just a lot better in every way. This purchase was for an L5 that Santa got me for Christmas and the colors that these strings bring to that unique, full-bodied sound is stunning. Don't worry about the price. They are sturdy and well worth it if you are serious about jazz.