Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So, this week, I tried flatwound strings for the first time, Thomastick-Infield 12's on my 360JG, as per Peter's recommendation. At first, I was horrified, and was ready to rip them right off, then I kept going back to it. The bass strings are much less punchy, but smooth, and there is much less string noise, chords sound like butter, single notes chime so smoothly and punchy, my god, is this what I was looking for all along? I can still rock on it, albeit with less craziness due to the smoother strings, but damn, it is so smooth now, I think I may love this.

You Will!

Try the Fender stainless flats-
They have a bit more top end, but are not clanky
like the D'addario Chromes.
I like to make proper gage 12 string sets from the TIs.
You can make sets that are very close to Rick's original
Red Box strings...

Just wait till they break in! They really sing then.

Cole

It's really odd how people differ on this. I tried them & hated them...dull, lifeless & didn't offer the Ric tone that I was after. However, I totaly accept that they are quality strings & respect ALL others opinions to be as valid as my own. It brings up yet again Peters post of what we perceive as the typical Ric sound....obviously different from person to person. The fact is, that whatever our version of the typical Ric sound is, this is further proof that Rickenbackers are far more adaptable than most give credit for & is a gtr that can easily provide a musician with their own 'personal' sound.

I tried them to get rid of a shrill high end on my 230, and have never looked back and continue to use them. That is the only guitar I use them on, but I can hear the sounds of much of the 60's stuff when using the flats, and plan to use them in the future once I can afford a RIC semi-hollow. I use them on my bass too, but otherwise its rounds for me.

And yes, Tony, I have come around to your way of thinking, in that Ric's can really rock if you want them to, even with flatwound strings! If you ever want to enter heaven's gates, hook your Ric up to a JangleBox, then "univibe", then an amp with a little overdrive - sparking, pulsing, blissful chiming, you will play two chords for an hour and be late to wherever you need to be.

When I first unwound the pups on my v64 I installed normal roundwounds...
As soon as I could I got D'Addario jazz flatwounds, and they sound just great!
To me, tony , it's what I bought the guitar for.
By now I installed 7.4k toasters into my homebuilt solidbody and that sounds great too. Weird thing is that this one has roundwounds on it, yet it doesn't sound as harsh as the v64 with roundwounds.

Steve...I know EXACTLY what you mean when you say 'two chords for an hour'. I'm a reasonably handy lead player, but open E & G chords are the first things that I hit every time when picking up one of my gtrs...a sound made in heaven, if you use flats, wounds, or like me, compressed rounds!

I like Flats only on certain guitars. I have tried them on my 330 and wasn't into it, however, I keep a set of Pyramids on my 370/12, as well as my White Falcon. IMO, Rick 12's sound much better strung up with some nice flats, mine does anyway.

I only have flats on one of my Rics--I put a set of Pyramids on my 1967 365 shortly after I got it, because I wanted to get that real vintage jangle sound--and I was not disappointed! I was surprised at how much quieter the guitar sounded with the flats, but was immediately in love with the tone--it is so right for that guitar, and I think overall it sounds the best of all my Rics....

But on the other hand I had pyramids on my 360/12 for a while and HATED them on that guitar--they bit into my fingers and it was just miserable to play, although it sounded okay.... I went back to Ric strings on that one and am much happier with it.

Don't like 'em - simple as that............

I have tried nickel Pyramids, Thomastik-Infleds and SIT Flats on my Rickenbackers. Each has had a slightly different tonality with the TIs being easiest to play and the Pyramids relatively stiffer, the SITs in between.

In the end, however, my overall preference is the RIC compressed round wounds for guitars. I still keep Thomastiks on some and Pyramids on others to achieve different sounds, with RICs being my favourite overall.

I've got Pyramids (Thomastiks are good as well)on my 360 12, instant McGuinn with a Diamond Compressor

I think the D'Addario half round sounds good if you want some of the qualities of both types, I'm trying them out on my 330 for the first time I'm pleased with them so far.

I've got D'Addario Chromes on my Ibanez Artcore semi, and just love them - I'm really tempted to give them a go on the 650 next time I change strings. Anyone out there who's tried the combination?