roundwounds

You've tried a zillion pedals, guitars, and amps … it's time you tried flats. Just don't make the same mistake I did!

A few years back I somehow got it into my head that I should try flatwound strings. I don't remember if it was because of something I read on a forum, or because a pal/mentor here at PG suggested giving them a try. There are all sorts of theories about so-and-so playing them on old rock 'n' roll records, classic country albums, and surf-rock gems. But I wasn't chasing the sound of any particular genre or player. I'd been playing for a long while, and simply thought I might as well see what flats are all about. So I picked up a set from one of guitardom's most ubiquitous brands, slapped 'em on my Jazzmaster, and … couldn't get the sumbitches off fast enough. My guitar sounded so dead I wouldn't have been surprised to look down and see grime and gunk weighing them down like power lines after a Midwestern ice storm. Considering the brand's stellar reputation, I thought it pretty rational to conclude flatwounds simply aren't my thing.

Read MoreShow less