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I use the D'Addario 10s on my 12 string without any issues.

Nick wrote:I've never even seen a .006 guitar string.

When I was young and foolish (I'm no longer young) I used to try to use a .006" set, as I've said before. Rotosound used to make .006 and sell them in their "Gauge Selection" range. They kept breaking so I moved to using a .007" top. Over the years I've moved back up to using 9s on the Strats and 10s on the V, but a 9 set feels heavier than I'm used to on the 12-string. I need to swap them down again. I think Rotosound don't make anything lighter than a .007 now.

So apparently Ernie Ball makes some 40-8's. I was wrong in my assumption about the high G, which is still a .008. My Vox has been kind of getting neglected lately, might be time to finally get a replacement pg for the warped celuoid and try getting it set up with a set of those 8s just to see what they sound like.

Nick wrote:So apparently Ernie Ball makes some 40-8's. I was wrong in my assumption about the high G, which is still a .008. My Vox has been kind of getting neglected lately, might be time to finally get a replacement pg for the warped celuoid and try getting it set up with a set of those 8s just to see what they sound like.

Both mine have them. You won't regret it. 100 times more playable and sound fine

Nick wrote:Whatever. 10s are fine. The thinnest string on those is a .008 used for the high G string. I cannot imagine having a string even thinner than that on an electric guitar. A high g on a set of 8s would be what, a .006? I've never even seen a .006 guitar string.

I don't know what George is talking about flatwound 10's. The only strings I've ever found in stores locally are roundwound 10's and seriously why would you keep a guitar set up for weird ultralight gauges that are unavailable on the fly of you break one?

Pyramid gold flats they're called. Definitely order only and won't be in a local shop, and they're used by the rick brigade. The 8s are Ernie balls. Check the gauge. The strings together give the feeling of tension playing a 6 string with 10s.

Dezb, I would honestly look at 8s or possibly 9s. I think 10s are a real chore

And sorry for the stream of posts. Get the 8s from an online place

The reason I may have gotten along with the 10s is because in my band I played more 12 string lead parts than strumming.

Which now that I think of it might have something to do with why I've been laying off the vox...at the time I traded "up" I had switched from being mostly a lead player in someone else's band to playing mostly rhythm in my own. It'll probably be a couple months before I get around to it but I'll give em a try.

George wrote:

Nick wrote:Whatever. 10s are fine. The thinnest string on those is a .008 used for the high G string. I cannot imagine having a string even thinner than that on an electric guitar. A high g on a set of 8s would be what, a .006? I've never even seen a .006 guitar string.

I don't know what George is talking about flatwound 10's. The only strings I've ever found in stores locally are roundwound 10's and seriously why would you keep a guitar set up for weird ultralight gauges that are unavailable on the fly of you break one?

Pyramid gold flats they're called. Definitely order only and won't be in a local shop, and they're used by the rick brigade. The 8s are Ernie balls. Check the gauge. The strings together give the feeling of tension playing a 6 string with 10s.

Dezb, I would honestly look at 8s or possibly 9s. I think 10s are a real chore

Where do you buy them from?

Strings Direct do the Pyramid Gold Flats and Ernie Ball ones.

Super quick delivery whenever I've used them.

BearBoy wrote:Strings Direct do the Pyramid Gold Flats and Ernie Ball ones.

Super quick delivery whenever I've used them.

Not in the slightest bit relevant, but they've also given really good service in the past too when I've accidentally ordered the wrong thing off them.

im starting to find strings direct a little pricey. ebay BIN is a really good source for cheap strings and picks etc so recommend checking that out. on 12 string sets you'll want to save money where you can!

oh my god lol: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ernie-Ball-22 ... 35ca759465

Bought a set of .008 EB's as the Pyramid gold flats were £30 a set on ebay (counting p+p) and strings direct only had 10s and up.

ive never bothered with pyramid flatwounds cos of the price and i find it very hard to play gauge 10s on a 12 string. HOWEVER, the fact they come in a 10-38 guage ( http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/p/920041 ... r-strings/ ) sounds like a game changer as that's basically good to go in my own tuning (no doubled up high E and B)

i might treat myself and try them out lol

btw, the theorycraft behind flatwounds on a 12 string (in my opinion) is that flatwound strings have more thump and less sustain/volume, so the affect is you get a nice attack but the higher drone octave strings (which are plain, not flatwound) sustain for longer and are louder so the jangle is more prominent and pronounced. however, it is absolutely not a necessary requirement in my opinion

jesus listen to this guy slaying his acoustic. amazing (not actually pyramid strings lol)

[youtube][/youtube]

12 string guitars only have 6 extra strings, but they're 85 TIMES as likely to be used in a song about wizards. - Rob Delaney

tenderstems wrote:12 string guitars only have 6 extra strings, but they're 85 TIMES as likely to be used in a song about wizards. - Rob Delaney

hes right though

last night i put the pyramid golds on my strat xii. these are an unusual gauge of 10-38, i believe this is what hendrix used in the 6 string variety - basically floppy bass strings and tighter treble strings. i chose this guage because as mentioned before i don't use doubled up high b and e strings because i don't like the sound. the imbalanced tension of a 10-38 set means that single b and e strings have a nice amount of tension, and the feeling of compliance across strings is much more balanced as a result.

a note on practicality, pyramid label their string sleeves as "D 4th", and "D Octave". from my point of view this is a bit beguiling only because i matched up to numbers previously. I would like to have seen what gauge strings i was actually getting in the set too, just for my own interest.

anyway, the strings (like most flatwounds) feel rubbery under pressure, and acoustically the strings are almost completely dead and quiet with no chime at all. however, when plugging it in all i can say is wow, they sound fantastic on a 12 string. whether this brand of string or flatwounds in general are responsible i'm not sure, but i think you lose all the harsh overtones of roundwounds while getting an unbelievably chirpy and warm tone. the drone strings really sing and there's an element of unison between each string couplet, and overall harmony between all string volumes and tone like they are treated by a natural compressor. very pleasing to hear and play.

so apologies but i'm going to have to eat my hat. flatwounds are definitely worth checking out for a 12 string. i think i'm converted. even though they cost double, it's worth considering that flatwounds tend to last a lot longer than roundwounds so maybe it makes more sense to use them on that basis alone.

An excellent report George!

not sure what i think about them after the honeymoon period

the low e string and drone is a little too quiet and dull and lost in the mix cos of the two flatwound strings

same with the A to a lesser extent

a shame; maybe the perfect set is somewhere in the middle

Still waiting to build this thing... having a 10 month old sure cuts down on the guitar times...