Best Strings for VGuitar and MIDI Guitar

Started by rhyane, March 26, 2009, 04:52:30 AM

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rhyane

Hello All,

I have a question. Can flat wound strings be used on the VG99?

I am currently looking to outfit my current current controller with darker sounding strings.

Thanks in advance for any replies. 

Brent Flash

Welcome to the group rhyane! :)

Yes, you can use flat wound strings on your guitar but if you are using the GK pickup I am not sure how much difference it will make with the tone. Good question. I would expect it to have way less string noise. I have found the GK picks up a lot of the zipper noise you get when sliding over the strings.

pfflyer

I've used flatwounds on my RR Strat and they work fine. The do cut down on the chiff. Great for jazz!

Elantric

#3
FWIW - there are "half round" strings which are polished  / "burnished" round wounds - half way between flat and round wound strings.
Popular polished round wounds  are:

* Daddario Half wound

http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/roundwound-halfwound-flatwound.html

http://tinyurl.com/ysxnlo


and D'Addario "Chromes" Flatwounds work well for Guitar synth use too.

GHS
http://www.gretsch-talk.com/threads/polished-burnished-pure-nickel-strings.133418/

rhyane

Thanks for the welcome and all the info. It's helped me out alot. ;D

guitarnstuff

has anyone noticed if "dead" string vs fresh strings make any tonal difference with vg99 assuming using GK pups instead of guitar's pups?

Elantric

#6
Quote
has anyone noticed if "dead" string vs fresh strings make any tonal difference with vg99 assuming using GK pups instead of guitar's pups?


Yes - I can hear the difference

On VGuitar Systems - The String is your oscillator - the most crucial element to the VG-99 principal of operation. 

MidiBuzz

#7
True about the string vibrations being the source.  I know nothingh about the physics of old vs new strings and how that relates to the pickups (magnetic or piezo).

OBviously new strings sound brighter, which means more harmonic content.  Anyone know why?
Stay Tuned!
Buzz

germanicus

I think older strings tend to sound old because of the buildup of dead flesh/dirt/oils in the windings. It is effectively muting the string in small portions. This is why you can boil old strings and they will sound new afterwards. You could also probably use engine degreaser, that will remove any dirt/grime from metal, but its nasty potent stuff.
My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

audiotrax

Has anyone ever tried flat wound strings on their pitch to MIDI system?  I'm thinking the tracking might be better because you are mostly getting a fundamental note without all the upper harmonics, and there would be less string noise.  Or maybe it wouldn't make any difference at all.....  Anyone?
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

audiotrax

#10
Hi, I recently tried an experiment and put D'Addario XL Chromes flat wounds (12's) on my Warmoth Strat and wanted to post about them.  I LOVE these strings!!! 

I started out with 9's, sometimes switching the high E for an 8.  They played really fast, but proved to be way too floppy sloppy with my Roland GI-10 and VG-88.  Went to 10's then finally took the leap to the Flatwound 12's last week.  Basically, I was stunned.  I am now in love with my favorite Strat all over again.

First of all; they do not sound dull.  There's plenty of top end. They sound "golden" or "rich and balanced" if that makes more sense.  The upper end still chimes, but that harsh brittleness is now gone.  I used to dial off the guitar tone controls down to 6, but now I can keep them all the way up. What a totall improvement in my guitars sound.  It's like it finally "grew up"  :D  They sound huge!

They slide under your fingers like silk.  My guitar sustains for days like it's going through a compressor.

After a half hour from putting them on, all of sudden my bridge went crazy and pulled all the way up, so that the tremolo arm was almost laying down flat.  That was pretty scary.  Was running it with 3 springs, so I put the other 2 back in and that fixed it.  Has to reset everything up from scratch again which was very tedious.

Bending is still possible, but you can't go crazy on them like standard rock style.   My style doesn't usually require extreme bending, but you can make up for it with the tremolo arm - and now that even stays in tune.  They had the effect I was looking for with guitar synth; they make everything you play more solid and precise.  It's like going from a ukulele to a grand piano  :o  Took a day to get used to, but now there's no going back, at least for this guitar.  If you are taking the plunge, you might want to start with 11's.  I can't believe I waited my whole life to try these.  For less than 10 bucks it's like my guitar has transformed into the sweet PRECISION INSTRUMENT.TM
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

Elantric

#11
I agree - Ive been using Daddario Chromes .012" and they work very well on my custom National ResoRocket with Bigsby. Due to the physical design they do not "stick" in the Nut or Bridge Saddles, and They stay in tune longer, and surprisingly easy to bend.

These aren't your father's flatwounds.!


a2dconverter

Quote from:  audiotrax on May 24, 2011, 10:52:10 AM
Hi, I recently tried an experiment and put D'Addario XL Chromes flat wounds (12's) on my Warmoth Strat and wanted to post about them.  I LOVE these strings!!!  ... it's like my guitar has transformed into the sweet PRECISION INSTRUMENT.TM

Hey Audiotrax...did anything change when you went to the higher gauge strings?...

I would of expected numerous things to change....The neck relief may have changed from the higher tension (more bow forward on the neck), were you able to set your intonation and action properly?...does it Buzz above the 12th fret?

if it does buzz, a set-up will get you back to square 1

Set-up In this order...tighten the truss rod, set the action of the strings, check the intonation and then adjust the pickup height.

we need pics!    ;D
Guitar Synths/ Controllers
GR-1
GI-20
GR-55
Custom US-20 w/ Breakout for GK Volume and S1/S2
Inline RMC GR-55 Sub-Filter
2 x Ibanez Roadstar II with Graphtech Floyd Rose Piezo Bridge and Hexpander Driver
PRS Santana w/ Graphtech Piezo Saddles and Hexpander Driver
etc...

audiotrax

Well, aside from the bridge pulling up, the neck did not change at all. 

Here's my baby:

The Warmoth neck is made from an extremely dense African hardwood (something like Algonquin Alves?) and Ebony.  It doesn't need any finnish - I just oil it.  I'm very meticulus about setting everything up and tweek it almost every week.

The strings are VERY low, it's hard to see in the pictures.  I could actually get them lower than the 10's because it's so stable now.  Planet Waves locking tuners.  Pickups are two GFS Texas Overwounds, and a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker.  Bridge roller pieces are from GFS.  I used to have a thick rubber band just over the nut to stop stray string vibrations, but with the flat wounds it just hums pure now.

Oh, and my big Maine Coon buddy is my 12 year old Simon.  He's always my co-pilot.  :)
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

Elantric

#14
Just curious, is that hole in the side of the neck at the 19th fret the truss rod adjust?


imall41

Quote from:  audiotrax on May 24, 2011, 02:14:00 PM
Well, aside from the bridge pulling up, the neck did not change at all. 

Here's my baby:

The Warmoth neck is made from an extremely dense African hardwood (something like Algonquin Alves?) and Ebony.  It doesn't need any finnish - I just oil it.  I'm very meticulus about setting everything up and tweek it almost every week.

The strings are VERY low, it's hard to see in the pictures.  I could actually get them lower than the 10's because it's so stable now.  Planet Waves locking tuners.  Pickups are two GFS Texas Overwounds, and a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker.  Bridge roller pieces are from GFS.  I used to have a thick rubber band just over the nut to stop stray string vibrations, but with the flat wounds it just hums pure now.

Oh, and my big Maine Coon buddy is my 12 year old Simon.  He's always my co-pilot.  :)

Beautiful neck!!!(and always wanted a Maine Coon)
I love flatwound strings, been using them for decades, but, then again, I grew up listening to the Ventures(-:

All you need to do is add another spring to your tremolo.
It's best if your strings are passing over the saddles at 90deg.
With your bridge tipped up like that you could lose some sustain.

I am building 2 guitars for GK-3's right now.
One should be done in less than 2 weeks.(Jazzmaster with Lollar, Charlie Christian pups)

imall41

#16
Quote from:  Elantric on May 24, 2011, 03:17:48 PM
Just curious, is that hole in the side of the neck at the 19th fret the truss rod adjust?

Yes, Warmoth Pro necks come with a side accessible truss rod adjustment.
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/Strat_WarmothPro.aspx

audiotrax

Beautiful neck!!!(and always wanted a Maine Coon)
I love flatwound strings, been using them for decades, but, then again, I grew up listening to the Ventures(-:


OOOOOOhh....my basic sound is kind of a very amped up, spooky Ventures thing through a Vox.  :)

Warmoth necks are just amazing.  I actually really like some of the newest Fender offerings, even on the Squiers, but once you get the feel of a raw wood precision neck, there is no going back.  The build quality of Warmoths is almost supernatural - it's almost like everything, including the frets was produced with a lazer.  It wasn't really that expensive.  It was about $350 for just the neck, and they walk you through everything.  I was very specific about what I wanted.  It's much wider at the nut, almost like an acoustic guitar, but with a REALLY thin and fast Wizard profile.  The wood feels like it's alive in your hand.  I wanted it wider so I could get in and grab big clean chords with the guitar synth.  Totally worth it for a keep it for life investment that I use every day.

Maine Coone's are my soul-mates.  I had my 28 pound Timmy for 17 years.  He was like a person in a small fur suit.  They have the sweetest personalities, and they THRIVE on human companionship.  Really it's more like having a dog, except they don't bark, and they can poop all by themselves.   :P

Simon is the happiest cat I've ever met.  He loves everyone, and cries when kids leave the house.  He always has to be right next to me, and he sits and waits for me by the door when I go out.  They are God's (or the universe's) gift to humans.
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

aliensporebomb

I'll agree on the Maine Coon cat assessment.  The guitar looks nice too.

Here's Boodgie - age 20 and still hanging with us!


My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

audiotrax

Boodgie is beautiful, and he still looks quite young.   :)
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

Kenmac

At the risk of turning this into a "My Maine Coon Cat" thread  ;)  here are some photos of my 3 and a half year old Maine Coon cat, Samson. (Don't worry it has GR-55 content as well.) When I brought my GR-55 home, Samson just had to do some investigating: http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r227/Netskenmac/Roland%20GR-55/GR55Samson.jpg
This was taken last year when he was getting bored: http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r227/Netskenmac/Samson/SamsonYawns.jpg  and this was taken on January 11, 2011, which was his one year anniversary with me: http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r227/Netskenmac/Samson/SamsonOneYearLater.jpg  Okay, let's get back to talking about strings now.  :)
"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

audiotrax

Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

audiotrax

#22
Hey everyone,  just had to have my daily hands on session with my guitar, and this quick (and sloppy) jam session came out.  I cannot stop playing this Strat since I got these flatwounds.  Here's a good example of what they sound like.  Instead of red hot, they sorta burn "Cool Blue".
I'm playing them through a Vox VT30 amp.  I also played the Fender piano part with the Strat and my GI-10 into a Roland JV-1080 synth module.
Owner of: VG-88, GI-10, Cubase 5, Kontakt, SampleTank, var VSTI's, Roland JV1080.  Strat with GK-2A, two Roland GR500 analog guitar synths

kenact

When I replaced the 10's on my '66 Gretsch Nashville with 13's, I had to adjust the truss rod to account for the extra tension on the neck.  It feels and sounds great.
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Pin

Has anyone tried Ernie Ball Cobalt coated strings? I wonder if they might help with a stronger signal and better tracking?