Serious jazz musicians are very special for jazz-guitar-strings of their choice and use. They expect that the exact sound they want. There are different types of jazz guitar with famous producers like Thomastik-Infeld, D'Addario, Elixir, etc. This is equivalent to the choice of guitar strings jazz sounds right for you.
Jazz Guitar Strings Types
Flatwound - probably the most popular of the swing. These are usually flat cable woundStrings with polished nickel surface to give the player the flexibility and the smooth type of sound you'd expect.
Roundwound - for bebop. While some jazz musicians do not really go for round wound strings, Thomastik-Infeld Jazz producers, like the players and their way of producing them courted. These strings are tight, although the small diameter and play wonderfully at high frequencies, so that the sound has the purity of piano sounds.
Most high quality jazzguitar strings are crafted with a core of carbon steel rather than the usual hex cores. This makes them play better and also vibrates well without the 'preferred motion axis'. These string ends are wrapped in silk to keep the winding intact and to also increase their life.
For those who play blues jazz - and practically everyone who plays jazz does play the blues - the flatwound chrome strings they use are the most preferred. This is because these strings do not create the finger noise associated with other strings, resulting in easy play and better style. But the half round wounds are also popularly used, as they seem smoother and there is more clarity of sound with them compared to flatwounds, making them sound great when playing the blues.
Making The Choice For Jazz Guitar Strings
It is vital, as any jazz guitar player knows, to choose the strings that work best for you, and also make sure you replace them properly when necessary to avoid your guitar detuning. The main things to remember in making your choice are: the brand you select, the composition of the strings, string gauge, and the type of winding.
As far as brand is concerned, you can try a few and choose the ones you feel most comfortable with. As mentioned earlier, the most reputed are Thomastik-Infeld, D'Addario, Elixir, and others.
Guitar strings are usually composed of a core high carbon steel wire with a wrap wire wound around them, which influences the sound of the guitar strings. This material could be nickel, considered the best, or stainless steel for brighter tones, or phosphor bronze for a warmer sound mostly used in acoustic guitar strings. Most classical guitars have nylon strings.
String Gauge refers to the diameter of the first and last guitar string since most guitar strings are sold as sets. Jazz guitar string sets are usually available as .012 - 0.054-inch diameter, which is heavier than those used for other music styles, so that they result in a thicker tone with increased sustain. Most jazz guitarists just starting out to play use lighter sets to first get used to them and then move on to the heavier type. It should be borne in mind that as you progress to an advanced playing level, and switch to a string set of heavier gauge, you must also adjust your guitar neck and the intonation.
The roundwound type of strings have a louder and brighter sound while the flatwound type has a flat ribbon wire with duller, smoother sound. Most jazz guitar strings are of the flatwound type.
Some Jazz Guitar String Maintenance Tips
To get your jazz guitar strings to last longer, remember to wipe them down using a dry cloth after each playing session. It is better to replace your strings just as they begin to wear out. Preferably change the entire set since changing just that one broken string can lose the sync of your sound.
