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What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz arch top?

Tom Samarati
 

Does anyone in this group.io own a Peerless Songbird, their Epiphone Casino clone?

A dumb decision I made 15 years ago was to sell my 1963 Epiphone Casino that I bought new with my paper route earnings when I was 12 years old.? In 2005 a guy from LA Guitar Center flashed $2,000 cash in my face and I grabbed it.? I openly admit to being an idiot.? To replace that vintage guitar today will cost me $4000 - $5000.?

Over the past few years I've played the new Chinese made Epiphone Casinos and they just do not like them.?

So if you have a Peerless Songbird, can I get your opinion??

On Monday, December 14, 2020, 01:03:24 PM PST, jvegatrio via groups.io <jvegatrio@...> wrote:


Hi Rob,

If you have a soundpost installed bet'n the top & the back under the bridge that should take care of the feedback issue. When I got my Epi Howard Roberts many years ago it was completely unplayable for exactly that reason. My tech put the soundpost in and that made it an amazing guitar.

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega



-----Original Message-----
From: rob via groups.io <gibbing08@...>
To: jazz-guitar@groups.io <jazz-guitar@groups.io>; Jazz-Guitar@groups.io <Jazz-Guitar@groups.io>
Sent: Mon, Dec 14, 2020 12:36 pm
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz arch top?

Well, after all the problems I had with biad the program works really well. I think a little of the problem was on my part rushing through the installation procedure Yes there still a lot of bells and whistles that come with this program but for the cost, it is well worth it. Another thing, I have an Ibanez ag 75 bs hollow body, and when I first got it didn't know that it would fed back so bad at high volumes. I guess this is the nature of the beast so now I just make sure my hand is on the stings .?how you guys handle this problem?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? thnks rob !?Emoji
 

Hi Rob,

If you have a soundpost installed bet'n the top & the back under the bridge that should take care of the feedback issue. When I got my Epi Howard Roberts many years ago it was completely unplayable for exactly that reason. My tech put the soundpost in and that made it an amazing guitar.

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega



-----Original Message-----
From: rob via groups.io <gibbing08@...>
To: jazz-guitar@groups.io <jazz-guitar@groups.io>; Jazz-Guitar@groups.io <Jazz-Guitar@groups.io>
Sent: Mon, Dec 14, 2020 12:36 pm
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz arch top?

Well, after all the problems I had with biad the program works really well. I think a little of the problem was on my part rushing through the installation procedure Yes there still a lot of bells and whistles that come with this program but for the cost, it is well worth it. Another thing, I have an Ibanez ag 75 bs hollow body, and when I first got it didn't know that it would fed back so bad at high volumes. I guess this is the nature of the beast so now I just make sure my hand is on the stings .?how you guys handle this problem?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? thnks rob !?Emoji
 

Well, after all the problems I had with biad the program works really well. I think a little of the problem was on my part rushing through the installation procedure Yes there still a lot of bells and whistles that come with this program but for the cost, it is well worth it. Another thing, I have an Ibanez ag 75 bs hollow body, and when I first got it didn't know that it would fed back so bad at high volumes. I guess this is the nature of the beast so now I just make sure my hand is on the stings .?how you guys handle this problem?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? thnks rob !?Emoji

On Monday, December 14, 2020, 10:29:06 a.m. EST, kerryalt@... <kerryalt@...> wrote:


I just want to second Thomas’ opinion. I’ve the same Peerless Gigmaster and am supper happy with the finish and sound. I switched to the TI JS113 strings in April(!) and they still sound and play great. I also am old, so maybe I should drop down to 12’s or 11’s, though I do a lot of classical work and that keeps me pretty fit. I got the TI strings for I think $23 at strings by mail dot com, and while expensive, their durability and consistency of tone make them worth the price, IMHO.?

And like Thomas just yesterday I cranked up my little tube combo to 11 and rocked out a bit. The Peerless is just a good ax for everything if you know how to use it to find your voice.

Just my 2cents...

 

There used to be a college professor on here I believe that was in South Carolina. He mailed me some CDs many many years ago that I never got, and I would like to do something for him. Does anyone know how I can contact him?

On Monday, December 14, 2020, 10:29:06 AM EST, <kerryalt@...> wrote:


I just want to second Thomas’ opinion. I’ve the same Peerless Gigmaster and am supper happy with the finish and sound. I switched to the TI JS113 strings in April(!) and they still sound and play great. I also am old, so maybe I should drop down to 12’s or 11’s, though I do a lot of classical work and that keeps me pretty fit. I got the TI strings for I think $23 at strings by mail dot com, and while expensive, their durability and consistency of tone make them worth the price, IMHO.?

And like Thomas just yesterday I cranked up my little tube combo to 11 and rocked out a bit. The Peerless is just a good ax for everything if you know how to use it to find your voice.

Just my 2cents...

 

I just want to second Thomas’ opinion. I’ve the same Peerless Gigmaster and am supper happy with the finish and sound. I switched to the TI JS113 strings in April(!) and they still sound and play great. I also am old, so maybe I should drop down to 12’s or 11’s, though I do a lot of classical work and that keeps me pretty fit. I got the TI strings for I think $23 at strings by mail dot com, and while expensive, their durability and consistency of tone make them worth the price, IMHO.?

And like Thomas just yesterday I cranked up my little tube combo to 11 and rocked out a bit. The Peerless is just a good ax for everything if you know how to use it to find your voice.

Just my 2cents...
 

Excellent! Thanks for posting your review, Tom.
Tom Samarati
 

Scott:? My guitars hang on the wall.? All the cases are out in the garage. So outgassing of plastic parts merely contaminates the air in my studio.? Hee, hee!? Cough, cough...

The Ibanez website no longer shows the GB-200.? On the used market that model is selling in the $3,700 range.? In the Ibanez GB product line the top model now is the LGB-300.? It looks like a ES-175 clone with a better tailpiece.? Has body mounted standard size chrome humbuckers.? So really not a true model as the GB's we own.?

Feedback:? Yesterday I cranked my Boss Katana to the 100 watt setting, added overdrive and could get the guitar to howl like a wolf.? Backed down the guitar volume knob, then could get a controlled feedback that was very cool sounding.? Just have to palm mute any open strings to keep the guitar under control.

Just hand inspected with a magnifying glass my Peerless Gigmaster.? It is a well made guitar.? The miniscule flaws I mentioned before are practically non-existent.? What I thought was a tiny bit of lacquer build up was a trick of the light. I've recently seen new Gibson ES-175's that had more flaws. The Peerless finish is perfect.? If I really want to be critical I wish the Peerless was covered in nitrocellulose rather than gloss.? I think that would immensely improve its acoustic voice.? As Guitars n' Jazz has a new Gigmaster for sale right now for $1,200 it really is a fantastic value.? If I was looking to buy a ES-175 type guitar it would be my purchase choice.

?Inline image

Inline image


Switched out the original speed knobs for these witch hats. I'm ready to put the originals knobs back on, they give a superior grip with the extended pinky finger for quick volume changes.

On Saturday, December 12, 2020, 10:58:58 AM PST, Scott Dercks <nearvana@...> wrote:


One negative you should be aware of Tom, is the deterioration and "gassing" of the pick guard on older models. My '79 went through that and it gunked up the gold finish. They can also have binding issues.
I managed to get a replacement. And then shortly after got one autographed by the man himself. I didn't install that one, to avoid wearing off the signature.
I also own 2 GB-200 which is a closer comparison to a 175 etc. Larger body and jazzier tone. One will be on the market at some point.
Scott Dercks


---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Tom Samarati via groups.io" <samarati@...>
To: "Jazz-Guitar@groups.io" <jazz-guitar@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz archtop?
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2020 16:42:59 +0000 (UTC)

?
Hi,
?
#1 best attribute of the Japanese made Ibanez George Benson (mine is a vintage 1985 GB-10) is playability.? Neck is slightly smaller profile. I have medium size hands and slightly shorter fingers. The guitar neck is comfortable for me. As a reference I struggle to play a flat top 12 string with a 1.75" nut.
?
Unplugged acoustic tone of this solid spruce top guitar is not impressive. This ain't a Gibson L-5 or Super 400.? The voice is not particularly woody. I sold my 1980 Gibson ES-175 a while ago to pay rent but seem to remember that it sounded louder and brighter unplugged. Of course due to the Gibson maple body vs. Ibanez Spruce body.
?
Electrically the Ibanez floating mini humbuckers are smooth as silk.? I own 23 guitars right now. Though it's apples to oranges to compare this guitar to a PRS single cut or an Alvarez-Yiari flat top, the GB-10 is one of the most musical instruments in my collection. When I'm on my game this guitar sings. My amps are a 1965 blackface Fender Deluxe, 1967 Fender Bandmaster and a Boss Katana 100 watt (An amazing, versatile Swiss army knife of a guitar amp).
?
I own a Peerless Gigmaster (ES-175 clone). It is not as finely made as the GB-10.? Little details like binding flaws and lacquer overpour at the neck joint on the Peerless do not appear on the flawlessly made GB-10.? The Peerless sounds like an electric guitar more than a jazz box.? Which can be a good thing as it is more versatile for a gig when you want to play jazz & blues & rock.? The GB-10 always sounds like a jazz guitar even on the bridge pick-up.
?
Price vs. value?? Is see that the Prestige GB-10 sells new for $3,600.? I bought mine in the late 1990's used in perfect condition with HSC for about $950.? Would I pay $3600 for a new one today?? Probably not.? I'd look into the $1,300 GB-10 made in Indonesia or even the $600 Chinese GB-10EM. If those don't meet expectations I would audition Eastman, Peerless, Guild or a Godin. (I think that Godin makes some of? the best bang for the buck higher quality mass produced guitars in the world, though I didn't keep the 5th Avenue after 6 months.? Just didn't love it).
?
If you want to know something more of my opinion about the GB-10, just ask.?
?
?
?
?
?
On Saturday, December 12, 2020, 07:41:21 AM PST, kevro2000 via groups.io <kevro2000@...> wrote:
?
?

"I've been playing my George Benson GB-10" Tom, I'd love to read your personal review of ur GB-10, someday... just putting it out there, if ur interested in writing it up. Its not a guitar that I see very often except in my Ibanez ads, and of course, by GB, himself. But, I do not know anyone who personally has one, and what they're thoughts on it are.

Thanks, Kevin
 

One negative you should be aware of Tom, is the deterioration and "gassing" of the pick guard on older models. My '79 went through that and it gunked up the gold finish. They can also have binding issues.
I managed to get a replacement. And then shortly after got one autographed by the man himself. I didn't install that one, to avoid wearing off the signature.
I also own 2 GB-200 which is a closer comparison to a 175 etc. Larger body and jazzier tone. One will be on the market at some point.
Scott Dercks


---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Tom Samarati via groups.io" <samarati@...>
To: "Jazz-Guitar@groups.io" <jazz-guitar@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz archtop?
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2020 16:42:59 +0000 (UTC)

?
Hi,
?
#1 best attribute of the Japanese made Ibanez George Benson (mine is a vintage 1985 GB-10) is playability.? Neck is slightly smaller profile. I have medium size hands and slightly shorter fingers. The guitar neck is comfortable for me. As a reference I struggle to play a flat top 12 string with a 1.75" nut.
?
Unplugged acoustic tone of this solid spruce top guitar is not impressive. This ain't a Gibson L-5 or Super 400.? The voice is not particularly woody. I sold my 1980 Gibson ES-175 a while ago to pay rent but seem to remember that it sounded louder and brighter unplugged. Of course due to the Gibson maple body vs. Ibanez Spruce body.
?
Electrically the Ibanez floating mini humbuckers are smooth as silk.? I own 23 guitars right now. Though it's apples to oranges to compare this guitar to a PRS single cut or an Alvarez-Yiari flat top, the GB-10 is one of the most musical instruments in my collection. When I'm on my game this guitar sings. My amps are a 1965 blackface Fender Deluxe, 1967 Fender Bandmaster and a Boss Katana 100 watt (An amazing, versatile Swiss army knife of a guitar amp).
?
I own a Peerless Gigmaster (ES-175 clone). It is not as finely made as the GB-10.? Little details like binding flaws and lacquer overpour at the neck joint on the Peerless do not appear on the flawlessly made GB-10.? The Peerless sounds like an electric guitar more than a jazz box.? Which can be a good thing as it is more versatile for a gig when you want to play jazz & blues & rock.? The GB-10 always sounds like a jazz guitar even on the bridge pick-up.
?
Price vs. value?? Is see that the Prestige GB-10 sells new for $3,600.? I bought mine in the late 1990's used in perfect condition with HSC for about $950.? Would I pay $3600 for a new one today?? Probably not.? I'd look into the $1,300 GB-10 made in Indonesia or even the $600 Chinese GB-10EM. If those don't meet expectations I would audition Eastman, Peerless, Guild or a Godin. (I think that Godin makes some of? the best bang for the buck higher quality mass produced guitars in the world, though I didn't keep the 5th Avenue after 6 months.? Just didn't love it).
?
If you want to know something more of my opinion about the GB-10, just ask.?
?
?
?
?
?
On Saturday, December 12, 2020, 07:41:21 AM PST, kevro2000 via groups.io <kevro2000@...> wrote:
?
?

"I've been playing my George Benson GB-10" Tom, I'd love to read your personal review of ur GB-10, someday... just putting it out there, if ur interested in writing it up. Its not a guitar that I see very often except in my Ibanez ads, and of course, by GB, himself. But, I do not know anyone who personally has one, and what they're thoughts on it are.

Thanks, Kevin
 

I like my GB-10 very much. It is highly playable and sounds good. It is not really prone to feedback due to it's heavier construction. I think it is a bit more versatile than a standard "jazz guitar".
Sort of like the man himself, it covers a lot of territory.
Here is a picture of George, playing MY GB-10 when he came out to see our band play on Maui.

---------- Original Message ----------
From: "kevro2000 via groups.io" <kevro2000@...>
To: Jazz-Guitar@groups.io
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz archtop?
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2020 07:41:18 -0800

"I've been playing my George Benson GB-10" Tom, I'd love to read your personal review of ur GB-10, someday... just putting it out there, if ur interested in writing it up. Its not a guitar that I see very often except in my Ibanez ads, and of course, by GB, himself. But, I do not know anyone who personally has one, and what they're thoughts on it are.

Thanks, Kevin
Tom Samarati
 

Hi,

#1 best attribute of the Japanese made Ibanez George Benson (mine is a vintage 1985 GB-10) is playability.? Neck is slightly smaller profile. I have medium size hands and slightly shorter fingers. The guitar neck is comfortable for me. As a reference I struggle to play a flat top 12 string with a 1.75" nut.

Unplugged acoustic tone of this solid spruce top guitar is not impressive. This ain't a Gibson L-5 or Super 400.? The voice is not particularly woody. I sold my 1980 Gibson ES-175 a while ago to pay rent but seem to remember that it sounded louder and brighter unplugged. Of course due to the Gibson maple body vs. Ibanez Spruce body.

Electrically the Ibanez floating mini humbuckers are smooth as silk.? I own 23 guitars right now. Though it's apples to oranges to compare this guitar to a PRS single cut or an Alvarez-Yiari flat top, the GB-10 is one of the most musical instruments in my collection. When I'm on my game this guitar sings. My amps are a 1965 blackface Fender Deluxe, 1967 Fender Bandmaster and a Boss Katana 100 watt (An amazing, versatile Swiss army knife of a guitar amp).

I own a Peerless Gigmaster (ES-175 clone). It is not as finely made as the GB-10.? Little details like binding flaws and lacquer overpour at the neck joint on the Peerless do not appear on the flawlessly made GB-10.? The Peerless sounds like an electric guitar more than a jazz box.? Which can be a good thing as it is more versatile for a gig when you want to play jazz & blues & rock.? The GB-10 always sounds like a jazz guitar even on the bridge pick-up.

Price vs. value?? Is see that the Prestige GB-10 sells new for $3,600.? I bought mine in the late 1990's used in perfect condition with HSC for about $950.? Would I pay $3600 for a new one today?? Probably not.? I'd look into the $1,300 GB-10 made in Indonesia or even the $600 Chinese GB-10EM. If those don't meet expectations I would audition Eastman, Peerless, Guild or a Godin. (I think that Godin makes some of? the best bang for the buck higher quality mass produced guitars in the world, though I didn't keep the 5th Avenue after 6 months.? Just didn't love it).

If you want to know something more of my opinion about the GB-10, just ask.?






On Saturday, December 12, 2020, 07:41:21 AM PST, kevro2000 via groups.io <kevro2000@...> wrote:


"I've been playing my George Benson GB-10" Tom, I'd love to read your personal review of ur GB-10, someday... just putting it out there, if ur interested in writing it up. Its not a guitar that I see very often except in my Ibanez ads, and of course, by GB, himself. But, I do not know anyone who personally has one, and what they're thoughts on it are.

Thanks, Kevin
 

"I've been playing my George Benson GB-10" Tom, I'd love to read your personal review of ur GB-10, someday... just putting it out there, if ur interested in writing it up. Its not a guitar that I see very often except in my Ibanez ads, and of course, by GB, himself. But, I do not know anyone who personally has one, and what they're thoughts on it are.

Thanks, Kevin
 

Woo!! I remember those nasty Black Diamonds . Cut my teeth and fingers on them with my first really crummy Yamaha Acoustic in 1966.? I cried my way through the first two Mel Bay books with my first teacher - Vllas Craig of Vilas Craig and the Vi Counts fame.? ?Stunned to find them on You Tube:??
--
Peter Crist
Tom Samarati
 

Follow-up on guitar strings for an archtop.? I dipped into my piggybank to purchase a set of Thomastik-Infield Swing flat wounds. $24 from Amazon. My last strings purchase was a 3 pack of D'Addario NYXL for $27. But as I said before I didn't like the feel of them, too tight, too stiff.

Thanks to many of you who are Thomastik faithful I have been converted.? I've been playing my George Benson GB-10 for the past 2 hours with the newly installed Thomastik.? They are a delightful set of strings. Amazing the volume and tone dynamics I get just with plectrum pressure.? Light touch has a silky smooth mellow tone.? If I dig in the tone gets bold and ultra-present without being harshly bright.

What a vast improvement over the strings I used in the early 1960's.? Back then when you walked into a respectable family owned musical instrument shop and asked for a set of strings the sales guy would throw down a set of Black Diamonds in the red paper packs.? They felt pre-rusted. Played as? stiff as barbed wire.? The guitar world is a vastly better place today.

Another topic could be the quality of new guitars today versus the now treasured guitars of the 1960's.? In my humble opinion most mid-priced guitars today are vastly better made than the ones made 60 years ago.? A modern Ibanez Artcore AF75 for $400 is a way better made guitar than a Kay or Harmony archtop from 1965.?

Tom Samarati

On Monday, December 7, 2020, 08:01:44 PM PST, Jay Cunningham' <djay@...> wrote:


Why are you guys sending these emails out twice?? Caps don’t matter.

?

From: Jazz-Guitar@groups.io <Jazz-Guitar@groups.io> On Behalf Of Tom Samarati via groups.io
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2020 2:56 PM
To: jazz-guitar@groups.io; Jazz-Guitar@groups.io
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz archtop?

?

Hi all,

?

Thanks to the guys who offered opinions about strings they like for their archtops.? Many recommended Thomastik strings. I have never played them. From your endorsements I ordered a 11 - 50 set of the Swing series nickel flatwounds.? Will be auditioning those on my vintage 1985 Japanese made Ibanez GB-10 George Benson.?

Tom Samarati

?

?

?
Jay Cunningham'
 

Why are you guys sending these emails out twice?? Caps don’t matter.

?

From: Jazz-Guitar@groups.io <Jazz-Guitar@groups.io> On Behalf Of Tom Samarati via groups.io
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2020 2:56 PM
To: jazz-guitar@groups.io; Jazz-Guitar@groups.io
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz archtop?

?

Hi all,

?

Thanks to the guys who offered opinions about strings they like for their archtops.? Many recommended Thomastik strings. I have never played them. From your endorsements I ordered a 11 - 50 set of the Swing series nickel flatwounds.? Will be auditioning those on my vintage 1985 Japanese made Ibanez GB-10 George Benson.?

Tom Samarati

?

?

?
 

I'm using the D'addario 1/2 Rounds - Jazz Medium (13-56)

On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 3:53 PM Jay Mitchell <jay@...> wrote:
Tom Samarati wrote:

> I ordered a 11 - 50 set of the Swing series
> nickel flatwounds.? Will be auditioning those on my vintage 1985
> Japanese made Ibanez GB-10 George Benson.

Please share your observations once you've had the opportunity to try
them out.

Jay
 

Tom Samarati wrote:

I ordered a 11 - 50 set of the Swing series nickel flatwounds.? Will be auditioning those on my vintage 1985 Japanese made Ibanez GB-10 George Benson.
Please share your observations once you've had the opportunity to try them out.

Jay
Tom Samarati
 

Hi all,

Thanks to the guys who offered opinions about strings they like for their archtops.? Many recommended Thomastik strings. I have never played them. From your endorsements I ordered a 11 - 50 set of the Swing series nickel flatwounds.? Will be auditioning those on my vintage 1985 Japanese made Ibanez GB-10 George Benson.?
Tom Samarati

On Monday, December 7, 2020, 09:33:26 AM PST, pecpec <peter.crist@...> wrote:


Fer sure! The T-I set? I espoused I only use on my ES-335 which I spend 95% of my time with.
--
Peter Crist

 

Fer sure! The T-I set? I espoused I only use on my ES-335 which I spend 95% of my time with.
--
Peter Crist
 

One more item that IMO is worthy of note: when discussing preferred string brands/gauges, types, it really matters what type of instrument you're talkng about. Strings that work beautifully on an archtop cannot be relied upon to work equally well on a solidbody or semihollow instrument. Nor can results you get with one type of string from a given manufacturer be expected to hold with strings of a different type that they make.

I periodically restring one of my archtops with strings other than T-I, in the hope that I can identify a cheaper string that works for me. So far, I haven't found any, but I still look from time to time.

Jay
 

Hi Bobby,

Thanks for a fascinating story! My Godin is an Encore, and it doesn't have MIDI capability (the logic of putting MIDI on a nylon-string guitar escapes me). I tried the flats b/c the Godin's piezos are super-sensitive and pick up lots and lots of noise, and the flats mitigate that. For just a minute I tried D'A basses with carbon fiber trebles (as recommended to me by Matt Elgart) but the expense and hassle weren't worth it, as I play enough classical guitar to be able to teach beginners and do the occasional low profile gig. These days my other nylon-string guitars are strung with D'A Pro Arte High Tension strings and they work just fine for me.

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega



-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Hansmann <bobbybmusic@...>
To: Jazz-Guitar@groups.io
Sent: Mon, Dec 7, 2020 2:51 am
Subject: Re: [Jazz-Guitar] What's your preferred guitar strings for a jazz archtop?

Hi Juan.
I would imagine flat wounds on a nylon string? Godin to be effective, as
so many are using the Godins to drive synth modules and patches, and
flats would probably track better. I'm a dinosaur, still using AXON and
hex-pickups for that, so I am totally unqualified to contribute anything
of experiential value to that conversation.

But the catgut strings sound great. If you have the Segovia EMI
recordings, you have him on catgut strings. After Segovia got the first
nylon strings from Augustine (designed by DuPont and marketed by La
Bella), all bets were off for catgut because of the war - the Germans
had the gut, and the Japanese had the silk (the basses were silk and
steel). Segovia instantly fell in love with the enhanced brightness and
longevity of nylon.

But the warmth of gut was remembered, and owners of old, very
collectable guitars wanted that back. The formulas and records were not
published and never kept, and so were lost. It wasn't until a few
decades ago that some began to try to reverse engineer the old gut
strings. The very nice folks at Aquila Strings were the most successful.
I spoke with them at the time, and they hadn't as yet solved the
problems of high cost and short string life. Maybe they have by now.

I lost interest, though, because Augustine finally cleaned up their act
with their basses, and I still love and use D'Addario trebles. While I
have my doubts about gut for use on a guitar which drives synth sounds,
they may well be worth? a try for you. Or perhaps their Nylgut strings
would fit the bill. If you're feeling 'gutsy' (pun intended), you can
find them here -

Anyway, I hope you're doing great also. I send you & yours all best wishes.


--
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