Roundwound, Halfwound and Flatwound
Flatwound vs. Roundwound Guitar Strings
Looking for flatwound acoustic guitar strings? Not sure whether halfwound bass strings will work with your band's sound? The pros at Strings and Beyond can help. We make it easy to shop our guitar and bass strings by wrap profile so you can be sure you're choosing the strings that will enhance every performance.
Before you select flatwound bass strings, round-wound strings or half-round strings, check out this primer we put together for you. By knowing the difference between guitar string windings, you can find the right strings for what and how you play.
RoundWound vs. Half-Round vs. Flatwound Guitar Strings
The profile of the wrap wire affects the tone and feel of your guitar strings.
- Roundwound guitar stringshave a round external wire wrapped around a wire core. They offer the brightest sound, making them ideal for rock, country and some blues music (especially among lead guitarists). Their ribbed texture gives the strings more grip but also makes more “string noise”, which is noise created by moving one’s fingers against the strings.
- Half-round guitar strings, or half-wound strings,have a warmer sound due to the strings being round-wound, then ground down for a smoother feel. This reduces string noise when changing chords while retaining some of the roundwound string’s sound qualities. Think of half-round strings as a halfway or compromise between roundwound and flatwound strings.
- Flatwound guitar strings offer the warmest, most vintage sound of these three profiles. The flat ribbon wire provides the smoothest polished surface, practically eliminating string noise and making it easier on the fingertips. This string is perfect for performing anything from blues to jazz while remaining suitable for modern rock. The downsides are that flatwound strings are harder to bend and come in more limited gauge offerings.
Best Guitar and Bass Strings
Our inventory is always stocked with our most popular half-round bass strings, flatwound guitar strings and roundwound guitar strings. We carry the leading brands in the industry, including D’Addario strings and Thomastik-Infeld strings. From half-round electric guitar strings to flatwound bass strings, we have high-quality strings in all the common and not-so-common gauges. You also can choose between round core and hex core strings as well as different winding materials.
Don’t see what you need? Now that you know what you’re looking for, check out our full selection of guitar strings by manufacturer and our current specials or use the search bar. No matter what strings you buy, we have great prices and free U.S. shipping on orders over $35.
Still not certain which guitar strings are right for you? Contact us for friendly, knowledgeable advice tailored to your musical sensibilities. You can also visit the Strings and Beyond blog for more guidance on choosing guitar and bass strings.
Flatwound vs. Roundwound Guitar Strings
Looking for flatwound acoustic guitar strings? Not sure whether halfwound bass strings will work with your band's sound? The pros at Strings and Beyond can help. We make it easy to shop our guitar and bass strings by wrap profile so you can be sure you're choosing the strings that will enhance every performance.
Before you select flatwound bass strings, round-wound strings or half-round strings, check out this primer we put together for you. By knowing the difference between guitar string windings, you can find the right strings for what and how you play.
RoundWound vs. Half-Round vs. Flatwound Guitar Strings
The profile of the wrap wire affects the tone and feel of your guitar strings.
- Roundwound guitar stringshave a round external wire wrapped around a wire core. They offer the brightest sound, making them ideal for rock, country and some blues music (especially among lead guitarists). Their ribbed texture gives the strings more grip but also makes more “string noise”, which is noise created by moving one’s fingers against the strings.
- Half-round guitar strings, or half-wound strings,have a warmer sound due to the strings being round-wound, then ground down for a smoother feel. This reduces string noise when changing chords while retaining some of the roundwound string’s sound qualities. Think of half-round strings as a halfway or compromise between roundwound and flatwound strings.
- Flatwound guitar strings offer the warmest, most vintage sound of these three profiles. The flat ribbon wire provides the smoothest polished surface, practically eliminating string noise and making it easier on the fingertips. This string is perfect for performing anything from blues to jazz while remaining suitable for modern rock. The downsides are that flatwound strings are harder to bend and come in more limited gauge offerings.
Best Guitar and Bass Strings
Our inventory is always stocked with our most popular half-round bass strings, flatwound guitar strings and roundwound guitar strings. We carry the leading brands in the industry, including D’Addario strings and Thomastik-Infeld strings. From half-round electric guitar strings to flatwound bass strings, we have high-quality strings in all the common and not-so-common gauges. You also can choose between round core and hex core strings as well as different winding materials.
Don’t see what you need? Now that you know what you’re looking for, check out our full selection of guitar strings by manufacturer and our current specials or use the search bar. No matter what strings you buy, we have great prices and free U.S. shipping on orders over $35.
Still not certain which guitar strings are right for you? Contact us for friendly, knowledgeable advice tailored to your musical sensibilities. You can also visit the Strings and Beyond blog for more guidance on choosing guitar and bass strings.