Which strings for a fingerpicked Archtop?

[highwayman]

I own two old (late fifties... well, as old as me) German Archtops. I am a fingerpicker and Guild lover, as you can see from my signature here, and I also like to play the two guitars in the fingerstyle way. Problem is, it seems to me that the strings I have on are not suited for the purpose, no matter if played unplugged or over one of my two amps (Polytone Mini Brute II jazz amp and an ACUS 8for strings acoustic amp). I want a smooth, warm sound, but the G,B and e sound cold, thinnish and too crisp, while the three lower strings sound ok.

Strings are now D'Addario NYXL 12-53,Wound third, and John Pearse PB 11-52 (I tried the latter to check out if "normal" acoustic strings make it better ,- they don't) .

Pickups: an old German Ideal and a DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1000.

I hope someone can help me out with a brand and the right gauge (which I think is part of the problem). Maybe the pickups are not the right ones? Any help is highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Thomas

 

[Brad Little]

I like the LaBella tape wound jazz strings for finger style on my archtops.
https://www.stringsbymail.com/electric-guitar-strings-8/la-bella-404/black-nylon-tape-wound-688/

 

[highwayman]

I like the LaBella tape wound jazz strings for finger style on my archtops.
https://www.stringsbymail.com/electric-guitar-strings-8/la-bella-404/black-nylon-tape-wound-688/

Thank you very much, Brad, I 'll check them out!!

 

[Russell Letson]

Bunch of variables here. If you're plugging in, the guitar itself is less significant than the pickup and strings--and in my experience, strings vary more than pickups. My archtops are all carved-solid wood: an Eastman 805CE with the stock Kent Armstrong-licensed pickup, a '46 Epi Broadway with a Guild repro Rhythm Chief 1100 single-coil, and a handbuilt with a 1950s Rowe (which is to say DeArmond) single-coil. The single-coils have adjustable pole-pieces. I play with fingers or a pick, depending on the material, so I need some tonal range out of a setup.

Across all three guitars, I get the biggest variance in sound by changing strings. I favor phosphor bronze mediums or heavier for acoustic playing, but they're hard to get balanced when plugged in (hot B and E vs wounds), so for the two I play amplified most often, I've settled on Thomastik BeBops, which amplify smoothly and also sound decent acoustically.

I've long been interested in the LaBella tapewounds, less for the no-squeak than because they're the preferred strings of both Pizzarellis, and I love John's rhythm sound.

BTW, I'm also told that the capacitors in the pickup tone control make a difference--one project on the to-do list is to have my luthier tweak the components on the Eastman to see if I can get finer control.

 

[highwayman]

Bunch of variables here. If you're plugging in, the guitar itself is less significant than the pickup and strings--and in my experience, strings vary more than pickups. My archtops are all carved-solid wood: an Eastman 805CE with the stock Kent Armstrong-licensed pickup, a '46 Epi Broadway with a Guild repro Rhythm Chief 1100 single-coil, and a handbuilt with a 1950s Rowe (which is to say DeArmond) single-coil. The single-coils have adjustable pole-pieces. I play with fingers or a pick, depending on the material, so I need some tonal range out of a setup.

Across all three guitars, I get the biggest variance in sound by changing strings. I favor phosphor bronze mediums or heavier for acoustic playing, but they're hard to get balanced when plugged in (hot B and E vs wounds), so for the two I play amplified most often, I've settled on Thomastik BeBops, which amplify smoothly and also sound decent acoustically.

I've long been interested in the LaBella tapewounds, less for the no-squeak than because they're the preferred strings of both Pizzarellis, and I love John's rhythm sound.

BTW, I'm also told that the capacitors in the pickup tone control make a difference--one project on the to-do list is to have my luthier tweak the components on the Eastman to see if I can get finer control.

Hi Russell,Thank you very much for your insights! It is always amazing how much knowledge is available here on LTG. Btw: my archtops are an Otwin Sonor and and Arnold Hoyer Herr im Frack (Gentleman inTails), both solid.