Half round strings are a compromise between round wound and flat wound. There are two types of half round strings. The first is most accurately known as roller wound. In this process, the round windings are run between rollers to crush them into an elliptical shape. The roller-crushed winding is then wound onto the core with one of the somewhat flattened sides facing the outside. The smaller humps created by the windings and the shallower valleys between windings produces less finger noise, while maintaining almost all the flexibility, tone, and magnetic properties of the original round wound. Examples are the GHS Nickel Rockers and GHS Low Tunes. The second process is also known as ground wound. In this process, the strings begin life as an already wound, round wound set. Then, using a precision-grinding process, the round tops of the windings are ground off to a flatter surface. Polishing steps smooth out the flattened playing surface to enhance the feel. The resulting strings are brighter and more flexible than flat wounds. The flattened surface does exhibit much less finger noise (though not as much as a true flat wound) and also reduces fret wear. The D'Addario Flat Tops are an excellent example of a ground wound string. |