Thomastik JS110

So I decided to test these jazz strings out due to their reputation. Unfortunately I now find myself writing my first review here at Thomann, and not because of a positive experience.

The bottom line is that the low E string in this set is a scam, deception or a poorly manufactured product. Take your pick. Because from what I can tell the low E does not have a solid steel core wire as its foundation. Instead it appears to be made of a double helix construction, counterwound, with a hollow core, which means the string is _extremely_ fragile. The very first one I used broke apart and started to unravel at the tuning peg while I was tuning it up for the first time. I got as far as 'C' then it was game over as one of the two stands of wire broke. I later checked reviews at Amazon, and it seems a fair few people have this problem and leaves one star reviews as a result.

Other people absolutely love them, and I can understand that if they have a working low E. The strings A through the high E sounds and feels _amazing_, and that is why I gave 4 stars out of 5 for sound. [It would perhaps have been more appropriate to give them five stars out of six, alas that is not possible. ;-) ]

When I supplemented the 5 'survivors' with an Elixir Nanoweb 0.042" on the same guitar, it quickly became evident just how much better the JS110 survivors sounds and feels (for Jazz, at least). Strings from two different planets, no less.

I am genuinely wondering if some batches of these strings have a systematic manufacturing error. Like someone at the factory literally forgot to load the spool with the core wire onto the right machine, or something equally silly. That is the only way I can explain the different experiences people are having with these strings.

As it stands I cannot understand how people can make the low E survive being brought up to tune. There are reports on Amazon of the low E starting to unravel even as you tug gently on it while putting it on the guitar.

On opening the packaging, you can immediately tell that the quality of Thomastik strings is a cut above. The strings are individually packaged in very nice paper envelopes, inside which is a strong plastic pouch. The strings are silk-wrapped at both ends to prevent the wrap wire from unravelling.

The strings feel very smooth under the fingers, with a complete absence of the finger noise you get with roundwound strings. There's also a significant reduction in buzzing as you lift off a fretted note. The percussive click of the pick is also considerably reduced, which I find very pleasing. This lack of noise gives a very pure piano-like quality, which I find particularly well suited to fingerstyle playing.

Intonation is perfect right across the neck, particularly thanks to the wound G string. Tension is very well balanced across the strings thanks to the carefully matched string gauges. The strings feel considerably softer than you'd expect for a 10 gauge set.

The tone is warm and rounded, with an almost acoustic woody character in the lower midrange. There is significantly less high end sparkle than roundwounds as you would expect, but the strings aren't dull by any means. The traditional jazz sound is available with a neck humbucker, but the tonal range is surprisingly broad. A single coil in the bridge position still gives a pleasingly jangly tone, but with a little more warmth and a little less harshness than roundwounds.

Strings are always a matter of personal preference, but my preference for Thomastik Jazz Swings is absolute. I wouldn't go back to any other brand of string.