A gypsy guitar with medium Argentines (scale length 26.3):
E, .011" PL == 20.87# ( 0.0048gm/cm 329.6hz )
B, .015" PL == 21.78# ( 0.0089gm/cm 246.9hz )
G, .023" XS == 27.3# ( 0.0177gm/cm 196.0hz )
D, .029" XS == 24.32# ( 0.0281gm/cm 146.8hz )
A, .037" XS == 21.46# ( 0.0442gm/cm 110.0hz )
E, .046" XS == 18.23# ( 0.0669gm/cm 82.4hz )
total == 133.95 pounds
If this info is correct then a Gitane would take a set of Flatwound Pyramid Nickel 11s which overall tension is 132.3lbs according to this list:
w-w-w thestringguy.com/tension . h-t-m-l (sorry for the link edit, the site doesn't allow URLs cause I'm new here)
I put them on my DG-300 (Jorgenson) and I really like the sound, it's got more "jazz/vintage" on it, and playing quiet passages like "forever blowing bubbles" from Sweet and Lowdown is a pleasure now with all the fret buzz out which was my main reason.
The guitar feels like it can really take the tension, got no surprises while restringing, the only difference I see is that the top is a bit flatter than with the Argentine 11s but did absolutely no change to the neck whatsoever.
- Playing with the thumb gives you a duller tone, yes, of course, no round wounds adding "air" to the strings.
- Playing with your nails sounds real cool. Fingerstyle Jazz sounds really interesting on this guitar, specially while also amplifying. (Shadow piezos system here, plus amp, EQ to enhance low/high, verb)
- Playing La Pompe sounds fine as well, much clearer than the thumb. Yes, duller compared to roundwound, but nothing to really worry about. It sounds vintage to me and most importantly, useful and interesting in color.
- Playing with the pick sounds also real cool, specially the bass strings, you'll find they sound better than roundwounds when picking like 5-7cm away from the hole center towards the bridge. They go brighter (naturally, we know that) and you can compensate for the lack of brightness of the roundwound but instead of getting "chimpumky" the color is still pleasant. Also you can play with more or less brightness by going to the neck/bridge and the difference sounds more prominent than with roundwounds I think.