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Post by ninworks on Jan 26, 2020 10:53:56 GMT -5
Get your minds out of the gutter. I'm talking about string gauges on electric guitars. Rick Beato did a comparison and it was very interesting to me. I'm a .009 to .046 player and have been forever. I used .008's for a little while back in the 70's. Too floppy for my grip and attack. Now that I have matured as a player I may go back and try them again. The results of Beato's comparisons were intriguing.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 26, 2020 12:51:11 GMT -5
I watched this yesterday...really good.
I've always used 11s or 10s because I'm a gripper and I squeeze chord notes sharp if I use lighter strings.
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Post by Charente on Jan 26, 2020 14:24:44 GMT -5
That was interesting indeed.
I started off with standard nines (which is probably what my first guitars shipped with) but eventually moved to 9-46 (light top/heavy bottom) for strats which I mostly played then.
I bought in somewhat to the heavy sounds better thing in the 90's and started stringing both Gibson and Fender scale length guitars with standard 10s even though if I was honest the Strats played better with 9s while 9's on the Gibsons played easy but a little too spaghetti-like.
At the end of the day, if there was any tonal advantage to heavier strings (which it appears there isn't, especially in a group situation where you you don't want to stray into the bass player's frequency range), unless you can actually play the instrument comfortably it'll sound like cr*p.
Given advancing years and arthritic hands etc It'll be 9's for me from now on. I'm too much of a 'gripper' to try 8's.
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Post by bluzcat on Jan 26, 2020 14:49:54 GMT -5
I have changed gauges with the wind it seems- 11s to 9s and all in between. Arthritis is starting in on the hands so I’m leaning 9/9.5 again at least on Fender guitars, prob stay on 10s for my Ric 620.
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Post by Joe Potts on Jan 26, 2020 17:39:24 GMT -5
After playing 10s for many years, I switched to 9s a couple of years ago, as a concession to age. I had tried 8s at one time, and just didn’t like them. As others have said, to easy to push out of tune when chording.
The exception is I use 10s on my Gretsch with a Bigsby, and I used to use 11s on it.
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Post by Duke on Jan 26, 2020 17:50:57 GMT -5
I use mostly 10s these days on my Fenders.
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Post by Mfitz804 on Jan 26, 2020 18:04:36 GMT -5
In my gigging days I played up to a set of 12’s because I was very heavy handed. After years off and not playing regularly, I’ve settled in at 9-46 on my two remaining Strats.
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Post by rickyguitar on Jan 26, 2020 19:23:35 GMT -5
Back in the day I had 11's on my LP. Niw 9's on my G&L.
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Post by Stratluvr on Jan 26, 2020 19:34:31 GMT -5
I’ve always preferred 9s on Gibson’s and 10s on my Fenders.
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Post by guildx700 on Jan 26, 2020 20:00:25 GMT -5
I use 9's on most all solid body electrics, some with a heavy bottom.
For semi hollow electric and such usually 10's, for electric full hollow archtops 12's.
My acoustic archtops get 14's.
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Post by LTB on Jan 26, 2020 20:22:54 GMT -5
I watched this yesterday...really good. I've always used 11s or 10s because I'm a gripper and I squeeze chord notes sharp if I use lighter strings. Interesting, I thought I was the only one that did this. I bought a Gibson ES-137classic when they first came out. It had tall flattop frets that gave me fits with strings going sharp . To get around this I put .012’s on. Sounded great, looked beautiful but due to that size string hurt my hands and fingers due to Arthritis. I traded it for a Gretsch Tennessee Rose. In retrospect I should have had a fret job done on it and been very happy still. |
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Post by LM on Jan 26, 2020 21:24:56 GMT -5
Interesting! Like them, I heard the biggest difference between the 11's and 10's.
I played 11's for most of my life and then went to 10's about 5 years ago because they came on a guitar I bought and I liked them. When I've tried to play anything lighter than 10's, they feel like spiderwebs.
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Post by Riff Twang on Jan 26, 2020 22:51:35 GMT -5
I’ve always preferred 9s on Gibson’s and 10s on my Fenders.
I am the exact opposite. 9 to 42 on Fender and 10 to 46 on Gibson.
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gbfun
Wholenote
I eat cookies to provide you with the best possible experience.
Posts: 463
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Post by gbfun on Jan 26, 2020 23:01:29 GMT -5
I have a wild ass theory. This theory is based on the fact that over time, the ears of high volume players tend to LOSE the ability to hear the highs as well as when young. Therefore, the most experienced and successful players acquire the most hearing damage. And that the most experienced and successful players are the most INFLUENCIAL when it comes to equipment design., Fender and Marshal created more rounded, smooth sounding amps while the equipment designers were younger. In the 80s and 90s, the amps got more ice picky and strident because the now older guys who were most trusted from the past, could no longer hear the same highs as before. And somewhere in the naughts, those guys retired and a new crop of younger players reset the newer amps to a more rounded sound again(silver face reissue etc). Whether this has any basis in fact is not really my point. What is my point is that most of those highly experienced high volume players in the video, probably DO have some sort of hearing damage so they can't hear the highs that well, thus, they will tend to pick a solution that emphasizes higher frequency content. But then, most of the folks here are long time experienced high volume players too...and probably have some missing highs in their hearing. And will probably favor the more...high content...string set....all other things being equal. And since we are all hearing this on some rather non-accurate computer speakers... I suspect to really make a good test, we'd all have to be there ourselves. But using 8s is certainly something I hadn't considered before. But to me, the 11s sounded fuller and beefier and I'm a guitar carnivore. Those lighter strings...too much midrange or something. But is that better for recording ?(another can of worms) And does the most attractive string guage CHANGE if the guitar is played at 80db, 100db, or 105db ? I bet it does !  |
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Post by guildx700 on Jan 26, 2020 23:15:58 GMT -5
I use string gauge mostly by feel, not sound for electrics.
Too many variables in the sound to even begin to make any sort of a side by side comparison.
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Post by jazzguy on Jan 27, 2020 12:25:04 GMT -5
13-56, although I prefer 13-54 ish, just hard to find that gauge
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Post by justin on Jan 27, 2020 13:37:44 GMT -5
I saw this video yesterday too, as well as Rhett Shull's related video. I learned on 9s as a teen and eventually went to 10s because we played 1/2 step down. Then I was in a band that used drop Db. I quit playing gigs 10 years ago, but have stuck with 10s even though I now tune EADGBE for the most part. I want to try to go back to 9s someday, but right now I'd rather be playing than doing setups on my gear. I just got a G&L Legacy - my first Strat style guitar in like 25 years! I just set it up perfectly with 10s a couple days ago. I will probbaly go to 9s again at some point.
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Post by jefe46 on Jan 27, 2020 17:58:51 GMT -5
13s on archtops
12's on my 0000 Martin
11s on my 00-18V Martin
11s on the Tele
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goose
Quarternote
Posts: 32
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Post by goose on Jan 28, 2020 7:13:17 GMT -5
I have 7's, 8's, 9's 10's and 12's
The jury is still out for me.
"Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top is known for big fat Texas tone that has been described as "hot, blue, and righteous." Dunlop developed Reverend Willy's strings in collaboration with Billy himself, aiming to make replacement guitar strings that offer a real punch and while remaining articulate and clear when guitarists perform his legendary leads and pinch harmonics.
Extra Light guitar string gauges: 7-9-11-20-30-38"
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Post by tiedyeddevil on Jan 28, 2020 20:34:54 GMT -5
I played 8s when I was a kid because they were easier on my delicate fingers and because I could afford to spend all my free time adjusting truss rods, filing nuts and leveling frets.
Since I started playing again (late `99), my choice has been mostly 9s, with the gauge of the bigger strings being my main concern (smaller for better tonal balance, IME).
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 29, 2020 10:19:12 GMT -5
13-56, although I prefer 13-54 ish, just hard to find that gauge You can get custom-gauge sets, that you specify, from vendors like JustStrings.com; they're not more expensive than the big brand names, and the strings are good quality. There are only three or four mills on the entire planet that make wire for every guitar string you can buy. For example, Daddario makes their own wire, as well as wire for several other brands. |
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Post by Sérgio on Jan 29, 2020 16:17:37 GMT -5
I’ve always preferred 9s on Gibson’s and 10s on my Fenders. Funny, I’ve always done the opposite combination |
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Post by Leftee on Jan 29, 2020 16:23:35 GMT -5
I’ve migrated from pure nickels back to nickel wounds - Curt Mangan strings. I really like the balance/tones/feel I get of of his .010 - .038 set. I was using lighter strings on 25.5” scale guitars, but now I use these on everything.
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cagey
Wholenote
My guitar doesn't have the same notes as yours
Posts: 110
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Post by cagey on Jan 29, 2020 17:13:48 GMT -5
I've been bouncing from 9's to 10's after using 11's for a few years. I do a lot of bending & found the 11's too heavy. I tried D'Addario 9.5's and like them. Easy to bend but not so light that I pull them sharp. I realize the difference between the 9.5's and 9 or 10 is probably so minute that it falls within manufacturing tolerances of 9's or 10's, but they feel different to me.
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Post by Pinetree on Jan 30, 2020 2:10:29 GMT -5
Never liked 8's.
11's on my Gibson's, and 9's or 10's on my Fender's depending on the neck profile.
Some guitars seem happier with different brands, but it's usually D'Addario and Ernie Ball.
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Tall-Fir
Wholenote
Liking both kinds of music—Country and Western!
Posts: 109
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Post by Tall-Fir on Jan 30, 2020 21:02:48 GMT -5
cagey, I also use 9.5s because I bend a lot. I like to get traditional country sounds with my G&L teles. When I first started bending, I used 10s and they just wore me out so I couldn’t practice too long. I guess I’m not much of a gripper, but those double bends can be tough with the heavier sets. Obviously, others’ mileage may vary.
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Post by Opie on Jan 30, 2020 23:32:41 GMT -5
I'm like Peegoo in that I'm a gripper, even with my arritis I still use 10's and 11's.I have put 9's on my tele as an experiment and I'm getting used to it, but most of what I do it just don't sound or feel right. I watched both Beato's and Rett's piece, and being studio guys it seems it was more of where does it fit in the mix with an overdriven guitar. Myself, I didn't notice that big a difference, but I bet I would if they played clean. As much as I like both those players, the loud gnarly guitar sound is something I would do in small doses, and nowadays more easily achieved via pedals versus overdriving the power tubes to saturation. Interesting theory that gbfun's got on hearing loss. I always wondered if I were to do studio work if I could trust an older guy like Beato to mix given that they may have significant hearing loss due to volume or just age. I wonder about Jeff Beck for instance,great as he is I've always thought his tone to be a tad shrill post Blow By Blow era. Maybe it's what he wants it to be,or maybe he just hears it different from the tinnitus.Myself, having worked around loud woodworking equipment for years I alway,and I mean always wore hearing protection. Never did when playing in bands, but I never joined anyone who played really loud. I've tested my hearing with those online tests, and my hearing is good given my age, with the typical very high frequencies loss .
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Post by budg on Jan 31, 2020 6:10:40 GMT -5
I started out with 9s on Strats . Went to 10s after breaking so many strings. Still use 13s on my D18, but now use 12s on my D35 . 10s still on Gibsons.
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jtheissen
Wholenote
Montana lurker, mostly🎸
Posts: 202
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Post by jtheissen on Jan 31, 2020 10:00:19 GMT -5
11s for years on all of my electrics.
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twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
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Post by twangmeister on Feb 1, 2020 21:23:26 GMT -5
I'm back to using regular Slinky's. I did have a prolonged fling with Skinny Tops/Heavy Bottoms.
I got to be a heavy gripper from my early Black Diamond guitar strings and heavy-gauge bass string days.
I did use heavier strings while playing jazz and channeling Freddy Green;Fender light flatwounds (.011s), probably D'addariois
Acoustics and 6 string banjo I use light gauge (.011 -0.52).
I tried the lightest four strings from a regular Slinky set for plectrum banjo tuned to Chicago tuning (26.5 scale) but decided they were too light. Now I use tenor banjo strings (23.5 scale)
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