string guages....any insight?

[muttonchopsrule]

right now i play 11-49's in standard 440 tuning or whatever. when i first started playing 11's, i loved it. but after a few months now, i'm just not down with how stiff they feel, unless i tune down a bit (which i don't really want to do).

i guess my question is, would the strings feel a bit more loose if i stepped down to 10's? or would one guage not make a very big difference? i know i'd need a setup done, but i'd just like some insight before i go blowing 40 bucks. thanks guys.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: string guages....any insight?

Hey man,

I was using an 11-52 set...I was wanting to do some more bending, and w/o tuning down itr was real stiff...I cahanged the high from an 11 to a 10 and the g from an18 to a 17 and it has made a HUGE difference, try changing just the high e and the g...good luck

The guy who invented fire

[texasguitarslinger]

Re: string guages....any insight?

before i go blowing 40 bucks

what's the $40 for?

[muttonchopsrule]

Re: string guages....any insight?

what's the $40 for?

a decent setup. i really should get all the know-how to be able to do it myself.

and to the one who invented fire...thanks bro, i'll keep that in mind

[beandip]

Re: string guages....any insight?

the 52-11 Dean Markley set has a 13 guage b string, which is the same as a ten set. You might have to drop the 11 to 10, the 14 to 13, and the 18 to 17 to match the gauges on a 10 set.

[some_dude]

Re: string guages....any insight?

Ernie Ball - Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms, or

GHS Boomers - TNT

[adrian]

Re: string guages....any insight?

Jimi had 9s. Is there more to say?

[Bludave]

Re: string guages....any insight?

Ernie Ball - Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms, or

GHS Boomers - TNT

This sounds like the answer for you. But it would be worht the time and effort to learn how to do a basic setup on your own. To change from one gauge to another does not require much in setup. Maybe a minor truss rod adjustment, intonation. and action is about all it should require. Check in the vault there has to be some basic posts in there to guide you through this yourself. Good Luck!!!

[Ken]

Re: string guages....any insight?

You'll end paying a little bit extra but it's well worth it....


I play D'addario EJ20's. They're an ultra-super-ungodly light jazz set with a wound G, guaged 10-49. The b and e are more or less the same as 10's, the g may be a little thicker but it stays in tune very well since it's wound, and the bottom strings have just enough extra meat to give a good chug.

If you like the sound of D'addario (I refuse any other) and want something that's not quite an 11, check the EJ20 set. 10-52 was too much on both ends, 11-49 was a little stiff on the treble side. 10-49 balances perfectly for rhythm and lead.

[muttonchopsrule]

Re: string guages....any insight?

You'll end paying a little bit extra but it's well worth it....


I play D'addario EJ20's. They're an ultra-super-ungodly light jazz set with a wound G, guaged 10-49. The b and e are more or less the same as 10's, the g may be a little thicker but it stays in tune very well since it's wound, and the bottom strings have just enough extra meat to give a good chug.

If you like the sound of D'addario (I refuse any other) and want something that's not quite an 11, check the EJ20 set. 10-52 was too much on both ends, 11-49 was a little stiff on the treble side. 10-49 balances perfectly for rhythm and lead.

cool, thanks man. i'm a fan of D'addario myself, i've played on nothing but them for the past couple years. i'll have to check out those 10-49 sets.

[Ken]

Re: string guages....any insight?

I'm only here to help. Also, D'addario has a 10.5 set. I'm not sure how much difference you'd notice but Musician's Friend carries them.

[Nate]

Re: string guages....any insight?

I third the notion for a slinky top-heavy bottom setup. I was in the same position you were in no more than two months ago. I was using GHS Boomers 11-53/11-50 at the time. I wanted to get my lead style back while retaining the tight low end. I opted for Ernie Balls. I feel that they compliment my tone and sound much better than what GHS offered.

Since you're a fan of D'addario, you could try out their light top-heavy bottom set. I believe it's the exact same gauges as the Ernie Ball set. (10-13-17-30-42-52)

[strat_master]

Re: string guages....any insight?

i use ernie balls skinny top heavy bottoms whihc is i belive .10-.52, meaning thohse power chords will be super chumnky but the .10 on the high string will be hopefully thin enough to do some nice solo work. Personally i like it, but i do find .9 to be super fun to play with as soloing becomes ridiclously easy.

[strat_master]

Re: string guages....any insight?

when i mean easy, im talking bending here.