What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

Thanks dude! Your quote will now be immortalized in my sig!

However, I do usually have to have my nuts & my rod tinkered with.....

:chairfall

That was great. On topic, I wonder if 9's will be too small. We'll see! It's only $4 for a set, so if I'm wrong, it's no biggie.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

Get the Beefy Slinkys (11,15,22,32,42,54). It'll be tough for awhile, but play with those for a few months, then switch back to 10-52.... they'll feel like kite string!

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

I've come to realize that 48 is the ultimate "E" gauge, so whatever has that...

I use 11-58 for standard on my 7-string so I voted 11-48 here.

 

[B2D]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

I used to use .009-.042 D'addario sets exclusively, but recently I've been experimenting.

I've found I'm quite comfy with .010-.046 Ernie Ball Classic Rock and Rolls on my Strat, and my Music Man currently rocks a .0095-.044 set. However, seeing as those are somewhat hard to find in local shops, I'm going to test drive The EB Classics and a .009-.046 set on the guitar and see what I like. Last time I tried a .010 set on that guitar, the overall effect seemed to be a a negative... the tone itself seemed to stiffen up. I have found that EB's tend to feel looser than D'addarios so I'll give the strings another go.

My Seagull acoustic has a set of D'addario .012-.056s on it.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

My reasoning for the hybrids is that I've never experimented with light strings up top (light being <10 gauge). Right now, I'm experienced enough as a player to know what I'm looking for, but not experienced enough to know exactly everything I already love. I know I want to test out light gauges, but I'm not sure what is too light.

I think I'm gonna try 9's at the moment, and then move up from there. I like the hybrids though, because I know I like the bigger strings on bottom. I reall like the way my 52's feel at the moment. Power chords cranked make me soil myself, and my neighbors!

 

[Pecan]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

9's feel like a toy and 11's are pushing my bending limits. I really think working your way up slowly to 11's is a great thing to. Just do exercises that improve your finger strength.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

Just want to add that 9-42s are too small. The tone really suffers as a result.

My latest Fender came with them as stock. I don't know why they'd sell them that way. I guess they are maybe trying to market the fact that their necks are really playable.

However, I believe you can only test the resonsation of a guitar by playing a booming Em chord with 10-46s on. You can feel the vibrations rippling through the guitar. No matter what wood the guitar is made from, it can't vibrate with 9-42s.

Now as I said in my last post, 9-46s work well. The set as a whole feel much bigger/tighter than 9-42s, which is kinda odd. Maybe it's as a result of greater overall tension, I dunno.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

Awesome dude! Thanks for the good tip there.

 

[Colma]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

11-50 is my favorite. its not harshly tight in standard. holds well in D/C

 

[Fresno Bob]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

D' Addario Jazz Light 12-52 amazing sustain and very long lasting.

I dont change my strings for months on end, just because I love the way the gunk and rust effects the sound.

 

[SwedeNuck]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

I think that you really gotta ask yourself if you have a greater preference towards thick tone, or simple playability. Tone wins with me every time, so if my hand ceases up half way through a gig it doesn't really bother me that much. 10-52 is pretty much the lightest I'll go on anything, 10-52 with a 64 on my 7, 13's on my acoustics, and anywhere from 11's to 13's depending on how I tune my 6's.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: What string gauge should I buy (move if on wrong board!)?

But you're from Canada!

lol just joking dude. Thanks for the tip! I'm just experimenting at the moment.