ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

[papersoul]

I have been using the Ernie Ball Slinky 10-52 set now for many years and they just seem to be the best all around set for all my guitars, and that includes Fender, PRS and Gibson. I don;t notice huge tension differences between a Fender and Gibson like most guys, the difference is slight so to keep it simple I use the EB 10-52s on all my guitars. All my guitars are tuned a half step down - Eb.

Recently tried 11-15-19-30-42-54 on my LP and I liked it at first but just feels too stiff, no nuance or dynamics, they seem balls out of nothing. I like the extra play with the 10-52 and I also don't like struggling to do blues bends with the 11-54 set, not worth the future arthritis it will give me.

I could probably even go to a straight 10 set but I have gotten used to the heavier wound strings and we do a few songs that are drop D, or in our case drop C#.

Anyone else smitten with Ernie Ball 10-52?

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Those were my go-to Eb and D standard strings back in the day. Great set.

 

[erksin]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I use the GHS TNTs as I can't stand EBs (they die really quickly on me), but yeah - love having the fat wounds strings for dropped tunings.

 

[papersoul]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

10-52s seem like the perfect gauge for anything played in Eb! These days all the guys I play with like to sing over Eb tuning. Getting old I guess....LOL

 

[papersoul]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Anyone else?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I used 10-52's for a lot of years but for whatever reason came down to straight 10's a few years ago, 11's now and then but I've not looked back to the LT/HB's!

 

[JOLLY]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Not Ernie Ball strings, but the majority of my guitars are strung up with D'Addario 10-52 strings in standard tuning. I like the 52 for when I tune down to Drop D.

 

[papersoul]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

We tune standard tuning a half step down using 10-52. 10-52 to me in standard tuning feel way too tight.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I like my 12-56 more. To me, they are even a little weak, and this is on a Fender scale, though Eb. I guess I have strong fingers.

 

[Diego]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Got those EBs on my Strat. Love them.

 

[papersoul]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Got those EBs on my Strat. Love them.

Standard tuned?

 

[JOLLY]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Eb EB's. Man, that sure would take someone a while to figure out.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I love the beefy slinky's 11-54... pretty darned close! but I use them for drop c

4 std tuning I use slinky pink 9's

 

[everdrone]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I use 8 gauge ernie ball and tune to c# like Iommi for all 50+ of my recordingz...

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I use D'Addario 10-52's on my open G guitars. Except I string them with only 5-strings (lose the 6th so I've got lots of extra unused .52 strings lying around). I like the bit of extra heft in the remaining bass strings to beef up the chords. Plus that's what Keith Richards does. I've got two Teles that are dedicated 5-stringers.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

10-52's are my favorites.

 

[papersoul]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

10-52's are my favorites.

What tuning?

 

[papersoul]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I love the beefy slinky's 11-54... pretty darned close! but I use them for drop c

4 std tuning I use slinky pink 9's

All your strings are tuned down one whole step?

 

[astrozombie]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

I used to used that string gauge a lot but I got sick of how little ernie ball strings lasts in the humid climate I live in.

I stopped using them once I made the move to .11

D addarios are the longest lasting... I wish I could find sets bigger than .10

 

[JeffB]

Re: ERNIE BALL Skinny Top Heavy Bottom!?

Cannot do strings that heavy anymore, but on my single coil guitars i prefer EB strings..sometimes the nps slinkys work best, sometimes the classics..depends on the particular guitar/pup combo. I can generally bump up at least 1/2 gauge with the EB vs most other string brands..ie straight 10s vs. 9-46. Sometimes a whole gauge compared to really stiff strings like GIbson Brite wires, fender superbullets, and Dean Markley nicksteels.