Go Heavy Or Go Home

[~Vintage~]

I'm compiling a list of parts to metalize my American Strat. I have always used 10-46 as the thickest string (originally 9-42) but I want to go heavier after the pickups and electronics get changed out. I have some brand new DR DDT 12-60 XXL Heavy string sets laying around and I was thinking about adjusting the truss rod and setting up the axe with those. The thing is I tune to Estd. Would it be stupid to run "drop down tuning" specified strings in standard tuning? While I'm waiting for all the parts to come in I put the low E (60) on to see if there is going to be any fret buzz and I was surprised when there was none! I was even more surprised that the fat 'ole 60 E string fit in the LSR Roller Nut! I just want some feedback from everyone on here as to what I should do. I might just throw some 11-50's on there and be done with it. Advice? Suggestions?

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

My only question is why the heavier gauge?

 

[~Vintage~]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

My only question is why the heavier gauge?

It seems like the natural evolution of a heavy metal guitarist.

I started out learning from my dad who swears by 9-42.

I've ran 10-46 for a long time now, which seems to be the "standard" for rock guitar.

I want the meanest possible crushing tone so the only possible solution is to go a little thicker so why not REAL thick? Right?

 

[epi]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

It seems like the natural evolution of a heavy metal guitarist.

I started out learning from my dad who swears by 9-42.

I've ran 10-46 for a long time now, which seems to be the "standard" for rock guitar.

I want the meanest possible crushing tone so the only possible solution is to go a little thicker so why not REAL thick? Right?

no, my friend plays Death metal etc, and he uses 9's and I am going to be using 9s also soon

 

[~Vintage~]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

I know it's not necessary to achieve a killer deep dark tone, look at Tony Iommi, he uses 8-38 because of his finger tips and still gets that badass tone.

Then again, he has an excuse. I'll never go back to anything skinnier than 10's again. I didn't think anyone used 9's anymore except to play oldies but I think I've made up my mind, I'm gonna get some 11-50's and call it a day.

I guess the two new boxes of DDT 12-60's will continue to collect dust in my guitar room.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

Your going about this wrong way. Yes the string gauge changes tone but it's a subtle change. Get the gauge that holds tune but is easiest to play. Can you play in E with 13s sure, yes but WHY? Honestly you can use any gauge to play any style but certain gauges lend themselves better to certain tunings. Also their are many metal guys playing with 9s and 8s. Especially 7 and 8 string players.

 

[~Vintage~]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

Your going about this wrong way. Yes the string gauge changes tone but it's a subtle change. Get the gauge that holds tune but is easiest to play. Can you play in E with 13s sure, yes but WHY? Honestly you can use any gauge to play any style but certain gauges lend themselves better to certain tunings. Also their are many metal guys playing with 9s and 8s. Especially 7 and 8 string players.

Yep, Yep, my guitar god Tony Iommi is my own example but as I've stated I've been runnin' 10's since the '90's and it's time for a change. It's time to see what all the hubbub's about with thick strings. I'm glad I started this tread though, it got me brainstormin' out loud and I just backed out of my original plan to use those super heavy DDT XXL strings. I just got a deal on MF w/ buy 2 get 1 free Tite-Fit DR-11 Extra Heavy Nickel Plated 11-14-18-28-38-50 $11.98 for 3 sets? That's what I'm talkin' about!!

Thanks everyone in this thread for helping me think out loud! I appreciate it!

 

[hydro]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

My opinion is somewhat biased b/c I am an old f@rt and have used mainly humbuckers for the last 15+ years, but I think the heaviest sounds come from humbucker based guitars using well-broken in strings, 10 gauge, off a neck pickup with vintage-voiced pickups. To me the heavy comes from bass articulation without too much saturation: high output pickups compress too much and leave out the low end dynamics although they give you more sustain.

Playing with lower output pickups without quite as much gain/saturation will make you work harder and play harder to get your chunk - and you hitting the strings harder and digging in more is what makes it sound heavy! You can drop your neck pickup a little to make you play more ape-like if needed.

That's also why you need 10s or 11s cause if you play with 9s you will break strings daily using that approach.

But this is for heavy riffing or rhythm guitar. I play both rhythm and lead in my band so I stick with 10s and switch between pickups as needed.

For single coil strats though I got no clue. Obviously guys get super heavy sounds out of these but I don't know how they do it!

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

A few metal guys use light strings:

Jeff Hanneman/Kerry King used/use 9s,
Iommi I don't even have to mention
Brendon Small uses 10-52 in C Standard
Jerry Cantrell uses either 9s or 10s in Eb
Yngwie Malmsteen uses 8-48s

That's off the top of my head.

Just go with whatever feels best. Heavy or light really doesn't matter.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

Yup 10-52 for Drop Db and Drop C is about as low as ill go.

 

[kilphody]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

What the Rev Willies Texas Mexican Lottery, 007-38's or some such? Play those with a Peso.
PC

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

\The strings i like come in a pink packet.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

I'm compiling a list of parts to metalize my American Strat. I have always used 10-46 as the thickest string (originally 9-42) but I want to go heavier after the pickups and electronics get changed out. I have some brand new DR DDT 12-60 XXL Heavy string sets laying around and I was thinking about adjusting the truss rod and setting up the axe with those. The thing is I tune to Estd. Would it be stupid to run "drop down tuning" specified strings in standard tuning? While I'm waiting for all the parts to come in I put the low E (60) on to see if there is going to be any fret buzz and I was surprised when there was none! I was even more surprised that the fat 'ole 60 E string fit in the LSR Roller Nut! I just want some feedback from everyone on here as to what I should do. I might just throw some 11-50's on there and be done with it. Advice? Suggestions?

I've been down this road

You can totally use thicker gauge strings in standard tuning, just make sure you adjust the truss rod

I don't see why thick strings are so taboo. I've gone all the way up to 13s and back down to 9s. I play 11s now because (1) I don't break them (2) they're really comfortable to me. I didn't really like the thick bottom strings b/c they felt out of proportion to me

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

A few metal guys use light strings:

Jeff Hanneman/Kerry King used/use 9s,
Iommi I don't even have to mention
Brendon Small uses 10-52 in C Standard
Jerry Cantrell uses either 9s or 10s in Eb
Yngwie Malmsteen uses 8-48s

That's off the top of my head.

Just go with whatever feels best. Heavy or light really doesn't matter.

Small has 13-60 according to his Rigged interview on Metalsucks, which granted isn't too crazy on a 24.75 inch scale guitar, although those unwound plain strings would be a tad too heavy for my liking.
If you calculate the string tension (assuming same brand of strings), 52 in C has slightly less tension than a 42 in E, and of course a 24.75 inch scale makes things looser than a 25.5 inch scale.
Of course, it can be done and guitarists have done it, but you gotta be fairly gentle to keep that in tune.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

Big strings make me feel fat!

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

I know it's not necessary to achieve a killer deep dark tone, look at Tony Iommi, he uses 8-38 because of his finger tips and still gets that badass tone.

Then again, he has an excuse. I'll never go back to anything skinnier than 10's again. I didn't think anyone used 9's anymore except to play oldies but I think I've made up my mind, I'm gonna get some 11-50's and call it a day.

I guess the two new boxes of DDT 12-60's will continue to collect dust in my guitar room.

I didn't think strings of that gauge were useful unless on a baritone guitar. I'd say stick with something a little lighter. The 11-50's are probably going to be your best bet. I used to think that the heavier strings meant heavier tones, but I've learned that heaviness comes from your style and what you're playing. Jazz players use heavy strings, but that doesn't mean that they play heavy. The 11-50's are the same gauges that I use and those tones that I get are pretty damn awesome.

 

[~Vintage~]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

Thanks for all the replies! That settles it, I'm gonna be an 11-50's kinda guy! :naughty:

I feel better about this decision than the 12-60. Not because of the bass strings but because of the treble strings. I play a lot of lead and the thicker high strings would be a bear to bend up 2, 2 1/2 steps......ouch!

 

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

In high school i used the zakk wylde thick and thins in standard. Those were great.

If you aren't drop tuning i personally wouldnt go thicker than 11's or 12's but they will give you a bigger sound. In my experience at least

If you havent already, drop tuning is really fun. I have guitars in standard, D standard and C# standard.

Niice heavy sounds from drop tuning with thick strings

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

I've read a lot of things in my time, this thread contains quite a few of them...

 

[Adieu]

Re: Go Heavy Or Go Home

Yep, Yep, my guitar god Tony Iommi is my own example but as I've stated I've been runnin' 10's since the '90's and it's time for a change. It's time to see what all the hubbub's about with thick strings. I'm glad I started this tread though, it got me brainstormin' out loud and I just backed out of my original plan to use those super heavy DDT XXL strings. I just got a deal on MF w/ buy 2 get 1 free Tite-Fit DR-11 Extra Heavy Nickel Plated 11-14-18-28-38-50 $11.98 for 3 sets? That's what I'm talkin' about!!

Thanks everyone in this thread for helping me think out loud! I appreciate it!

As a DR fanboy, I gotta say though....DO NOT USE TITEFITS! They seem to be 95% of the reaspn DR haters exist. Also, hardly a good deal, I get my DR trublues (the +$1 "premium" line in blue packs, pure nickel roundcores) for $1.63 + 20/12 ~= $3.30 on GC string club all year long (its $20 for what functions as a $5 gift card resetting every month for a year). If you need more, get a wife or GF or roomie to buy another one in their name for you.