Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

[vejiita]

Is it worth it to switch from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge strings?
i have been using 9's since i started playing electric. But i am not happy with my clean sound.. lately i been getting into more blues/country music. Is it worth it to go up to 10 gauge strings? does the tone make a huge difference? my friend said it does if you go to 11 or 12 gauge.. but i think that would be too much for me.

 

[beandip]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Most country players who don't do much bending use 9's. Personally, I play country and use 11's on electrics, sometimes 12's if the guitar calls for it. It will make a difference in tone, but playability is going to be a bigger change.

As for your tone, check your amp settings, see what you can get going that way with your clean tones.

What's your setup, by the way?

 

[L.W. Badger]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Start with 10s and raise up the action a smidge or they'll buzz the frets. They're going to feel hard compared to 9s at first..........what are you putting them on?

 

[Grandturk]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Start with 10s and raise up the action a smidge or they'll buzz the frets.

I may be mistaken, but I believe this is incorrect. Thicker strings vibrate in a tighter pattern, and thus should buzz less.

 

[beandip]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Not only do they vibrate in a tighter pattern, but the increased tension should be just enough to pull a relatively stable neck into just enough relief.

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

I use 11s on my strat. Best decision I've made regarding guitars. It sounds so much stronger and fuller. I played another strat that had 8 1/2 gauge. It was like playing w/ thread after the 11s treatment. Just get a cheap set of addario 10's. If you need more, give 11's a try. Many people have said how much more they like their sound after bumping up the gauge.

 

[L.W. Badger]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

I may be mistaken, but I believe this is incorrect. Thicker strings vibrate in a tighter pattern, and thus should buzz less.

You're right, I had it reversed in my head, oops!

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

what is it exactly that you don't like about your clean tone? changing string guage changes the tone a bit, but i'm not sure it'll be the change you're looking for.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

What will be different after a while is how strong your hands are. That extra 5% of strength you build up is nice. Plus, you can hit bigger strings harder without them going sharp or flopping as much.

Whether or not the tone is better is up to you.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Just try it out for a while really.
I tried 10-52 on E standard, but my hands hated me for it.
I just use 9-42+56 now, feels great, sounds great.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

A lot of pro players say they can't hear a difference on the plain strings, but that it makes a big difference on the wound strings. Seeing as one typically doesn't bend wound strings as much, I'd look at getting a light top/heavy bottom set. I've gone as high as .12's for a while, and honestly you have to strike a balance - strings that are too heavy will hurt your technique (by making you more conscious of your playing, impeding hammer ons/pull offs, etc.), but IMO strings that are too light don't sound as good. I think .11's are a nice compromise - not to hard to bend, you can have a heavy hand (like I do) and they won't break, they sound great, and best of all you can concentrate on the music you're playing instead of struggling against the guitar.

At least in my experience, your hands/rig/technique might disagree.

 

[Invader09]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

I use 9-42, and I love my sound, and the feel.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

A lot of pro players say they can't hear a difference on the plain strings, but that it makes a big difference on the wound strings. Seeing as one typically doesn't bend wound strings as much, I'd look at getting a light top/heavy bottom set. I've gone as high as .12's for a while, and honestly you have to strike a balance - strings that are too heavy will hurt your technique (by making you more conscious of your playing, impeding hammer ons/pull offs, etc.), but IMO strings that are too light don't sound as good. I think .11's are a nice compromise - not to hard to bend, you can have a heavy hand (like I do) and they won't break, they sound great, and best of all you can concentrate on the music you're playing instead of struggling against the guitar.

At least in my experience, your hands/rig/technique might disagree.

lately, i've found the same kind of "balance" with 11s also. they're perfect for me for all the reasons you just said

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

I use 9-42s on my 25.5" scale length G&L Legacys, and 10-46 strings on my Gibsons with their shorter scale.

Bill

 

[vejiita]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

i guess its not really necessary to go to a heavier gauge?
i have gone to 10 gauge strings in my 25.5 scale strat once before and for some reason my guitar/my fingers were so used to the 9 gauge strings. But unfortunaley i want a better tone when playing clean and the 9 gauge strings just don't cut it. WOuld going to 10 gauge be a audible difference or maybe i should go to 11/12 gauge? distorted i don't think it makes a big difference but clean?

 

[Jay 77]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Been using 9-46 on everything for about 15 years now, and recently I tried a set of 10-52 on one of my strats. Marginal difference in tone, huge difference in playability. As soon as the strings are shot, it's back to 9-46 for good.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

Been using 9-46 on everything for about 15 years now, and recently I tried a set of 10-52 on one of my strats. Marginal difference in tone, huge difference in playability. As soon as the strings are shot, it's back to 9-46 for good.

+1. I'm a 9 user also, because I need absolute control over my strings for wild bends & vibrato, so I need them loose as a possible. 10's ruin my style. I don't play anything that 'fights back." They obey or else.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

I've gone as high as .12's for a while, and honestly you have to strike a balance - strings that are too heavy will hurt your technique (by making you more conscious of your playing, impeding hammer ons/pull offs, etc.), but IMO strings that are too light don't sound as good. I think .11's are a nice compromise - not to hard to bend, you can have a heavy hand (like I do) and they won't break, they sound great, and best of all you can concentrate on the music you're playing instead of struggling against the guitar.

At least in my experience, your hands/rig/technique might disagree.

Jimi you madman. 11's a compromise? 10's are brutal for me. I think 9's are an ideal compromise between 8's (which are ridiculous) and 10's (which are too tight). When you're doing extreme & spontaneous Peter Green/Jimmy Page bends, like me, any appeal of thick strings quickly disappears. However, if I was mainly a rhythm player, I'd use 10's.

 

[sonnyblu]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

So much depends on the string tension of the guitar... I have guitars where 11's feel like rubber bands (PRS) and others where 9's feel like cables (Fender 57' RI) I used to use 11's on my old Strats in std. tuning... the tone was great and I was playing 4 nights a week... but my hands were hamburger... it wasn't worth it! So I use 10's on them now... it's fine. But these PRS... 11's are easy... And I do still base it upon having total control over vibrato and bending as much as tone and I play a heavy vibrato. Now if I'm playing chickin' pickin' steel guitar bends on a Tele it has to be 9's... It so... depends on the guitar.

 

[Jay 77]

Re: Going from 9 gauge strings to 10 gauge?

+1. I'm a 9 user also, because I need absolute control over my strings for wild bends & vibrato, so I need them loose as a possible. 10's ruin my style. I don't play anything that 'fights back." They obey or else.

Yep, I'm with you. I bend and vibrato the heck out of everything so 9's are key. Let the amp do the work as far as tone is concerned.