Help needed : String gauge question

[pac112]

Hi people,

Help!
as a inexperience guitarist i wanna ask a question abt string gauge. I've been using earnie ball 10's (never thought of using any other gauge) all this time but recently i tried a guitar with 9's. I feel a tad more confortable playing it. But i fear that by using 9's instead of 10's it'll lack punch in my tone. Does using thinner strings eg. 9's (instead of 10's) take the punch/heaviness out of tone? :question:
i usually play using standard tuning or half step lower...

thanks...

 

[JALIN]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

Hi people,

Help!
as a inexperience guitarist i wanna ask a question abt string gauge. I've been using earnie ball 10's (never thought of using any other gauge) all this time but recently i tried a guitar with 9's. I feel a tad more confortable playing it. But i fear that by using 9's instead of 10's it'll lack punch in my tone. Does using thinner strings eg. 9's (instead of 10's) take the punch/heaviness out of tone? :question:
i usually play using standard tuning or half step lower...

thanks...

10s to 9s = tone loss, most def

 

[theboatcandream]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

There are plenty of guitarists that use really light strings, even 8's, and still get a fat sound. I think it affects your cleans more than anything else... but thicker strings do sound better. You read these strat players always talking about how they moved up to 11's from 10's and how wonderful the difference in tone is. I use 12's, but the reason is that when I play with anything lighter, the strings go out of tune for a split second.



So yeah, heavier strings sound better at the expense of comfort. That doesn't mean that light strings will necessarily sound bad. Try it both ways and see how you like it.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

I play thicker strings for comfort. I feel the strings respond to my playing better the heavier they are. Still, I find that too thick strings start to sound less and less the guitar I'm hearing in my head. I think that the truth can be found somewhere in between. I now use 11-48 in my 24.75 scale SG and 10-46 in m 25.5 Jackson, and I'm thinking of going up to 12-52 and 11-49. Shorter scale needs thicker strings, IMO.

I don't think it as a definite lose situation, you lose something and gain something. Tone is ever so subjective, but generally you can be said to lose tone in lighter strings. I think that the most important thing for an inexperienced guitarist is the ability to play well rather than sound good. And if YOU didn't hear any tone loss when changing string gauge, don't care about it.

That's how I feel, if you think of some more questions, ask away! I'll be glad to help.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

I have always agreed that thinner strings equal a thinner tone but there are lots of guys that use light strings and have a killer tone...try it and it you notice no difference go with it!

 

[pac112]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

cool! thanks loads for the many positive advices... :dance:
regarding to "thin strings but killer tone".. whats the key behind that kinda sound?
i like punchier/heavier sounds as i play metal / hard rock and do some amount of palm mutes...
i guess i'll try the lighter strings and see how they turn out...

 

[JeffB]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

I also agree it's somewhere inbetween...it really depends on the individual's playing style, the amp, the guitar, etc.

I've always preferred 10-46 or heavier guage strings on the shorter scale set/glued neck guitars cos they have less string tension, and becuase they sound really anemic (for me) with 9's. But on bolt on's w/ a 25.5 scale often I find 9-42 guage sufficient tone-wise. My current strat sounds "fat enough" w/ 9s.

But I have a heavy picking hand and I find I break too many strings with the lighter guages, so I'll be going to 10s soon.

 

[Toenail-Tommy]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

If you have a spare guitar, punish yourself with a set of 13's or so. At standard pitch there'll be very little Dave Gilmour style 4 fret bending without tears. But once you go back to 10's they'll be sooo forgiving. A bit like running in the snow like Rocky did! Also, if you're into downtuning, you will see the benefit of thicker strings. Ohhh, the setup. Hope no Floyd Rose! I have a set of 13's (jazz strings they call em) on my Ibi, and downtune 2 halfsteps. And at this tension the thicker guys feel fine and bend good too. The palm muted crunch is very serious, and can harm small pets and children...

Try em all

 

[Spark]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

I now use 11-48 in my 24.75 scale SG and 10-46 in my 25.5 Jackson. Shorter scale needs thicker strings, IMO.

:werd:

 

[JeffB]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

:werd:

Ahh didn't see his comment before.....uhm....Me three!

 

[pac112]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

i have a yamaha pacifica (strat type) HSS with a JB at the bridge,scale 25.5. It has a vintage tremolo but i use it as a "hardtail" so i dont have to be worried abt any Floyed Rose problems. :headbang:

longer scale need heavier strings rite? (referring to Sparks's reply)

 

[JeffB]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

longer scale need heavier strings rite? (referring to Sparks's reply)

What I (as well as some others) was saying, is that a longer scale can usually go a bit lighter in guage due to higher string tension.

My bro is a rockabilly type player, and years ago he got into the heavy guage string thing going from 10s to 13's on his strat and I couldn't really hear a big diff, especially when weighed against the increased difficulty in playing. But when he did the same on his ES-335 the sound diff was night and day.

 

[Spark]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

What I (as well as some others) was saying, is that a longer scale can usually go a bit lighter in guage due to higher string tension.

This is what I was saying. I have 10s on my Les Paul (shorter scale length) and 9s on my Strat (longer scale length). But I am just talking about relative feel from one guitar to another. You should try different guages and go with what gives you the best balance between feel and tone.

That being said, when I went from 10s to 9s on my Strat (scale length similar to your Pacifica), I liked it better.

Of course The Reverend (amongst others) has used 8s and his tone is not lacking punch or anything else. Its just one piece to the puzzle. :dance:

 

[strat_master]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

Perhpas your answer could be in ernieball hyrbid slinkies? Those are basically .09 on the first 3 hihg strings, but hte bottom end comes form a .10 set. I myself use skinny top heavy bottom, whihc are something of a hybrid only im going in the thicker heavier direction. Although i agree .09 you can solo so easily tis great, ive had problems puling of pinch hamronics, but thwne i payed my friends Sg with .09 it was so easy i couldn;'t believe it.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

Originally Posted by Johtosotku
I now use 11-48 in my 24.75 scale SG and 10-46 in my 25.5 Jackson. Shorter scale needs thicker strings, IMO.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffB
What I (as well as some others) was saying, is that a longer scale can usually go a bit lighter in guage due to higher string tension.


This is what I was saying.

Spark and JeffB:
Isn't this what I was saying too? What do you mean by weird? Sorry if I'm being unclear, I'm not a native english speaker.
__________________

 

[crazytooguy]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

One other thing about changing string gauges - make sure the guitar gets set up properly for the new string gauge. This means resetting the truss rod to get the correct string relief over the frets, resetting the action at the bridge, and sometimes replacing or reslotting the nut. A decent luthier can do this pretty quickly for you if you don't have the experience or the tools to do it yourself. It can make a huge difference!

 

[Spark]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

Spark and JeffB:
Isn't this what I was saying too? What do you mean by weird? Sorry if I'm being unclear, I'm not a native english speaker.
__________________

It doesn't say "weird", it says "werd", which is some old school slang for "I agree", which I do. (should have just typed +1 :smack: ) Maybe we need need a "True Dat" smiley. :yeah:

 

[pac112]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

One other thing about changing string gauges - make sure the guitar gets set up properly for the new string gauge. This means resetting the truss rod to get the correct string relief over the frets, resetting the action at the bridge, and sometimes replacing or reslotting the nut. A decent luthier can do this pretty quickly for you if you don't have the experience or the tools to do it yourself. It can make a huge difference!

wow! dint know you had to do so many stuff when changing string gauges... can i change my gauge without doing all that stuff? cos i'm just experimenting anyway...

 

[strat_master]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

I would take itt o a luthier to get it properly intonated. Differnent gauges of strings exert differnet amounts of pressure so the neck and possibly bridge along with your tremolo springs might need to be adjusted. I coud be wrong here i dont know.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Help needed : String gauge question

You have to set your guitar again if you change your string gauge. I think you should do it now too, if you've never done it. It's not a big deal to set your guitar's intonation, tremolo and truss rod, IMO. You should try those as early as you can. If you just don't use force, you shouldn't break anything.