I just switched from .11s to .9s

[astrozombie]

and boy are my arms tired. :fingersx:

I am blown away by how much small the difference in tone is versus what I had imagined. Some of you make it seem like it's like getting neutered, it feels like my hands got 10 times stronger! vibrato is a breeze, bending is smooth and controlled, two handed hammer ons feel relaxed and my hands feel a great relief.

to anyone thinking about lower gauge strings, dont think, just do it!

experiment, i love my new sound and feel, I'll be staying with 9s for now, it's really given me a sense of relief.

what good is slightly better tone (.11) if I have to sacrifice how slinky and easy 9s feel?

 

[blueman335]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

As a hardcore 9 user, thank you. Most, if not all of the 'loss' of tone from a thinner gauge can be compensated for with mag swaps, amp settings, etc. You can get full, heavy tones from light strings. I see no point in wrestling with them. I can get so many more subtleties and nuances when I can effortlesly play my strings.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

I'm more comfortable playing bigger strings. Hate floppy little dental floss on my guitar.

 

[sosomething]

I've recently considered going from .11s to .10s ... but I feel like it would mess up my right-hand feel more than it benefitted my left-hand feel.

I use 11s for the tone but also for the way they respond to picking.

I just need to try it and see.

 

[post toastie]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

my Mean 90 does not respond the same way tp .009's as to .010's. i hate that.

 

[Matt42]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

I use .010-.046 on my electric and .013-.056 on my acoustic. They just feel the best to me. But playing a high(ish) gauge on acoustic makes playing electric a breeze.

As far as fullness of tone goes... Billy Gibbons uses .007's, so...

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

If it feels good, do it.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

I generally tend to put .010's on all my hard tails and .009's on anything with a tremolo - standard tuning always. But recently I've strung a few of my hard tails with .009's, and it is quite startling how much more I can do on them. My bends are landing more precisely, and hammer-ons are easier too. I probably wouldn't do it on all my guitars, but it's great to have a couple shredders on hand.

Any negligible change in tone is more than made up for by the change in ability that comes with them.

 

[Jackson Distortion]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

I just switched from lighter gauges to 11-52. Go figure. And I don't plan on going back.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

i use heavier strings not necesaarily for tone, but for the way they feel under my right hand. There is no right and wrong. Only personal preference.

 

[NewWave]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

In what guitar? In what style of playing? In what guitar scale? using a 9s, In a strat, playing jazz will not sound like using an 11.

 

[jacksontrader]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

WOW, what a difference drop. I imagine your hands are tap dancing a lot easier. Your muscle development will prolly change a little bit. Muscle memory will take a little bit to get used to the change also. Good luck with the change, that's one heck of a leap. Rock on!

 

[XPAULPITT]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

EVH uses 9s. Iommi uses 8s. Billy Gibbons uses 7s sometimes. Some of the best tones in music. I use 46-9 in E std and Eb and 52-10 in D std and C# and I love my tone and have no setup problems. I never understood the fascination with monster gauge strings. I guess its just whatever floats your boat.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

The guitar is a Fender Jaguar. Jaguars are short scale, so in reality, the 9s feel a little bit more loose than 9s usually do. You can divide the music I play into 3 genres (if thats even possible these days) blues, metal, rock and roll.

I recommend trying a lighter gauge to anyone mildly interested, but you have to go through with it with an open mind. If you do it thinking "it's going to sound like crap" then it probably will.

the strings I put on are Elixir Nanowebs, 9-42.

If im not mistaken, Kerry King of Slayer also uses light gauge strings. I remember reading an article where he said he "beefs up" his strings accordingly when tuning down- from 9s.. to 10s!

Guitar.com: What brand and gauge of strings are you using?

King: D'Addario. I use different gauges, depending on the tuning. For D#, I use .009-.042. For C#, I use .010-.046 and if we drop-D, I put a .056 on the bottom, instead of the .046.

 

[Coma]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

Methinks it's relly about matching the strings to the hands. If you've got stronger hands - thicker strings. It's not just about easing up on the grip or having a lighter touch, it's also about having the proper "resistance".

Also, I find changes in to not to be so prominent on the high strings, it's mostly the a and low e that brings about changes in tone when gauge swapping.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

Methinks it's relly about matching the strings to the hands. If you've got stronger hands - thicker strings. It's not just about easing up on the grip or having a lighter touch, it's also about having the proper "resistance".

Also, I find changes in to not to be so prominent on the high strings, it's mostly the a and low e that brings about changes in tone when gauge swapping.

this makes a lot of sense, but in my opinion, the effect is notable on every string and thinner strings are easier to play.

 

[NewWave]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

EVH uses 9s. Iommi uses 8s. Billy Gibbons uses 7s sometimes. Some of the best tones in music. I use 46-9 in E std and Eb and 52-10 in D std and C# and I love my tone and have no setup problems. I never understood the fascination with monster gauge strings. I guess its just whatever floats your boat.

EVH use 9 with a hellot of distortion and he need to tap/shred alot, so smaller gauge is for him, Iommi uses 8 because he have disability.. Gibbons use 8 because he is a crazy man and has a heavy beard. Fender Jaguar is a very short scale instrument (shorter than a les paul!) which means a thick string will feel even thicker than a lets say a strat (25.5 scale).

Let me enlighten you about monster gauge strings (11-12 for 25.5 / 10-11 for 24.75) It vibrates in a more stable way and sustain longer.. The effects of the heavy strings to tone are for guitarist that want a thick sounding instrument through a not so distorted amp (listen to les paul<the guitarist in youtube or whatever for reference).

And yes please take my advice with a grain of salt because if you like and enjoy what you use don't listen to anyone because only you can tell what good and bad. That's why there's alot of different sizes of strings anyway.. It's all about choice

 

[astrozombie]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

EVH use 9 with a hellot of distortion and he need to tap/shred alot, so smaller gauge is for him, Iommi uses 8 because he have disability.. Gibbons use 8 because he is a crazy man and has a heavy beard. Fender Jaguar is a very short scale instrument (shorter than a les paul!) which means a thick string will feel even thicker than a lets say a strat (25.5 scale).

Let me enlighten you about monster gauge strings (11-12 for 25.5 / 10-11 for 24.75) It vibrates in a more stable way and sustain longer.. The effects of the heavy strings to tone are for guitarist that want a thick sounding instrument through a not so distorted amp (listen to les paul<the guitarist in youtube or whatever for reference).

And yes please take my advice with a grain of salt because if you like and enjoy what you use don't listen to anyone because only you can tell what good and bad. That's why there's alot of different sizes of strings anyway.. It's all about choice

You have it wrong friend, shorter scale = loose feel.

strings feel as if they were thinner, not thicker. Also, I believe the point our fellow member was trying to make is that there is nothing wrong with using lighter gauge strings.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

I've recently considered going from .11s to .10s ... but I feel like it would mess up my right-hand feel more than it benefitted my left-hand feel.

I use 11s for the tone but also for the way they respond to picking.

I just need to try it and see.

Why do you think it would mess up your right hand feel?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: I just switched from .11s to .9s

It's all about feel. 9's feel like utter **** to me for most things I play. Not enough push back on the left, and too floppy on the right. 11's or 12's through 50's to 54's on the bottom feel right to me for most things. My favorite set at the time being is 12-50. I'm thinking about making that my standard set, as opposed to 11-52 or 11-54. I do keep 10's on a few guitars, though. But that's with heavy bottoms.