Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

Artie

Peaveyologist
I've always been a "10" kinda guy. At the suggestion of my luthier friend, I installed a set of D'Addario XL Chromes Jazz Light's. (ECG24) These have a wound G string. The package says: "warm/mellow". Truer words have never been spoken. I put these on my EPI LP Custom. This is a guitar I normally use for bluesy pentatonic lead picking. The 11's are much harder to bend. Surprising how just stepping up one string gauge does that. Now I find myself using a pick and playing sweet, slow chords. Very harmonically rich. Sweet, warm, mellow. Just like the package says.

It's funny how changing a string gauge affects what you play.

Artie

P.S. I'd hate to see what "Jazz Heavy" was like. :D
 
Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I've heard about that. Not really sure what it's benefits are.
 
Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

little less tension so easier bends
 
Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I find flatwounds miserable. Had a set on one of my guitars for a decent span of time. I also used round wound elevens on all my guitars for a good long while, not nearly so bad as the flatwounds, but I finally gave myself a break and stepped down in gauges; a few of my guitars even sound better to my ears with nines or tens. Flats are too limiting/muddy for me, I roll back the tone to obtain a similar effect to flatwounds when I want that.
 
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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I like 11-54/56 for C#standard. (depending on which guitar/pickups)
10.5-52 for D-standard
10-50 for Eb
 
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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

11+ are ok for practice, but total masochism for real playing, at least IMHO. I started with 8s, then 9s, then gradually to 10s,11s, 12s in my shredding youth, now I settled with 9s/10s for all guitars (9s feel better).
 
Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I played 12-60 nyxl in standard for a few months before I knew anything about guitar


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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I just tried ernie ball 011 Power slinky on my Firebird. I think I lost clarity in my playing, although it looks like they sustain better. At the moment, I'll have to switch to regular 010.
The problem is especially with rhythm playing. Solo sounds quite nice and thick.

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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

That's interesting. It's the opposite for me. I like the 11's for rhythm.

Who knows how much of it it's depending on the guitar, maybe? I have to be clearer, though. Power chords sound gorgeous and probably better than 010 gauge, where I hear more mess is with open chords and rhythms a la Oasis. Didn't test 'em enough to be sure, but it seems 011 gauge is also slowing me down a tad in some phrasings.
 
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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I never ever ever go with wound G strings. They just don't work for me, even downtuning I feel I have to bend them a mile off the fretboard to get one tone up.

I've got 10-46 in my Jackson (low action tuned to E, shreddy), 10-52 in my Strat (medium action tuned to E, not shreddy) and 10-60 in my Ibanez (Dunlop Wylde set with medium action tuned to D, sometimes Drop C).
I wanted to drop the Jackson to 9-46 since it was a bit fatiguing for bends, but I started going to the gym and playing the Jackson a bit more and now it feels perfect. :D
 
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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I've been trying new strings too. I like heavy bottoms but I'm starting to like thinner tops. My go to was an 11-60 set and now I'm using a 9-62 set.
 
Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

I installed a set of D'Addario XL Chromes Jazz Light's. (ECG24)
That set is kinda the de facto standard for Jazz players using semi- and full-hollow instruments.

However, I currently use the following strings on my L-5 CES copy:
http://www.daddario.com/DADProductD...ctname=ECG25_Chromes_Flat_Wound__Light__12_52

Hint: Jazz players don't bend strings. They "slur" to have a similar effect.

You're saying you didn't know what kind of strings they were before installing'em on your guitar? :confused:
 
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Re: Just tried some D'Addario 11's.

You got steered in a slightly wrong direction. Just use the normal D'Addario 11's, not the wound 3'rd jazz type.

I think of it like 9's play easy but lack tone, 10's are the perfect middle ground, and 11' s have the tone but require a heavier touch.

I use 11's on LP's and SG's, and 10's on strats, tele's, and 335's. 12's on acoustics, and 13 on resonator.
 
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