String gauge for E flat metal in a Gibson-scale guitar

[weepingminotaur]

I've currently got 10/52s but I'm feeling like those 52s are a bit stiff for fast rhythm playing. What string gauge should I switch to?

10/46?
11/48?
11/50?
Something else?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I would go for 11's. I think D'Addarios are 11-49.

 

[Der Oberherr]

If it's only the thicker strings that are an issue, I'd opt for 10-48 (Ernie Ball Ultra slinky, if you want an example). Same gauge e,B,G but a little different on the D,A and E strings.

 

[Hsb]

I ise 10/46s on my Gibson and Fender scale guitars

 

[Seashore]

I find 52 too light for E flat on a 24.75" scale, 54 is better under my fingers. I use 52 as the low string in E standard. I guess I like thicker low strings in general.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Well, string gauge is such a personal preference, but if the higher strings feel good and it's just the 52s that feel too stiff, you can either just replace that string with a 50 or 49 (you can buy individual strings in just about any gauge), or you can get a set like suggested by Der Oberherr. Ernie Ball makes about 20 different sets in different gauges. I've recently tried their 9.5-44 "Primo Slinky" for my Gibson scale guitars and love them (I've used 10-46, 10-52, 10-55, and various 9-xx sets in the past by various mfr...usually Dunlop). I'm getting older and weaker and with more arthritis so the lighter gauge (especially on the lower strings) works perfectly for me.

 

[weepingminotaur]

Yeah, right now I'm wavering between 11/48 or 10/48. The older I get, the less I want heavier-gauge strings, particularly for metal.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

The whole "heavier is better" approach is more of a macho thing, I find. I personally always thought lighter strings sound way better for Metal: Crunchier, more lively, tighter, more cutting, etc. While heavier strings just sound duller, thuddy, boomy, and bland. It's just that I have a hard time personally playing strings too light too, so I try to find a happy medium for me.

JMO, of course.

But 11's will be fine both sound-wise and feel-wise for Eb.

I use 11-54's in Drop C on my Fender and 12-56's for the same tuning on my Gibson.

 

[donaldr]

Try a round core wire E string if you currently have hex core wire.

 

[donaldr]

I have 11-48 (Ernie Ball) or 11-50 (DR Pure Blues) on my Gibson LP, standard tuning. 11/54 (DR DDT) on my Vandenberg, E flat tuning.

 

[weepingminotaur]

The whole "heavier is better" approach is more of a macho thing, I find. I personally always thought lighter strings sound way better for Metal: Crunchier, more lively, tighter, more cutting, etc. While heavier strings just sound duller, thuddy, boomy, and bland. It's just that I have a hard time personally playing strings too light too, so I try to find a happy medium for me.

JMO, of course.

But 11's will be fine both sound-wise and feel-wise for Eb.

I use 11-54's in Drop C on my Fender and 12-56's for the same tuning on my Gibson.

Yeah, I tend to agree. Heavier strings work nicely for other styles of music, but for metal, I go lighter these days.

 

[JMP/HBE]

https://www.sweetwater.com/c926--St...Fnmd_9hDlwUFLTxd1FhoC4MAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thank me later.

 

[Seashore]

The whole "heavier is better" approach is more of a macho thing, I find. I personally always thought lighter strings sound way better for Metal: Crunchier, more lively, tighter, more cutting, etc. While heavier strings just sound duller, thuddy, boomy, and bland. It's just that I have a hard time personally playing strings too light too, so I try to find a happy medium for me.

JMO, of course.

But 11's will be fine both sound-wise and feel-wise for Eb.

I use 11-54's in Drop C on my Fender and 12-56's for the same tuning on my Gibson.

I don't get where you're coming from with this. I use heavy low strings because they sound and feel better to me. Everybody I know who knows much about playing picks what they like best. Impressing other people with the thickness of strings doesn't figure into it at all.

 

[weepingminotaur]

Try a round core wire E string if you currently have hex core wire.

Why?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Yeah, right now I'm wavering between 11/48 or 10/48. The older I get, the less I want heavier-gauge strings, particularly for metal.

I think you'd be just fine with the 10-48 set. I'm thinking that if you go to the 11-48 set you might start thinking the same as you are now but in reverse...meaning you'll think the the lower strings feel fine but the higher strings feel stiff.

 

[weepingminotaur]

I think you'd be just fine with the 10-48 set. I'm thinking that if you go to the 11-48 set you might start thinking the same as you are now but in reverse...meaning you'll think the the lower strings feel fine but the higher strings feel stiff.

Haha, that same thought had occurred to me!

 

[RanchManSandy]

10-48, baby. Tho the 52 is nice when dropping it to c#

 

[donaldr]

Why?

Round core are looser, hex core are stiffer.

 

[Seashore]

Hey OP, have you ever used a tension calculator? They were really helpful for me. Took a lot of the guesswork out.

https://tension.stringjoy.com/

https://kaliummusic.com/string-tension-calculator/

 

[jeremy]

i think 10-48 will work well for you