What are the electrical changes when string gague is increased?

Lewguitar said:
I'm used to medium strings because I play a lot of acoustic guitar. So .012 - .053 is what I'm used to.

If I go lighter, I guarantee you there's a difference in sound on the acoustic guitar.

There's the same difference in sound on the electric guitar going from a set that starts with a .010 or .011 E string to .009 or .008.

You just don't notice it as much, because you're not hearing the guitar acoustically.

You're hearing it through an amp, usually with an overdriven or distorted tone.

Unplugged the difference is pretty obvious.
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i agree. you don't notice it as much as on an acoustic, but you still hear it, even through a heavy distorted amp.

what sounds better is subjective.

i use different tensions on different guitars.
but under 9 on gibson scale is too banjo for me. I can adjust my touch to the tension but the tone is obnoxious to my ears.

and a lot of those guitar greats like page have legendary tone, but not what i would call big.
the madison square garden performance sounds like very light strings for example.
 
Top-L said:
String choice is a "career decision". Heavier strings can build up your strength, but they also put more wear on your joints.

.
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I'm a multi-instrumentalist and think that may have helped my fingers over the years. At this point I primarily play guitar, bass and keyboards but double bass and cello definitely required a lot more pressure than twelves on an electric because their action is considerably higher.

Another way to think about it is 12's are common on acoustics and nobody complains about them. I play medium and light bass strings on full scale bases and never think twice about the pressure.

Ironically I thought I was developing arthritis in my right hand but it turned out to be a medication. So I've got to say I have never had any challenges with my left hand at all.

I've been playing guitar for 40 odd years with 12s, 11s and 10s (and one strat that demands 9s;) for the last 15 years.



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zionstrat said:
I'm a multi-instrumentalist and think that may have helped my fingers over the years. At this point I primarily play guitar, bass and keyboards but double bass and cello definitely required a lot more pressure than twelves on an electric because their action is considerably higher.

Another way to think about it is 12's are common on acoustics and nobody complains about them. I play medium and light bass strings on full scale bases and never think twice about the pressure.

Ironically I thought I was developing arthritis in my right hand but it turned out to be a medication. So I've got to say I have never had any challenges with my left hand at all.

I've been playing guitar for 40 odd years with 12s, 11s and 10s (and one strat that demands 9s;) for the last 15 years.



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You fingers are protected because you are dividing your playtime between multiple instruments with different movements.

A touring guitarist puts alot more miles.

And lets be honest. String gauge matters for bends and vibrato. Some styles don't do those.
 
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Top-L said:
You fingers are protected because you are dividing your playtime between multiple instruments with different movements.

A touring guitarist puts alot more miles.

And lets be honest. String gauge matters for bends and vibrato. Some styles don't do those.
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For me, using 9's or 10's with an unwound G is all about string bending and vibrato.

If I didn't bend strings I'd use the same gauge strings as I use on my acoustic guitars.
 
Lewguitar said:
No. Not if you're playing electric, which is what this thread is about.
But on acoustic? You definitely need bigger strings.
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I use 10s on acoustic. I bend strings. Plus most acoustics are amplified these days.
And most jazz guitarists who play in the style of players like Wes Montgomery or Joe Pass, and play chord melody, use heavier strings with a wound G.

But they are more interested in TONE...not bending strings.
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They also used flat wounds. But then listen to John McLaughlin who used 8-38. Same with Al DiMeola back in the day. YJM also uses 8s. So did Holdsworth. Very few people can play on their level. I’’ll defer to them. 😁
My electric guitars are strung with sets that start with .010 cuz like most of us here, I like to bend strings.
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On most of my guitars I use 9s. On short scales (like a Gibson) I might use 10s. On my Parker I use 8s, and they feel like 9s. It’s a very stiff feeling guitar.
I believe Hendrix used Fender Rock N Roll strings, now labeled 150R (R for regular) which are 10-13-17-26-36-46. These came out around 1966 or 67.
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Hendrix also tuned down a half step, essentially making those 9s. But a lot of players Back then used banjo strings for the high E. Then they used the low A strung as the E and so on. This is what Page and Beck and even John Lennon did. So they had a set of 9s or 8s.

That was the reason Ernie Ball came out with Slinkies.

When I started playing I used Black Diamond strings. They were very common, and very awful. Lol
When folks wanted them even lighter Fender started offering 150L (L for light). Those are 09-11-16-24-32-42.
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Reread my comment on Ernie Ball strings. Players wanted lighter strings so they made them.
I use the lights sometimes, but usually my electrics are strung with 10-13-17-26-36-46 because they sound better to me.
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Everyone likes something. 9s are the top selling string gauge

I can’t play on strings heavier than 10s because of the way I pull off notes. It doesn’t work.

Plus I like how very light strings sound when you hit them hard. Listen to Tony Iommi on the early Sabbath records. And he’s tuned down a half step with 8s. The low E goes “boing!” when he hits it! It’s that recoil of the string bending out of tune that makes it sound heavy.


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ArtieToo said:
I'm not sure there is an "electronic" side, per se. The string on a guitar is effectively the armature of a small AC generator. The larger the string, the larger the magnetic field interference. I can't add much more beyond what's already been said.
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Thank you sir. I think that's the final word on the purpose of this thread.

Thanks again for input from all sides!

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This is why I like hybrid sets. Heavy for the wound strings, lighter for the plain. Good chunk for rythm but plenty of harmonics for leads.
But then, I'm strange.
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Hybrids are the best IMO. I'm so glad brands like EB are finally offering some true variety within their hybrid range. At least they even have a hybrid range now!
 
hybrids are great. i much prefer 9-46 to 9-42.
i also like 10-52 but the step from regular 10s is rather big. i would like a lil lighter bass side in between regular 10-46s and 10-52s. the 52 bass string can get muddy on my LPs.
 
ToneFiddler said:
hybrids are great. i much prefer 9-46 to 9-42.
i also like 10-52 but the step from regular 10s is rather big. i would like a lil lighter bass side in between regular 10-46s and 10-52s. the 52 bass string can get muddy on my LPs.
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I use 10-48 or 10-50, especially if I use that guitar for drop d
 
so you by single strings to get your custom gauge or is there a 10-50 set available? i would be interested.
For dropped D 52 is fine for my liking
 
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