What gauge of string to run on my Les Paul

[Napthol]

I will be receiving my new Epiphone Les Paul Standard later this week, and I've always used .010's on a Les Paul. I've been using 9.5's on my Strat because of the longer scale length creates more tension and .010's were just a tad too uncomfortable to bend.

I was wondering if running 9.5's on a Les Paul would work okay?

Or should I stick to running .010's?

 

[Seashore]

9.5 is fine. Even 9 is nice if you like an easier bend. I've used em all in E standard on 24.75" LPs and they all work with no problems, you just have to make sure your saddles are adjusted for proper intonation.

 

[Mincer]

Pretty much every gauge of strings has been used on an LP. I use 9.5 on my LP-scale Warmoth, and it is great, so 9.5 on your LP would be awesome, too. If you try it, and like it, you might have to do a bit of a setup to compensate for the (slightly) lighter strings.

 

[Napthol]

I forgot to say that I also tune to E-flat. Would 9.5's still work?

 

[weepingminotaur]

Any gauge will work, really, but if you're in E flat, I'd say go no lighter than .10s.

 

[Seashore]

I think you could easily get away with 9.5 in E flat. Depends on the feel you want.

 

[ehdwuld]

Raise the tailpiece to ease the break angle over the saddles

String it with eights

Play ZZTop

 

[Mincer]

Even in Eb, you can make 9.5s work just fine.

 

[Supernautilus]

All my 24.75 scale guitars get 10-48 strings. That works for me, as all or most of them are set up for hard rock/metal where I frequently use drop D.

For my 25.5 guitars, I use either 10-46 or 9.5-44. Like the OP mentioned, the longer scale makes heavier strings unplayable for me personally.

 

[weepingminotaur]

Meh, 9.5 is too floppy for me in E flat, but as I said, you can make just about any gauge work. It's all down to what feel you prefer.

 

[solspirit]

I was thinking about 10-46 or 11-49

I just put 9-46 on last week and they're too limp, like spaghetti.

 

[weepingminotaur]

I currently have 10-48 on my E flat 24.75 guitar, and while it isn't bad, I think I need a bit more tension, at least on the bottom strings. Going to go to either 10-52 or 11-50.

 

[Clint 55]

Rule of thumb is each half step of tuning away from standard is equivalent to about a half gauge of strings. Also Fender and Gibson scale are about a half gauge apart. So a Gibson scale with 9.5s in Eb is about the same as 9s in standard.

 

[Securb]

I do not think there is a general rule; Iommi down-tuned and used .08s. It comes down to personal preferences for feel; anything will work.

 

[JMP/HBE]

.

 

[uOpt]

I will be receiving my new Epiphone Les Paul Standard later this week, and I've always used .010's on a Les Paul. I've been using 9.5's on my Strat because of the longer scale length creates more tension and .010's were just a tad too uncomfortable to bend.

I was wondering if running 9.5's on a Les Paul would work okay?

Or should I stick to running .010's?

I find that running the same gauge of strings on Fender scale and Gibson scale makes sense. For me the difference in scale is smaller than the string steps.

 

[Mincer]

This String Tension Calculator can tell you what the actual tension change you can expect.

 

[GuitarStv]

I like .11s on a short scale guitar like an LP in standard tuning. You're dropping half a step, so I'd go with 12s myself.

 

['59]

There is no answer anyone on this forum can give you that you couldn't get a better answer through personal experimentation. As other's have mentioned, scale plays into. To an extent, neck profile and string spacing effect how different gauges feel too. I like a lighter guage on an LP neck because trying to grip around that baseball bat makes the strings feel a little heavier to push down, but also a little easier to bend.

 

[gsammo79]

I moved from 10s to 9s a few years ago. Go for it. I didn't hear a difference in sound as much as better playability for me