which strings are weaker?

[astrozombie]

in my experience strings all kind of do the same thing under my hands: sound out music. I can tell the slight diferences from gauge to gauge, i can determine the sound, but for the life of me i can't predict what strings will break when.

I'm considering going down to 9s on my guitar as an experiment. I think they're going to feel easier under my hands and give me a slight sense of relief when playing.

are they weaker, more likely to break? I'm using 11s... I've broken plenty of these.

I have a soft attack, I don't bang on the strings.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: which strings are weaker?

If you have a soft attack and are breaking strings your guitar may need the attention of a tech...you probably have a sharp spot somewhere

 

[astrozombie]

Re: which strings are weaker?

If you have a soft attack and are breaking strings your guitar may need the attention of a tech...you probably have a sharp spot somewhere

I have no trouble with breakage. I'm just wondering if thinner strings really are weaker or if the difference is slight.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: which strings are weaker?

Lighter gauge strings require less tension to reach any given pitch. Yes, they will be easier to bend but this is not necessarily a good thing. IMO, some guitars yield better tone if you have to fight them a bit.

 

[blueman335]

Re: which strings are weaker?

Lighter gauge strings require less tension to reach any given pitch. Yes, they will be easier to bend but this is not necessarily a good thing. IMO, some guitars yield better tone if you have to fight them a bit.

That's one theory. Easy-to-bend is a very good thing. I want total control over my strings, every bend, vibrato, and nuance to be just what I want, and that means 9's for me. Why make it harder than it has to be (that's an EVH quote, BTW).

I average a string break a year, which is mostly due to my incessant loosening and retightening from mag swaps. There are few players here that bend as often, or as deeply as I do (Peter Green and early Jimmy Page style), and string breaks are almost non-existent for me. If 9's are 'weaker' it's offset by the reduced string tension. Thick strings are so taught (in std tuning) even if they're stronger, they're more likely to break. If you're breaking 'plenty' of 11's, and I almost never break 9's, and I bend like a madman, there's your answer.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: which strings are weaker?

I have no trouble with breakage. I'm just wondering if thinner strings really are weaker or if the difference is slight.

Yep, they make a weaker signal IME. But that doesn't mean they are "weak." They work fine. They just ask for a different sort of picking, and different amp settings and pickup adjustments.

It all comes down to what feels best to you. There's nothing wrong with any gauge, as long as you get what you want from them.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: which strings are weaker?

I have no trouble with breakage. I'm just wondering if thinner strings really are weaker or if the difference is slight.

OK, I read your line about 11's and breaking plenty of strings...which is often an issue with the instrument.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: which strings are weaker?

With thinner gauges, it's often not so much about breaking the B or top E strings, as the D string, due to it being made with thinner components (core and wrapping).

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: which strings are weaker?

OK, I read your line about 11's and breaking plenty of strings...which is often an issue with the instrument.

Agreed. In 12 years I have only broken 1 string while playing and that was due to a poorly setup instrument. Happened from a combination of a poorly cut saddle and not enough back pressure from the tail piece.

 

[blueman335]

Re: which strings are weaker?

With thinner gauges, it's often not so much about breaking the B or top E strings, as the D string, due to it being made with thinner components (core and wrapping).

With my 9's, I only break high E's and B's, and that's because they can't take all the loosening and retightening from all my infernal mag swaps. I don't think I've ever broken a wound string in my life. Part of it may be my playing style; I have a very aggressive left hand, but a controlled and precise right hand. I never bang on my strings. I'm not one of those guys that thinks guitars are part of a drum kit.

 

[G0lden]

Re: which strings are weaker?

I too have never broken a wound string. I didn't even know that was possible. Well actually I mean, I didn't know that it happens regularly to guys.

Though I did go to a concert once where the lead singer would smack his strings so hard that he kept breaking the Low E. All I could think was that this guy really needs to learn how to play guitar. (Manchester Orchestra was the band name).

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: which strings are weaker?

There's nothing worse than breaking a string when going for a big high bend... makes me feel like a gorilla.

 

[TheTranslator]

Re: which strings are weaker?

Basically, the smaller the gauge, the easier to break. I use 9's (and flatwound 12's on my hollowbody archtops), but I haven't done a whole lot of hardcore bending since my Jimi Hendrix/Jimmy Page days, and when I do bend, it's usually only one step wide, not the "Whole Lotta Love" thing :laugh2: I haven't popped a string for YEARS :11:

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: which strings are weaker?

Page used 9s and bent 2+ steps regularly.

Gary Moore used 12s and bent like crazy.

Do they break strings? Probably.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: which strings are weaker?

I use 10's on my hard-tails, and 9's on my floaters. I bend like Page (at least in my dreams) and don't often break strings while playing. Usually only when the strings are getting old.

My hands sweat a fair amount when I play, and I found that Ernie Balls would corrode very quickly in my hands. I switched to D'Addarios when I realized a set on my spontaneous practice guitar had survived for over 2 years without a break, and now have much longer string life on all my axes. YMMV.

 

[jumble jumble]

Re: which strings are weaker?

That's one theory. Easy-to-bend is a very good thing. I want total control over my strings, every bend, vibrato, and nuance to be just what I want, and that means 9's for me. Why make it harder than it has to be (that's an EVH quote, BTW).

I average a string break a year, which is mostly due to my incessant loosening and retightening from mag swaps. There are few players here that bend as often, or as deeply as I do (Peter Green and early Jimmy Page style), and string breaks are almost non-existent for me. If 9's are 'weaker' it's offset by the reduced string tension. Thick strings are so taught (in std tuning) even if they're stronger, they're more likely to break. If you're breaking 'plenty' of 11's, and I almost never break 9's, and I bend like a madman, there's your answer.

So why don't you use 8s?

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: which strings are weaker?

Page used 9s and bent 2+ steps regularly.

Gary Moore used 12s and bent like crazy.

Do they break strings? Probably.

Where did you hear gary used 12's?

everything I have ever read noted that he used 10-52 gauge strings

 

[Jay 77]

Re: which strings are weaker?

It's clearly a conspiracy...manufacturers making light gauge strings just so you break them often and buy more. Duh. Where's Tom when you need him?

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: which strings are weaker?

It all comes down to what feels best to you. There's nothing wrong with any gauge, as long as you get what you want from them.

This. Just try them out and see how they work FOR YOU
it doesn't really matter if they work for me, unless you plan on buying me a set.........

 

[appar111]

Re: which strings are weaker?

Page used 9s and bent 2+ steps regularly.

Gary Moore used 12s and bent like crazy.Do they break strings? Probably.

really?