who here's using 8's?

[appar111]

Slapped a set of Ernie Ball 8's on my strat build so I could get it up and running while waiting for the new pickguard to show up. Tuned to pitch and playing on a vintage radius & vintage fretted neck and I'm loving them!

Definitely had to lighten my touch up from 11's and 10's (and even 9's) on my other guitars, but I'm loving the feel.

Seems like Ernie Ball Extra Slinky 8-38 is the best value out there, with GHS being a close 2nd. D'Addario 8's are like $1.50 more a set ($5.50 versus $3.89/$3.99 for EB's or GHS).

Anyone else out there in SDUGF land rockin' 8's?

 

[appar111]

Re: who here's using 8's?

Yeah, it's REAL easy to overbend. And I play with those Dunlop 2mm delrin picks too. Weird thing is, I always automatically ease up and never break strings. It's a ton of fun.

Super light strings, vintage radius, small frets, and then a big ol' high output humbucker = one really fun playing guitar!

 

[lpmarshall]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I tried 9's once and immediately put 10's back on. I'm even contemplating going back to 11's right now.

 

[appar111]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I tried 9's once and immediately put 10's back on. I'm even contemplating going back to 11's right now.

So..... you're not using 8's? Cool, thanks for the info!

What guitar are you using? I'd imagine 8's on an LP scale guitar would just be ridiculously thin feeling.

 

[lpmarshall]

Re: who here's using 8's?

So..... you're not using 8's? Cool, thanks for the info!

What guitar are you using? I'd imagine 8's on an LP scale guitar would just be ridiculously thin feeling.

I'm saying if I couldn't get along with 9's, there is no way I could get along with 8's. I can't remember what guitar I put them in, it was probably a super strat.

 

[appar111]

Re: who here's using 8's?

Yeah, I really just threw the 8's on this guitar just to get it up and running. Totally expected the 8's to be unusable for my needs, but the guitar likes them quite a bit.

It's definitely an adjustment, but one I like, at least for the time being.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I buy a set occasionally for fun. Usually I play 9-42 on my Strat and 9-46 on my other electrics.

I find the gauges of a typical 8 set odd...

8 11 14 22 30 38

I'm sure that years ago I used to buy a Rotosound set that was...

8 10 15 22 30 40

That seems much better balanced to me!

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: who here's using 8's?

8's? What's it like having to change strings every week?

 

[jmh151]

Re: who here's using 8's?

My Les Paul years ago (I got it used) had 8's on it- it was ridiculously easy to play, the bad news is I always break strings way too easily with 8's. Really fun on a short scale guitar like a Gibson, if you have a light touch

 

[appar111]

Re: who here's using 8's?

8's? What's it like having to change strings every week?

I don't know. What do 8's have to do with that?

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I don't know. What do 8's have to do with that?

My experience with using lighter gauges is that the tone falls off quicker with age than heavier strings. 10's seem to last longer than 9's before needing a change.

 

[appar111]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I haven't used 8's enough to find out, but I'll give this set a go and see how long they last. I think if I'm not ham-fisting it, I won't wear them out any faster than I would 9's or 10's. But I suppose I can see the smaller surface area of smaller strings getting crusted up quicker than a larger set would, thus affecting how quickly they go dead.

 

[Brow]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I know a few people that love 8s on 24" scale guitars, REALLY not for me though!

 

[CTN]

Re: who here's using 8's?

pfffft 8's are for girly men.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: who here's using 8's?

The only people I've ever seen use 8's were playing shred stuff on a scalloped fretboard guitar like the Malmsteen Strat. I use nines when I set up my student's guitars, but never go below 9.5 's myself

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I can't believe I used to use 8s. I actually used them on a LP and when I would put on 9s, I thought they were too heavy. Then one day a friend just gave me a pack of 12s because he never used them and I put it on for the lols. I instantly fell in love with them and jumped from 8s to 12s like a cool cat.

 

[guitarded]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I over bend 10's too often. Use 11's on my Fenders and Gibson's. That seems to be the perfect gauge for the way I play. I use Ernie Ball Power Slinky.

 

[LReese]

Re: who here's using 8's?

My G string is an .008. Unwound of course, don't need chafing.

Yee Haw!!!

Sorry - Couldn't resist... 10s work best for me. Must have been twen...(AHEM) years since I had a set.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I've never messed with em but always wanted to try a set out. Doesn't Yngwie use 8's?

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: who here's using 8's?

I've never messed with em but always wanted to try a set out. Doesn't Yngwie use 8's?

Yeah, and Tony Iommi's set is: .008p, .008p, .011p, .018w, .024w, .032w.