9s or 10s

Hootsmon

if 9s are your bag do you find yourself breaking more strings than you would normally do as a 10s user?

Is there a drop in volume and oomph with them old skinny 9s?

I see a LOT of great guitar players on the tube and the ease with which they bend is makin' me think a lot of folks are 9rs these days compared to the fashion for 10s....sort of a thing

To the 9rs again......did you find yourself using a lighter touch when you dropped down from 10s?

Thanks guys 

sweepy

Use 9.5's perfect for me on Strats 

Arjailer

Have used 9s since I started playing ~30 years ago. 9-46 for the last 8 or so years, for Eb or drop-D tuning. Change strings about once a year (my sweat appears to be the non-corrosive kind) and hardly ever break them, even with lots of bending.

The Cort tele I got a few months ago came with 10s. I told myself I'd give them a week or two and see how it went. Ended up changing them to 9s first thing the following morning. Just too much tension for my weak little fingers 

No idea about volume differences as I've never really used 10s, but my touch has always been pretty light.

Blueingreen

I use 9s, haven't broken a string in decades. I do have a very light touch though.

I think tonal differences are too slight to matter once you take into account all the other things that affect tone.

merciful-evans

10-46 after using custom sizes for many years.

Lighter gauges certainly make for easier bends. However, the higher tension of heavier strings can permit a very slightly lower action, as there is less tendency to buzz.

I use flatwound 12s on my archtop and they dont bend at all!

Mark1960

I was always taught to use as light a gauge of strings as possible, so went from 10s to 9s. The trick IMHO is to use a softer plectrum (one which flexes). I can't remember the last time I broke a string. With all "mechanical" things, I think you can develop a feel for it. Best thing to do is try some 9s, and if you are breaking strings look at your plectrum / how hard you are hitting the strings.

Matt_McG

I have mostly been using 10s on my tele style guitar, for years, but, if I'm honest, I prefer 9s.

I had some 9s on it for a while when dealing with some left hand issues (not entirely gone away), and I felt that the lighter strings let me practice more without pain, and had more control over bends. I also don't think the tone was worse. I think, maybe, the lighter right and left hand touch may even improve my tone. Although, it does vary from string brand to string brand, I think.

Next time I get a few minutes, I'll restring back to 9s. 

ESBlonde

I use different strings (brands and gauges if applicable) for each guitar as suits. My default is 9's but they suit the Fender scale better, the Gibson scale can make them feel a bit too easy to bend if you're a high pressure man!

It sometimes takes me a few string changes/months until I settle on a best combination for a new guitar.

Grumpyrocker

10s on all my guitars for years. Used to use Ernie Balls, but got some free D'Addario a few years ago and have been buying those since.

Dan_Halen

All just depends... scale length of the guitar, if you use drop tunings, string manufacturer, how heavy you play, what sort of picks you use (how thick they are) etc.

I've got 10s, 9.5s and 9s on different guitars but they all feel fairly similar in tension - 9 on a couple of strats, 10s on a couple of Gibson scale length guitars and 9.5 on the ones that just need a bit more or less tension. Only ever broke a handful of strings of either gauge.

I could use heavier but 1. I don't think they sound any better... maybe ever so slightly different but definitely not 'better' 2. I feel I can be more expressive with lighter strings and 3. What's the point in using strings I feel are harder to play.

I've come across a few guys who see it as a macho thing to play super heavy strings in standard tuning. It's not like you win a prize or anything or anyone other than you even cares. Just use what is comfortable.

TINMAN82

10s on everything for some time, mainly as I like the feel under my left hand. My new Jem will go from factory 9s to 9.5 at next string change though.

PolarityMan

I really rarely break strings on bends, my string breaks are all at the bridge end and typically from a hard palm mute. Thankfully pretty rare...dont think Ive broken a string for a couple of years now. 

PolarityMan

Dan_Halen said:

All just depends... scale length of the guitar, if you use drop tunings, string manufacturer, how heavy you play, what sort of picks you use (how thick they are) etc.

I've got 10s, 9.5s and 9s on different guitars but they all feel fairly similar in tension - 9 on a couple of strats, 10s on a couple of Gibson scale length guitars and 9.5 on the ones that just need a bit more or less tension. Only ever broke a handful of strings of either gauge.

I could use heavier but 1. I don't think they sound any better... maybe ever so slightly different but definitely not 'better' 2. I feel I can be more expressive with lighter strings and 3. What's the point in using strings I feel are harder to play.

I've come across a few guys who see it as a macho thing to play super heavy strings in standard tuning. It's not like you win a prize or anything or anyone other than you even cares. Just use what is comfortable.

In certain cases heavier strings are easier to play than light ones. Especially on the bottom strings some extra string tension really helps with getting fast picking. 

springhead

Hybrid 9-46 sets here on Gibsons, regular 9-42 on Fender's.  I've done that for 20+ years.  I always think I should be playnig heavier strings but never quite manage to man up and do it.

thegummy

I use 10s now but there was a time I used 9s. The 10s are only not easy to bend if you're not used to them. As a bass player, any gauge of guitar strings feels thin to me.

I never really break strings while playing (touch wood; will probably happen to me now lol) it's mostly when I'm doing setup adjustments and the strings have been on for a while already.

richardhomer

9s on Strats for me - can’t remember ever breaking a string....

guitars4you

On most guitars I'm 100% content with 10's - often 10-52 - But on a Strat and Tele I've been debating and arguing about 9's or 10's for maybe 40 years, so it ain't going to go away - 

skunkwerx

For standard scale lengths and standard tuning its hybrid 9.5's all the way. 

All the benefits of easy bending, all the benefits of chuggy chuggy on the bass strings. Never broke one through playing normally. Broke loads over the years tuning with crap machine heads

Snags

10s here, although I didn't particularly break 9s when I used them.

However, I'm a ham-fisted baboon and tend to find that 9s are too easy to de-tune when playing open chord shapes down around the 2nd and 3rd fret.

Matt_McG

thegummy said:

The 10s are only not easy to bend if you're not used to them. 

For me, that isn't really true.

I've been playing guitar for 33 years, and I'm not the proverbial 9 stone weakling (not that there's anything wrong with that).  I'm 15 stone on a good day, and have fairly large hands, but I still find 10s slightly on the heavy side for full step or larger than full step bends, especially in lower positions on the neck. And as per my comment above, I have generally defaulted to 10s for most of the time I've been playing.

Musicwolf

It used to be 10's on a guitar with a scale length of 25" and under (so PRS / Gibson) and 9's on a 25.5" (Fender).  Then I started playing in a band who tuned down a half step and so I upped the Fenders to 10's but now I'm on 9's for everything apart from my Casino.  I play with a either metal of stone pick and I don't have a light touch.  I seldom break strings, but then I do change them very frequently due to corrosive sweat.  I can't say that I really notice a change in sound, it's far more about feel.