Going up or down in string gauges? Now general string adventures

Mark1960

Started on 10s initially, then went to 9s (on a Strat) many years ago and have stayed there. Tone is the same, slight loss of volume, but not really noticable at gigging levels. Great for bends and vibrato, and I feel the response is better as it feels like less pressure is required. The action somehow feels faster and more responsive, but that may be in my head!

ESBlonde

I've been mainly 9's for so long I can't remember. I still use 10-38 on my Aria, but I'm pretty settled on 9's elsewhere. Even the 335 although you do need a very light touch or you can pull it out of tube easily unless you use that as vibrato. A younger me would have hated it!

Once you're used to a gauge of string it's no hardship either way.

CountryDave

9-46 on Fender scale guitars, 10-52 on Gibson scale after having been as high as 11's on a Kramer in the early 90's.

If I'm playing in Eb on a Fender I'll go 10-52.

I've also recently changed plectrums after using Tortex Green 0.88 for years.  Picked up a Fender 346 medium at a friends house and played for an hour or so.  Decided I liked it and got a few more.

ToneControl

9-46 have always worked best for me on electrics
bass strings get floppy below 46

HAL9000

soma1975 said:

Reading recently about Jimi using a 9-38 set and BB and Billy Gibbons using ultra light strings has anyone here made the jump to something like that and what do you feel you have gained and lost by it? 

I tried a set of 8s once. Far too light and would sometimes bend out of tune just holding chords. Unless you have an exceptionally delicate touch I wouldn't recommend.

munckee

I use 10-46 on all my electrics, I did try 9's on a tele before and it was fine but I would only go back if I played more lead than rhythym.  Plus it has always been easier to have the same electric strings for everything kicking around at home.

jpfamps

Used to use 11s when I was doing a lot of guitar gigs as I had more hand strength, but now have mainly 10s on my guitars.

I'm now playing a lot more gigs but mostly on bass (and lap steel!!), so I suspect I'll go back to 11s as I expect that I've regained some hand strength.

p90fool

I'm now on 9-42 since I dislocated my 3rd and 4th fingers a couple of years ago. I even have them on my gigging electro acoustic, though I have 10-52 on my good acoustic. 

 I'm 54 with a history of tendon problems, some arthritis and a bit of injury damage. There are lots of things I can't play anymore, there doesn't seem to be much point in being macho about strings. 

soma1975

To be honest I kinda started the thread because I wondered about tone and feel from an 'all other things being equal' base but completely forgot we are a bunch of run down decrepit players near breaking point! 

I'm guessing Jimi, BB and B-Gibs had strong enough fingers but preferred it. 

8s definitely too light for me as I have the touch of an ox. Not played anything lighter than a .046 low E for well over a decade, defaulted to a .52 for much of that in the old days,  and am intrigued. 

Hendrix's' fast rhythm playing on the likes of Lover Man and Changes for example. Is that easier to facilitate on his light strings? Seems a bit counter intuitive because it is such a driving sound but am definitely interested in finding out. 

axisus

I use 9s. I tried 8s once (years ago) after reading a list of players I admire who used them. They seemed ridiculously skinny and I took them off the same day. I'm now thinking I'd like to try them again, so I may string up a lesser used guitar for a whirl this time.

DeeTee

I think for years there was this macho idea that "anything less than 11's on a strat and you're a WIMP!" which had people justifying it by insisting that the tone was so much better. This was really damaging, because if that's not what's comfortable for you, you'll end up with a variety of injuries.

I think people are more likely to ignore that kind of thing these days, and are finding that lighter strings just aren't making a huge difference. The only thing I have found is that it's a little easier to have a really low action with heavy strings, because they buzz a bit less. But not finishing a three hour practice with a cramped wrist is totally worth it.

mudslide73

I'm playing a mixture of 9s and 10s but have gone over to Newtone which have lower tension. The Lucidity 9s feel like 9s tuned down a step. Lovely with my creaky hands.

p90fool

Bear in mind, regarding hand strength that pretty much all the best electric guitarists had done their greatest work by their mid 20s, that's practically a child compared to a lot of us on here!

jeztone2

I grew up on 009-042’s. When I played in a pop band they worked as I had a few Nile Rodgers style licks to play. Then for the last 23+ years I used 009-046 Hybrids. As long as the guitar was set up properly it was fine. Although I always preferred a high action. Until I hit my late 40’s anyway. 

This is Year I’ve moved to 010-046 and tuning is a little more stable. But I wouldn’t go any heavier. Not unless I was playing guitar every day, or I downtuned. 

DrJazzTap

11s for everything for the last 15 years or so. Although getting back into playing more regularly i am thinking about going down to 10s. 

DB1

When I more or less strummed a Strat a few years ago, it was 9's - I couldn't countenance anything else. Habit, I suppose. Now I'm contemplating 12 flatwounds on a Little Sister, my Dupont Bebop and an ES-275. I think it's more the tension that affects me - I also pretend to play some jazzy chords, and the heavier strings seem to avoid that wobble as the strings are pulled, no doubt because of my terrible technique. 

I have 10's on my SJ-100 though, and can't seem to get along with heavier strings on an acoustic. I might even round the excitement off tonight by putting 10-46's back on my ES-330. The days just fly past.

Philtre

Anything less than 11's on a Strat and you're a WIMP. The tone is so much better.

soma1975

DB1 said:

When I more or less strummed a Strat a few years ago, it was 9's - I couldn't countenance anything else. Habit, I suppose. Now I'm contemplating 12 flatwounds on a Little Sister, my Dupont Bebop and an ES-275. I think it's more the tension that affects me - I also pretend to play some jazzy chords, and the heavier strings seem to avoid that wobble as the strings are pulled, no doubt because of my terrible technique. 

I have 10's on my SJ-100 though, and can't seem to get along with heavier strings on an acoustic. I might even round the excitement off tonight by putting 10-46's back on my ES-330. The days just fly past.

12s on Electric and 10s on an acoustic? Where are you from? Round-the-wrong-way land? 

DB1

soma1975 said:

DB1 said:

When I more or less strummed a Strat a few years ago, it was 9's - I couldn't countenance anything else. Habit, I suppose. Now I'm contemplating 12 flatwounds on a Little Sister, my Dupont Bebop and an ES-275. I think it's more the tension that affects me - I also pretend to play some jazzy chords, and the heavier strings seem to avoid that wobble as the strings are pulled, no doubt because of my terrible technique. 

I have 10's on my SJ-100 though, and can't seem to get along with heavier strings on an acoustic. I might even round the excitement off tonight by putting 10-46's back on my ES-330. The days just fly past.

12s on Electric and 10s on an acoustic? Where are you from? Round-the-wrong-way land? 

Staffordshire, so fairly close. ;-)

Actually, the SJ-100 is such a cannon, even with 10's on, that it's very adequate in terms of bass and volume, and also keeps it quite pliable for doing jazzier stuff further up the neck. 

skullfunkerry

Philtre said:

Anything less than 11's on a Strat and you're a WIMP. The tone is so much better.

Cain, is that you?