String gauge?

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:36 pm

Rhysyrhys' new Strat post got me thinking, do you use the same string gauge on all your guitars of the same scale length? I realise teh shortscales will have the chubbier stringd. I string thus:

Strat - 9s
Riviera - 9s
Gibson SG - 10s
Yamaha SG -10s
Tele - 11s

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:38 pm

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky on everything. I wanna try Super Slinkys again though.

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:40 pm

Picato Flatwound 11's on my Jag & Mustang
I use 11's on everything

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 6:01 pm

10's on everything except for short scales.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 6:57 pm

For some time now I've played in nothing other than standard tuning. So it's been 9's on;

Fender Telecasters
Fender Duo Sonic
Epiphone Sheraton

My other guitars hardly get played so I won't count them in.

Usually d'addario. But I have tried Rotosound, Elixir and not really got on with them as well.

However, there has been a recent change.
I recently bought an Epiphone SG400 purely on a Tony Iommi trip and thought I'd try 8's just because he used them. It's been a bit of a revelation, one of those "the guitar plays itself" moments were bends, scale runs and riffs seem twice as fast and effortless.
I'm thinking of using 8's more often but I do understand the only reason they feel so nice is because I haven't used them for over 15 years.

If your bored some time try it, it's good fun.

Concretebadger · Post by **Concretebadger** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:26 pm

I use 10s on all standard scale lengths, but bumped it up to 11s for my Mustang back in the day. I play almost exclusively half step down or lower these days though, so if I were to play my JM or buy a strat that's tuned to standard, I could well try out 9s again.

I'm also conscious of the fact that I'm not a young 'un any more, so things like rheumatism and carpal tunnel issues later on are going to be nearer the front of my mind. It's not just about being comfortable and sounding as good as I can *now*, but in years to come as well.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:50 pm

Depends what I'm doing with the guitar. Having played bass for so long, 9s take some real adjustment not to accidentally press too hard, and I couldn't fathom 8s

I also am a firm believer that a thicker gauge sounds better (up to a certain point).

25.5" scale get a standard set of 11-50s. Unless I'm down tuning it, in which case they get these in 12-60.

24.75" scale typically get light top heavy bottom, 10-56. But again, if down tuning, those DDTs, except 11-54.

24" scale always 11-50s. Anything lower doesn't have enough tension, anything higher feels kind of strange for reasons I can't really explain.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:04 pm

I used to do this sort of opposite. So, on my Jag-Stang I'd play 009's, as i wanted it slinky as hell. Then, on everything else 010's or 011's. Then I went to 012's and 013's on everything. I liked struggling a bit with playing and having something to fight against and I've always been an aggressive player.

In the last year or so I've gone back to playing 010's on pretty much everything and realising that I quite like being able to play effortlessly.

Always d'addarios now. For a while I liked Rotos, but I think that maybe they sound great when they're brand new, like, they sound newer out of the pack than other strings, so you think they're great.

Overall, I've learned that it probably doesn't matter too much which gauge or brand, but that I'm probably always going to buy a specific gauge and brand just incase.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:23 pm

Fran wrote:For some time now I've played in nothing other than standard tuning. So it's been 9's on;

Fender Telecasters
Fender Duo Sonic
Epiphone Sheraton

My other guitars hardly get played so I won't count them in.

Usually d'addario. But I have tried Rotosound, Elixir and not really got on with them as well.

However, there has been a recent change.
I recently bought an Epiphone SG400 purely on a Tony Iommi trip and thought I'd try 8's just because he used them. It's been a bit of a revelation, one of those "the guitar plays itself" moments were bends, scale runs and riffs seem twice as fast and effortless.
I'm thinking of using 8's more often but I do understand the only reason they feel so nice is because I haven't used them for over 15 years.

If your bored some time try it, it's good fun.

Never tried 8s... also a standard tuning guy, never really got into alternate tunings

George · Post by **George** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:25 am

Only play Strats really, and it has to be 9s for me. AND I'm tuned to E flat at the moment, in and out of open G (flat) tuning.

Side note: There's a lot of this nonsense kicking about in the guitar world that higher string gauges yield the best tone, but your best tone surely comes from being able to play at your best, comfortably. It's all the factors combined, innit.

Post by **Doog** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:46 am

D'addario 11s on everything, for like 10 years. Though, whenever I go home and play 25.5 geetar, it feels suuuuuper-stiff compared to the 11s on my shortscale Silvertone and Mustang. Maaaay need to start sticking 12s on those 2, lest my hands to turn to weak jelly

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:27 am

Flatwound .13's on everything.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:29 am

if these came in flatwound i would buy them butt fuck ridgies

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 12:06 pm

Les Paul - 11-52
Jazzmaster - 10-52
Coronado - some flatwounds like Robroe, but I don't really like them so it'll be getting 10-52
Martin - Can't remember - 11s or 12s

The Les Paul gets by far the most play, and feels natural, anything heavier than that and it feels like the guitar is fighting me, anything lighter than 10-52 and it doesn't feel right, like playing spaghetti.

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:56 pm

10s on the Strat.
11s on everything else.

Rhysyrhys · Post by **Rhysyrhys** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:19 pm

I have exclusively used Ernie Ball Cobalt packs for the last 9 years or so, or since they were released. My main playing guitars are always strung with 10-56 or 52 Light-Heavy and shortscales with 12s. I string acoustics with 11s and if I had one I'd have a Dano/plywood model strung with 13s or 12s because that is always super fun.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:52 pm

dezb1 wrote:
Fran wrote:For some time now I've played in nothing other than standard tuning. So it's been 9's on;

Fender Telecasters
Fender Duo Sonic
Epiphone Sheraton

My other guitars hardly get played so I won't count them in.

Usually d'addario. But I have tried Rotosound, Elixir and not really got on with them as well.

However, there has been a recent change.
I recently bought an Epiphone SG400 purely on a Tony Iommi trip and thought I'd try 8's just because he used them. It's been a bit of a revelation, one of those "the guitar plays itself" moments were bends, scale runs and riffs seem twice as fast and effortless.
I'm thinking of using 8's more often but I do understand the only reason they feel so nice is because I haven't used them for over 15 years.

If your bored some time try it, it's good fun.
Never tried 8s... also a standard tuning guy, never really got into alternate tunings

I like a guitar to be easy to play, my hands get put through enough in a working day without picking the instrument up and grappling with 12 gauge or some shit. I know there's the tone argument but it's a load of bollocks in my opinion.

Post by **Doog** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:06 pm

I think it really depends on your playing style; one of the biggest differences between light and heavy strings is how sharp they go on the initial attack, especially if you really dig in. Was watching this earlier, a bit waffley but interesting

[youtube][/youtube]
(jump-to links in the description)

In the above video, there's some differences for sure, but nothing an EQ knob wouldn't readdress. I think so much of this stuff is about what feels right to you. That shit is gonna have an effect on your playing, which will have an instant effect on the whole shebang. We're nae robots, capn.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 4:47 pm

I use 10s both on electrics and acoustics. It feels so much easier for me to play 10s on acoustic instead of regular 11s or 12s. Might wanna try 9s and 8s on electric

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:25 pm

Doog wrote:I think it really depends on your playing style; one of the biggest differences between light and heavy strings is how sharp they go on the initial attack, especially if you really dig in. Was watching this earlier, a bit waffley but interesting

[youtube][/youtube]
(jump-to links in the description)

In the above video, there's some differences for sure, but nothing an EQ knob wouldn't readdress. I think so much of this stuff is about what feels right to you. That shit is gonna have an effect on your playing, which will have an instant effect on the whole shebang. We're nae robots, capn.

Quite interesting. I didn't know Billy Gibbons uses 7's

Thinking about it, I'm quite a delicate player, which is maybe why the strings don't go sharp for me.