String Gauges and types

[FELINEGUITARS]

I like a mix of 9-42s/9-46/10-46 depending on what guitar i'm using and it's scale length.

I used to absolutely love Labella "Hard rocking steel" strings , but just not easy to get in the UK..

D'addario make a 9.5-44 set and a 10.5-48 set for players having a hard time with the transition between gauges.
We keep them in stock and they are v popular.

I tend to use 9.5s on our show guitars because someplayers will hate a guitar fitted with 9s - saying it's too loose and others wil struggle with 10s and not feel inspired by the guitar as a result. Just trying to take a centre line

[Tinus]

Nice to see more DR fans up here. I use DR Tite-fits 10-52 for all my 6string guitars (Epi Elite Riviera, Epi Casino, ES335) and D'Addario and Rickenbacker strings (10-46ish)  for my twelves (Epi Elite Riviera 12, Rickenbacker 330-12). I would love a DR electric 12string set but the D'Addario's seem to work fine and I can get them cheap.

[Skybone]

I use Hybrid Slinky's (9 - 46), which I notice have been left off the poll choice! :(

I like them.

[PhilKing]

Sorry, I was trying to think of all the gauges I could.  I used to use skinny top/heavy bottoms myself, but moved into 11's.  I tried to add the option for you but couldn't.

Cheers
Phil

[jt]

What guage strings is everyone using.  This makes an amazing difference to the tone.  Also the type of string.  I am using pure nickel wound and 10-46 on Fenders and PRS's, 11-49 on Gibsons.  Mostly I use D'Addario, but I also use John Pearse strings (from the USA, though he is the 'Hold Down a Chord' guy!).  Pure nickels come out of the packet sounding a bit bright but after playing a couple of hours the tone is there and lasts.

I can't really get on too well with 9-42, not enough beef in there, as an old blues guy, I like the guitar to be able to fight back too  8)

Phil

8) Hey man i`m using 10-52`s GHS Boomers the strings seem to have a slightly percussive wack with `em and they seem to hold there tone longer they also feel good under the fingers try `em

[Ratrod]

There seems to be this 'bigger gauges are for REAL players' kind of vibe, not specifically here, but just genarally amongst players.  Toni Iommi used light gauge strings (8s I do believe) and his tone was without a doubt one of the defining metal tones ever recorded.

I believe in using what feels best to the specific player.  I use 11s tuned down 1/2 a step but the other guitar player in my band uses 10s tuned down 1/2 a step and he still gets a brutal tone.

 :twisted:

Tony used those strings because of his amputated finger tips. The man couldn't bend heavier gauges. I use D'addario 9's mostly.

[rinse_master]

I use 10-52's mostly, I like experimenting but always come back to 10-52's, the work well with drop-d and the unwound strings don't take 3 fingers to bend, haha!

I usually prefer D'Adarrio's, for the price they are good strings.

I do like flatwounds too, I had them on my 7 string for a while, but not cheap.

[March]

10-46 Dean Markley Blue Steel's on my No. 1 Strat, MM Axis and PRS.
11-48 Daddario's on my 50th Anniversary Strat (tuned to Eb) and Hamer Special (standard tuning).
9-46 Daddario on my HM Strat.

[R/2e]

I suggested on another (somewhat widdly) forum that real men used 10's and 9's were 'girly', for which I have been heavily criticised (nothing like a contentious posting to drag people out of the woodwork!!). Glad to see this forum at least is primarily real men.............

Personally, having used 9's for donkey's years (I started using Ernie Ball Slinkys in 1969), I swapped to 10's (D'Addario) about ten years ago and find them much more satisfying to use, bit more fight, but rewarding.

[Ratrod]

I think the Fender style guitars lend themselves better for 9's while Gibson style guitars are better with 10's.

[nuntius]

Whatever guage you use, make sure you're not hurting yourself.

Playing 9s and actually being able to play is better than attemtping 13s and damaging your hand.  Just because SRV had thick strings doesn't mean you can handle them too.


Also, it's about control as much as anything else.. what's the use if you can't coax a nice vibrato out of the string because it's too thick.  If you're overbending 9s that isn't because they're too thin, that's because you can't control your bends.. pick the guage that feels right for you, and that you can handle.


I put on a set of Eric Johnson GHS yesterday.. 10-50.  I'm liking them so far, but they've not really been on long enough for me to make a decision about them.

I've got another guitar with EB not even slinkies (12-56) tuned in C#.. I swapped out the unwound 24 for a 20 because I hate thick thirds..

On acoustics I'm currently using 11s

[rinse_master]

I tried some Not Even SLinky's, that plain 3rd is horrid!, especially trying to trim the excess when you string up.

[_tom_]

ive allways used 11s on my les paul and 10s on my strat. i tried 10s on the LP but they had to go, they felt too flimsy and broke all the time for some reason. 10s last fine on my strat though  :?

[Brow]

At the minute I use Dean Markley 10-46 on all my guitars (Les Pauls, Strats and a Tele).

I'm thinking of trying an 11-49 set on a LP and a Strat though, just to see how I like them  :)

[dpmasunder]

I've been using D'Addario 10-52 with a 65 bass string for my low B.
Lately I've been experimenting with SIT's and I'm pretty impressed, they seem to have a bit more of a piano-like tonality, but are a bit more abbrasive feeling.
I use the bass string because it's double wound, the guitar strings around that gauge are single wound and don't sound quite as 'solid'.
And they're harder to find  :D