What string gauge ?

[tomjackson]

Forget about your ultra low tunings here, I'm only interested in EADGBE tuning.

What gauge do you use and why?

[Jonny]

I use 11s and 12s and still bend strings :)

[Elliot]

Ditto with Jonny - Play acoustic blues for a while and anything less than 11 feel like bits of dental floss. 

[Stevepage]

11's to 54's tuned to E are my favourite on my Flying V. 11 - 48 on every thing else. Lighter strings now give me cramp.

[38thBeatle]

11s and like the others I  bend the b*ggers. I do like SRV too as it happens but it wasn't anything to do with his choice that I chose them. They do seem to last quite well.

[Ratrod]

I voted 10's 'cause that's on my Tele and Yamaha. On my Gretsch it's 11's. That has alot of string behind the nut and behind the bridge so bending isn't as hard as it seems. They just feel right on that guitar.

SRV?

[tomjackson]

Well I used to use 11's and the bending was never a problem, 12's it started to get a bit hard, - 1 step bends hurt, 1 1/2 step was impossible!  And I had to buy a plain G as well as the set.....

I use 10's with a heavy bottom nowadays but I'm a bit surprised that there's not many 8 or 9 users on this forum but then again downtuning has taken over in the metal world now so may be that's why?

[indysmith]

11-52
I just REALLY don't understand even a little bit HOW anyone can play with anything lighter?! 10s just flap all over the bloody place.

SRV?

Stevie Ray Vaughan? I thought he was quite well known?

[tomjackson]

Well I used to use exclusively 11's but changed to 10's with a heavy bottom on my Tele to pull off some Nashville style unison bends.  In fact to make it easier 9's would be better but that's just wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJaSZxZJFV0

[Antag]

I tune all (well, almost all) my guitars to Eb & use 10-46s on all my 25½" scale guitars.

But on my Gibsons I use 10-52s - I kinda like the looser feel on the top strings but like the bottom strings not to flap around too much.  It accentuates the differences between 24¾" & 25½" in a good way... :)

[Philosoful]

I use a 27" 7 string and used to use 11-75s. Tried a 80 yesterday and it still could go tighter I think, however, got a little problem of the string unwinding and thus moi needing a custom machine head :lol:

[gwEm]

i use 11s on everything except my union jack steinberger, and OFR flying V which have 10s.

11s is my preference, and i have 11s 'in stock' so to speak. but to speak the truth even if two guitars have the same scale length i noticed the string tension can be different. ideally i'd change a couple of guitars to have a different gauge, for example my wezv strat has a noticeably higher tension than my jazzmaster with the same scale length.

[jibidy]

I voted Hybrid because I tune down to drop B. I just like the hugeness og the sound.

I have used as thick as 13-56 but i found it far to thick.

I am currently using 11-54 beefy slinkies and they feel very good.

[Muttley]

I mainly use standard tuning, or occasionally down half a step and use D'Addario 10-46s on all my guitars.  I will probably be trying 10-52s on my SG come next string change.

Many years ago I used to use 11s.  I can't remember the variety,  but the G was wound and it would always break from all the bending it got.  Since changing to the D'Addario 10-46s (about 12 years ago I think) I can count the amount of broken strings I've had on one hand.

I've never had a guitar with 9s on, but playing friends' guitars that have them I can't stand them.  It feels like you're picking air.   :lol:

[jibidy]

Ah bollox i just read the post that says forget about drop tunings.

I would re-vote for 10's best of both worlds. they just have more "feeling" when you play.