String gauge of the pros

[Philly Q]

I've read the occasional anecdote about big-name players - who have long gaps between tours - starting tours (or rehearsals) with a light gauge, then moving up a gauge after a few gigs when they're back in the swing of things and their fingers have got a little stronger.

Also I've heard people say they use a slightly heavier gauge live than they would at home or in the studio, because the extra adrenaline on stage was making them over-bend the lighter strings.

In contrast I heard that SRV (him again!) would start a tour with those huge thick strings, but later possibly drop down a gauge or two because they were simply taking too much of a toll on his fingers.

[Elliot]

I started off with 11s - it wasn't an SRV thing - it was just what I was used to.  Over the years I have gone down to 10s and 9s as I like the zing that thinner gauges have over the bassiness of 11s.  The  recent flatwound experiment on my Jaguar has convinced me that 12 flats are the right guage for 24" scale guitars.

[Alex]

I think for every famous "freak" player (7s, 8s, 13s, 14s...) out there, there are at least 10 "normal" gauge famous players.

I just go with what feels and sounds best, depending on the guitar. I was quite interested in the Jimmy Dunlop Jr interview a while ago in Guitarist, in which they said that the different type of string, even with the same gauge, can feel and sound quite different. That means there's more to experiment for me!  :D

[JJretroTONEGOD]

wow I didn't know a 9.5 string set existed until reading this, that sounds perfect, I've always felt 9s are too thin and 10 too thick. You learn something new here everyday

[itamar101]

I'd just like to mention that, in my experience, playing the piano has REALLY helped in terms of string tension for me.
You don't even need to be good at it or practise a lot. All you need is about 20 minutes a day of playing big stretchy chords and within a week strings will be so much easier to bend. I have know idea why... but it works and it stunned me when i started... at first i though there was something wrong with my strings!

[Telerocker]

In contrast I heard that SRV (him again!) would start a tour with those huge thick strings, but later possibly drop down a gauge or two because they were simply taking too much of a toll on his fingers.

Stevie use to play 13's, but came of the stage several times with bleeding fingertops. His tech advised him to drop down to 11's, which he at last did.

[Philly Q]

I'd just like to mention that, in my experience, playing the piano has REALLY helped in terms of string tension for me.
You don't even need to be good at it or practise a lot. All you need is about 20 minutes a day of playing big stretchy chords and within a week strings will be so much easier to bend. I have know idea why... but it works and it stunned me when i started... at first i though there was something wrong with my strings!

I've found a similar thing trying to play bass.... not that I can play bass to save my life, but after a little while mucking about with those heavy strings and 34" scale a guitar feels like a toy!

[AFiercePancake]

I've just moved up to using 11-49s on my Explorer, they just feel right, somehow.

[MisterMuncher]

An 11-54 set for me, but with a twelve top. An old country player once advised me to go "one bigger" on the top string for a given set, and I've pretty much stuck at it. I use the heavier bottoms because I spent years playing a VooDoo strat, and got used to the higher tension on the bass side.

[_tom_]

I've found a similar thing trying to play bass.... not that I can play bass to save my life, but after a little while mucking about with those heavy strings and 34" scale a guitar feels like a toy!

+1, my guitars feel effortless after a few minutes on the bass! I'm still not getting the hang of bass either, my picking seems so inconsistent on it with those thick strings :(

[Philly Q]

^

One thing I've found on bass, you have to get quite a lot of energy into those big strings to actually get the thing to work. 

I once had a cheap Fender Precision Lite with a basswood(?) body, and if you played fingerstyle the thing literally did not resonate at all - you had to play with a pick to get any sound out of it.  It was bizarre. 

It was the first bass I ever played and I thought it must be some weird property of basses in general, but happily I didn't have the same problem with the other basses I've owned subsequently!

[hunter]

wow I didn't know a 9.5 string set existed until reading this, that sounds perfect, I've always felt 9s are too thin and 10 too thick. You learn something new here everyday

They exist from several makers. Have tried GHS and DR and while I always value the presence of GHS strings in general, I really really like the DRs.

http://www.thomann.de/de/ghs_ghs_gb_9_12_boomers.htm
http://www.thomann.de/de/dr_tite_fit_half_tite_ht_95.htm

[Kiichi]

When I used only DRs (after going trying several makers) I had 10s on the electrics and 11s on the acoustic. When I switched to Newtone though, I could go up to 11s which previously were too hard to move, but feld nice thickness wise. I currently am in the transitioning period, as 10s just donīt put up enough of a fight when I get into it even a little bit.
What all that trying around and the switch to newtone made me realize is that the the material and the construction is just as important as the gauge. Like Ernie Balls feel so freaking wobbly to me, I canīt stand it.

A very important and often overlooked thing is the core wire gauge!
Going to Newtone my higher string gauge went up, while it went down on the low strings. Still I have more tension on them cause while the overall gauge is reduced the core gauge is increased. Bloody great difference.

Previously to get the tension I wanted strings became far too thick, so thick that they screwed with my tone. Now, all good. Normal thickness, more tension.

[Twinfan]

I use D'Addario 9.5s on my Modern Eagle.  PRS also have a 9.5s set, made to their spec by D'Addario.

[Philly Q]

I use D'Addario 9.5s on my Modern Eagle.  PRS also have a 9.5s set, made to their spec by D'Addario.

So are PRS strings generally made by D'Addario? 

If those 3 free sets which came with the "care package" are D'Addario, it suits me fine.  :)