Guitar Strings

[pro-fusion]

Geez, I go completely the other way from all you guys. I play 8's in standard tuning and 9's dropped down a whole step (DGCFAD). I used to play 10's in standard, but a friendly visit from Mr. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome forced me to change my ways.

 

I've changed my playing style to fit my strings, to a certain degree. I focus on a much more legato, Holdsworth-like approach, for which low-tension strings are very useful. I can achieve a very even approach between hammer-ons and picked notes and also work with lots of subtle phrasing moves that I was never able to with high-tension strings. It helps that I don't pick very hard.

[mark555]

We call eight's "angel hairs" over here! I can not play such light strings anymore, having got so used to the heavy ones now.

[smurph1]

i use 10's on my 140..I used to use Elixers on My Taylor, but switched back to Martin Marqui's..didn't like the darkness of tone the Elixers had..MHO..

[smurph1]

Geez, I go completely the other way from all you guys. I play 8's in standard tuning and 9's dropped down a whole step (DGCFAD). I used to play 10's in standard, but a friendly visit from Mr. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome forced me to change my ways.

 

I've changed my playing style to fit my strings, to a certain degree. I focus on a much more legato, Holdsworth-like approach, for which low-tension strings are very useful. I can achieve a very even approach between hammer-ons and picked notes and also work with lots of subtle phrasing moves that I was never able to with high-tension strings. It helps that I don't pick very hard.

I'm a very agressive player..(not good, Agressive) and I bend a lot..My friends say I have a Neil Youngish style..However i could probably learn a lot by playing more delicately and working on phrasing more..Maybe when I can afford another electric I'll try to string it with lighter strings and work on a different style..who Knows? I might actually be faster if I wasn't beating the crap out of my axe all the time.. LOL

[jmc7581]

My son has a tele which he has left me too look after for a couple of years while he is off working elsewhere for our church, and I have taken that up from 9's to 10's, which I think are much better, they give the guitar a bit more kick. The question I would like to ask you is about the set ups on your guitars? Years ago when I knew nothing about set ups etc, I would change string gauges and wonder why I found things so difficult, but once the guitar had been set up correctly for a different gauge and the truss rod altered slightly to work with the new string tension, there were no problems. If you already are aware of this, I hope you don't think I am being patronising.

 

I have a friend who is very clued in on these matters and his rule is that what ever he has on his Heritage and Gibson guitars, it is one gauge less on his strat's and tele's.

 

Not patronizing at all, Mark555. My tele's set up for 10's, and bending is fine, although some of the 3- or 4-semitone bends that somebody like Albert King does are challenging, at least below the 7th fret or so. It's occasionally occurred to me to step down to .09's to make that stuff easier, but I've never done it!

 

The interesting thing to me, which I'd never really focused on (because I've always played 10's), is what you and others say about how a properly set-up guitar will make bends possible even with 12's. I guess I always assumed that setting up for the proper string gauge had to do only with intonation; I never thought about the bending aspect of it. Very enlightening!

[mark555]

Not patronizing at all, Mark555. My tele's set up for 10's, and bending is fine, although some of the 3- or 4-semitone bends that somebody like Albert King does are challenging, at least below the 7th fret or so. It's occasionally occurred to me to step down to .09's to make that stuff easier, but I've never done it!

 

The interesting thing to me, which I'd never really focused on (because I've always played 10's), is what you and others say about how a properly set-up guitar will make bends possible even with 12's. I guess I always assumed that setting up for the proper string gauge had to do only with intonation; I never thought about the bending aspect of it. Very enlightening!

 

When you change a string gauge, the tension on the neck alters. For example, if you put heavier strings on your guitar, the strings will 'draw' the neck, as if you were pulling an arrow back to shoot from a bow (although this is an exaggerated example), and when you go lighter, the reverse happens. So as well as your intonation being altered, you need to counter the different 'stress level' on the neck by having the truss rod adjusted, usually by a quarter turn. Then of course, you could always have your frets dressed or filed down by a competant tec' - that can also make a difference on bends. In the past I have beeen amazed how much a good tech can see what needs alterning with a guitar neck that I was not able to see myself.

 

I have to point out though, that yes, it is tougher to bend a string from a set of 12's than it is one from a set of 9's even when you have your guitar set up imaculately. BUt I really like the feel the heavier strings just ads to the whole guitar. BUt as I say, different gauges suit different guitars for me. If you want some real expert advice, send peteraltongreen a message with all your questions. He is personal friend of mine, a real gent, and if he doesn't know it, it's not worth bothering about.

[Kuz]

A lot of people talk about SRV and him using 13s. Well, he did detuned a half step and it has been well documented that he was down to using 11s detuned a half step the last half of his career.

[mark555]

I have heard it said, but can not say if this is true or not, that Gibson send all their accoustic models out tuned a semi tone lower to make them seem that they play easier, could be a lot of rubbish for all I know, a Possible urban myth...

 

Now that's an idea for a new thread.. Urban myths of the guitar world....

[eor]

i use various types of 12s and 13s, but i tune down; sometimes a lot. if in standard tuning, you're not going to push a 12 or 13 around too far. but i just love the big sound and tension, especially on my acoustics.

[Thundersteel]

Urban myths of the guitar world....

 

Urban Guitar Myth #1: I can actually play the guitar!

[FredZepp]

If you want some real expert advice, send peteraltongreen a message with all your questions. He is personal friend of mine, a real gent, and if he doesn't know it, it's not worth bothering about.

That's cool to know that you two know each other.. I really like his 140, nice warm tobacco finish... But peteraltongreen's 575 (from 1988) has looks to die for... I admired it in the gallery. And now ..back on topic>>My Strings... 9's (sometimes 10's)and 11's on acoustics.

[mark555]

That's cool to know that you two know each other.. I really like his 140, nice warm tobacco finish... But peteraltongreen's 575 (from 1988) has looks to die for... I admired it in the gallery. And now ..back on topic>>My Strings... 9's (sometimes 10's)and 11's on acoustics.

 

Just now I can't afford another guitar, and I would love to have a 575, but Pete is kind enough to let me play it any time I ask, along with any other of the terrific guitars he owns, some of which are genuine classy vintage pieces. One of which is an immaculate 68 Gibby L5 jazzer. While I was photographing it, the battery fell out of the camera and landed edge on on the front of the L5, I am still taking medication to calm myself down after that....

[jmc7581]

While I was photographing it, the battery fell out of the camera and landed edge on on the front of the L5, I am still taking medication to calm myself down after that....

Oh man. I assume there was no damage done ?? ...

"Sorry about the L5, buddy; but at least you have a photo to remind yourself what it used to look like ..." No, we don't want to go there ...

[mark555]

Oh man. I assume there was no damage done ?? ...

"Sorry about the L5, buddy; but at least you have a photo to remind yourself what it used to look like ..." No, we don't want to go there ...

 

O dear, I can not express how I felt when that happened... thankfully, the guitar is OK, but I am not asking to play it again!! I have a picture of me playing it on my facebook page.

[Windstring]

Hello Folks, me again with my usual questions:

 

What gauge strings do you think H140, H150, H157, H535, H575, Sweet 16 and Golden Eagle should be strung with? I have been hearing people saying that their guitars are strung with '12s' and '13s'. But I hear others saying that '13s' are too strong for such guitars. What do you think? What is the recommendation from Heritage Guitars?

 

As usual, your question has generated many replies, all of which are valid and can lead you in a certain direction. However, I do feel that string type and gauge is quite simply a personal choice that you will have to make yourself, based on your own thoughts and feelings at the time. What I'm trying to say is that string type and gauge is not dictated by guitar type or style of music but by the way you react to the sound and feel of the guitar. Longer scale guitars (25.5inch) may be easier to play with lighter strings (eg 10s or 11s) but even this issue becomes less important if the guitar is set up well with low action... Anyway, over to you, Sir. Cheers.