Want to change string gauge....

fenderflamestrat · **Joined:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:42 pm **Posts:** 361

So my guitar shop says to keep '10s on my Epiphone because of the smaller scale then the strat. I get that. But then I played a '59 Gibson Custom Shop VOS LP and it was like magic in my hands. The strings felt very light and I asked if they were '9s and they were so now I really want to put them on my Epi. So will that cause any problems? I know I will have to get it re-settup, but after this will I see anything difference? Tuning difficulties or such?

Thanks guys!
~FFS

T2Stratman · **Posted:** Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:36 pm

Nevin1985 wrote:

fenderflamestrat wrote:

But then I played a '59 Gibson Custom Shop VOS LP and it was like magic in my hands.

About 4 thousand dollars of magic.

+1...And Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton used very thin strings on their Les Pauls, didn't seem to bother thier tone a bit!

T2

guitslinger · **Posted:** Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:03 pm

Billy Gibbon's strings are gauged 7-38,I've used D'Addario 8-38 on all my electrics including my Les Pauls.Don't fall for the old line about thin string having a thin tone.Jimi Hendrix,Tony Iommi,Billy Gibbons and John Lennon all used super or extra light gauge strings and all of them had an unquestionably heavy tone.When I went from the factory installed 9s to my own 8s I didn't have to do a setup on the guitar.

jackdragbean · **Joined:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:15 am **Posts:** 405

Probably won't lose much tone. My question is with acoustics. I've always heard going from 12's to 13's can change with acoustics.

63supro · **Joined:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm **Posts:** 8827

jackdragbean wrote:

Probably won't lose much tone. My question is with acoustics. I've always heard going from 12's to 13's can change with acoustics.

Acoustics are a different animal. I used to play with gauges all the time and wound up with setup problems. Check with your guitar manufacturer. My Martin will do 12's and 11's. 11's sound like arse. They don't recommend 13's. Something about added tension ans bridge pull. But mine's an Orchestra model. Probably a Dreadnaught or Auditorim wold be fine. I think 13's would enhance the tone but also change the setup a little depending on the style guitar you have.

Screamin' Armadillo · **Posted:** Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:47 am

I went from 11s to 10s and eventually 9s (where I now stand), and lost little if any tone. An added bonus was the ability to fly through some riffs, bends and licks that formerly required a bit of wrestle, squeeze and grunt to perform.

If you do feel like you lost some bottom end, there's these things on the front of your amp called "Tone Knobs"...if you increase the one labelled "Bass", that bottom end returns.

RCB-CA-USA · **Joined:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:31 am **Posts:** 1281

For me, there's a huge difference in the feel and tone of different gauge strings!

Fat strings have a fatter tone but are too difficult for me to play!

63supro · **Joined:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm **Posts:** 8827

Screamin' Armadillo wrote:

I went from 11s to 10s and eventually 9s (where I now stand), and lost little if any tone. An added bonus was the ability to fly through some riffs, bends and licks that formerly required a bit of wrestle, squeeze and grunt to perform.

If you do feel like you lost some bottom end, there's these things on the front of your amp called "Tone Knobs"...if you increase the one labelled "Bass", that bottom end returns.

How true. But playing without an amp is something I do on a regular basis, the only tone control I have then is the strings. It's a fine edge. I think on my OM it would sound too thin. On a Dreadnaught or Auditorium size I think it would work out well.

Screamin' Armadillo · **Posted:** Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:59 pm

63supro wrote:

Screamin' Armadillo wrote:

I went from 11s to 10s and eventually 9s (where I now stand), and lost little if any tone. An added bonus was the ability to fly through some riffs, bends and licks that formerly required a bit of wrestle, squeeze and grunt to perform.

If you do feel like you lost some bottom end, there's these things on the front of your amp called "Tone Knobs"...if you increase the one labelled "Bass", that bottom end returns.

How true. But playing without an amp is something I do on a regular basis, the only tone control I have then is the strings. It's a fine edge. I think on my OM it would sound too thin. On a Dreadnaught or Auditorium size I think it would work out well.

True dat...
My theory only works with electrics...string gauge affects acoustics much more than on an electric guitar. Although, I tune one of my "brighter" sounding acoustics down a full step and it gets that rich, blossoming full acoustic sound that way...makes it easier to sing certain songs, too.

63supro · **Joined:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm **Posts:** 8827

SA I though you were talking acoustics. Electrics, I agree 1,000%

SRV got lot of people thinking they need big strings for a big sound. That's total BS IMO. His sound got bigger I think more because he tuned down a half step. The only thing heavy strings will do over time is damage your hands. I know, it started happening to me. I used 12's on my Strat for a long time and my hands really started bothering me. Scale length has a lot to do with it too. But I guess it more "manly" to use fat strings.

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