I do my own setup. I personally like the trem against the body, with 9's bullits. Stays in tune for days. I figure I don't need it to float, if I want to sharpen a note, thats what bending is for. LOL. I am not a real dive bomber anyway, more of a subtle trem bender.

Years back a very accomplished player persuaded me that strats should have 10's as a minimum. The guy was older than the hills, employed by groovetubes to demo their amps worldwide (do any groovetubes amps need a great player to make em sound good?), his 2 sons were both millionaires from the guitars that he left em several strats included.
10's have never done my guitars any harm. Bar a brief forray with 11's a couple of years back they have been my only choice since 96.

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No disrespect to the heavy string users.......but it's not needed!!!!!!. 009 is the heaviest needed. It will not make a difference. I have 008s on my malmsteen. Sounds great. It's a myth. Try it. I got 29 years.... I've tried.
10s are discusting....true. Playing a guitar that is hard to play will disconnect your drive to increase progression. Think.

Not 29 yearrs .....20 years.!!!! ????

No disrespect, but 10s are not discusting or disgusting (for that matter). And, I do notice a difference in 10s vs 9s (sorry).

I try different string gauges on each guitar. The guitar lets me know what string gauge is best for it.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Yes, I agree. It seems that with the correct gauge the guitar will "sing". I have tried different gauges on my guitars over the years and some like 9's some like 10's.... but, like anything else Your Mileage May Vary.....

Do you guys not worry about pain in your arms or fingers with a heavier gauge or do you just get used to it?

If you have been playing long enough to have good calluses on your fingers, that shouldn't be an issue. And REALLY, there isn't that drastic a difference between 9's and 10's. Now 11's however........

No disrespect, but 10s are not discusting or disgusting (for that matter). And, I do notice a difference in 10s vs 9s (sorry).[/quote

I hate making spelling mistakes. I feel like an idiot. I may have been drunk......possibly. Each to his own. I gotta tell you, though.....that.008s on a malmsteen make it a sick playing guitar! I'm afraid of breaking too many but oh well. Still....009s are perfect for shred and metal. I can understand that clean ....a heavier string will make a bigger change than while being overdriven.

I found that the brand of strings make as big a difference in tone as guage. Different types of alloys (brands) seem to work better with certain guitars for me.

Slinky Classics are really nice. Pure Nickel.

The best way to get fast and strong is to practice on 11's or 12's and gig on 9's. Just keep a couple of backup guitars for when you break strings cos your bending them through the roof. Seriously is does work and makes for quite a liberating experience onstage once you get past the baggy elasticband feeling of the 9's.

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Dude.....Idon't wat to hear that. That will hurt. I practice about 4 hours a day . 10's will give me nightmares. Pllease dont say that again as i'm on my time of thr month.....haha seriously I despise 10's. I wish they were illegal.

move up gradually is the answer. Have one guitar on 9's or 8's and another on 9's or 10's. When you get used to them change up to 11's then 12's. Honestly it helps if you do it right so that you dont start grabbing at the strings and develop muscle memory for heavy strings. When you drop back down all of a sudden its like playing on beams of light.

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