The String Gauge Statement

Post-Punk · **Joined:** Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:53 am **Posts:** 113

gldfshkpr wrote:

Sandling2@yahoo.com wrote:

I have played 11's for many years and switched to 10's on a whim. I have seen my playing improve since the change to lighter strings and I haven't noticed that big of a difference in my tone. The Ernie Ball heavy on top and light on bottom are great for getting the best of both worlds.

Ya know, all this talk has me second guessing myself after all these years. I bought myself my first Fender Stratocaster this year and it came with nines. I couldn't get those things off fast enough. They sure did feel light and slinky.

Sandling2, why do you think your playing has improved due to the lighter gauge?

I hope you don't mind my answering while you wait for sandling2's response...

The familiar thing is that folks say "I can bend more easily." Fine. But 10's aren't hard to bend...but why did I go back to 9's with "improved" playing?

The guitar simply sounds better on my 2007 Standard. The pu's are already hotter, more punchy than vintage, and now with 9's better balanced sounds with posibility of pu's slightly closer to the strings..,

I think when the guitar itself SOUNDS better with more balance and better tonal range/dimension there's an internalized sense of better possibilties and better playing...not just easier strings.

Undeniably, 11's can be less fluid for most people, but I think tonally they have fewer dimensions...with the same pu's...

soggycrow · **Joined:** Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:57 am **Posts:** 602

Matt_B_67 wrote:

rkreisher wrote:

As far as more manly-never crossed my mind when I switched guages.

...and that's because 9s and 10s are considered normal to most folks.

If you play 8s, some people think you're a wimp.

If you play 11s, you're a little more virile than most.

If you play 12s, women will throw your panties at you on stage.

If you play 13s, you can part a crowd as Moses parted the Red Sea.

If you play 14s, people ask you where you get pants big enough to hold your testicles.

And if you play 16s, you're Dick Dale.
:wink:

bluesstrattone · **Joined:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:08 am **Posts:** 2265

matts quote

If you play 12s, women will throw your panties at you on stage.

they do.. :wink:

most of guitars have 10s, one has 9s.
i went up to 10s, with the thought in mind tone would be changed, to some degree, yes it did.
the other thought was that i like to strum pretty hard when get into it.

Vintage Blonde · **Joined:** Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:31 am **Posts:** 161

Always used 9´s, now using 10´s, find them a bit punchier and still soft enpugh to bend them nice. 10´s are sturdier to my style of strumming.

cliff.lee · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:15 am

hi i play 10s they fit what im am doing. played with 11s for years . just seem to feel better with the 10s. never did lisen to wankers about big strings . left that to steve. :wink:

cheers.

gldfshkpr · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:09 am

njupasaka123 wrote:

I hope you don't mind my answering while you wait for sandling2's response...

The familiar thing is that folks say "I can bend more easily." Fine. But 10's aren't hard to bend...but why did I go back to 9's with "improved" playing?

The guitar simply sounds better on my 2007 Standard. The pu's are already hotter, more punchy than vintage, and now with 9's better balanced sounds with posibility of pu's slightly closer to the strings..,

I think when the guitar itself SOUNDS better with more balance and better tonal range/dimension there's an internalized sense of better possibilties and better playing...not just easier strings.

Undeniably, 11's can be less fluid for most people, but I think tonally they have fewer dimensions...with the same pu's...

Well, I put a set of nines on last night. I originally replaced the nines with tens on my new Strat because that's what I've always used on my guitars, electric or acoustic. I'm going to run through the setup process today. Last time I setup the guitar I didn't have my eye glasses yet. After dialing it in I think I'm going to like the nines. They feel right for this guitar. Cool thread here. Many good ideas and opinions.

Post-Punk · **Joined:** Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:53 am **Posts:** 113

gldfshkpr wrote:

njupasaka123 wrote:

I hope you don't mind my answering while you wait for sandling2's response...

The familiar thing is that folks say "I can bend more easily." Fine. But 10's aren't hard to bend...but why did I go back to 9's with "improved" playing?

The guitar simply sounds better on my 2007 Standard. The pu's are already hotter, more punchy than vintage, and now with 9's better balanced sounds with posibility of pu's slightly closer to the strings..,

I think when the guitar itself SOUNDS better with more balance and better tonal range/dimension there's an internalized sense of better possibilties and better playing...not just easier strings.

Undeniably, 11's can be less fluid for most people, but I think tonally they have fewer dimensions...with the same pu's...

Well, I put a set of nines on last night. I originally replaced the nines with tens on my new Strat because that's what I've always used on my guitars, electric or acoustic. I'm going to run through the setup process today. Last time I setup the guitar I didn't have my eye glasses yet. After dialing it in I think I'm going to like the nines. They feel right for this guitar. Cool thread here. Many good ideas and opinions.

Enjoy them!!! I think for the longest time until very (too) recently I had the typical ideas about making a Strat sound "big." It's not a Tele, not a Les Paul...I think "big" for a Strat is spatial like a landscape...I had been overly focused on "cutting through" when I could have made a backdrop like a mountain for vocals to cut through...

Matt_B_67 · **Joined:** Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:05 pm **Posts:** 148

Just to be clear, I don't think this way so my list of how string gauges can affect your life were just a joke.

Heck, I must be getting old because I'm starting to think about going to lighter strings.

Post-Punk · **Joined:** Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:53 am **Posts:** 113

Matt_B_67 wrote:

Just to be clear, I don't think this way so my list of how string gauges can affect your life were just a joke.

Heck, I must be getting old because I'm starting to think about going to lighter strings.

Not older, wiser....

Matt_B_67 · **Joined:** Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:05 pm **Posts:** 148

njupasaka123 wrote:

Matt_B_67 wrote:

Just to be clear, I don't think this way so my list of how string gauges can affect your life were just a joke.

Heck, I must be getting old because I'm starting to think about going to lighter strings.

Not older, wiser....

No that will never happen.

ics1974 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:45 pm **Posts:** 164

I was watching a Walter Trout DVD and there is an interview on it.
One of the questions was about string gauge.
He laughs and says there is a myth in the Blues community that you need the thickest strings you can get and tune down.
He jokingly says he uses the thinnest strings and tunes up. LOL
Then being serious he said he use 9-42's and mentions that Billy Gibbons uses 8's and just listen to his tone.
He said tone doses not come from your string gauge but your hands and heart.
I agree with him 100%.

jobe6970 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:17 pm

I guess I fell prone to the bigger the string, the better the tone. I've played 12s for the last 20 years or so, and am partial to the "tone" I think I'm getting from them. I have never had my '88 MIA strat professionally set up, but I have added two more springsto the floating bridge since I stopped using the trem years ago. I have made all the set up changes myself, heavier strings, moving the pickups up and down, etc. I guess initially I was drawn into mimicing SRV's sound so I think that's how it started. My friend has a MIM strat with light strings and says I have sausage fingers...Dunno, I like the feel, like the tone, never equated string size to $@!&# size, but that might explain the laughter in the bedroom...

"can't help about the shape I'm in, can't sing, ain't pretty, and my legs are thin."

YZFJOE · **Posted:** Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:31 pm

I've never really heard anyone brag about string gauge other than online. It is mildly amusing at times.

Matt_B_67 · **Joined:** Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:05 pm **Posts:** 148

YZFJOE wrote:

I've never really heard anyone brag about string gauge other than online. It is mildly amusing at times.

Work in a music store for 12 yrs and you'll hear a lot of folks do just that.

kmarte · **Joined:** Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:54 pm **Posts:** 19

I use 9.5's on Fender scale length guitars and 10's on Gibson scale length guitars.Makes the tension feel the same on both types of guitars.

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