teleplayer
I've always been one to have the ligtest possible strings on my guitar. Purely because my 1st electric guitar was really old and a guy at a music shop advised that I stick to light strings incase I damage the neck with a lot of tension. Whether that was true or not is not really important. So, he suggested the ernie ball 9's. For years and years I've been happy and not known any different.
A friend of mine recently played my guitar and said he loved the feel but preferred the sound of his guitar (he also has an america tele) with the heavier strings. I wasn't so sure that this would change my tone greatly, but I'm always looking to make my sounds better. I went out and grabbed some elixer coated 10's, the coated strings are a new venture for me too and seem pretty cool. I was so so so happy with the sound of my guitar after the change, it was so much greater than I had hoped for!! I'm more excited to play my guitar now ?
Just my 2 cents for a Monday morning.
FruitarGeek
yup. Strings sure make a world of a difference. Elixers are great. Probably one of the best in my opinion. By the way, i hope you got your guitar set up before you put the new strings on. A heavier gauge puts more strain on the neck, and may damage it if not set up correctly.
AlanRatcliffe
Teles are the guitars that got me into .011 gauge strings - they love a heavier string set IMO.
Shifting up a single gauge isn't usually a problem unless you have a really skinny neck. Especially with a maple neck. The nut is also usually cut for .010s or .011s, even if it comes stock with .009s.
Jack-Flash-Jr
I'm a heavier gauge fan but tweak a few knobs and even low gauges can sound heavy (viz. Billy Gibbons, Ezietsman was telling me the other night that ole Billy plays 7's!). Play what's comfortable for you and won't have you changing broking strings every two numbers ?
Elixirs though.... aaaaargh.... I really dislike the peeling snake skin after a week of playing...
AlanRatcliffe
Jack Flash Jr wrote:
(viz. Billy Gibbons, Ezietsman was telling me the other night that ole Billy plays 7's!).
Amazing isn't it? Brian May uses .008s.
Elixirs though.... aaaaargh.... I really dislike the peeling snake skin after a week of playing...
That's the polywebs - try the nanos. I find my electrics hum more with Elixirs, but otherwise I like them.
teleplayer
I think the guitar came with 9's fitted on it, but my intonation still seems pretty dead on. I didn't test it with my tuner, but playing the 12th fret and the harmonic at the same place both sound exact.
I've always loved the factory setup of this guitar, sent all my others in, or tweaked myself. This just has the exact feel that I want, and still does with the 10's on now. - I was worried about that when changing them.
I went for the nanowebs, i've heard the snake skin story, so avoided the polywebs at all costs.
Maybe I'll even go higher next time, but for now, i'm super happy ?
ParadoximA
Yup, and it's not just the gauge, the make makes a big difference too. I have an Ibanez that sounds great with Ernie Balls and not so great with D'Addarios, and a PRS that's the opposite. I'm yet to try Elixirs on the PRS, but I think I've tried them on the Ibanez and not liked them there.
Nitebob
IMH(Samchez owning) opinion, to a large extent the strings makes the guitar. I was looking for D'adario extra lights for my Sanchez, but got Magma lights, made a surprising difference.
guidothepimmp
yup, now wait until you change to a thick pick to go withyour thicker strings 8)
Cheapest tone enhancer
Bob-Dubery
What Elixirs are you using? Polyweb or Nanoweb? I don't get the skin shedding with the nanos.
teleplayer
I for some reason, years ago, used red sharkfin picks ??? no idea why!! Someone gave me a "proper" pick and i never turned back!! I don't go too heavy though. the .81's seem to be my current favorites (i know that still soft though)
I use the nano's, still happy with them ?
Kalcium
Jack Flash Jr wrote:
I'm a heavier gauge fan
So much so that you decided to play bass ?
Jack-Flash-Jr
Kalcium wrote:
Jack Flash Jr wrote:
I'm a heavier gauge fan
So much so that you decided to play bass ?
I do so love those cables ?
@ Bob: they must have been polys but I remember before buying them that someone warned me to go for nanos, advice I would likely have followed. It will remain a mystery because I shed them as fast as I could without getting string burn on my bridge...
Bob-Dubery
I did a little bit of reading about this. Strings definitely effect tone because there are all sorts of variations.
Two packs of strings might have the same gauge numbers written on them, but there can be differences in the material used, on the shape of the core wire (some are round, some are hex) on the ratio of the wound wire to the core. Some brands may have a thick core and skinny windings - or vice versa.
Factor in different types of windings - round wound, flat wound, ground flat, half round - and there's a whole rainbow of tones to explore.
Jack-Flash-Jr
X-rated Bob wrote:
I did a little bit of reading about this. Strings definitely effect tone because there are all sorts of variations.
Two packs of strings might have the same gauge numbers written on them, but there can be differences in the material used, on the shape of the core wire (some are round, some are hex) on the ratio of the wound wire to the core. Some brands may have a thick core and skinny windings - or vice versa.
Factor in different types of windings - round wound, flat wound, ground flat, half round - and there's a whole rainbow of tones to explore.
And 98% of tone still comes down to LP/Fender/Eye-gouger, amp and settings...
Jacquesg4j
I've also discovered that 9s don't always play easier than heavier gauges. I normally use 10s or 11s depending on how I feel but lately prefer 11s. So the other day I was trying a Tele out and it had some 9s on, tried a couple of bends and it was like it was too thin to "grab". It kept on slipping underneath my finger. I wonder if your technique really changes that much between different gauges that I could not do bends??
Nitebob
:-[ I still use the red Sharkfins...but play rythm acoustic
teleplayer
Nitebob wrote:
:-[ I still use the red Sharkfins...but play rythm acoustic
I found that my sound was a bit "scratchy" with them. the regular shaped, heaver picks tend to give a more "meaty" sound.
But hey, this is all down to personal preference, there's not pick rule.
chris77
I read somewhere that there is only 2 or 3 major string manufacturers that make strings for all the brands. Can't remember where though. Anybody know if there's any truth in this? I am quite picky about my acoustic strings, but the electrics.... I can't tell the difference between brand A and B or C.
Currently liking the Dunlop strings for both acc and electrics, but I don't really know why. Sad, but true.
Jack-Flash-Jr
chris77 wrote:
I read somewhere that there is only 2 or 3 major string manufacturers that make strings for all the brands. Can't remember where though. Anybody know if there's any truth in this? I am quite picky about my acoustic strings, but the electrics.... I can't tell the difference between brand A and B or C.
Currently liking the Dunlop strings for both acc and electrics, but I don't really know why. Sad, but true.
True that the tone really shines through on acoustic... not sure about the manufacturing, would be interesting if some could investigate...
