josh
Fender Standard Tension ST250L, Nickel Plated Steel, Gauges: 009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042
:?
aubs1
My favourites have always been super light gauge, 9-42s, but recently switched to 10's on my PRS CU24, I found that when just playing chords, rhytthm, it may be sounding a bit more full...(I find this a tad difficult to explain). However for picking, (lead), I'll stick with 9's, i just like the "soft" feel.
As for tone ...... that is such an individual choice/preference ..... If you asked 10 people to individually comment on any single piece of art (music, painting, sculpture etc.), you would get 10 different interpretations ...... but yes, I suppose your string preference does determine the sound/tone you like/prefer.
Geez, this sounds complicated...ha ha ha.
Dirk
On accoustic (for home use), I stick to extra light. but on electric, 11s or 12s for me are the most comfortable with the biggest tone.
Squonk
bLuEs wrote:
On accoustic (for home use), I stick to extra light. but on electric, 11s or 12s for me are the most comfortable with the biggest tone.
I tried the extra lights but felt that the top E string just offered nothing, I was scared it would break any second. ???
@ Blues can you still bend the 11s and 12s quite easily, I have never tried anything other than 10s before, but am quite comfortable with them.
To get that Bonamassa or Gary Moore sound would the heavier guage be better? ?
Dirk
The 11s still bends very easy, but the 12s gets a bit harder to bend, specially towards the end of a gig.
Give it a try, but maybe move up to 11s first and then later 12s. It just gives your tone that extra b@lls. However, it does depend on what type of music you play, If you're a shredder, 9s and 10s will probably make you play much faster than the heavier strings.
cain
Ive played on a tons of different strings. Currently 9" elixers on the ibanez, 10" on the fender which i will be changing to 11"s at the next set up. On floating tremelo's there are sometimes issues with the gauge string you use, my old ibanez couldn't go more than 9" in standard tuning and 10" in dropped C.
Banditman
I've got 11s on the Les Paul & 10s on the Strat. Just seem to work for me. I find that 9s just feel too light, and similar with 10s on the LP's scale length.
TomCat
Quick Question
On a Ibby AFS75T (Shallow Holly body, Floating bridge with Bigsby) we currently have 9's. The tuning is a little unstable.
Would changing to 10's improve the tuning stability as there would be slightly more pressure on the bridge. The guitar originally had 10's on it...
AlanRatcliffe
You need at least .010s IMO. Shorter scale length = lower tension, so you usually go up a gauge from what you would use on a Strat. Also, archtops are partly acoustic and need the extra mechanical energy of heavier strings get the top to "talk". They were originally designed around a standard gauge of .012s or .013s with a wound third. Modern designs usually are designed around a gauge or so lighter, but that still means an .011 or .012
TomCat
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
You need at least .010s IMO. Shorter scale length = lower tension, so you usually go up a gauge from what you would use on a Strat. Also, archtops are partly acoustic and need the extra mechanical energy of heavier strings get the top to "talk". They were originally designed around a standard gauge of .012s or .013s with a wound third. Modern designs usually are designed around a gauge or so lighter, but that still means an .011 or .012
Thanks Alan. Makes perfect sense. I agree with what you say about the top "talking".
I noticed that the guitar seemed to sound much thinner with the lighter strings. The guitar also sounded a lot more "Twangier" (only way I can describe it ???)
We only went lighter as Mariann was starting to play and the lighter strings would be kinder to her fingers. We need to replace the strings now so I will try the 10"s. (I can hear the protests from Mariann already ? ?)
Banditman
This probably needs Alan's answer but apart from heavier gauge strings for TomCat's Ibanez would it not help to have a decent luthier find the sweet spot for intonation & fix the floating bridge? I know that Gretsch did that when they issued the Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird. Billy Gibbons' original (as given to him by Bo Diddley) had a typical period Gretch floating bridge. For ease of use they made the production model a fixed bridge.
Alan - would that be feasible for TomCat, both physically in terms of construction (it being a hollowbody) as well as cost? Or would the cost outweigh the benefits on the AFS75?
AlanRatcliffe
It's a hollow, so you can't use a studmount unless it has a centreblock like an ES335 (just in case that's what you meant).
Some folk glue the base down to the top (so they don't have to find the right position every time they change strings), but I hate doing that as it limits your future intonation adjustment options.
Looking at pics of the AFS75, it's not the Gretsch style rocker bridge, but looks like it has roller saddles.
TomCat
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
It's a hollow, so you can't use a studmount unless it has a centreblock like an ES335 (just in case that's what you meant).
Some folk glue the base down to the top (so they don't have to find the right position every time they change strings), but I hate doing that as it limits your future intonation adjustment options.
Looking at pics of the AFS75, it's not the Gretsch style rocker bridge, but looks like it has roller saddles.
@ Alan
Correct. I found the roller saddles do get a little sticky.....We are going to replace these saddles with Graphtec saddles as an upgrade soon.
I must say that I am also not in favour of fixing the bridge as commented. Once we have the new saddles installed we will see what improvement these bring. BTW we will be replacing the nut as well.
Bob-Dubery
TomCat wrote:
We only went lighter as Mariann was starting to play and the lighter strings would be kinder to her fingers. We need to replace the strings now so I will try the 10"s. (I can hear the protests from Mariann already ? ?)
10s won't be that much harder on her fingers, and you may well find that you prefer the tone that the heavier guage gives.
Gearhead
Older quote here:
Francis Viviers wrote:
On floating tremelo's there are sometimes issues with the gauge string you use, my old ibanez couldn't go more than 9" in standard tuning and 10" in dropped C.
??? Methinks you talk about changing gauges on a floating tremolo without adjusting the spring retainer?
AlanRatcliffe
Gearhead wrote:
??? Methinks you talk about changing gauges on a floating tremolo without adjusting the spring retainer?
Quite possibly. But I've also run across a few Ibbys which either have bad springs or a shorter trem cavity, without the usual adjustment range. New springs help - High tension (black) ones helped in the latter case.
@ AJB - we were actually talking about the Bigsby "rocker" bridges (with vibrato tailpieces) though, which some call "floating".
Lethe
I've been using Hard Tension Nylon strings lately. I think they are quite nice, but I can't really compare them to standard tension strings, since the ones I had on were about 3 years old. lol. Anyways, can it damage my little Yamaha Classical if I use Hard Tension strings on standard e tuning? or do I have to downtune?
doc-phil
I prefer enrnie ball's not even slinky. it goes from 56 to 11 or something like that; nice and thick for down tuning!
3ight8all
I only use Elixers....10's on my electric and 12's on my accoustic.
I use 10's because they are comfortable to bend, but also give me the best of both 9's and 11's, if that makes any sense ?
The 12's on my accoustic give me nice volume and a thicker or fuller sound, I don't like the twang lower gauge strings give on an accoustic.
?
Peace!
AlanRatcliffe
Lethe wrote:
Anyways, can it damage my little Yamaha Classical if I use Hard Tension strings on standard e tuning? or do I have to downtune?
Classical "hard" tension is still relatively low. They are made for standard tuning, so it'll be fine.
