Okay, this is exciting for me as I try to learn all things guitar. (Never gonna, but gonna try!)
Last week I read a thread here with an interesting discussion about different string gauges. And as luck would have it, I broke a bunch of strings on Friday night. (Long story. Trying to learn what the Floyd rose is for. Apparently, it's for breaking strings.)
So I decided to try a different size, as I've always used nines.
TEns are COOL. Seem to have more sustain and more mids and lows than I was getting in my sound before. ONce I got everything adjusted, no buzzing. Really nice for strumming and that extra bit more resistance seems to reduce the extra "finger noise" I sometimes get. Fewer accidental harmonics with metal kind of "gallop" rhythms. Intentional harmonics sustain longer.
That said, they were hard on my fingers after a while. Bends are harder to do. The action on the tremolo is a LOT heavier. (I had to add a spring to compensate for the new strings.)
Seems that they stay a little more stable in tune, but that may just be because I'm using the trem less.
I like to bend, though- and the tens, so far at least, are not as "soft" or fast for more metally things. I don't know if I'm gonna keep them.
But I wanted to suggest to other newbies in my situation: As you're looking for "your" sound, try different string weights.
They make interesting differences in your playing, and that's always a good thing to explore.-
BEst,
Ande
PS- For a separate thread sometime. While I was changing the strings, I noticed that the shop where I bought this thing had put all the pickups as far down as they go. Check your pickup heights! Between changing the strings and raising the pups, it's like having a new, really aggressive guitar.
I've always used 9's on every guitar I've ever had; a couple of times I've tried 10's (more sustain, fuller tone, etc...) but they just don't feel right to me. It's good to experiment, I agree, or else you'll never find your optimum string gauge (or whatever it is you're searching for!) - I'd use 8's if I could get away with them, but I tend to find the top E's break far too easily. So even the 9's are a compromise for me.
Then again, my hand strength was reduced a couple of years or so back - never been quite the same since I severed a tendon in my fretting hand - possibly if my hand was stronger, I'd think about 10's.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I just went to 11s. To me, there wasn't a whole lot of difference between those and the 10s. Well, except for a set of flatwound 11s. That guitar has a HUGE bottom end now.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
I am in the group that love 10's.
yes, they act just as you described. I like the resistance of the string when I make a bend. kind of like a fish on a line feel.
makes my playing more lively. my set is 10 - 46. when I play a guitar in the store the strings feel puny. those guitars are generally strung with nines. it's a good gauge to begin with because they are so soft on the finger tips.
I don't recall a discussion lately of string gauge here on GN.
I like tens. a friend plays nines. he gets great tones when we jam.
one of my lap steels has really heavy strings. the guitar was sold that way. the lowest string is thick. so thick
I think that I could tow a car with it.
playing with 10 gauge for me adds more depth to my above the twelfth fret playing.
the finger strength comes quickly.
heavy =better
me = :D
10 - 46's also, on electric!
(My son is the funny hybrid bending boy) 9 - 46.
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/ernie-ball-strings/22328-hybrid-slinky-users.html
Good you found what you like. Glad you like 'em. Cheeeeers!
Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
9's and 10's seem to be the most popular electric guages. Personally, after 30+ years of 9's that is all that feels right. I play the heavier ones on an acoustic without issue, but it just needs to be 9's on my electrics to feel right. That is just my personal preference though.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Add me to the love 10's club. I string them up on all my electrics. It feels right to me. After reading about the set of 11 flatwounds, I am curious now.
Hope you like them.
i guess I'm in the 10's club too, 9's always were way to flimsy and I probably could go with 11's also.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I put the box somewhere of the flatwounds I tried. Somewhere nice and safe. Yup. As soon as I find it, I'll tell you what they were. I think this was the set. http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/ D'Addariio-XL-Chromes-Jazz-Light-Electric-Guitar-Strings-ECG24-Flatwound?sku=100293 The packaging does not lie when it says "mellow" and "warm". Wound G string too.
I tried two different sets of standard 11s in two other guitars and they were both nice. Ernie Ball Power Slinky 11-48 and DR Tite-Fit 11-50. Only difference being the low E is a .50 instead of a .48. Both are fine. One's in an SG and the other a LP, so I can't really even beging to attempt a tone comparison. Besides, with my ever-changing ears, I would not listen to what I had to say about the matter anyhow. :mrgreen:
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Trying to learn what the Floyd rose is for. Apparently, it's for breaking strings.)
I think I just found my new sig line!
Interview guy: What is the source of your feedback?
Neil Young: Volume.
I use a mix of 9s and 10s on my acoustic. I used 10's on the bottom strings and 9's on the top. This helps the bottom ones to sound more full and keeps them from buzzing but is still not quite as hard on my skinny fingers as all 10's are. I found this out by accident when some strings broke and I bought the wrong ones and decided to use them anyway. A little weird but it works for me.
All my life I wanted to be somebody. Now I see I should have been more specific.
I put the box somewhere of the flatwounds I tried. Somewhere nice and safe. Yup. As soon as I find it, I'll tell you what they were. I think this was the set. http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/ D'Addariio-XL-Chromes-Jazz-Light-Electric-Guitar-Strings-ECG24-Flatwound?sku=100293 The packaging does not lie when it says "mellow" and "warm". Wound G string too.
I tried two different sets of standard 11s in two other guitars and they were both nice. Ernie Ball Power Slinky 11-48 and DR Tite-Fit 11-50. Only difference being the low E is a .50 instead of a .48. Both are fine. One's in an SG and the other a LP, so I can't really even beging to attempt a tone comparison. Besides, with my ever-changing ears, I would not listen to what I had to say about the matter anyhow. :mrgreen:
Thanks. I'll try out those Chromes for sure. I trust your ears even if no one else does. :lol:
I put the box somewhere of the flatwounds I tried. Somewhere nice and safe. Yup. As soon as I find it, I'll tell you what they were.
If I ever find my "safe place" I'm gonna have a lot of cool stuff. :lol:
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
I put the box somewhere of the flatwounds I tried. Somewhere nice and safe. Yup. As soon as I find it, I'll tell you what they were.
If I ever find my "safe place" I'm gonna have a lot of cool stuff. :lol:
Yup, a couple of tape measures, a socket rachet, my son's social security card, my wife's eye glasses, etc, etc. I can't begin to tell you how many single socks we own. We got some big, hungry gremlins. :)
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Roy,
Maybe those socks are at my house I can't beleive how many single socks I have I tell people and they don't beleive me. I literally have a giant garbage bag full hoping one day to find their long lost twin but it never happens.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
