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I've heard the thicker the strings, more tone, blues, why?

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(@portland_blues_guitarist)
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Topic starter  

I'm not sure if anyone cares much about guitar strings, but, I wanted to get more tone for blues, so I took off my Skinny Top Heavy Bottom 10-13-17-30-42-52 Ernie Ball strings off and put on Not Even Slinky Ernie Ball strings 12-16-24-32-44-56, and I'm here to tell ya, for me, it seems I'll need to put heavier strings on the bass strings to balance out the thickness on d-a-e strings. It's very heavy all around but I noticed that I need heavier bass cause they are very wobbly. I did notice that since the treble strings are thicker, I could slide much faster and slicker on the trebles. To get that whistle slide sound.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth - Alan W. Watts


   
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(@havocdragon)
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I don't much prefer EB strings, to me they feel generic and not too high of quality. I like to use the D'addario EJ22s which are 13s to 56. They are fairly heavy but they can still bend well and they have a wonderfull blues and jazz tone, but are still able to crank out rock and metal. If you want a bit more bite then DR's titefit and highbeams (they make 12-52) are great. I haven't tried out their pure blues yet, but thats next on my list =).

I think strings are fairly important to your overall tone. Their metal and design determine how they will react to your pickups and amp. Some strings distort better, and some sound better clean.

If you want mega thick, GHS makes some signature zakk wylde strings that are 20-80s, though im sure you might need to modify your tuning pegs to get 80s in there =)

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(@havocdragon)
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You know another thing just occured to me...when you change your strings size, you will have to reset up your guitar, as the intonation, string height and all of that will be out of whack now =). Could possibly be the reason for the buzzing...

Heavier strings = more tension on the neck

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(@wes-inman)
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If anything, thicker strings should be more taut, not wobbly. Do you have your guitar tuned to pitch?

Wow 13s? That's really heavy. Stevie Ray Vaughn was said to use heavy gauge strings for more tone, but he used 11's.

Malcolm Young from AC/DC says he uses the heaviest strings he can find. But he only plays rhythm guitar. Heavy strings are hard to bend. And bending strings is very important in Blues.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@u2bono269)
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Joined: 21 years ago
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ive got 11s on my Squier. it makes for nice chunky tone, and the neck pickup is very bluesy sounding, but i dont find it hard to bend on it. prolly cos i use .12s and sometimes .13s on my acoustics, and i am used to bending on those guitars. i have found that higher gauge strings on electric sound best to my ears. the heavier, the better. on average i use .10s. i'd like to use .11s on all of them, but i like to bend and whatnot, and the 10s give me a nice compromise of chunkier tone and bendability.

btw Wes, i had read in Guitar Player magazine that SRV had, on occasion, used strings as heavy as .18 on the high e. where the HELL do you find those strings? wouldnt they rip your fingers to shreds? hurts my fingertips thinkin about it hahaha.

http://www.brianbetteridge.com


   
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(@wes-inman)
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U2Bono

Here's a good article about SRVs gear and strings. Good reading.

Stevie Ray Vaughn's Gear

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@u2bono269)
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yeah i think that was basically the same info from the GP article...

but i didn't know about owning pedals that once belonged to hendrix.

how do you use 2 wahs at once? im kinda intrigued about that.

stevie also had huge hands, which made it easier for him to bend those .13 strings.

http://www.brianbetteridge.com


   
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(@wes-inman)
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how do you use 2 wahs at once? im kinda intrigued about that.

Like a pair of skis. :D

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@u2bono269)
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oh my hahaha...i should go get myself another one and give it a try. i imagine it's fun

http://www.brianbetteridge.com


   
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(@portland_blues_guitarist)
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Topic starter  

i could see how that would sound, from what iv heard form hendrix audios, i could swear he'd use two wahs

btw, im thinking about throwing on some lighter trebles, and heavier bass, something like this:11-14-20 32-44-56 (or heavier bass)

i might try the earnie ball beefy strings before i try other brands for diff tones. 11-15-22 30-42-54

so lets see:
Skinny Top Heavy Bottom 10-13-17-30-42-52
Not Even Slinky 12-16-24-32-44-56
Beefy 11-15-22 30-42-54

my try out goal: 11-14-20 32-44-56

the reason why i wanted heavier was cause they break so easy on the trebel unless I go heavier, and I can bend those strings smuch easier around 10-11 gauge on high E and still hit those high notes such as E-9 slide to 12 bend to 16 and return to 12 to bend vibrato from 12 to 13 and still get about 50 good bends before it breaks doin that stuff. to get thsoe kind of bends youll need strong fingers or ligter gauge.

but if you runa 10 on high E, youll get about 50 good bends. One thing i noticed is that you can sand down the string guides to make em smoother and less sharp.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth - Alan W. Watts


   
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(@alangreen)
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Jimi Hendrix was a Rotosound endorsee. They make seriously good strings at reasonable prices and come with a free spare top E.

Best,

A :-)

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
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(@portland_blues_guitarist)
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Topic starter  

The String Thing
Hendrix's strings of choice were light-gauge Fender Rock 'N' Roll sets (gauged .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038). However, guitarist/producer Bob Kulick—an acquaintance of Hendrix's during the Greenwich Village days—remembers him breaking a string in a dressing room, and saying, “Uh oh, I don't have any extras.” Kulick asked him what he needed, and Hendrix said he used an E string for a B. “That was the first time I'd ever heard of anyone moving their string gauges over like that,” Kulick says.

But, then again, Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles insisted that Hendrix used a very heavy E string, a medium gauge on his A and D, a Hawaiian G string, a light B, and a super-light E. This was supposedly not just for experimentation, but something Hendrix did because he thought the mixed gauges would keep the guitar in tune better. (Michael Bloomfield apparently tried some of the Hendrix Strats that Miles owned, and he was also a proponent of the mixed gauge theory.)

For picks, Hendrix chose whatever medium gauge his hand came up with when he stuck it into the drawer at Manny's. Barrett simply reports that the Experience carried thousands of picks, as well as hundreds of guitar straps—all selected to match Hendrix's shirts.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth - Alan W. Watts


   
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(@portland_blues_guitarist)
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Topic starter  

The String Thing
Hendrix's strings of choice were light-gauge Fender Rock 'N' Roll sets (gauged .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038). However, guitarist/producer Bob Kulick—an acquaintance of Hendrix's during the Greenwich Village days—remembers him breaking a string in a dressing room, and saying, “Uh oh, I don't have any extras.” Kulick asked him what he needed, and Hendrix said he used an E string for a B. “That was the first time I'd ever heard of anyone moving their string gauges over like that,” Kulick says.

But, then again, Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles insisted that Hendrix used a very heavy E string, a medium gauge on his A and D, a Hawaiian G string, a light B, and a super-light E. This was supposedly not just for experimentation, but something Hendrix did because he thought the mixed gauges would keep the guitar in tune better. (Michael Bloomfield apparently tried some of the Hendrix Strats that Miles owned, and he was also a proponent of the mixed gauge theory.)

For picks, Hendrix chose whatever medium gauge his hand came up with when he stuck it into the drawer at Manny's. Barrett simply reports that the Experience carried thousands of picks, as well as hundreds of guitar straps—all selected to match Hendrix's shirts.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth - Alan W. Watts


   
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(@portland_blues_guitarist)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 23
Topic starter  

The String Thing
Hendrix's strings of choice were light-gauge Fender Rock 'N' Roll sets (gauged .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038). However, guitarist/producer Bob Kulick—an acquaintance of Hendrix's during the Greenwich Village days—remembers him breaking a string in a dressing room, and saying, “Uh oh, I don't have any extras.” Kulick asked him what he needed, and Hendrix said he used an E string for a B. “That was the first time I'd ever heard of anyone moving their string gauges over like that,” Kulick says.

But, then again, Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles insisted that Hendrix used a very heavy E string, a medium gauge on his A and D, a Hawaiian G string, a light B, and a super-light E. This was supposedly not just for experimentation, but something Hendrix did because he thought the mixed gauges would keep the guitar in tune better. (Michael Bloomfield apparently tried some of the Hendrix Strats that Miles owned, and he was also a proponent of the mixed gauge theory.)

For picks, Hendrix chose whatever medium gauge his hand came up with when he stuck it into the drawer at Manny's. Barrett simply reports that the Experience carried thousands of picks, as well as hundreds of guitar straps—all selected to match Hendrix's shirts.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth - Alan W. Watts


   
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(@portland_blues_guitarist)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 23
Topic starter  

SURVEY SAYS

"What brand of guitar strings did Jimi Hendrix use?"
145 say Fender
47 say Ernie Ball
30 say RotoSound
10 say GHS
9 say Dean Markley

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth - Alan W. Watts


   
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