Recommended string gauge

Recommended string gauge

Hey guys,
I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to breakage.
I'm torn.

thoughts?

Re: Recommended string gauge

Box Monster wrote:
> Hey guys,
> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to breakage.
> I'm torn.
>
> thoughts?

That all depends on your technique, and how your guitar is set up. Get
what feels good to you.

...me, I prefer .009s.

--
- Rufus

Re: Recommended string gauge

On 14 May 2008, Box Monster <andrew.somethin@gmail . com > wrote in
alt.guitar.beginner:

> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings
> are getting kind of old.

Are you saying that you have never changed the strings on your
guitar? And that you are going to have someone else do it??

> But, I haven't been able to decide on a string gauge. I know that
> lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and bending easier,
> which is good since I'm a soloist.

I must say that if you've never changed your own strings, and you don't
know what gauge strings you prefer, you probably aren't really in a
position yet to claim to be a "soloist".

> thoughts?

You don't say what kind of guitar you have or what kind of music you
play, so I'll make some wild assumptions that you play blues/rock on a
solidbody electric guitar.

I think...

- you should go buy a set of 9s, 10s, and 11s. Any popular brand (Ernie
Ball, D'Addario, GHS, etc.)

- install the 9s YOURSELF! Play them until they are worn out or break
or you decide you really don't like them. Then change them YOURSELF! to
the 10s. Repeat the cycle with the 11s. Then you will know what YOU
prefer. Nobody else can really say - it's completely dependent on YOUR
style, technique, and experience. Nobody else's preference applies to
you.

- changing one's own strings is THE MOST BASIC of guitar maintenance
jobs. It is necessary to change your own strings in order to be
intimately acquainted with your instrument. The only people who should
have somebody else change their guitar strings are those who have done
it themselves hundreds of times before and are rich, busy performers.

Re: Recommended string gauge

On Wed, 14 May 2008 20:07:30 -0500, Nil wrote:

> - changing one's own strings is THE MOST BASIC of guitar maintenance
> jobs.

And it's not hard to do.

--
Tim C.

Re: Recommended string gauge

Tim C. used his keyboard to write :
> On Wed, 14 May 2008 20:07:30 -0500, Nil wrote:
>
>> - changing one's own strings is THE MOST BASIC of guitar maintenance
>> jobs.
>
> And it's not hard to do.

unless it's got a Floyd Rose......

Re: Recommended string gauge

On Thu, 15 May 2008 19:08:45 +1000, ARLOWE wrote:

>>> - changing one's own strings is THE MOST BASIC of guitar maintenance
>>> jobs.
>>
>> And it's not hard to do.
>
> unless it's got a Floyd Rose......

...um..er...
<painful silence while shuffling feet and avoiding eye contact>
--
Tim C.

Re: Recommended string gauge

On Thu, 15 May 2008 09:15:59 +0200, "Tim C."
<timchallenger@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>On Wed, 14 May 2008 20:07:30 -0500, Nil wrote:
>
>> - changing one's own strings is THE MOST BASIC of guitar maintenance
>> jobs.
>
>And it's not hard to do.

And you can get 'em for 3 or 4 bux a set. Experiment!!

Re: Recommended string gauge

On Wed, 14 May 2008 20:07:30 -0500, Nil
<rednoise+news@REMOVETHIScomcast . net > did courageously avow:

>On 14 May 2008, Box Monster <andrew.somethin@gmail . com > wrote in
>alt.guitar.beginner:
>
>> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings
>> are getting kind of old.
>
>Are you saying that you have never changed the strings on your
>guitar? And that you are going to have someone else do it??
>
>> But, I haven't been able to decide on a string gauge. I know that
>> lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and bending easier,
>> which is good since I'm a soloist.
>
>I must say that if you've never changed your own strings, and you don't
>know what gauge strings you prefer, you probably aren't really in a
>position yet to claim to be a "soloist".
>
>> thoughts?
>
>You don't say what kind of guitar you have or what kind of music you
>play, so I'll make some wild assumptions that you play blues/rock on a
>solidbody electric guitar.
>
>I think...
>
>- you should go buy a set of 9s, 10s, and 11s. Any popular brand (Ernie
>Ball, D'Addario, GHS, etc.)
>
>- install the 9s YOURSELF! Play them until they are worn out or break
>or you decide you really don't like them. Then change them YOURSELF! to
>the 10s. Repeat the cycle with the 11s. Then you will know what YOU
>prefer. Nobody else can really say - it's completely dependent on YOUR
>style, technique, and experience. Nobody else's preference applies to
>you.
>
>- changing one's own strings is THE MOST BASIC of guitar maintenance
>jobs. It is necessary to change your own strings in order to be
>intimately acquainted with your instrument. The only people who should
>have somebody else change their guitar strings are those who have done
>it themselves hundreds of times before and are rich, busy performers.

Can I be one of those rich performers? Huh, can I? Pretty please?

--
Ken Wilson
* w w w .myspace . com /bcislander

Re: Recommended string gauge

Box,

When you go up in string gauge, say from light to medium gauge strings,
You may need to get a set up. Med. gauge strings are thicker than Lt gauge
strings so your nut sluts may need to be refiled. Med. gauge strings have a
higher string tension than Lt. gauge strings, when tuned to the same pitch,
so you may need to have the truss rod adjusted. Therefore a set up is a good
idea.

Dave M.

Re: Recommended string gauge

Box Monster expounded in news:18c4bcac-487b-4d54-83cc-656d9b594a39
@f63g2000hsf.googlegroups . com :

> Hey guys,
> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to breakage.
> I'm torn.
>
> thoughts?

If you can adjust the intonation yourself, I'd suggest
that you go up/down one gauge at a time and try it out
for a while. For example, if you have 010s then 009s
would be a step lighter.

OTOH, if you want a bigger change and plan to pay someone
for the setup, then you might wish to cut to the chase.
But either way, you _will_ need to re-adjust the
intonation.

I'd still recommend small changes because you may
discover intonation limits. With my Epi LP, my D string
will only adjust for intonation correctly when its guage
is in a narrow range. Lighter (unwound) D strings require
my adjustment to go longer than I have available. I
discovered this because I once unwittingly bought
some unwound D replacement strings.. doh!

Snark.
** Posted from * w w w .teranews . com **

Re: Recommended string gauge

On Wed, 14 May 2008 17:29:39 -0700, Box Monster wrote:

> Hey guys,
> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to breakage.
> I'm torn.
>
> thoughts?

0.010'' for acoustic, 0.009 for electric. daveA

--
email: darnold4@cox . net (put "poisonal" anywhere in subject)
DGT: The very best technical exercises for all guitarists:
* w w w .openguitar . com /dynamic.html. Original easy solos at:
* w w w .openguitar . com . :::=={_o) David Raleigh Arnold

Re: Recommended string gauge

David Raleigh Arnold wrote:
> On Wed, 14 May 2008 17:29:39 -0700, Box Monster wrote:
>
>> Hey guys,
>> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
>> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
>> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
>> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
>> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to breakage.
>> I'm torn.
>>
>> thoughts?
>
> 0.010'' for acoustic, 0.009 for electric. daveA
>

10s on an acoustic? Ugh. It would be like rubber bands on a shoe box.
Forget that girly man stuff.

12s on the acoustic and 11s on the electric.

Re: Recommended string gauge

Sean expounded in news:kF6Xj.2957$KB3.2382@edtnps91:

> David Raleigh Arnold wrote:
>> On Wed, 14 May 2008 17:29:39 -0700, Box Monster wrote:
>>
>>> Hey guys,
>>> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
>>> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
>>> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
>>> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
>>> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to
breakage.
>>> I'm torn.
>>>
>>> thoughts?
>>
>> 0.010'' for acoustic, 0.009 for electric. daveA
>
> 10s on an acoustic? Ugh. It would be like rubber bands on a shoe box.
> Forget that girly man stuff.

I must have missed the "acoustic" somewhere..

Snark.
** Posted from * w w w .teranews . com **

Re: Recommended string gauge

Box Monster brought next idea :
> Hey guys,
> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to breakage.
> I'm torn.
>
> thoughts?

Just from my own limited experience.
Larger strings are louder... but have a bit less sustain. It's really
noticable on the low E. I find that larger unwound strings seem to
sound a bit better when playing slurs.
Hammer ons and flick offs seem to take more effort, but you get a
payoff with a higher volume that I didn't get with lighter strings.
The big problem I have with bigger strings is bending... . it really is
hard to do full step bends...unless you like pain.

Re: Recommended string gauge

ARLOWE <ARLOWE@nose.picker . com > wrote:
> Box Monster brought next idea :
>> Hey guys,
>> I'm thinking of getting my guitar restrung because these strings are
>> getting kind of old. But, I haven't been able to decide on a string
>> gauge. I know that lighter gauge strings make fretting, sliding, and
>> bending easier, which is good since I'm a soloist. On the other hand,
>> lower gauge strings have a better tone and are less prone to
>> breakage. I'm torn.
>>
>> thoughts?
>
> Just from my own limited experience.
> Larger strings are louder... but have a bit less sustain. It's really
> noticable on the low E. I find that larger unwound strings seem to
> sound a bit better when playing slurs.
> Hammer ons and flick offs seem to take more effort, but you get a
> payoff with a higher volume that I didn't get with lighter strings.
> The big problem I have with bigger strings is bending... . it really is
> hard to do full step bends...unless you like pain.

Practice them! You'll get used to it in time.
I'm not what you'd call a muscular type at all (think science nerd), but
I can do two-full-step bends on a 10-52 string set without a problem.
But it took years to get to that point.