how thick your strings are?

[whipl@sshh]

i just wondered how strings you use (009,010,011etc.)
i started to play with 010 after using 009 for a long time, it comes to me a bit heavy, but 010 sounds better
i will ask, are there anyone plays shred things with 010 or heavier?

[satch_master]

I use .10 to .46(Low E). I mainly use standard tuning. Any thicker will just bend my neck and **** my action and ill end up with all sorts of problems, well in standard anyway. You can get those thick boomers but unless your playing nu metal who needs em really?

[Danster]

You can get those thick boomers but unless your playing nu metal who needs em really?

SRV? ;)

[SeattleRuss]

I've got .011 - .048 on both my strats and 0.12 - .052 on my 335 knockoff - all at standard pitch.

[silent-storm]

You can get those thick boomers but unless your playing nu metal who needs em really?

and jazz guys...

12's on my hollow body
9's on my strat

[EricV]

.009-.042 for guitars with a whammy bar, 009-046 for the one with the blocked vibrato
Eric

NP: Vinnie Moore - The Maze

[Maarten]

.030 to .130



Did I mention I play bass? :)

[EricV]

Good thing you added that... otherwise I would have wondered how a Strat-neck holds up with those string gauges at standard guitar-tuning =)
Eric

[whipl@sshh]

I just want to find out if you see fit someone play yngwie with 011s

or for you does 010 make it difficult to play yngwie? (yngwie is just an example)

[Bizarro]

Tons of shredders use heavy strings. Ritchie Kotzen (11's) is a legato monster. Zakk Wylde (11's) isn't too shabby. George Lynch (11's), SRV, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and the list goes on and on.

Big strings sound a certain way and they take some time to get used to them, but there is no reason why you can't shred on them. I shredded on 11s for years (10+ years) because I liked the sound and the feel.

[Swede]

009 - 042

[forgottenking2]

11-48 on my standard Electric Guitars
13-50 on the Frankenstein (lol don't ask)
14-50(I think) on the acoustics
ad 11 to 59 on the 7 String.

[whipl@sshh]

by the way I feel much better about alternate picking on 010 strings.. because its more stretch and the control of pick much better when you pick the strings fast

[oRg]

Right now I have .009-.042 on my 6-string. I'll be tuning down 1 step so I'll be switching to .010-.046. On my 7-string i have an odd setup. I have a .013-.070 set on my 7-string which I tune F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb for covering those insanely low Meshuggah songs off of Nothing, I, and Catch 33.

[DemonSorcerer]

Good ol' 009 -046's for my customized Strat and asme but adding a 0.52 for my Ibanez RG1527 (7 String)

David

[EricV]

As said above, there are several shredders who use heavy strings. I think that the string gauges are a minor detail when it comes to that. Yngwie uses pretty thin strings, so does Gilbert these days ( last I heard he uses a 008 e-string, and also tunes down ), while at the same time, Gilbert used to use a .011 or even .012 high e-string during the early Mr-. Big-era. Richie Kotzen used really heavy ones, while Vinnie Moore and Holdsworth use really thin strings as well.
So Gilbert is one example of a guy who seems to be able to play shred-style regardless of what gauges he uses.
Eric

[Len H]

I use .009 to .046 on my Strat, tuned down a half step. A lot of the shredders that use heavy gauge strings tune down a step or more, though not all. I saw a clip online of John Petrucci demonstrating the Ernie Ball "Not Even Slinky" strings that are .012 to .056 (I think). He tunes down two steps (C, G, Eb, Bb, F, C), so 9s or 10s would pretty much be like shiny rubber bands.

[Poparad]

I use .013 to .058 on my ES-135, tuned to standard. I don't get a lot of mileage with bending strings, but the tone is superb. Also, I never feel comfortable unless I have enough thickness to dig my pick into. I can't see how anyone can play on .009's and have complete picking control.

[satch_master]

ok, so what is the deal with jazz guitar strings then. Ive seen a Joe Pass video and the strings are damn thick , even the top strings.Aren't these special "jazz strings"? It would be almost futile to try bending or playing fast solos on those strings, but for jazz it would give that mellow, beautiful tone suitable for jazz chords plucked with the fingers.

Another thing, although i have found .10-.46 most favourible to me i cannot decide what thickness of plectrums i should use. I have tried everything from <1mm up to 1.5 mm. I suppose thicker plectrums have gave me more AP control but im not sure about economy.

[Bizarro]

satch, you hit it in your statement. Those old school jazzers don't bend strings. But Joe Pass, Bruno, or just about any serious jazz guy can *pick* as fast as anyone in the world. I've seen it first-hand and it's amazing.

[Santuzzo]

On my jazz box I play 013-053 and on my solid body I use 009 - 042.

The strings on my jazz guitar are flatwounds, btw.

[Barking Pumpkin]

I use 009's on my electric.

[MattW]

I used to have 8s on my main electric but I'm using .9 to .42s at the moment, I have no idea what gauge I have on my 12-string electric though! 12s on the acoustics I think.

[Rock_Rocket]

I use .0095 - .044 (D'Addario EXL 120+) on my Fender Telecaster.

[live]

.009 to .046 on my vigier

[MattW]

.009 to .046 on my vigier

Which Vigier do you have?

[live]

have a look in the "ibm- photoalbum thread"... I made a post there today which gives you the answer

[silent-storm]

But Joe Pass, Bruno, or just about any serious jazz guy can *pick* as fast as anyone in the world. I've seen it first-hand and it's amazing.

Bruno's a freak of nature.

The guy uses 13's, completely clean, and can pick fast enough that you can't tell the notes appart.

Only guitarist that I have said to myself "I have no idea how that is physically possible"

[Len H]

On the other end of the spectrum is KK Downing of Judas Priest: .007, .009, .012, .018, .028, .036 top to bottom.

[forgottenking2]

.007??? I bet you can use that as a High A in a 7 string (or an 8 string) guitar.

[silent-storm]

you could probably floss your teeth with a .007

didn't even know they came that thin

[Schmaus]

Strange, I thought 10's were pretty standard, but it looks like hardly anyone here uses them. I use them, but now I wonder if I would actually prefer some other gauge. Can you just put on other gauges and play, or do you have to adjust the truss rod/intonation etc?

[satch_master]

Strange, I thought 10's were pretty standard, but it looks like hardly anyone here uses them. I use them, but now I wonder if I would actually prefer some other gauge. Can you just put on other gauges and play, or do you have to adjust the truss rod/intonation etc?

Well, it depends on the tuning that it is in but usually NO you do have to adjust the truss rod otherwise the extra tension put on the neck will lift the action up and can bend the neck. not very nice :mad: .

[SeattleRuss]

Originally Posted by Schmaus


Strange, I thought 10's were pretty standard, but it looks like hardly anyone here uses them. I use them, but now I wonder if I would actually prefer some other gauge. Can you just put on other gauges and play, or do you have to adjust the truss rod/intonation etc?


satch_master wrote:

Well, it depends on the tuning that it is in but usually NO you do have to adjust the truss rod otherwise the extra tension put on the neck will lift the action up and can bend the neck. not very nice

Unless your guitar's neck is super thick and rigid, a change either up or down in string guage will make a truss rod adjustment necessary. You must also intonate the guitar anytime you adjust the truss rod or make string height adjustments on the bridge saddles, as you have effectively changed the string's working length.

As far as putting to much tension on a neck via truss rod adjustment:
Most guitar's truss rods can be loosened completely without harm - here you're actually taking tension off the neck. It's too much tightening that's usually the problem. Truss rods should not be tightened more than a 1/4 of a turn at a time (once there is some tension) and sometimes you need to wait a while for the change in the necks relief to take effect.

Bottom line is if you don't know what you're doing - have it done by a pro.