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What size string do you use


4Hayden

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Extra Light Slinky's.

 

I don't need telephone cables, I need angel hairs.

 

For acoustic I just tried my first customized string gauge setup recently. I stuck light Elixers on the middle 4 strings and stuck mediums(.013-.056) on the top and bottom string. I wanted to see if it made picking less physical. I wanted the medium .013 on the bottom string for brightness and the heavier top string at .056 for more bass. This is the Leo Kottke setup he uses.

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Ya know, I'm betting there is no "mechanical" reason for this other than feel, but I'm finding that while I greatly preferred .10s on my Fender instruments, I really like .09s on my Les Paul. I've tried .10s on my SG, LP Junior and recently on my Studio. They're just a ted too stiff for me. Just today (yesterday, technically)I strung up .09s and thats whatI'll be using!

 

Acoustic...I have a U.S. made Breedlove C25-CReH (I think...too many alpha/numeric characters for me [blink] ) that I've settled on .12s for.

 

I am stuck on Elixirs, Nano type, with D'Addario EXPs a close second. I'd also tried a set of DRs that I liked, but they were a "custom" set made for and distributed by a private guitar store near Harrisburg.

 

Brian

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It seems that we are of a like mind.

 

I love D'Addario EJ15 Phosphor Bronze Extra Light strings on my acoustics, and Ernie Ball 2225 Nickel Extra Slinky strings on my electrics.

 

I am trying the Ernie Ball 2725 Cobalt Extra Slinky strings (same extra light gauge as the previously-mentioned ones) on my Telecaster right now, to see how they wear-in and sustain over a period of months. Thus far, I am pretty happy.

 

My Les Paul is pretty happy with the regular Extra Slinky's. I like the 8 thru 38 gauge for bending and overall sound.

Some players need a heavier string, but I'm not happy working that hard to phrase barre chords, etc.

 

I have an old Kramer Ferrington acoustic electric that I keep 'high strung' or 'Nashville strung', just for recording.

What I do is configure the bottom 3 strings with regular medium-light unwound strings, whatever the guitar store has handy for sale individually. 10, 13, 17 or so.

The top 3 strings are normally thicker, wound strings, but I set them up exactly like the bottom (unwound and simple 10, 13, 17).

It's an interesting sound, and a great accompaniment to a regular guitar sound when recording with it 'way back in the mix.

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Just like em, Been playing them for years. What do you use? They are pretty affordable. I have tried D'addario, Ernie Ball, DR, Fender, Gibson, GHS, and Martin, Never tired any of the uber high end ones. Spending any more that 6 or 7 bucks to me seems to be a waste.

OK FZ I got a set of Dean Markley on the way , I'll letyou know what I here

 

4H

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I have an SG and a Strat and I use 10's on both. Ernie Ball Regular Slinky are my usual choice. They've been good to me.

 

Amen to that. I'm rough on strings, so when I started out using EB Extras I broke them all the time, so I tried Supers, which lasted a bit longer, then I switched to Regulars and I've had no problems since. I use them on everything.

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All my electrics except the E/2 have D'addario 10-52's. The E/2 has 10-46.

They are tuned half a step down, but a few songs in our band are tuned to B-F#-C#-F#-Bb-Eb (low Eb two steps down, G# one step down, the rest standard half a step down) I need that 52 to keep some tension in there, but the extra tension is also nice for standard tuning.

 

E

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Ernie Ball Super Slinky's (.009-.042) or Extra Slinky's (.008 - .038) on my electrics.

Depending upon my mood.

On the hum-bucking guitars (the Les Paul and the Ibanez Jet King) I tend to favor the Super Slinky's, on everything else, the lighter gauge ones.

 

 

D'Addario Extra Lights (010-.047) on my acoustics.

 

 

My ukulele has some nylon strings on it.

They are quite old, but they work.

I have no idea what gauge they are.

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For my electrics I use Gibson Vintage Reissue Pure Nickel Wound 09-42 gauge. Love these strings, great feel and tone and they last for ages. No string breaks or getting dull in sound or colour.

My acoustic guitars, I use Ernie Ball Silk and Steel 80/20 Bronze Alloy 13-56 gauge. These give a sweet mellow tone and are great for smaller body acoustics.

 

kind regards, Emma :)

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For my Les Paul Studio, I love the Gibson Vintage .10-.46, can't stand the NYXL on them. The NYXL sound OK on the SGJ, looking for something different.

 

The SG sounds sublime with NYXL .09-.46. Kramer... I've always used .09-.42 though I'm not liking the NYXL on it.

 

Just put some DR Pure Blues .10-.46 on the LPC and they're some of the best sounding strings, I've heard, brand new. Will probably put these on at least the SGJ also.

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I had used 10s or 11s tuned to Eb on my Strats, either Thomastik-Infeld when I could afford them or D'Addario.

With the onset of my new Les Pauls I went back to using 9s and standard tuning with D'Addario. Could not be happier. I am so done with thick gauge strings via Billy Gibbon's story on how BB got him to go thin.

Much easier on my hands as well.

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Basic "go to" strings, are D'Addario EXL 125's (9-46) There quite nice, long lasting,

easy to find, even out here in the "sticks!" And, are reasonably priced, as well.

 

I'm trying some "Chromes" (Flat wounds) on my old '66 Gretsch Country Gent, and so far,

I really like those as well. At least, for that particular guitar!

 

CB

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Basic "go to" strings, are D'Addario EXL 125's (9-46) There quite nice, long lasting,

easy to find, even out here in the "sticks!" And, are reasonably priced, as well.

 

I'm trying some "Chromes" (Flat wounds) on my old '66 Gretsch Country Gent, and so far,

I really like those as well. At least, for that particular guitar!

 

CB

My box of XLs are only 9-42s. Is there a EXL w a 46? I would actually like that better.

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Hey Oldfart, I saw the Billy Gibbon story too so I went down to 8's and love 'em. BG said he went all the way down to 7's. Yikes

Yep.

Hard to find those 7s. I think 9 is as low as I care to go. I worry the string tension on the Les Paul is just not enough going that low. I have trouble now getting my truss rod to give relief with 9s.

I do think Billy G is right about the strings you do not have to use thick strings, the exception is probably using lower tunings which tend to work better on heavier strings.

 

Thought about maybe going back to 10s, John McLaughlin uses 10-46. I am thinking D'Addario 9-46 will be the keeper for me. The 42s have been OK but I think I little bit heavier would be better for me.

I like the 9s and changing back to std tuning was an adjustment for me but I like it.

Despite they are very cost effective they last and feel smooth to touch. Spent a lot more and gotten a lot less. Have not tried the NYXL and not sure I need to mess with them. The XLs are cool for me. I have never broken a string in my entire several decades of playing (light touch of a heavy hand) so the NYXL without a trem are probably overkill for me.

D'Addario has been a fav of mine and they seem to never let me down or fail to hold a quality standard. For the cost. hard to beat. I have used about everything over the centuries but D'Addario seems to be the one for me.

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Yep.

Hard to find those 7s. I think 9 is as low as I care to go. I worry the string tension on the Les Paul is just not enough going that low. I have trouble now getting my truss rod to give relief with 9s.

I do think Billy G is right about the strings you do not have to use thick strings, the exception is probably using lower tunings which tend to work better on heavier strings.

 

Thought about maybe going back to 10s, John McLaughlin uses 10-46. I am thinking D'Addario 9-46 will be the keeper for me. The 42s have been OK but I think I little bit heavier would be better for me.

I like the 9s and changing back to std tuning was an adjustment for me but I like it.

Despite they are very cost effective they last and feel smooth to touch. Spent a lot more and gotten a lot less. Have not tried the NYXL and not sure I need to mess with them. The XLs are cool for me. I have never broken a string in my entire several decades of playing (light touch of a heavy hand) so the NYXL without a trem are probably overkill for me.

D'Addario has been a fav of mine and they seem to never let me down or fail to hold a quality standard. For the cost. hard to beat. I have used about everything over the centuries but D'Addario seems to be the one for me.

Billy Gibbon used 8's on some guitars because they were easier to bend

 

4H

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Billy Gibbon used 8's on some guitars because they were easier to bend

 

4H

 

His tech showed he gets these custom made 7s. Interesting gear he uses these days, has changed a lot over time. I love Billy Gs playing style, he is one cool cat. I really like when he brings out a real Les Paul like the old days, most of those customs he uses just do not appeal to me much. One reason I still dig Pagey is he never left the LP and Bonamassa stays with an LP most of the time. JB seems to keep the same pickup settings and tends to sound the same probably bridge wide open. Part of the magic for me is the constant volume and tone adjust and that glorious mid blend position.

Something about the LP that has always been the pinnacle guitar look and tone for me. Took me a long time to actually be able to get one. I played custom built Strats for ages with 10s to Eb pitch. Now back to 9s on the LPs and loving it.

Got to love a guitar that makes you want to play. I find myself picking one of mine several times in the late night just to jam a little unplugged. I cannot seem to pick up my other guitars anymore.

Still a D'Addario user myself, been the most consistent quality string I have used and I have used them all over the centuries. The cost on EXL is ridiculously low for the quality.

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His tech showed he gets these custom made 7s. Interesting gear he uses these days, has changed a lot over time. I love Billy Gs playing style, he is one cool cat. I really like when he brings out a real Les Paul like the old days, most of those customs he uses just do not appeal to me much. One reason I still dig Pagey is he never left the LP and Bonamassa stays with an LP most of the time. JB seems to keep the same pickup settings and tends to sound the same probably bridge wide open. Part of the magic for me is the constant volume and tone adjust and that glorious mid blend position.

Something about the LP that has always been the pinnacle guitar look and tone for me. Took me a long time to actually be able to get one. I played custom built Strats for ages with 10s to Eb pitch. Now back to 9s on the LPs and loving it.

Got to love a guitar that makes you want to play. I find myself picking one of mine several times in the late night just to jam a little unplugged. I cannot seem to pick up my other guitars anymore.

Still a D'Addario user myself, been the most consistent quality string I have used and I have used them all over the centuries. The cost on EXL is ridiculously low for the quality.

 

The cost on EXL is ridiculously low for the quality. I agree

 

4H

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Found out most on here use 9's

 

Well 9's do play well, but for me, the scale length of the Gibson Guitar coming from a guy who also plays bass, and tune my Les Paul to E flat (Slash) on traditional numbers, 10's are the go-to. Just seem to ring out right and still be bendy and slick for runs.

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