brundaddy Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I love heavy strings, they make the guitar resonate right through my chest cavity. Maybe today's players are sissies but I don't get why they are so unpopular... seems like stores very rarely carry anything heavier than medium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 When you have the experience of losing a treasured instrument because the neck and top have been irrevocably damaged from string tension, you may see the value of lowering your preferred gauge. Indeed, a heavy string can give great tonality to a guitar - even mediums can do the trick - but talk to a few techs who are over 50 years old and find out how many of them go above 12s on their own instruments. There are good reasons to keep things "light" and being sissy isn't one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumps Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 When you have the experience of losing a treasured instrument because the neck and top have been irrevocably damaged from string tension' date=' you may see the value of lowering your preferred gauge. Indeed, a heavy string can give great tonality to a guitar - even mediums can do the trick - but talk to a few techs who are over 50 years old and find out how many of them go above 12s on their own instruments. There are good reasons to keep things "light" and being sissy isn't one of them. [/quote'] I'd question an instrument that was not designed to handle anything over 12s. I know of one manufacturer that tells it's customers not to use anything other than lights, but I seriously doubt a "well made" instrument will be damaged from medium strings. don't know about heavys, never played them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I am certainly no sissy and love good tone but I play almost exclusively fingerstyle with bends and such. I prefer the feel of 12-54 gauge strings on all my guitars including my Gibson AJ Dread, Taylor Grand Symphony and Taylor Grand Concert. I get all the tone I need from the Elixir PB Nano's I use and I don't worry about neck reset's on the Gibson or my older Taylor. If I were to put mediums on one of them, it would probably be the Taylor GS as it has a large amount of Cedar real estate on the soundboard to get moving but it is doing just fine with 12-54's on it now so I probably won't be changing gauge any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 "When you have the experience of losing a treasured instrument because the neck and top have been irrevocably damaged from string tension, you may see the value of lowering your preferred gauge." Did you experience this? If so, which guitar did this happen to? That would be a bummer!! I prefer 13's & have not had any ill effects as of yet?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vourot Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I use like to use bluegrass strings for a little of both worlds. I have had mediums on my AJ but then I have to tweak the truss rod a tiny bit . So I just stay with the bluegrass or lights. BTW Taylorplayer, I checked out the K&K mini western and was wondering how your AJ sounds when its plugged in. Thanks. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'd question an instrument that was not designed to handle anything over 12s. I know of one manufacturer that tells it's customers not to use anything other than lights' date=' but I seriously doubt a "well made" instrument will be damaged from medium strings. don't know about heavys, never played them. [/quote'] And, I'd question anyone who goes above .012s as I am above 50 yrs. of age and have reset enough necks to be certain of the long range affects. Ballcorner knows his stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumps Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 And' date=' I'd question anyone who goes above .012s as I am above 50 yrs. of age and have reset enough necks to be certain of the long range affects. Ballcorner knows his stuff.[/quote'] Ballcorner may know his stuff... I've yet to see a consensus on this, though, and I see no manufacturers save one who agrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 No problem, Stumps. Everyone does his or her guitar business to the individual's taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I use like to use bluegrass strings for a little of both worlds. I have had mediums on my AJ but then I have to tweak the truss rod a tiny bit . So I just stay with the bluegrass or lights. BTW Taylorplayer' date=' I checked out the K&K mini western and was wondering how your AJ sounds when its plugged in. Thanks. Paul[/quote'] Hi Paul.... It sounded really good right out of the box after the install. (I had Marty, the luthier/tech at the Podium in Minneapolis install it for me). It is a passive pickup meaning no battery pre-amp in the pin like in my Taylor with the UST. I did get a LR Baggs PARA DI to plug into for when I play at Church as I needed a bit more oomph in the sound and the PARA DI gave that to me and then some. Now I can tweak the sound for any kind of venue. It is the most natural sounding pickup I have ever used and I love it. If I get a pickup installed in my Taylor GSMC it will be a K & K mini and if I need to ever replace the Highlander UST in my other Taylor, it will be a K & K mini also. Purchased, installed and that kind of sound for less than $150?!?!?! How can you go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderful remark Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Lights on my J45 Mediums on my L00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitric Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I have to say of late I'm more inclined towards lights, from a tonal point of view. I've never had any structural concerns with mediums on my Gibsons or Lowdens. Ballcorner, I've been meaning to ask, Oú est La Nouvelle Ecosse? www.brendandevereux.com www.myspace.com/brendevereux Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 JP 650 LM -- Bluegrass gauge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 And' date=' I'd question anyone who goes above .012s as I am above 50 yrs. of age and have reset enough necks to be certain of the long range affects. Ballcorner knows his stuff.[/quote'] I'm above 50 too, I've never had "any" problems with 13's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosewoody Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I don't see that much tonal difference between 12-s and 13-s, but the heavier strings are hard to bend. I play fairly lightly, with a super thin pick. If you hit hard with a heavy pick I can see heavier strings as worthwhile. Pete Townshend wails away with a light pick, light strings, big git (J200). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobodeuno Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Elixer 80/20 Bronze ...lights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Elixer 80/20 Bronze ...lights I'd never tried these before but I stuck a set on my J-45 as suggested by a local guitar shop owner that I know and I love 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I use like to use bluegrass strings for a little of both worlds. I have had mediums on my AJ but then I have to tweak the truss rod a tiny bit . So I just stay with the bluegrass or lights. BTW Taylorplayer' date=' I checked out the K&K mini western and was wondering how your AJ sounds when its plugged in. Thanks. Paul[/quote'] Hope you don't mind me adding to this, especially as I'm bringing a Hummingbird into the mix, but I recently installed a K&K Pure Western Mini and would recommend it wholeheartedly! I play through a Marshall AS100D and the tone is pure and faithful. It's a straightforward installation but the strap nut drilling is not for the faint-hearted :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 d'addario PB 12-53s all the way. They just work for me. I have used 13s in the past but would never go heavier than that. I have spoken to several techs who advise against even those, let alone 14s, for standard tuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Way back when I used the heaviest guage string I could find. Then one morning I opened the case of my beloved old S.S. Stewart archtop and it had exploded. I still tend to use a heavier guage string on my J-200 than on my SJ cuz it takes the heavier guage to drive the top of the box box jumbo. Generally use 12s on the J-200 and 11s on the SJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I know it's not a Gibson, but, Martin ships several of their guitars with 13's. I've never heard of, or seen one explode from using 13's I called Gibson Montana before changing from lights to med. I was told "any of our guitars can handle any gauge string" After being told that, I assume if one of my Gibsons explodes, it will be Gibsons problem, not mine!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 String tension calculator...... http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html Works in metric or imperial, open tunings, great way to check the difference in lbs or kg's on your neck with different guage strings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 String tension calculator...... http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html Works in metric or imperial, open tunings, great way to check the difference in lbs or kg's on your neck with different guage strings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 String tension calculator...... http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html Works in metric or imperial' date=' open tunings, great way to check the difference in lbs or kg's on your neck with different guage strings.... [/quote'] Pretty cool, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsghome Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Just changed to EXP 16s, and the difference is remarkable. With a 45 year old guitar, the lighter gauge gives me a little peace of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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