What's the biggest string gauge you've put on your SG?

[Bert plays a SG?]

What's the biggest string gauge you've put on your SG?

 

I'd like to know which one it is.

 

I want to find one that I could tune up to play in open E without causing any damage to the neck.

 

Is it safe to go beyond 10-46s?

 

Thank you all!

[yucancallmepatty]

i use 12-56's

[Bert plays a SG?]

On your Gibson SG? If so, how's the action?

[SG dude]

i use 12-56's

Bert ......., what music do you want to be able to play? if its nowadaysmetal i suggest that 12-56's are good becase you dont need to play anything good, but you can compensate by doing those stupid squeelies ( yes, i say that, for lack of a better word), sorry patty but face it, its true. all in all it depends on what you want to play.

PS-i either use 9-42's or 10-46's. and yes it probably would be safe

[Swmcv2007]

I put 12s on once and I hated it.

 

I usually play with 10s but I've been going with 9s lately so I can be more expressive.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure a god guitar tech or someone could set up your SG for whatever you want. Strings used to be heavier so I'm sure your guitar can handle it.

[TinFish]

Bert .......' date=' what music do you want to be able to play? if its nowadaysmetal i suggest that 12-56's are good becase you dont need to play anything good, but you can compensate by doing those stupid squeelies ( yes, i say that, for lack of a better word), sorry patty but face it, its true. all in all it depends on what you want to play.

PS-i either use 9-42's or 10-46's. and yes it probably would be safe[/quote']

 

SRV played 13 - 58.

[Bert plays a SG?]

SRV played a Strat and he played half a step lower... I don't want to play metal I just wanna slide with a thick, solid tone.

 

What do you guys think of 11s? Still safe?

[Bert plays a SG?]

SG Dude: I just want to play slide and a few of my acoustic compositions in open E...

 

10s feel thin for slide...

[TinFish]

I use D'Addario (11- 49's), no problems to report here.

[SG dude]

if it was just slide, i would suggest no lower than 11's, but a high action aswell. is this for your SG or for an acoustic?, im asking because you said for acoustic compositions

[Bert plays a SG?]

Hi SG Dude!

 

Well it is for my SG. The thing is I'd like to try some of my acoustic stuff on it. I'm trying to get to a close sound and feel, but I don't want to damage the neck...

[SG dude]

Hi SG Dude!

 

Well it is for my SG. The thing is I'd like to try some of my acoustic stuff on it. I'm trying to get to a close sound and feel' date=' but I don't want to damage the neck...[/quote']

cool man. i dont know how youd get the acoustic sound on the SG but there is always a way, anyway, 11 gauge at least, if its just for slide, then high action, if you would be fretting the neck aswell then dont set it too high. just right for both of these would be to set the action slightly higher than normal, until its right, my slide playing friend, does slide and fretting and he set it high enough so that if he does fast slide and presses down too hard then he doesnt touch the frets a lot, he skims them, is better explination, setting it this high leaves him enough so that it isnt too hard to fret notes, sort of common sense when you think about it. hope this helps.

[Bert plays a SG?]

Thank you Tin Fish and thank you SG Dude! I'll get 11s on tomorrow!

 

I just wasn't secure about the neck's ability to deal with more pressure as it's 11s and open E...

 

Thanks for the tips!

[SG dude]

have fun!

[TinFish]

No prob Bert. :)

[Boston004681]

10's

[The Mick]

Townshend used 13's on his SG

[SGman94]

Bert .......' date=' what music do you want to be able to play? if its nowadaysmetal i suggest that 12-56's are good becase you dont need to play anything good, but you can compensate by doing those stupid squeelies ( yes, i say that, for lack of a better word), sorry patty but face it, its true. all in all it depends on what you want to play.

PS-i either use 9-42's or 10-46's. and yes it probably would be safe[/quote']

yea nowadaysmetal...if u play 70's-80's metal(Good metal) or pantera(only good metal band from the 90's excluding grunge) then u need talent.

[SG dude]

yea nowadaysmetal...if u play 70's-80's metal(Good metal) or pantera(only good metal band from the 90's excluding grunge) then u need talent.

i agree, BUT NOTHING BEATS HARD ROCK. (real hard rock not nowadayshardrock)

[yucancallmepatty]

Bert .......' date=' what music do you want to be able to play? if its nowadaysmetal i suggest that 12-56's are good becase you dont need to play anything good, but you can compensate by doing those stupid squeelies ( yes, i say that, for lack of a better word), sorry patty but face it, its true. all in all it depends on what you want to play.

PS-i either use 9-42's or 10-46's. and yes it probably would be safe[/quote']

 

hah its cool man, i agree.

i do play metal with my gibson sg sadly,

but i have a couple other reasons.

 

i prefere to have the greater string tension

to strengthen my fingers and i like how it feels.

i tend to bend the strings on lighter guages too much, to where its a tads sharp.

but thats just something i need to work on.

 

i play a lot of lower tunings

cause of my metal band, and cause im coming out with a acoustic/ poprock ep

and my range isnt that high so im playing in C alot.

and the thicker guages (i find) have a better sound when tuned down that low.

 

 

but it all depends on what music you play.

if you play metal, i suggest thicker guages myself,

but pretty much anything else, i would suggest 9's or 10's.

 

when i need lighter guages i get 10's or 11's.

[SGman94]

 

hah its cool man' date=' i agree.

i do play metal with my gibson sg sadly,

but i have a couple other reasons.

 

i prefere to have the greater string tension

to strengthen my fingers and i like how it feels.

i tend to bend the strings on lighter guages too much, to where its a tads sharp.

but thats just something i need to work on.

 

i play a lot of lower tunings

cause of my metal band, and cause im coming out with a acoustic/ poprock ep

and my range isnt that high so im playing in C alot.

and the thicker guages (i find) have a better sound when tuned down that low.

 

 

but it all depends on what music you play.

if you play metal, i suggest thicker guages myself,

but pretty much anything else, i would suggest 9's or 10's.

 

when i need lighter guages i get 10's or 11's.

 

 

[/quote']

 

what do u mean sadly? i got my sg for metal and will be getting 2 more sg's for metal very shortly. if u think sg's arent good for metal then i gotta call up iommi and angus so they could kill u!

[SGman94]

i agree' date=' BUT NOTHING BEATS HARD ROCK. (real hard rock not nowadayshardrock)[/quote']

 

remember tho some bands i might call metal u might call hard rock...but hard rock is my number 2! but they both kick the **** outta pop/rap/rap-metal so im witchu.

[hbomb76]

Back in my punk rock and alt-country days I had 13-56's on my '63 Junior (and yes, till I developed my wrist issues I could bend that wound G just fine!), but that was also because while I like my action low and easy I did a lot of slide playing and rockabilly runs, so it was necessary. And no, I DIDN'T detune (other than the OCCASIONAL drop-D for drones). I like my guitar to sound like a guitar, NOT an elephant fart. I don't get "nu-metal" and all the other detuned crap out there. I don't WANT to get it. Tony Iommi and Billy Gibbons sound cool tuned down sometimes, but I won't even listen to modern-rock radio anymore because of all the herd-mentality and just plain godawful stuff rammed down the listeners' throats. Sorry, I had to go there...lol

 

Nowadays, I put 12's on my Gretsch, but it's a rhythm machine for me when recording. My SG's all have 10's (either Regular Slinkys or "Skinny Top-Heavy Bottom" Slinkys) nowadays, and that seems to do the Gibson scale justice AND doesn't feel like I'm playing kiddie strings. I use 11's sometimes if I'm using a guitar for "Keef" tuning or slide primarily.

 

H-Bomb

[Kurt]

And no' date=' I DIDN'T detune (other than the OCCASIONAL drop-D for drones). I like my guitar to sound like a guitar, NOT an elephant fart. I don't get "nu-metal" and all the other detuned crap out there. I don't WANT to get it.

H-Bomb[/quote']

 

+1, the one and only absolute truth - as always!

 

I use 10s or 11s. Mainly 10s on the A.Y. and 11s on "The SG". I tune them down a half step because the singer prefers it.

 

Greetings

Kurt

[Jimbo]

Just bought a set of "Skinny top heavy bottom"s, I really like them as an overall compromise.