I've learned a valuable lesson about Strats

[stumblinman]

.09 gauge strings.. I have always played Strats with 9's on them, and just thought I disliked the tone of Strats/Teles. But, I had no 10's available when I bought my Epi Studio, so it was strung with a set of 9's I had lying around, and I really didn't like the sound of that guitar at all. Sounded anemic to me or something.

 

When I broke a string on my other LP, I bought multiple sets of 10s and decided to restring the Studio. All of a sudden, I actually LIKE the sounds coming from it. I think I might have to buy a Strat now and string it with 10's to really give them a fair shake, and I think that may also be why I never bonded with my Squier '51. What string gauges do you guys prefer? I never realized how much I didn't like really light strings.

[Dragoro]

I can't use light strings (.09s). I feel like I'm always going to break them when I play. I use medium elixers on both my dot and my LP.

[RaSTuS]

When I started playing, a whole 2 1/2 years ago, I used 9's on all my guitars simply because of the lesser fretting effort required, I found it too easy to unintentionally bend them though and have been using 10's for the last year or so. They not only feel more substantial, but as you mention, they sound beefier also. When I can play worth a damn (don't hold your breath), I might even consider trying out 11's or 12's.

[Trewblue]

interesting-started using 10's on LP Studio, g400 and Strats(mim and Squire) and Dot. Now use EB hybrids-light on the G-B-E 16/11/9 and 26/36/46 on the bottoms. Bends are a little easier and still have some punch on the bottom.

[bigneil]

I find that 10s are fine for me on all my gibby scale guitars but i find on my 25.5" guitars that that 9s are to wimpy and slinky but 10 are to stiff to get expressive bends....I plan on trying Daddrio new 9.5s on a strat. http://guitarstringguide.com/drupal/files/images/EXL120%20plus%20guitar%20strings.GIF

[charlie brown]

Generally speaking, I tend to use 10's...(11's on my Gretsch guitars.)

I used to use (and still do, on one or two guitars), the "Heavy Bottom,

Skinny Top" (10-52), or equivalent. Especially, for heavier Rhythm type

or "power chord" styles. Leads, usually straight sets of 10's. But, again,

it may depend on the guitar, itself.

 

CB

[wiggy]

I use EB Power Slinky 11's on my Dot, LP & Strat (I also replace the bottom E with a 52) & D'Addario XL 11's on my Tele.

 

I tried everything from 9's through to 13's and settled on the above as the best feeling for me.

[vomer]

10's on my strats, always.

[bigneil]

10's on my strats, always.

 

what do you use on your other guitars?

[Fringe Lunatic]

I'm pretty new to Fender type guitars, having acquired my first, a Squier Affinity Strat, a year or so ago. Besides the obvious aural differences between Fender single-coils and other types, there's the scale length difference. So, for me, the challenge is to find strings that sound right and feel right. With my Dot, I found that I like strings with a wound G, and most often use flatwound 11s. When I got the Strat (used), I didn't even consider flats (just seems wrong), but tried roundwound 10s with a wound G. Overall, the 10s felt right but the wound G just didn't sound right on the Strat. When I changed them, I used 10s with a plain G, which seem right for this guitar. I've considered trying 11s some time, but I remembered that my buddy's Tele with 11s doesn't feel good to me. I've never used 9s, but I simply can't imagine using anything lighter than 10s.

 

Having been an acoustic player until fairly recently, I'm finding that different strings on electrics yield more sound/feel differences as opposed to acoustic strings. I don't even have a favorite brand of strings for my acoustic - mainly I like new strings. With the electrics, however, finding a favorite is an interesting challenge, and newness isn't much of a factor.

[brad1]

I use 10s on all my guitars. EB Reg.; including my strat.

[RSDx]

I use 10's on my Epi LP, 11's on my Epi AJ 'coustic, and 09's on my BMG ... The BMG is pretty dang slinky feeling...but it's a nice change up from heavier strings, but it's 24 frets w/ a 24 " scale..... I may try 10's out of curiousity one day, although will have to adjust the trem, am sure...no big deal. 09's are pretty light. Have used 10's all my life until the BMG, which was acquired a year or so ago...I do have to be concious of fingering pressure when I first pick it up, but acclimate to it very quickly. 10's, to me, feel "just right" :)

 

 

 

 

Having been an acoustic player until fairly recently, I'm finding that different strings on electrics yield more sound/feel differences as opposed to acoustic strings. I don't even have a favorite brand of strings for my acoustic - mainly I like new strings. With the electrics, however, finding a favorite is an interesting challenge, and newness isn't much of a factor.

I feel the same ... I like new strings on my acoustic (using Fender Light 11's atm)....and I don't necessarily care for new strings on my electrics .... I like 'em well played, which I'm sure a good number of folks might disagree with, but... that's just me. I've tried other brands, but EB is my usual go-to ... reliable, familiar, affordable, and readily available. Works for me...

[Jer231]

.09 strings are pretty thin for a Strat, or even a Telecaster. I string my Strat with .11/.10 on the upper strings. Just to get a fatter sound out of the pickups. They make Hybrid string sets with thinner strings and thicker bottom strings. I bought a Washburn HB-85 and it came with .13's on it right from the manufacturer. I can only imagine how weak a Affinity Strat would sound with .09!!

[AnthemBassMan]

-Just picked up another pack of EB Classic Power Slinkys. I usually use either those or GHS Nickle Rockers 11-50s. Every now and then I'll use regular Slinkys, but only when I haven't played for quite a while.

 

L8R,

Matt

[stumblinman]

I'm glad to see it's not just me. I'll have to try a hybrid set one of these days, because I don't mind lighter high strings, but for the lower beef, it's gotta be at least 10's. Strat with 11's sounds pretty intriguing as well. I'll try and track a cheap MIM strat down and see what I think. Good input guys, thanks!

[midiman56]

.09 strings are pretty thin for a Strat, or even a Telecaster. I can only imagine how weak a Affinity Strat would sound with .09!!

 

Of course it's entirely a matter of personal taste ... but Fender SHIPS Strats and Teles with .09 strings ,,, so the above statement seems just a bit arbitrary to me. 25.5 inch scale guitars are what .09's were made for in my opinion. Lot's of players go with heavier strings and like the results ... to me a Fender just doesn't seem like the same instrument with a set of 10's on 'em.

 

For the record, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top uses .08 strings on all of his guitars. I don't exactly hear a lot of tonal issues with his playing. Here's Billy's answer to this very question from his 2009 interview in Guitar World:

 

Q: Do you really use .008 gauge strings? If so, how do you keep them from flapping when detuning? And how do you get such a great tone, since I have always believed the bigger the strings, the better the tone?

-Brian Wachter

 

A: I, too, once believed in the heavier gauge string as a superior tone source. However, thanks to the graciousness of B.B. King I learned that a lighter gauge string offers superior playing comfort. Detuning requires some adjustment of attack, approach and feel. Try it. You may like it.

 

Jim

[Swoop]

I use 10-46 on my Strat. Light enough to bend and vibrato without extreme difficulty, but heavy enough that they sound full and feel good. 9s feel wimpy and awful. I use 11-50 flatwounds on my Esquire for that percussive rock 'n' roll tone. I wouldn't mind trying those on my Strat though, but they're nigh on impossible to bend or vibrato with the same ease as a roundwound 10-46 set. I plan to put together my ultimate parts Strat though, which will be strung with 10-46 roundwounds for that bending and vibrato ability, so maybe I'll give the flatwounds a go on the other Strat when I get the partscaster.

[bigneil]

Of course it's entirely a matter of personal taste ... but Fender SHIPS Strats and Teles with .09 strings ,,, so the above statement seems just a bit arbitrary to me. 25.5 inch scale guitars are what .09's were made for in my opinion. Lot's of players go with heavier strings and like the results ... to me a Fender just doesn't seem like the same instrument with a set of 10's on 'em.

 

For the record, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top uses .08 strings on all of his guitars. I don't exactly hear a lot of tonal issues with his playing. Here's Billy's answer to this very question from his 2009 interview in Guitar World:

 

Q: Do you really use .008 gauge strings? If so, how do you keep them from flapping when detuning? And how do you get such a great tone, since I have always believed the bigger the strings, the better the tone?

-Brian Wachter

 

A: I, too, once believed in the heavier gauge string as a superior tone source. However, thanks to the graciousness of B.B. King I learned that a lighter gauge string offers superior playing comfort. Detuning requires some adjustment of attack, approach and feel. Try it. You may like it.

 

Jim

 

excellent point

[strat-o-steve]

Heavier strings will always bring out more tone, due to the higher vibrating mass shaking the wood more :D I have a lot of Strats, and 10's really start to make your strat sing. I will not use anything lighter than 10's on my Gibson's due to the shorter scale......they already play easy enough and I could probably go higher. But with a Strat, 10's are good, due to the full 25.5" scale though, you REALLY start to feel the tension increase substantially when you go above a 10 gauge :)

[stumblinman]

LOL you guys are really making me reconsider getting another strat. I'd like to get one again just for the fact that I don't have any guitars with a vibrato bar. With some bigger strings I think I might start digging one. Thanks again for all the input, I really enjoy hearing what you guys all use.

[vomer]

what do you use on your other guitars?

 

10's on my Sheraton and EA250. The Sheri had 11's on when I got it, and I replaced with 11's once, so I tried it for several weeks with 11's but couldn't get used to them. I like to bend and while bending was possible, it didn't feel right. I've only got those three electrics at the moment. I've never tried 9.5's, I might on a strat or tele one day.

 

 

 

[budglo]

Of course it's entirely a matter of personal taste ... but Fender SHIPS Strats and Teles with .09 strings ,,, so the above statement seems just a bit arbitrary to me. 25.5 inch scale guitars are what .09's were made for in my opinion. Lot's of players go with heavier strings and like the results ... to me a Fender just doesn't seem like the same instrument with a set of 10's on 'em.

 

For the record, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top uses .08 strings on all of his guitars. I don't exactly hear a lot of tonal issues with his playing. Here's Billy's answer to this very question from his 2009 interview in Guitar World:

 

Q: Do you really use .008 gauge strings? If so, how do you keep them from flapping when detuning? And how do you get such a great tone, since I have always believed the bigger the strings, the better the tone?

-Brian Wachter

 

A: I, too, once believed in the heavier gauge string as a superior tone source. However, thanks to the graciousness of B.B. King I learned that a lighter gauge string offers superior playing comfort. Detuning requires some adjustment of attack, approach and feel. Try it. You may like it.

 

Jim

Fender uses 9s on mostly their "standard " line.The AVRI and most of the Artist series for sure are sent out with 10s.I use 10s on all my strats .I like the tone and the 9s feel like playing on wet spaghetti.

[Jer231]

Don't forget that Billy Gibbons is also playing a custom built guitar, not something off of the line. Still, most people change the strings right away when they buy a guitar because Bullets are not really the best string out there. I like Elixer's and have always changed my strings right away. Try some 10's or better yet save up a few bucks and buy a Fender Champ 600 amp. To me a strat really doesn't sing until it is running through a tube amp.

[damian]

Heavier strings will always bring out more tone, due to the higher vibrating mass shaking the wood more :D I have a lot of Strats, and 10's really start to make your strat sing. I will not use anything lighter than 10's on my Gibson's due to the shorter scale......they already play easy enough and I could probably go higher. But with a Strat, 10's are good, due to the full 25.5" scale though, you REALLY start to feel the tension increase substantially when you go above a 10 gauge :)

 

 

Science says yer wrong..so does Gibbons.

[Versatile]

Strats generally come set up with 9's

Teles with 10's

Which says something about their intended usage

I prefer my Strat with 9's, I played a SRV sig with 13's in a shop...sounded excellent

And I have a Tele with 10's and one with 9's

Generally the heavier gauge bring any guitar alive...but do require more physical effort

 

V