Gauges

[rika_gd]

Perhaps it's me, but with a minimum of 12 hrs of practice a week plus gigs, strings don't last anyway...that's why they're cheap.

+1000

6 months, daisy? really?

Yes. Like I said, I like them a little dead sounding and they never rust on me, so I usually leave them on until I break a string, at which point I'll change the whole set.

I tried using nickel strings for awhile but they'd get a little too dead sounding after about a week.

wow, I bet that you like the sound of a brand new set :mrgreen: I discovered that besides equipment and playing style, the sound that we often hear coming from songs in the radio, tv, or even our favourite bands, on tour or from recordings are mostly brand new strings

 

[jjboogie]

Ernie ball Hybrid Slinky. (9-46)

Good for speed, comfort, and a good bottom end.

Oh, and the Titanuim coated ones are not better than the Reg ones IMO...

I totally agree with this!


I use Hybrids too!

 

[screamingdaisy]

wow, I bet that you like the sound of a brand new set :mrgreen: I discovered that besides equipment and playing style, the sound that we often hear coming from songs in the radio, tv, or even our favourite bands, on tour or from recordings are mostly brand new strings

I don't really care what other guitarists are doing....

 

[RocknRory]

At first I used Elixir's .10's on my Ibanez Gio. Then I got my ESP EC-1000 and used Ernie Ball Heavy top/skinny bottoms but noticed they rusted and lost tone within a few days. After using them for months I went to Elixir .11-.49 which I love and last FOREVER. They feel like there always new, and I like that. I like beefier strings because skinny ones just don't have that great tension that allow me to dig in. :wink:

 

[niilz]

Well, I used Ernie Ball 0.09 to 0.46 Hybrid Slinkys plus a 0.58 low b string before I purchased the MKV.

A few weeks ago I switched to Elixir 0.11/0.14/0.18/0.32/0.42/0.52/0.68 strings on my main guitar
(a PRS 7-string).

That thicker set of strings sounds that much better than the thinner EBs - quite a different league with the MKV!!!


To every Mark V user, who complains about a thin sounding amp:

Please try thicker strings! It makes a hughes difference with this amp.

 

[ReIgnition]

D'Addario EXL-115's

11 - 14 - 18 - 28 - 38 - 49

Just up from 10's a bit.

I've only been tuning down to flat or drop D on my fixed bridge but these are on all my guitars and I love 'em.

 

[rika_gd]

I think its really noticeable the difference between 09 and 010 gauge, it is fatter, or fuller..dont know how to describe it precisely but for sure it is better, despite of the speed you can achieve with 09, and thats important too but in the end, tone is tone :mrgreen:

 

[rika_gd]

btw, Im the only one with 09/010 with standard tune? :shock:

 

[nyeguy]

DRs 10-52! DR is my favorite string after trying almost evrything!

 

[HeadlessAxeman]

Honestly, the best thing you need to do is to buy some cheap strings and try them for yourself..unless all your guitars have a floating bridge like mine and makes u cringe evertime u need to change guage and tuning - needs a full resetup.

BUT...here is a valuable piece of advice, apart from using whatever works for you, remember, it also matters what tuning you want to keep you guitar under and use the optimum guage for that so that adequate string tension is maintained.

Std E - keep it on 9's or 10's max !
1 whole Step Down - Don't go lower than 10-46, but if you can get 11 guage, it'd be ideal.

I think either D'Addario or someother string manuf. has a webpage of string tensions and a chart you can refer (kindly google coz Im too lazy to do that for you right now)

I personally swing between Ernie Balls and DR strings...mostly 10-46 or 10-48...and I tune in E or 1 whole step down.

 

[boogieman60]

I like a wound 3rd so I use EXL115w 11 49 sound good to me on a paul...last about 3 wks...of normal everyday use

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

Honestly, the best thing you need to do is to buy some cheap strings and try them for yourself..unless all your guitars have a floating bridge like mine and makes u cringe evertime u need to change guage and tuning - needs a full resetup.

BUT...here is a valuable piece of advice, apart from using whatever works for you, remember, it also matters what tuning you want to keep you guitar under and use the optimum guage for that so that adequate string tension is maintained.

Std E - keep it on 9's or 10's max !
1 whole Step Down - Don't go lower than 10-46, but if you can get 11 guage, it'd be ideal.

I think either D'Addario or someother string manuf. has a webpage of string tensions and a chart you can refer (kindly google coz Im too lazy to do that for you right now)

I personally swing between Ernie Balls and DR strings...mostly 10-46 or 10-48...and I tune in E or 1 whole step down.

I've found that EB's Not Even Slinky work fairly well for going 2 full steps down on a hard tail

 

[eudaimonia02912]

Right now, on my main guitar (JP6), tuned in E standard, I'm running a mix of gauges as an experiment. The top three strings are from a pack of 8s, the the D and A are from 9s, and the low E is from a 10. So, it's 8-11-15-24-32-46. This makes it super easy to shred on the high strings, but gives me plenty of tension and fatness for riffing on the lower strings.

My Strat has 11-49s but is tuned to Eb.

My seven-string has 9-52s.

My Carvin has 8-38s.