9s, 10s, or beyond?

[Special-K]

11-50 (DR Tite Fits) on Standart tuning
And now 11-54 on Drop C (DR DDTs) - before I was using 13-56 on Drop C but I got sick of the amount
of bending I have to do to get a 0.5 bend.

[cullenszoo]

I've tried a ton of different strings over the years and I'm at the stage where I love the slinky slippery feel of my .08 Earnie Ball strings. I use a floyd and once everything is zeroed in they feel awesome. They may not sound super loud unplugged but even with the stock pups in my guitars they have a lot of edge on the high notes.
IMHO most packs are around $5 or $6. try a good brand like Earnie Ball or D'Addario in different gauges and see what you like best cause everybody likes different feels and tones.

[zuppermuhle]

10-60 in Eb.

[DonP]

First, two words about slinky strings not sounding huge: Tony Iommi.

I was getting brainwashed on the LP forums telling me to go bigger and bigger. I even bought 3 bags of GHS Boomer 11s but haven't tried them out yet.

For the longest time I used GHS Boomer Custom Lights 9-46. But when these ran out, guys on the forum said Carvin strings were rebadged GHS Boomers. Problem was they didn't sell Custom Lights (on ebay at that time).

So I bought 10 bags of 9s and 10 bags of 10s.

So currently I'm using 9s on my longer scale guitars, 10s on my shorter scales.

[Whoopu2]

I use 9s (Elixir Nanowebs) exclusively. No particular reason other than I've been using 9s for a long time and I play well on them. Also most my guitars have Floyds which of course usually come set-up with 9s.

I've used 10s and once even some 11s on my (only) string-thru, my Dean VMNT. The 10s were alright but my god, I hated the 11s, tone-wise and feel. So even that guitar has been strung with 9s ever since.

[toejam]

Can you guys really tell the difference in tone in between 9's and 10's?

Yes. I also started out with 10s in the '80s and think 9s are too thin and feel like spiderwebs. 10s or 11s for me.

[wilkinsi]

For me, its 9's for E and 10's for D.

[Schoolboy]

I use 10s cause I like the resistance and I like all my guitars to feel the same. It is cobalt 10s for me even though everywhere is sold out of them now

[levantin]

10-52 in D, for teh brootalz.

[Whoopu2]

Another thing I've noticed with the "fatter strings equals beefier tone" ideology is that it isn't always true. I've found thicker strings don't oscillate nearly as well as thinner strings taking a lot of "beef" out of the tone. In my experience, lighter strings can really ROAR while heavier ones just kinda grumble...

[84sups]

If you just throw 12s on a guitar set up for 9s good luck. If a guitar is set up for thicker strings it's play and sound awesome. You also have to change amp settings. All of my guitars have different string gauges and brands too. My RG sounds like ass with 9s on it but absolutely sings with 10s and while almost every Jackson I owned sounded and played awesome with 9s. I've always been into bands like Pantera and I know for a fact Dime didn't use 9s. Tone is also very personal and subjective so I say if it sounds and plays great as is why change it?

[Whoopu2]

If you just throw 12s on a guitar set up for 9s good luck. If a guitar is set up for thicker strings it's play and sound awesome. You also have to change amp settings. All of my guitars have different string gauges and brands too. My RG sounds like ass with 9s on it but absolutely sings with 10s and while almost every Jackson I owned sounded and played awesome with 9s. I've always been into bands like Pantera and I know for a fact Dime didn't use 9s. Tone is also very personal and subjective so I say if it sounds and plays great as is why change it?

Of course I wouldn't just throw thicker strings on without a setup heh. I was just noting my experiences and my tonal preferences which like you said, are very subjective.

I was mainly calling out what seems to be an all-too common opinion on guitar forums that many like to claim as as fact, ie: thicker strings = fuller tone. I think string gauge is just one of many factors which contribute to a more rounded tone (the main factor is of course the player), and at the end of the day, it still depends upon the ear of the beholder.

[Mr Sandman]

This would be a good one for the `Myth Busters`...


They could do a Fender Strat with 9`s v 12`s, then an LP again 9`s v 12`s , maybe lastly an RR again 9`s v 12`s...

They could get all their scientific sonic measuring shit out under controlled, sterile lab conditions,,, I`d like to see them do it,,, I`d like to see them try anyway.

It would take being a TONE NERD to a whole new level

[Whoopu2]

They wouldn't do it unless they got to blow up the guitars.

[Disturbing Manor]

I'm a big fan of 10s. I fret down pretty hard with my left hand, and the 10s give me the resistance I need to keep chords in tune without pulling them sharp.