9's or 10's

[SEEGERMANY]

.009-.042 on my Gibsons
.010-.046 on my Strats

[wilkinsi]

Have always used 9's. Currently have 3 guitars with different brands: DR's, EB's and Rotosound. They seem all the same to me. My fingers are busted with calous blisters anyway.

[Grandturk]

I've got a heavy set on my SG (11-52 or so). I was playing around with some COB stuff so I figured I'd experiment. IMO, the strings still felt flubby and hte action felt mushy - Fyi I did a complete setup and intonation when I changed strings...

Moral of the story, I'll just stick to regulae guage when I tune down.

[Bryan]

I use the Gilmour sig set on my Strat.
.010 .012 .016 .028 .038 .048

9s on my FR Guitars,

[toejam]

I use the Gilmour sig set on my Strat.
.010 .012 .016 .028 .038 .048

9s on my FR Guitars,

I just picked up 6 sets of those as well as 6 sets of his 10.5 through 50. So far I've only used the 10.5- 50 on my Hamer and really dig them.

I always used 10-46 Boomers or 11-48 Ernie Ball Power Slinky for E or Eb, but this signature set may be a mainstay.
I also use the Low-Tunes Boomers 11-53 for my RR1-T tuned to D.

[Mr.Shreddy]

I ended up using a 9-46 hybrid set on 25.5" scale guitars and a 10-46 on shorter scales.

Me too, hybrids are the best of both worlds and last a long time!

[Burn]

8's on everything.

[ToneZone]

10-46 and standard tuning.

I like to have thicker strings because it helps my picking(!) and not because of tone.

I use thicker than .10 when I tune down.

[metalchurch79]

I like D'Addario 8-38's and 9-42's
I'm mostly 1/2 step down, but I have one guitar tune a step down in D and one in C#. I have no problems using 9's for these tunings.

I used to play 11-56's in C#, but that was a long time ago. I tried them again recently and I couldn't get used to them.

I guess I just like the squishy feel of lighter guages, and it also allows me to play faster and have lower action on my set-ups. (the "D" and C# guitars have slightly higher action)

I guess it all depends on your style and musical tastes, there's no good or bad, right or wrong. As with everything else concerning equipment or tone.

After playing for a while and experimenting with different gauges and brands, most will find that they prefer certain sets of strings.
It sometimes takes a 'trained ear' to notice minute details in tone and sustain, but most develope it over time...of course not all do. My buddy has been playing for a long time and he's tone deaf it seems, but he has a nice style and tone..

[Voyager1000]

Metalchurch79,
yeah I think I'll get a good quality set of hybrid 9's to try out based upon what I've read so far and see how they feel. I think I'm running into a wall on the speed of my picking and maybe a lighter gauge would help.

[toejam]

.009-.042 on my Gibsons
.010-.046 on my Strats

Do you have that reversed?

[Jacksons Shred]

11-49's in E.

[Axewielder]

10-48's or 10-52's. I'd like to try 11's on my Gibby, though. I am jealous of people who are happy with 9's, as they just feel like cobwebs to me. Most shredders come with 9's from the factory, so they are hard for me to evaluate at the store. Also, many guitars that seem happy with 9's don't take 10's worth a damn: they get all buzzy as hell and have to go in for a fret dress.

[XxKilgannonxX]

10-46 for fixed 25.5"
10-52 for floyd 25.5"

[Vass]

10's on 24.75, 9's 25.5.

I have 9's on the Fusion I bought from Brooke a while back, and 10's on my other Fusion- They feel completely different, in every way imaginable, much more than you would think just going up one gauge. The 9's also sound thin because I put a Super D in there & the one with 10's has an EMG set. I've been thinking about putting identical pickups in the two of em to A B the gauges.

I will say going from the one with 10's to 9's, I bend too sharp on the 9's.

And another plug for DR strings- Order up a set some time. You'll be amazed. I don't use the coated ones, just the Hi-Beams (which I think is way too much for the Super D....next time I'm going with Tite Fit or something not so bright with the bright pup) and I haven't broken a single one since I switched over....and I leave em on there for quite a long time.

Vass