Question about Strings Gauges

Playing Technique
#1

Hi, I’m Rodrigo. I’m new in this forum and I’m so glad to be here. Something I’ve been thinking about for a while is whether having slightly thicker strings could help some people play faster. I have a mid-range Les Paul type guitar. I use 9-42 strings. And my setup is around 2mm between the strings and the fingerboard in the 12th fret (which is considered “normal” I think). This has always been the case for 5 years.
But I had the opportunity to play sometimes other types of guitars such as Strats, and different types of fingerboards, strings gauges, etc.
And that made me think if I could play faster on thicker strings. I don´t feel 10-52 strings are painful. And I´ve been told that I gained finger strength.

There are cases kind of Mateo Mancusso (who plays with his fingers) who I once heard say that he uses 10 strings because he feels them in a medium range. Many metal players with furious speed also have thick strings. But there is the case of Paul Gilbert with picks 0.5 or 0.7. And strings 8 I think.

#2

One can pick any three and physics chooses the other:

  • tuning
  • scale length
  • tension
  • mass per unit length (basically gauge)

You should definitely try your idea of heavier strings. But why do you think it will be faster?

#3

Most shredders I can think of use lighter strings, Yngwie uses 8s, Gilbert has changed it up a lot but has used 8s in the past, Jason Becker used 9s, I think Petrucci uses 9s, can’t think of anymore off the top of my head but if thicker strings work for you then that is all that really matters :slight_smile:

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#4

instead of heavier strings how about a thinner pick? like say a 60mm. Although 9s on les Paul scale can be real slinky but a lighter pick wont flex the string as much as a heavier one would in my opinion.

#5

Yng uses a mixed gauge. It’s mixed between 8’s 9’s and 10’s. He uses thicker gauges on the bottom strings.

Gilbert has varied, but 8’s and 9’s and has gone from super heavy picks to .60mm dunlops in the later naughts.

#6

Yngwie goes for something like balanced tension it seems.

#7

It’s kind of more hodge podge of where he has them. He has three from a .008 set on the high e, g, and d, and two from the .009 set on the b and a strings and the low e from the .010. Although I guess you could argue the .011 on the b could be from either the .008 or .009 gauges. Probably just played around and that’s what stuck with him, I think he liked some of the lighter gauges up too because of his guitar set up, and for vibrato and bending.

#8

YJ has a signatue set, 008, .011, .014, .022, .032, .046.

#9

If I recall, in an interview YJM said he uses the lightest possible string that has the tone that he requires.

#10

I watched one of Troy’s Andy Wood interviews and he actually said he thought it was easier to pick on thicker strings. Context is everything though - he has decades of experience as a mandolin player and those strings are TIGHT. So when he says it’s “easier” he possibly could have just meant “it’s more familiar to me”. He also mentioned he goes a little lighter (9’s on the top) because he likes the tone of lighter strings better (subjective).

Bottom line, play what you like :wink:

#11

Beato did a shootout with string sizes and of the 3 people there, a couple of minds were blown in regards to the tone and how they sat in the mix using 8, 9 and 10. I used 10-56 (could’ve been 54 or 52, its’ been 20 years) for awhile back in my touring days. We were endorsed by Dean Markley so I’d change them before every show just because I could, lol. I honestly could tell any difference in their tone, but they always felt like I was really PLAYING when I’d use them. I’m a 9-42 now and have considered going down to 8’s but I want it professionally done and I need another guitar first. I can’t go a week without playing or I’d lose my mind.

#12

Yeah that shootout made me think twice about my whole SRV inspired “heavier is better!!!” mentality. I preferred (I think) the 9’s on Rick’s video. My band tuned to Drop C and I used 13’s to 70 :slight_smile: When the guys in Periphery checked out my guitar they were like “WWWHHHAAATTT???” lol

#13

Same here, but it does explain the whole “calluses glued back on” thing that always creeped me out lol

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#14

I bought some NYXL strings that are advertised as for C tuning to put my Les Paul in B standard and I can’t imagine actually using them for C standard, they are 12-60 gauge it feels like playing bass when you’re used to 9s. :sweat_smile:

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#15

This is why the guitar I have strung with 9’s I always seem to bend sharp. Well ok…it’s one of the reasons lol

#16

HAHAHA!!! Speaking of which, I also heard John Scofield say that he was surprised when he saw that Beato video in his interview. And also said that Pat Martino played with the 15 or 16 :joy:

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#17

I think there are many factors and it depends a lot on the context as well.
In my case I feel like I have more control with the 10-42 or 10-52 strings. To play jazz and to shred as well (like playing Guthrie Govan tunes and YJM´s licks). In this standard Les Paul with all the setup that I mentioned.

I was also freaked out when I found out that Billy Gibbons’ fat sound was from the thinnest strings.

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