I’d bet my first dollar on the problem not being the strings. Once you find a smooth angle of attack and motion, you’ll be able to play basically with any string gauge, scale length, and tuning.
2 Likes
I have already experimented heavily with my picking technique. I’m reaching burn-out. I switched to a .044 and it indeed is easier to pick through.
Plus the strings are easier to bend than a .010 set, which is really quite fun to play on.
- If you skim the string, do you think you’ll see much difference (with a lighter replacement)?
- If your pick is stiff but you don’t have that much contact, do you think you’ll see much difference?
- If your pick is stiff and you have a lot of non-edge contact, do you think you’ll see much difference?
My guess is “none,” “no,” and “hell yes,” but that might not be right in general. How would you describe your pick stiffness, amount of contact (“depth”?), and degree of edge-picking?
10’s for fender scale, 11’s for Gibson. Thick picks, big pricks.
1 Like
A string tension calculator will show that 10’s are about 17.8# for the Strat, and 11’s are about 20.3# for the Gibson; why not use 10.5 for the Gibson, as that would be 18.5#? But naturally this is up to the player! (I’m currently a wimpy 14.4#, but used to be 11.4#.)
Uh, yah… around here people tend to associate thickness with stiffness (cough), and that makes perfect sense unless one experiences this Pickboy, it was incredible because it could scrape the string like a monster and yet the graphite made it extremely rigid, it’s really unique.
I would suggest experimenting with Dava picks. They essentially become as floppy or rigid as you want by slightly adjusting the grip.
1 Like
For Pete’s sake just try a set of 9s, only this forum would write a novel on this subject.
2 Likes
The 9.5’s work fantastic!
The 'tism has to continue until we start discussing which metals are easier to pick through. This is the way of the CTC forum.
In all seriousness I second the Dava picks suggestion.
Actually I’ve been using Dava exclusively for years but not the weird multi-hardness ones, the red gel or red plastic ones. I find that depending on the humidity and dew point . . . . . DAMMIT!
Why don’t we just admit that this is a chat group for people on the ADHD/Autism spectrum and be done with it? We’re the only people neurologically divergent enough to listen to Troy Grady explain Yngwie Malmsteen’s ADHD-hyperfocus for hours, why don’t we just admit it and stop pretending any of this matters?
4 Likes
I mean that’s basically all specialty forums cause the neurotypicals use Facebook and stuff. Whereas if I use Facebook Ill doom scroll for 5 hours and forget to eat.
Gosh now that you mention it neurotypicals are pretty boring, aren’t they? I mean it’s like if only modern medical science could cure the spectrums we could all aspire to take pictures of food and have heated discussions about interest rates and politics we don’t understand . . . fine, I’m in.
I sincerely think things like strings, picks, action height, whatever, should veer toward “normal” whenever possible. Every shredder uses 9s or something pretty close, the idea that obsessing about that stuff is anything other than an utter waste of time is wrong: I’m certain of it. I walk into a music store and pick something off the shelf, I can play it. Does it have 10s with high action? I don’t care.
Now for practicing for hours I want to be comfortable and I’m insanely particular; I don’t want to be uncomfortable for hours. Example: I recently bought one of the last Neon Purple Ibanez RG550s in Canada, but something wasn’t right: the frets were ok but had too much bevel and weren’t quite high enough so I spent the cost of the guitar, again, having it refretted with stainless steel and rewired.
When I got it back something wasn’t right. It turned out I ordered Dunlop 6100 and what I actually wanted was Dunlop 6000. We’re talking about a few thousandths of an inch, no sane person would care, but I noticed and talked to the shop about it. I’m seriously thinking of destroying the resale value by scalloping it. Why? Who knows.
On the other hand when my ex-singer wanted a guest-solo on his solo project I showed up to the studio without a guitar. Grabbed a Les Paul with high action and heavy strings from the engineer, improvised the solo on the spot, I couldn’t care less. It was one of the best solos I ever played in my life. Weird, eh? But that’s the beauty of being flexible about stuff like this: I can play every bit as fast on 8s, 9s, 10s, elevens, it’s just that for the most part I like what I like but I don’t kid myself that any one gauge of strings is going to be the magical gateway to shredding heaven; IMO, it’s not important. Practice, not obsession, is what gets results. All the best!
1 Like
Are you saying you think it’s inappropriate to have specialist discussions on a (checks notes) specialty discussion forum?
I’m strong believer in developing the ability to play with typical “off the rack” guitar configurations. But I don’t think exercising that kind of pragmatism negates the intrinsic value of reflecting on the finer nuances of how things work (or don’t work).
The logical extension of the more cynical view is that guitar playing itself is a waste of time. Ditto for the arts at large. But if someone believes that, why participate in a forum like this at all?
4 Likes
The primary focus of this website is the development of exceptional speed and accuracy with right-hand plectrum playing; all the instructional materials point to that. Yet, overwhelmingly, the forum is dedicated to topics only tangentially related to the main focus and the threads go on forever. “Should I try using the most common type of string” is a simple question that does not require endless desert-island scenarios, the answer is “yes, try it and see how it goes.”
I’d like to see more discussion regarding actual problems posed by people who are prepared to do a significant amount of work. I mean no actual hostility, but “F*** me, right?”
With respect, maybe just don’t read the threads you’re not interested in? Seems more appropriate than trying to shut down a conversation other people are enjoying, which doesn’t result in more of the discussion you’d like to see anyway. Let people enjoy things.
3 Likes
I think string gauges are a non-trivial conversation when it comes to developing shred/fast technique. It might not be a solution, but definitely is part of the discovery process, imho.
Specifically, I’ve spent 24 years of my life blaming my left-handedness, my muscles, my brain etc. trying to find an explanation to why I couldn’t pick fast. That eventually led me to try the lightest string gauges I could possibly find, in an attempt to compensate for my self-perceived limitations, and feeling less resistance certainly gave me a little boost…until I ended up hitting a wall again because the problem had always been related to angles of motion. Now, thanks to Troy and the CTC community, and after quite a bit of trial and error and almost hitting a stage of burnout like @357mag described, I’ve finally found something that works (DT trailing edge with a bit of elbow drive), and now I feel less self-conscious about my guitar playing and now I went back to a set of 10-46 for the tone and feel I prefer without losing speed.
The problem was never the strings, at least in my case, but it’s still worth to experiment.
4 Likes
I’m with you there but IMO it doesn’t take much experimentation and string gauge is never a dealbreaker; I’ve never met anyone who can shred on 9s but not 10s, it’s inconceivable. A really extreme case like shredding on acoustic or classical takes some adjustment, I do both every so often to make sure I’m not relying on the flexibility of the string to plow through for sweeps but for strict alternate picking it doesn’t affect anything.
The low E string can be an issue, but I’ve found a few ways to get over it.
For one it’s a tracking issue.
I’ve seen Yngwie use elbow motions to deal with lower strings, alcatraz live,
The other thing is wearing a full sleeve helps track with less friction, but live with all the sweat elbow tracking might be why it’s done.
As for string gauge, it’s a very personal thing, one can train to get used to anything. Personally I find I keep going back to Yngwie’s string gauge spread, it seems to work best for me.
What might not be obvious is that they’re not just 8-46, the spread is different.
.008 .011 .014 .022 .032 .046