string gauges?

[canuck7]

i've been wondering what gauges people like to play. i use some standard 10-46s but i'm probably going to a SLIGHTLY heaviery gauge and stay or maybe stay and try to get some really light bottoms strings for soloing.
some people hate heavy strings and some crave them. Zakk Wylde uses 10-60s and i'm constantly amazed. i mean, KoRn's A-tuned seventh string is a 60! Zakk Wylde is one awesome crazy guy.
well, what gauges do you guys use?

[Lordathestrings]

I keep a couple of axes strung with D'Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) for ocasions when I wanna get slinky. I keep my main guitars strung with EXL115W (.011-.049 with a .021 wound G). I play mostly rythym, and heavier strings give much better tone. Next string-change, I'm taking the step up to EJ21 (.012-.052). I don't do 3-fret bends, and none of my guitars have a whammy bar. I insist on huge tone, and killer sustain without having to resort to overdrive or feedback. As with any equipment choice, its a deeply personal thing.

Use the search icon at the top of the page to look for older threads on strings. There's a lot of stuff here!

[SLY]

I mainly use D'Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) ... I play mostly lead, and I can't stay more than a 5 min away from my whammy & 8 frets bending habbits.

I used to play (.009's) , but changed to (.010's) for tonal reasons... I never play .008's cuz whenever I play a guitar strung with these & do some crazy bendings I instantly break the high e-string , not to mention the crappy tone you get from these (IMHO).

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by SLY
... I never play .008's cuz whenever I play a guitar strung with these & do some crazy bendings I instantly break the high e-string , not to mention the crappy tone you get from these (IMHO). true words... you need to have some mass in your strings in order for them to interact with the pickups, plus the fact that 'spiderwebs' sustain even less than the average banjo! (And I ain't humble about my opinions... I've developed them over a lot of years). :)

[SLY]

Originally posted by Lordathestrings
[B...plus the fact that 'spiderwebs' sustain even less than the average banjo! [/B]

LOL @ 'spiderwebs' !

Some people play these for the ease of bending, and the low action they can set with a (.008) ... But yeah, tone is more important ... You can get used to play higher gauge , but you can never get good tones out of these , erm , 'spiderwebs' .... :D

[canuck7]

love that term, spiderwebs. that's right, i think the lowest i'd drop my e to is a 9 or something, i'll probably end up sticking with 10-46 or 10-something heavier.
keep posting your string gauges.

[SLY]

The most popular gauges are 9's & 10's ... Actualy I want to try the 11's , but my neck is very slim & I'm afraid if this tension would harm it ... I believe the (.010-.046) gauge is the most balanced between tone & playability.

The only famous guitarist I know who play 8's is Malmsteen.

[Azrael]

I use the Elixier .009 - .042 gauge plus a .054 for the low B (7 string)

i have tried heavier gauges, but thats not my cup of tea. The lightest strings i have tried so far where .007 - but thats thiner than a hair *LOL* i bought them because i wanted to have a 7-string guitar with a higher A - string. unfortunetely i never got up to an A - G# was the note where it snaped *LOL*

[janir123]

I'm using DR '9/'42s. They're good on my Ibanez but I think my Hamer's gonna need '10s or '11s (short scale,setneck). The '9s just don't seem to last....

[PlanetDeep]

I mainly use .010->.048 and an extra .060 for the 7:th string. I also use .013->.058 on my Rhoads which is tuned down to C. On my strat I use .010->0.48 (normal tuning)

[aiwass]

Ernie Ball .009 - .042 here. I used to use 10-46, and I've switched a bit back and forth, and I think the 9s both feel better and sound better. The bass strings are thick ENOUGH for a good rhythm punch, and the high strings sustain more when treated with vibrato. The sustain thing is debated though. Some say thinner=less sustain, others the opposite. I guess there are different levels of sustain, too. You definitely get more of the harmonic feedback-sustain thing with light strings.

Besides, they're easy to play on!

[canuck7]

i've listened to previous posts and i've checked out some other guitars with lighter gauges and i've decided that a 10 should be the lightest gauge for the high e string. just my preference. it's got that good balance between too big and not big enough. it's got good sustain with my rig so that's my opinion.
that's just me.

[SLY]

About the harmonic feedback & sustain thing ... Slash has got one of the best sustain & feedback harmonics , and he uses 11's gauge... I'm not sure anyway which should sustain more scientificaly , heavy or light gauge.

I think the difference in sustain between different string gauges (or even different guitar models) is realy minor, or more dependant on the pickups & the amount of gain coming out from your amp ... For example, my guitar is a Floyd Rose, Bolt-On neck type guitar ... And it sustains exactly (very little less or more) as any other tun-o-matic neck-thru guitar.

From the Tone point of view , everybody agrees that higher gauge gives bigger tone which most people like more ... But it's a matter of personal taste for sure .

[aiwass]

I think lighter strings sound smoother. Of course, they also demand a lighter touch to sound good.

[SLY]

Less gauge have thinner sound that's not pretty good for nice rhythms or leads (IMHO).

9's are reasonable for some people cuz their playability is affected badly with higher gauges .

Just to add something , since I've been used to 10's for a long time , now my technique gets very sloppy (specialy the picking) when I play on a guitar strung with 8's ... just as people used to 8's get sloppy when they play 10's .
So it's just a matter of getting used to a certain gauge , and humans usualy adapt to anything very fast.

That's why I don't think it's a good idea to sacrifice the tone for the playability , which is something anybody can get used to in a short period of time.

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by SLY
...That's why I don't think it's a good idea to sacrifice the tone for the playability , which is something anybody can get used to in a short period of time. YES!

[aiwass]

I heard that Marcus Paus played with .007s. Hope he had string saver saddles...

[SLY]

Who is Marcus Paus ?

[aiwass]

The "official" fastest guitarist in the world. He's been discussed her in all the "speed-threads". I'm not surprised you don't know him, though. He's basically only known in Norway.

[SLY]

"Official Fastest" ?? cool , where did you get this ? If you know any sites plz post'em here. :)

[aiwass]

Search for "Mr. Cucumber" at mp3.com.

This band features a former student of his on guitar (Håkon Hogganvik), but all the songs from the first demo feature both Hogganvik and Paus.

You can clearly hear which is which, since Hogganvik sweeps, and has a warmer, less trebly tone. Marcus Paus does more alternate picking, often along a single string. His tone also has more treble.

The songs you should check out: "Caspersen's Secret Fetish" (I tried tabbing this song, and got about two bars into the first solo. Probably their best song.), "Mr. Cucumber's Nightmare", "Dendrofile Filatelister" and "Nibbling Nancy's Nipples".


This is hardcore fusion stuff, and is not for the faint of heart. It's like Shawn Lane playing guitar on Primus-kinda songs.

[SLY]

Just got "Caspersen's Secret Fetish" , nice one.

But I'm interested to konw how is he the "Official Fastest" , is it by some kinda contest , organization or what ?

I've searched the guiness records few years ago for this topic ,and found nothing.

I guess I've read before about a contest for the fastest drummer ... It would be cool to have similar contest for guitar .

[aiwass]

At age 15, Marcus Paus was recorded playing (picking scales) 46. 67 notes per second by Guiness' Book of World records. I don't know if they actually checked it against material from other fast players, but most ultra-fast guys max out at 20-25 notes per sec. I've heard of unknown people who claim to do 30-34 notes, but never heard actual documentation of this speed.

You should also know that Marcus Paus suffers from hyperactivity, and matched with 20+ hours a day of practicing, this can result in furious speed.

The drummer in my band has ADHD (attenton defacit hyperactivity disorder), and his talent for playing fast stuff is an undisputable fact. He's 14 years old, been playing for like 4 years, and was pounding out Dream Theater's Fatal Tragedy with us at last band practice. And he doesn't practice more than 1 to possibly 3 hours per day.

[SLY]

46 - 67 notes per second ????????????????????????????????????

What the FU*K is that ? Is that 16th notes at 600 bpm ? 64th at 300 bpm ?
I was very happy to play 16th at 300 bpm like Michael Angelo , but it's extremely hard to believe that someone who can double this realy exist ...

I just downloaded his stuff from mp3.com & haven't heard such things... Where did you get these info , I'd realy like to hear the 64th notes at 300 bpm form a guitar player , if it's true.

And where did you find the guiness records documentation for that , I've been searching for a long time and found nothing.

[aiwass]

Well, I have yet to find out where the documentation for the speed is. However, although it is hearsay, I've seen that particular speed mentioned at atleast two or three websites. What I DO know, however, is that when Petrucci and Angelo (and, on the odd occassion, I) play 16ths at 300 bpm, you can clearly see the fingers,not to mention still hear the notes. Petrucci's final run in Under a Glass Moon is 16ths at 290, and that doesn't sound blurred at all. On the Cucumber demo, there is a fast section in the end, which could very well be close to said speed.

Besides, my old guitar teacher saw Paus perform his final exam piece at the Norwegian Music Academy, and he claims that you couldn't really see his hand, or at least not make out the fingers. This alone says something about his speed.

I also doubt that he could reproduce that speed today, for two reasons:

1) He was playing guitar ALL DAY, sleeping only for a couple of hours every TWO DAYS when he set the record. I assume this was to increase his speed dramatically just before the record attempt. Would've made a great coffee commercial. I very much doubt he maintained that practice schedule long after the record.

2) He doesn't play guitar professionally anymore. Rumor says he quit, but I reckon he probably still plays at home. At the moment, he writes classical music.

[SLY]

Hmmm, I would never believe unless I heard myself .

And for 64th at 300 bpm , I just tried to see how does it sound on Guitar Pro tab software ... It's totaly blurred , a real mess , I still can't believe it could be achieved on guitar and sound decent.

Anyway , I can slide the chromatic scale up & down the whole neck 4 or 5 times per second , considering my neck has 24 frets ... That would be arounnd 120 notes per second !! :p

LOL

[aiwass]

Well I doubt anything sounds good at that speed anyway.

[SLY]

What speed ? the 120 bpm chromatic slide I mentioned ? I was kidding anyway .

I'm pretty sure that no one (Human) can play scales with 64th notes at 300 bpm ... Unless he uses my sliding trick ;) ... I'll copyright that one ! LOL

[PlanetDeep]

I saw this guy Paus on a swedish program once (think it was an "amazing artist" show called coloseum or something) and I couldn't believe my own eyes. He sounded like a god damn keyboard shifting notes without distinct keychanging. But I doubt that he could do 64th notes in 300 bpm.. I mean, I've been playing on speed for a while and I can barely play 32nd notes in 130-140 bpm. It's not human, it's no need to argue about it. =)

[kingdavid]

I guess this speed thing is abit like science;
there's the science that's persued for the sake of pursuing science,science that won't help improve your life in any way,stuff that's done for the phuck of it.
Then there's science that actually helps improve human life.My comparison to the former is some technique you learn just for the phuck of it(like the fastest you can play,or the longest you can hold your breath,for that matter),and the technique that you learn and use it to better express yourself musically.
So,yeah,64ths at 300 aren't human,but you can try to do it just for the sake of doing it.

[aiwass]

I must stress that he has a weird hyperactivity disorder. I know people who ahve met him, and he cannot stay still for a second.

[canuck7]

playing that fast is just good craziness. i think it's cool that he pushed himself to be that fast(even though the numbers are probably a bit fudged).
i'm always pushing my fretboard speed to the max but i have a long way to go before i'm 'fast'.

[aiwass]

I'm gonna stop when I'm faster than Petrucci (around 300 bpm). No need to go much faster.

[Dejan Sajinovic]

Reaching 300bpm and playn´ it tight can be very hard.

It isn´t impossible if it´s short like Petrucci´s video lick. I had it in my head that I couldn´t play Bumblebee faster than 220 but my friend pushed me on all the way to 250 but hard to get it 100% all the way. I play Petruccis verision and it´s about 20-30 sec. of non stop ultimate shred.

Still for me I think I could reach 260 (Petruccis video lick) and maby 270 if I really push my self but 300, I don´t think so. But belive me 250 is hyper speed. If I could play any kind of 16-note licks at 250, I would be worlds greatest guitar player but that´s IMPOSSIBLE.

I would LOVE to see maniac shred him self through Paganin´s 5 caprice (mostly 16-notes) at 250. wrrrrooommm.

But, keep the struggle Aiwas.

And about string gauge 0,09-0,45 D´Addario. Very smooth.

[Dejan Sajinovic]

Man 64-notes at 300 imposible, I don´t care what he have atached to his guitar I don´t belive it. I saw it to Coluseum when he play but I can´t remember much of it. But 64 notes, good luck. Not even with legato our any technique except maby Gilberts electric drill technique.

[Dejan Sajinovic]

Aiwas, Petruccis final run isn´t really 16-notes at 290. The are separated at groups of 11.

It´s like:

---------------------------------16-17-18|19-19-18-17-16---
----------------16-17-18-19--------------|--------and so on
15-16-17-18------------------------------|-----------------

[aiwass]

Hm.. That's what it says in my Rock Discipline book, too. But on the record it sounds like 32nd notes. Hard to tell. Well anyway I've hard him go to about 290-300. I'm sure that run varies from time to time.

[zepp_rules]

Jason Becker shreds through Paganini's Fifth Caprice. i have the video, it's pretty awesome!

[zepp_rules]

you can download it off the net, i used WinMX to get it.

[aiwass]

Hey I found a web forum where one of the guys went to GIT with Paus. The record was 42 notes per second, playing a short (but probably over 42 notes), possibly double-picked run.

Go to http://www.voy.com/88684

There's a lot of cool info about him, his speed, and his sloppy technique. Plus, the rest of the forum is about Shawn Lane.

[aiwass]

BTW. In the same forum, I found that Shawn Lane uses .008 strings. That dude has the best tone EVER! Smooth as silk, thick, liquid, and PERFECT vibrato and sustain. I think the guys who said Thicker=better should give Shawn Lane a listen, and then reconsider their arguments.

[SLY]

I don't use a certain gauge or any piece of equip just cuz someone famous use'em ... I've tried light Vs heavy gauge personaly & I found the heavier gives better tone , most people say so too.

And Mr. Lanes sweet tone may depends on other factors like amp , pickups , effects , his settings , etc. ... Also his tone might get even better if he switches to heavier gauge, who knows ?!

[aiwass]

I'm not sayin' "use it! He's famous!" (Actually he's almost not famous). I'm just saying that different gauges give you different sound. DIFFERENT. Not better or worse. If you compare the tone of someone like Hammett or Petrucci, who both use heavier strings, to someone like Malmsteen or Lane, who use VERY light strings, you would hear that the thinner strings sound more fluid, while the heavier strings sound punchier, more in-your face.

And don't tell me that it's the amps or the pickups or something, cuz I know very well what difference strings make as opposed to amps/pickups/cables/etc.

You really can't disguise the tone of a string. A Dean Markley Blue Steel WILL sound different from an Elixir, an Ernie Ball from a GHS, and different gauges will affect the difference in tone even more.

[Dejan Sajinovic]

I have Jasons video too. It´s pretty shi*tty sound but who cares the guy rocks. Still he dosen´t play it as fast as I have a record by a guy who play it on violin but it´s damn cool.

I also have Jason´s Black Star verision wich is from his school time, a guitar solo from Cacophany from Japan and some Serrana video clips. And there´s only one word to describe Jason=GOD.

[zepp_rules]

yeah i have those vids as well. he is amazing, his stuff even after his ALS diagnosis is mind blowing.

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by aiwass
...you would hear that the thinner strings sound more fluid, while the heavier strings sound punchier, more in-your face...Well said.

I enjoy the solid presence I get from heavier strings. I get fluidity from the use of legato techniques, and by 'stroking' the strings with my pick, instead of plucking them.

[SLY]

Yeah, I like that more In-Your-Face tone ... That's why I use 2.0mm picks , for the heavy attack & the punch I get with this , & I like more presence from the amp too... That's what I refer to as better tone (IMHO).

[canuck7]

what do you think should be the lowest gauge for the high e string?
i mean, like some people just think that 8 is too low because of lack of tone or strength. i think 9 is a bit too much as well. i think 10 is the best gauge because it balances strength with small size without going over on both sides. not too heavy, not too small. good sustain.
what do you think?

[SLY]

10's are the lowest gauge I'll ever use with my guitars.

[bigmarty]

I use the the ernie ball hybrid sets that have a heavy bottom and a light top,I think they are 10-52's I also have my back up guitar set up but with a heavier E string because I like a heavier top especially for rhthym playing.I have to try that GHS set that Zakk endorses.

[canuck7]

the strings that Zakk uses are crazy. 10-60. he also has another set that is 11-70 for his low-tunings. i'll get those to show off, not to actually use. i'd be like, look at this craziness. good stuff.

[aiwass]

Dick Dale uses 18-70. In standard tuning.

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by aiwass
Dick Dale uses 18-70. In standard tuning. :eek: Those aren't strings - they're coat hangers!

[bigmarty]

dick dale uses 18-70's? damn those ain't coat hangers,those are bridge cables!!!

[kingdavid]

Originally posted by aiwass
Dick Dale uses 18-70. In standard tuning.
Then what does he do with the old ones when he buys bew ones?Give them to his kids to skip rope?

[canuck7]

does he honestly use 18-70's in standard tuning?? because that's just craziness. where did you here that? does he have some website or something?
18-70....crazy man

[aiwass]

Saw an interview in Fender Frontline (Fender propaganda magazine). The dude is crazy. It's strange. He uses String Saver Saddles, but still, I find it strange that Azrael breaks a .007 string tuning it to G#, while dick dale tunes a .018 to E without snapping it. I don't think the guy uses alot of bending.

[canuck7]

yeah, bending standard tuned 18-70's would take hands of iron and maybe a crowbar!! i thought Zakk Wylde was crazy, this is insane. i think it's pretty cool too, but what would be the use of an 18? may a 70 i can understand but an 18? ah well.

[aiwass]

He plays surf guitar, (Dick Dale is a surf legend) and plays without distortion. Teh only way he can get a huge sound without overdrive is with massive strings.

[SLY]

My G-string is gauged to .017 ... I wonder how does an 18's gauged string tuned to the high e feels.

I believe it would be more like a steel bar than a string !

[aiwass]

Probably feels like sh*t. Plus, it's probably rather painful to play on.

[canuck7]

it's probably hell!! i've played 12s is standard tuning and i thought that was hard. it's just something you wouldn't expect to hear you know? well, does this guy have a signature set or something? i wouldn't play with them but i would be like "this is craziness".

[SLY]

I wonder if this would be ok for the guitar neck ?

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by SLY
I wonder if this would be ok for the guitar neck ? There must be a lot of tension on the neck! :eek:

The strings tend to bow the neck, so the truss rod would have to be tightened to oppose that effect. I suspect he chooses guitars with necks like fence posts.

[canuck7]

i saw that Dick Dale guy in a magazine picture and he was holding a strat. well, i'm just amazed.

[SLY]

Lordathestrings - Yeah man , he surely have to adjust the truss rod in the opposite direction .

But what I meant wasn't only the neck bending tension ... There will also be very high shear tension on the neck joint with the body wether it's neck-thru or bolt-on .

I read that Slash broke his neck before during a jam while he was bending it forward ... He was injured badly too... I think that strings with that gauge in standard tuning probably have more tension than Slash's bending the neck.

This guy must have his neck supported with cast steel or something !

[zepp_rules]

just out of curiosity, does any know what Michael Romeo's String gauges are. his solos are always very fluid and thick.

[aiwass]

He uses .010 - .046, but tunes all the strings down a whole step (low to high DGCFAD). This probably makes for the same tension as a .009 - .042 set, if not slightly looser.