metal lead strings

What gauge strings should i use for lead metal guitar? I use ultra lights (forgot the gauge, at school now).

by the way. I'll be leaving for a while because the school I go to issues us laptops and I dont have a home computer, and out laptops go back soon so... all the help you can give now will help.

Dont wory, i'll be back. in july.

you'll get a few answers to this one. The best answer is probablty to go with the highest gauge you feel comfortable with.

I use 9's on my 24 fret guitars, and 10's on the 22's. You get better tone from higher gauges, but they are harder to bend, and play in general. For lead, I always use 9's...

YJM uses 8's, SRV 13's.... The ultralites you're using may well be 9's... and if they work for you, there's nothing wrong with them...

I like the DaAdderio 0.10's

Something with a heavy bottom, and light top. That way, you get the monstorous power chords and lead playability. I use the Erinie Ball Skinny Top, Heavy Bottom's.

Try a few and go with what feels good!

Ultra lights wont do.

I vote 10's are your best bet.

I say go 10s. Depends on whether you're shredding or just playing rhythm really. I think the action of your guitar is bound to have more effect on your metal playing experience if you ask me :)

Yeah - I use guitars with 10's for rhythm, and the 9's for lead (and rhythm as well if I'm playing live). No question that the 10's give a fuller tone.

Only re-posting because I really don't see a problem with using 9's.... especially if you're already happy with them. Going to 10's will also mean having your guitar re-setup, which maybe you'd prefer not to do.

I wouldn't want you to get the impression that 9's are no good....

It's all about personal preference. I use 10's on my Gibsonm and 9's on my Prs. I like the 9's on my prs, they give me more of the twang that I like in my clean sound. Howerev its all up to you, I find heavier guage strings have a much more mellow sound to them clean, but make for phat distorted riffs

I'm an 11's guy myself. Its difficult at first just due to the thickness of the strings. But you play on standard tuning long enough, and you'l work your fingers up. You get so much more of a rich tone, I find it hard to believe you're gonna want to go back down to ultralights. Unless you're looking to shred, the heavier the better in my opinion. I used 9's on my uncle's LP and I couldn't even feel them under my fingers, which was kinda weird.

Whatever works for you though. All personal preference. A lot of the metal guys go heavier for nasty sounding pinches and such. Just gives a heavier tone all around.

10's for rhythms (especially on my 7 string) and 9's for lead - always on my Jem. All about preference at the end of the day, I just find I can play a lot faster and more articulately on 9's - they make it a bit easier for me to get wide vibrato and bends in a fast passage.

I just put a set of Rotosound Yellows (.10 to .46) on my guitar today - I haven't plugged in with them yet, but they certainly feel great for intense leads - you can really dig into them for bending and vibrato, and you can whack them harder than you can ultralights without them twanging excessively. If it's speed you're after, it's like Grizz said - you can rip on any gauge of string if you practice enough with them.