String gauge timbres/response - anorak question

[iTwang]

:D Hi everyone,

I've found that some instruments (with a bolt-on neck. I'm partial to that sound) sound) give me a better response/dynamics with a thinner but regular gauge string set .009 compared to a .010, any thoughts or suggestions on this? Tom, anyone?

[tom]

i use mostly .010's live, but really enjoy the fluid tone of 9's at the shop. i could never play them live cause i can't hit them hard enough but they're fun for just noodling. i do have 11's on a particular guitar and really love them on it as it's a brighter sounding guitar. the bigger strings darken it up a bit and i can really hit it hard. it's got bigger frets than i would normally use so the bigger strings help with tuning too.

[John Price]

I was using 9's forever until about 4 months ago when I decided to string up with 10's and I never looked back. Was there a huge difference in tone to me? No! But what I did notice was that I was playing more in tune. My chords were sounding so much more together or in tune realizing that I have a tighter grip on the neck than I thought. Plus it gave my guitar a little more output. My picking became more accurate as well!........

Wow! That was a revelation!......

OK! Back to playing!!!

[iTwang]

Tom and John,

many thanks for your input!

After playing guitars for many years now (and working in front of a Mac a lot the last ten years) I recently felt some tingling sensations in my ring and little fingers on both hands and did some research. It seems I have early symptoms Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and decided to switch to a lighter gauge string set immediately.

I was surprised when I fitted the Classic (it is my main, main guitar) I have with .009-.042 Elixirs, 'cause the sound, volume and timbre was not that much different from the heavier .010-set and it actually sounds a bit better!

Tom, kudos to you for building great guitars that always work (hence Guitarworks, maybe? ;-)

[mdrs]

I started with 9's many moons ago! I evolved to 10's, which are my standard choice today. I'll use 11's on some of my LP's, especially when I'm playing a lot. I use a hybrid set of 10's on the bottom and 9's on the top for my vintage guitars that have the old '50's small fretwire.

I hit a guitar pretty hard, and like the resistance of heavier strings. I think the heavier strings have more of an impact on the magnetic fields of pu's, and give you a bigger tone.

Now, I do not go higher than 10's on a Strat.......I don't like that feel.

I recently messed around with tuning down a step.........it's pretty amazing how 10's suddenly bend like 9's, but still sound like 10's!! You have to "adjust" your string attack, as the strings do bend much easier tuned down.

[lvergne]

Similar to mdrs. 10's on longer scale such as Strats and 11's on shorter scale, such as Atom, Cobra, Les Paul. I find that it balances out the feel of the guitars when I switch.