Heavier strings - better tuning stability?

J_48_Johnson · Little Guppy Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 31

How much do 10's or 11's help with warming the overall tone of a guitar? Say you use 9's and make a switch to 10's, is it something you really notice or is it subtle?

herb · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:29 am Post subject:

You will notice a difference from 9's to 10's; it will depend on your own ears whether or not you think it is subtle or not. Heavier gauge strings are pulled much tighter to pitch; and so they will have a richer and deeper twang instead of the splashier more sitar like "twang" that the light gauge strings have. You will definitely notice the difference between 9's and 11's, 12's, and 13's. Wink

Troels · Wolf Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Posts: 536 Location: Denmark

thunderhawk · Not So Newbie Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 8

"Hawk, this is something you will get used to; but we try to have a lot of fun here; and we pull each other's legs a lot"

lol

not a prob, I'm a joker myself,,
I was laughing a bit, because I HAVE heard people brag about the "Factory Tuning" and they WERE serious !?

A BIG vote on 10's here.
When I play '09's, everything just sounds thin, and feels sloppy.
(personal thing, I know a lot of players, a lot better than me, that use '09's)
they DO take a bit more work to bend, but it is SO worth it.

LarryL · Newbie Alert Joined: 11 Aug 2008 Posts: 1

Hi. I'm a new forum member and thought I'd jump into this discussion.

I've played acoustics almost exclusively since the 60's. A year or so ago I bought an electric. One of the reasons was my old fingers would develop painful cracks, especially during the winter months. I was hoping the lighter strings found on electric guitars would make playing less tortuous.

I'd always strung my acoustics with lights. They're easier to play and also because my long time luthier strongly recomends them as being much easier on the instrument.

I noticed immediately that, whether using 9's or 10's, the electrics felt butter soft, but the 9's were just so-o comfortable. Both were easier on the fingers than I was used to. They also did not stay in tune as well as my acoustics.

I play mostly blues and jazz on the electrics, and the 9's just don't sound right, at least to me. I've settled on 10's. I do, however, keep a little strat copy strung up with 9's, just because. . .

herb · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, Larry! Very Happy

daveh · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:28 am Post subject:

I don't agree that thicker strings stay in tune better. I have been using 9's for quite a while, after switching up from using 8's for a couple decades, I rarely use a full wrap around the (tuner)post.

I have to tune once when I start playing(the strings go sharp when they cool from the last session), but no matter what string I would be using, I would tune anyway.

Troels · Wolf Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Posts: 536 Location: Denmark