Changing String Gauges

[gilmourguy]

Will it effect my playing for the worse if a changed my strings to extra lihgts on acoustic? I changed becuase my teacher told me my custom lights were too heavy for acoustic bending. Will it permenatly damage my playing if i keep them on for awhile? Will it be alot harder to play other people s higher guage acoustics?

[Devon Headen]

You can try them if you want. I played ultra-light elixirs on my guitar and HATED them. The tone is way too tinny with strings that thin. Not to mention I snapped the strings a lot. Custom lights are in no way too thick to bend. On my Fender (doesn't play really well, but it sounds good), I can make a step and a half bend with Mediums. I don't normally do it, but I have done it before in songs that required it.

[Lizard_King]

I'm not sure why your teacher is saying that, maybe because you're a beginner but I could be wrong there. I don't see any problem with using the custom lights. I use mediums on my acoustic and get a great sound, great playing, and they bend fairly easy. For a beginner it might be a little rough on the fingers at first but if you play and practice regularly it shouldn't take long to build up some good calusses(spelling?!?).

[antique_dream]

I play 13's and never have a problem bending. If you can, I recommend using the highest gauge you can, the tone really makes a difference, especially on acoustic.

[Daniel Sorbera]

also if yo uget the highest gauge you can on acoustic you'll find your electric playing comes so much more easily. I would deffinatly go with a high gauge just for the tone alone. Your fingers will build up so it doesent hurt(and if yo uwimp out before that your a sissy )

[Hoser Rob]

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with going to X-lights especially if, as mentioned, your fingers are still developing. I don't know too many guitar teachers who'd recommend that for no good reason.

It is usually true that the heaviest strings recommended for the box will give the best sound, but not necessarily. My Seagull has a cedar top and cedar guitars don't usually prefer heavy strings. I recently put a set of d'Addario PB XLs on it and, lo and behold, it seems to respond better. It actually sounds better - it has a quick decay followed by a nice overtone sustain, like a classical almost. It really works for the medium tempo swing/R&B etc. rhythms I like. I usually play with the skin of my fingers and I have to tune mediums down a whole step to get the right response.

That can happen with spruce guitars too, and I'm talking some expensive ones too. Most guitars that like heavier strings wouldn't work for me. Don't get caught up in this "no wussy little strings for me" macho BS.

N.B. do NOT put mediums on your guitar unless they are designed for them. Damage may result. This used to be a function of the price of the guitar but, with modern pickups, not any more.

[Lizard_King]

Hold up gymshoe....He never said that his teacher told him that the guitar wasn't set up for mediums. He stated that his teacher informed him that the lights were to heavy for bending. We stated our opinions that the custom lights were not to heavy for bending, and that some of us would rather play with mediums (or heavier strings). I don't honestly see where you get off calling our opinions "macho BS." Because we were saying that the heavier strings give a better sound. Granted it's an opinion, but that doesn't give you the right to come in here and bad mouth our opinions.

Most guitars that like heavier strings wouldn't work for me. Don't get caught up in this "no wussy little strings for me" macho BS.

And there you have it, they wouldn't work for him. It's strictly up to you on which strings you like, which thickness you like the best. But I'm saying that the custom lights are not to heavy to bend with, just like everyone else with the exception Hoser Rob.