String Gauge?

[StormLeader]

I need to replace the strings that came with my Electric, but I'm wondering what gauge to get?

I'd mostly be playing Metal, so I'm thinking fairly heavy?

-Stormy

[Keegan]

Depends, what scale length and what tuning?

Also, what are you using now and what's wrong with them specifically?

[joshvegas]

I like rotosound 11s or 12s if I can get them. trial and error I'd recommend.

[westhemann]

Heavy strings have nothing to do with heavy sounding metal...I use 9s...most of the metal guys from my day use the same or very close...

The only time you up the guage is when you drop tuning..

[Keegan]

Without knowing anything about your guitar or what you like, I'd recommend Everly B-52 heavy-bottom 9s.

If you like em heavier, 10 or the heavy-bottom 10s should be plenty. I used the 11s but only cause I down-tuned to Eb and needed the extra tension/treble.

They're great for metal/rock because they're punchier than normal strings. They're like a more aggressive set of nickel-plated steel strings.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/pro...brid?sku=106028

[SJE-Guitars]

Yeah ditto above - string gauge only really comes into things when you're down tuning for example a certain Mr Iommi -uses Ultra light 8s - (008p, .008p, .011p, .018w, .024w, .032w.) but still has a huge sound. It all comes down to personally preference for me I moved up from 9-42s to 10-46s recently and have to say I far prefer the slightly tauter feel of them over the 9-42s.

When I very first picked up an electric guitar I started using Dean Markley Ultra Light 8s - however I snapped no end of the 8s by very slightly over tightening the Floyd Rose locking nuts I just gave up with them! Strangely just moving to 9s the snapping of the strings on the locking nut stopped - not a whole lot thicker but it just seemed my FR locking nuts didn't like the 8s! Anyway the point being that even with tiny 8s you can have a full on metal sound no problem you just need to find a gauge you like the feel of.

I still like Dean Markley Nickelsteels but cannot get them over this way however I've never like D'Addarios - don't ask me why for some reason I just don't like neither the sound or feel. Rotosounds are excellent strings also.

[borge]

Heavier strings have more mass therefore more sustain and higher output.

Its much more apparent with an acoustics than electrics because theres no string (pun intended ) of other variables (amp, pups, pedals, cables) to cloud results, compare a set of standard acoustic (12's) to a set of 10s of the same brand and type, prepare to be surprised.....

Or try a set of heavy flatwounds (13s) on an electric, you'll see why jazz players use them pretty much exclusively, chords ring forever and single notes are fat and loud, no gain required

[westhemann]

Heavier strings have more mass therefore more sustain and higher output.

Unfortunately it's not that simple in metal...depends alot on if you are looking for a bottom endy-thunking type tone,or you want a razor sharp cutting attack...roundwound 9s and 10s give you the heavy attack most thrash metal guys go for...any heavier and you get the "newer" dropped "thunky" sound...

And heavier strings under a light pick stroke are not "putting out" more..you have to strike them harder to get them to ring out as much...

I'd say research and find out what strings the guys you like play and in what tunings....should give you a start

[Thoughtless 7]

I use D'Addario 10s and a .56 for the 7th string.

I've tried a few makes and gauges, but nothing is as good as D'Addario, in my opinion, and its a humble one.

[Prostheta]

On my 24-3/4 and 25-1/2 scales, I prefer "standard" 0.042 through 0.009 sets. I used to use 10s on my Explorers and other fixed bridges but 9s retain enough tension vs. flex. All this jabber about gauge=tone is irrelevant unless you play clean(ish). Metal is in the phrasing and use of dynamics. That also means backing off the gain, counter-intuitively. What Borge said.

It sounds like you're new by the "will be playing" bit. Use 9-42s until you know your instrument and the rest falls into place with the experience won.

[StormLeader]

Thanks for the replys guys.

My guitar has a scale lenght of 25 1\2" I would probley be doing Standard E Tuning most of the time, but I do play drop C or Drop B everyonce in a while.

I'll talk to some people that use Heavier gauge strings to see if I can try their guitar with them.

Once again, thanks for all the replys guys!

-Stormy

[Keegan]

Drop C and B are so low that you probably need another guitar for that with Ernie Ball Not Even Slinkys on it.

[StormLeader]

Haha, I wish I had the money for another guitar, Heck, I'm still working on getting a decent amp.

-Stormy

[fookgub]

For years, I used Ernie Ball 9-42's, believing that the thin gauges made it easier to play faster. About 2 years ago I started using 10-46's on a few of my guitars and now I've equipped all my guitars with them. It is ever-so-slightly harder to bend the 10's, but I find it a little easier to pull of fast double-picking lines because of the increased tension. I also think the thicker strings have a slightly meatier sound, which I prefer.

[Keegan]

Well I guess if you have locking tuners you could swap out strings to play drop tuned.

Or just deal with the floppiness of 10s

[StormLeader]

I'll just deal with the floppiness of .10s for now, due to the fact that my guitar has a OFR on it, so swaping out strings gauges isn't as trival as it would normally be.

Thanks a ton for all of the options guys, it's really helped

-Stormy

[ihocky2]

Dropping tunings like that on a Floyd Rose is a pain without the proper setup. You strings are so floppy that the trem have the baseplate as far down as it will go. On a hardtail, your strings will be very loose, but you can get away with using it for practice. But you are going to have so much fret buzz and tuning issues that you would never want to play a gig like that.

I am still working on if I like 9's or 10's better and I prefer to play mostly metal. But to clasify it is mostly power, progressive, melodic metal and such. Not a lot of low tunings, or need for beefy chunking tones. I do have a set or Ernie Ball Hybrids I have to get around to trying. But I think I am settling in on the 10's. It took a little while to get used to them from 9's, but I barely notice the difference anymore. I do find the higher tension on the wound strings more pleasant though.

[StormLeader]

I just made a Trem blocker, then Modified my back plate, so I can block my trem in a second, and un-block it just as fast. XD

I'll get pictures up soon!

-Stormy

[CrazyManAndy]

On my acoustic, I use 13s (mediums). I use lights too, sometimes. Haven't played electric in awhile (and won't, until I finish my build :S), but I'll probably start with 10s and try 11s as well.

CMA

Edited May 20, 2009 by CrazyManAndy

[StormLeader]

I went ahead and got some .11s, so far I really like them!

-Stormy

[mikke]

Ive only used 13 sets and 10 sets and I think i like the 13's over tens.

[Narcissism]

I like my Elixir 10s... A lot of people don't though. I'm not much of a guitarist though, and I still can't find a good sound. For now, I'm a bassist, and I like my heavier sets of Rotosounds for my 4 string fretless 34 incher

[SJE-Guitars]

Have you re-adjusted the intonation on the FR for the 11s?

I started playing guitars with floating FRs and personally speaking I hate the damn things - in floating setup especially. My favoured setup much like Mr Edward Van Halen is whack the FR flush with the body and have 4 springs on the thing to keep the damn thing stable.

It'll stay in tune even with no end of whammy divebombs - however no screaming harmonic pull ups . . which for me as I only really play rhythm mean nothing.

I still have a Peavey EVH with FR but I've barely picked it up over my own guitars, sure it's a real nice production guitar the with build quality being far better anything Gibson or Fender can muster but it just doesn't do 'it' for me these days. Even though it's an original US built EVH from the first run when Peavey started building them not one of the later lesser models. The pickups in it are really rather silly - both the neck is 18.5k and bridge is 20.5k . . . I was rather amazed when I checked them with multimeter!

[Sand Paper]

I favor heavier strings for faster speed picking and such. Tuned down a whole step to D-standard I use 11's. When in half step down or standard I use 10's. The guitar I mostly ignore is tuned down two whole steps to C-standard and it has 12 half-rounds on it with a wound G. I do not like the wound G for bending but it gives a nice sound. As for the brand's I use, I have two right now, DR and D'Addario. D'Addario makes a decent string cheaply, I like their feel and sound so I use them as general workhorse strings. For shows I only use the coated black beauties from DR. DR's really do seem to break in faster and last a little bit longer, and I pick really hard.

[StormLeader]

SJE: I haven't adjusted intonation, it seemed pretty close, but I was working on getting the tension right.

Sand: I also find fast picking is much easier with the heavier strings, I'm guessing because there is more tension, which means the strings can't move out of the way as easily.

I currently don't use the trem to much, but everyonce in a while I'll go on sprees of Dive-bombing.

-Stormy