Favorite - (Any Brand Electric)Guitar and String Gauge

[Crimsontider]

Due to obvious reasons this is one of the best guitar forums to ask questions

What is your favorite guitar, what string gauge do you use on it, and why do you like that particular gauge?

Thanks. Look forward to the replies.

My favorite Hamer is a 96 Mahogany MIK Cali with 9-46 Ernie Ball Slinky's . I have the action really low and tuned down a 1/2 step. These are the thinnest strings that don't buzz on the low E. For some reason the guitar sound more like a SG than anything else.

[diablo175]

+1. EB Slinkys .009's tuned down to D#

I've tried DR Hi-Beams but quality was not consistent and availability became an issue.

Now I'm trying the cobalt Slinkys. Report to follow.

See if you can guess which guitars...

[hamerhead]

'79 LP with D'Addario 10s (hybrid Slinkys if I'm feeling like a wuss). 10s sound more solid (to me), but 9s are easier to push around.

[velorush]

For decades my favorite guitar always ended with "Stratocaster," but now it is the Kiz Special "Senior" with GHS Boomers 10-46.

[carfish7]

'96 Schecter USA PT, black with bound top, birdseye maple neck and fingerboard (one-piece)strung up with a 10-46 set of Di Addario's. Brings the Rawk, roll off the volume and it is mellow, pull coil-tap and twang away to my heart's content. Perfection.

[Feynman]

Telecaster. Whatever strings are on it.

[velorush]

Telecaster. Whatever strings are on it.

Ah, yes. Never keep one long enough to change the strings. I see!

[Feynman]

It saves a lot of money!

[Crimsontider]

I have never tried the 10-46's but I am glad that I switched to the 9-46's, they are not much harder to bend than the 9-42's but have a lot of benefits imo.

I am particularly interested in the guitar, the gauge and the tuning. I am enjoying the responses.

[MCChris]

PRS CE22 (last time I played with others I grabbed that one, so that's my pick)

Elixir 9-46 (easier to bend, yet retain a full sound)

Standard 440

[ibanezfan1]

'90 Hamer Centaura > Ernie Ball 9-42 > Standard Tuning

Same for '92 Sunburst & '93 Diablo

Used Dean Markley 9's for over 25 years; recently switched to EB's due to DM's coming in with corrosive strings....

[polara]

First Act Custom Shop something-or-other. Mahogany, two pickups, six strings. 25" scale.

Standard tuning.

D'Addario XLs: they're 10s on top. I assume 46 on the bottom.

I sound like me (ugh) no matter what I play so I don't lose sleep over the details any more.

[hikarateboy]

So I know the original question is about what is your favorite guitar and what strings do you like on it but it spurred another question for me.

Unfortunately I like the sound of new strings so often like a coated set but they get down right ridiculous prices for them. Especially when you have a few guitars and want to change them more then once every month or two.

So, Why the hell are strings so expensive unless there is some sale at gc that brings d'addarios XLs down to reasonable prices like 2.50 a pack?

Whats the best string for the money and are there any bulk singles deals out there? I have enough low E and A strings to last me it seems for ever from having to break open a pack to replace one of the skinnier ones.

[polara]

Ted, I actually mean to get back to using Elixirs. There's probably a tone difference but not in a punk bar full of drunks, hearing my amp mic'd by a Radio Shack mic into a creaky old Peavy PA. They literally last five times as long so a ten buck pack of Elixirs is cheaper than five packs of uncoated. Plus it saves the labor of restringing.

[bcsride]

'93 "Studio" gold top, GHS Boomers 12-52, standard tuning

aside

I think in '93 it isn't technically a studio but a sunburst archtop? but it is the goldtop with P90s

[ib2010]

Elixir 10's, or 11's, lately. I use to could hear other brands ,while some were excellent tone generators, swing rapidly thru their life cycle. Always left me wondering where that particular set, on that particular guitar, was on the cycle. Elixers start out 90% fabulous , and stay there for a LONG time. If i played one guitar, and had a teck , it might be different. --------------------- I have an ever changing top 6 favorites, so i'm not qualified to answer the real question.-------

[Armitage]

My fav guitar changes often, but I use Boomer 9-46 on most everything.

[murkat]

Ernie Ball Rockers (pure nickel) 10/46

or

DR Blues 10/46

always been a 10/46 guy...

No favorite, no jealousy.

I stand on the Kody clause....

[cynic]

Boomer 9-46 or 10-46 on 90% of everything I own 1) because they're cheap, and 2) they wear better than the rest, for me.

Favorite would be a fake LP, 10-46 standard tuning.

Currently on the stand is a Newport w/Bigsby, 10-46 standard tuning

[Crimsontider]

I bet 9-42 are sold in music stores 5 to 1, but this forum likes em a little bit thicker. It must be due to the versatility of the thicker strings.

Why is a 1990 Centaura going for $550, and they will finance it too? Is there something different with this guitar? Is it as good as a Diablo for Rock and Roll?

Just curious, seems cheap......like they want to unload it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1990-Hamer-USA-Centaura-Granite-Finish-Electric-Guitar-with-Deluxe-Gigbag-/121036607044?pt=Guitar&hash=item1c2e580e44

[sixesandsevens]

At the moment it's my 96 Studio wraptail, in standard tuning with elixir nano web 10-46. I occasionally (well, daily) play in drop D as well, but that's probably not relevant.

I've been considering stringing my G&L Legacy with 9-42, but haven't done so yet.

[zorrow]

Lately I've been experimenting with ZOG strings. The 9+ and 10+ sets seem to work quite well for me, given my guitars are short-scale (Flying V-type, basically).

But generally speaking, I like my lower strings quite tense for tight riffing, while the higher strings should be a bit slinkier, for wide vibrato and extreme bends.

PS: I discovered recently that something like 9.5-13-17-34-46-64 would be optimal for me in standard tunning. However, sets like that don't exist. I would have to purchase each string separately.

At the moment it's my 96 Studio wraptail, in standard tuning with elixir nano web 10-46. I occasionally (well, daily) play in drop D as well, but that's probably not relevant.

I've been considering stringing my G&L Legacy with 9-42, but haven't done so yet.

"Sixes and sevens"... Anything to do with Annihilator?

[Jeff R]

Blue camo '88 ESP Custom Shop M-II Deluxe and Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 10-46.

[cspot]

D'addario 10s on everything. Colour (Canada spelling) coordinated for dummies like me!

(And they just sound beefy!)

[Jakeboy]

This is hard. 10-46s on every guitar....they all are my favs...well..my 3 Hamers, 2 Fenders, and my Rickenbacker 360 are all favs.

If I had to choose one it would be my Korina Artist HB with a BL L90 in the bridge and a Vintage Vibe single coil in the neck.