string gauges & tunings?

[dragan]

was wondering what string & tunings everone is using these days , brand/type of strings ?different gauges for drop tuning keys &/or open tunings? scale lengths ? styles of music ? I'm using pretty standard stuff: fender bullets on strats 9-46(custom light) , gibsons, Prs & Hamer GHS boomers 10-46 or 9.5/10,12,16,26,36,46, acoustics 11-52 elixers all standard tuning. 12-54 electric round wound for the resonator in open G. playing classic pop/ rock ,newer blues & newer country.

[atquinn]

10-48 on everything, regardless of scale length. Standard tuning with the rare case of dropped D every once in a blue moon.

-

Austin

[Bennyboy-UK]

9-46 on everything Boggo slinkies nothing special.

I do soak them in unicorn piss though. Quite hard to come by

[Disturber]

I used 0.09's all the time until about ten years ago when I switched to 0,10's.

During this year I started using 0,09's again on some guitars. I use nines on the T62 and on the Super Pro. And sometimes on one of my Sunbursts. I get a really Jimmy Pagey sound from that Sunburst with nines.

I still use tens on the other guitars, but I'm experimenting. I think that nines work better on 25,5 guitars, and tens on the 24-3/4 scale fiddles. But it's like pickup and magnets really, some guitars seem to work best with nines or tens. I guess one could try thinner or thicker strings as well but these does it for me.

As for strings I have been using Daddario XLs or SIT's. I have bought Pyramids round wound nickels lately. Very nice strings, made the way they did them back in the 50s.

[dragan]

Disturber "I think that nines work better on 25,5 guitars, and tens on the 24-3/4 scale fiddles. But it's like pickup and magnets really, some guitars seem to work best with nines . "

I do the same but its more about how the strings feel bending

Bennyboy-UK I've not tried the unicorn piss !

[Bennyboy-UK]

Makes my playing have a strong aroma!

[Jeff R]

10-46 on everything. Morpheus DropTune for alternate tunings. I picked it up NOS locally about a month ago and I LOVE this thing.

[cynic]

GHS Boomers 9-46/10-46 depending on scale, standard tuning across the board unless I have a D-Tuna engaged (or is it disengaged?), then it's drop D.

Lots of relevant info in this thread

[jwhitcomb3]

Electrics:

10's on Fender scale, 11's on Gibson scale, sometimes a "heavy bottom" set for extra oomph.

I keep my electrics in standard tuning.

I'm thinking about trying flat-wounds on my Carvin Fatboy when/if it arrives.

Acoustics

"Light guage" (which may be 11's or 12's, depending on brand) for standard tuning,

"Bluegrass guage" for open D or DADGAD.

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

10-46s tuned to D standard @ 432hz on all (Floyded or not). I'm using D'Addario's + Rotosound Yellows. I dunno which I prefer but the Roto's were recommended to me & I have no reason to stop buying as they are cheap (in bulk)...

[crunchee]

Nickel .009s on electrics, either D'Addario or Slinkys. D'Addario Custom Light (.011-.052) Phosphor Bronze on my Ovation acoustics (non-electric models). Standard tuning, sometimes down half a step, depends on my mood and the weather.

[Armitage]

GHS Boomers 9-46 on stop tails, and GHS Boomers 9-42 on Floyds.

[dragan]

10-46 on everything. Morpheus DropTune for alternate tunings. I picked it up NOS locally about a month ago and I LOVE this thing.

good to know Ive been wondering about that pedal

Electrics:

10's on Fender scale, 11's on Gibson scale, sometimes a "heavy bottom" set for extra oomph.

I keep my electrics in standard tuning.

I'm thinking about trying flat-wounds on my Carvin Fatboy when/if it arrives.

Acoustics

"Light guage" (which may be 11's or 12's, depending on brand) for standard tuning,

"Bluegrass guage" for open D or DADGAD.

Please post an review of the fatboy when you receive it , Ive been curious about that gtr since they introduced it

[Hamersaur]

D'Addario 10-46 on all electrics. Martin SP's on all acoustics. Mostly standard tuning but with the odd drop d, down half step, and DADGAD once in a while (mostly for Led Zep Kashmir).

Cheers

[analogsystem]

D'Addario EJ-21 set which is 12-52. Whole guitar one step down. Sounds and feels great but I have been doing this exclusively for over a decade now. I can't even test light gauge guitars at stores anymore

[Bobby Marshall]

On a somewhat related note, I spent a few months playing only an acoustic with 13s on her. After that 9 and 10 gauge felt like spaghetti. No problems bending them for quite awhile.

[jettster]

I use Elixir Nano .9's on all my Floyd guitars and .10's on everything else. (T51, Artist, G&L Legacy)

For Acoustic I like Martin SP custom lights. Martin strings for Martin guitars...

Tuning wise I stick with 440 95% of the time, on rare occasions drop D. (Years ago I did used to do the half step down thing.)

[Disturber]

On a somewhat related note, I spent a few months playing only an acoustic with 13s on her. After that 9 and 10 gauge felt like spaghetti. No problems bending them for quite awhile.

I choose string gauge more on how the guitar sounds than if it's easy to bend. Sometimes 0,10's sound to distinct and harsh on a perticular guitar, then I go with 0,09's.

My T51 likes the 0,10's, my T62 likes the 0,09's - that's when they sound best.

[Bobby Marshall]

On a somewhat related note, I spent a few months playing only an acoustic with 13s on her. After that 9 and 10 gauge felt like spaghetti. No problems bending them for quite awhile.

I choose string gauge more on how the guitar sounds than if it's easy to bend. Sometimes 0,10's sound to distinct and harsh on a perticular guitar, then I go with 0,09's.

My T51 likes the 0,10's, my T62 likes the 0,09's - that's when they sound best.

Lower gauge seem better on trem equipped guitars.

Mostly with strings, it is the feel for me. If she feels good, I can get her to go where I want, when I want. Not always, but in general.

On a 25.5 scale, 8s are just too loose, but I can do 9s or 10s. On a 24.75 scale, 9s are too loose but I can do either 10s or 11s.

My 81 Standard has 11s and she feels perfect. But 11s are too much for my SG. 10s are just right. Maybe I am hearing something too and just don't realize it as my focus is on the feel.

[Stratburst]

I have a set of GHS Boomer .12-.52's on my Hamer Studio. I usually use .11's on my Fender scale guitars so I went up to keep the tension the same. Debating whether or not I want to go back down to .11's but I still have at least 5 packs of the .12's left.

My Hamer Cruise has the .45-.105 Rotosounds on it.

[specialk]

On my acoustic:

Martin Silk & Steel .0115-.047.

Love 'em!

[stobro]

11s for electrics, all scale lengths, except 10s for trem-equipped guitars.

"Light" for acoustics.

.045 - .105 for long scale (34") bass guitars.

.051 - .110 for 3/4 size (41" to 43" scale) double basses.

[black magic]

9-42 on 24.75 and 25 scale guitars and 8-38 on 25.5 scale guitars. Tuned E-E or Drop D. I like slinky strings.

[Brooks]

On a 25.5 scale, 8s are just too loose, but I can do 9s or 10s. On a 24.75 scale, 9s are too loose but I can do either 10s or 11s.

this. i notice a slight difference in brands, but since changing careers i now shop the clearance bins.

i use light gauge acoustic strings (11's w/ a wound 3rd) on the duotone when doing an acoustic gig.

i tune to Eb to help w/ vocals and overall heaviness.

[Brooks]

oh, i went to lighter strings after injuring my hand in my bike accident oct 2010.

i did like electric 11's on the duotone for generic hustles jazz/funk shit (tuned to E), but

nowadays w/ wizard sleeves hard rawk stuff its 9's on the ibanez.