Thanks for checking this video out! I'll get it started (this is Scott here): right now I'm using our Balanced Super Light Plus (9.5-46) set on my number 1 guitar, and a bunch of different string gauges on my other guitars (11.5s at the heaviest, 9.5s at the lightest), depending on what I'm going for with a particular guitar. For me, it's always key to balance out full tone, with enough playability to do what I'm trying to, depending on the genre. I used different guitars for different genres precisely so that I can dial them in and find what works for me, for a particular playing style.
I don't know if tuning instability would go away if you don't use the whammy bar and want to just put the bridge all the way down where the bar is of no use. are there any advantages to putting the bridge all the way down if you do not use a bar ?I just bought a strat and was thinking of doing that since I have no interest in using the bar. I have a set of 9's on my guitar now but I think I will like the 10's the best from what I hear.
I agree. I think they are EXTRA LIGHT. 8s should be SUPER LIGHT. Some manufacturers labeled them this way...like DArco, for example. I do think though that SUPER LIGHT should be lighter than EXTRA LIGHT...but two or three companies, for some reason call the lightest ones extra light and the 9s SUPER LIGHT, which I agree, seems wrong.
@Kizzy C 9's are better to play easy bends and essential with a f rose with a sg -lp it's better too even if you lose some sustain or big sound no matter how you lose
@Kizzy C yes 10s are okay it has warm sounds and easy to bend but don't use Ernie ball regular slinkys they rust fast after a day and it will sound dead after a week
One thing I don't see people discussing is how a hand injury can affect you decision to play with a lighter set. I used to play 10-48 but over the years have developed arthritis in both hands and have had to go to a lighter set (9-42). I have noticed a slight difference in how my guitar sounds, but I've learned to deal with it.
Yeah, I have occasional problems with the joint in my index finger, from playing too hard in my earlier days. Plus I'm starting to have problems with the base of my thumb when griping the neck. (It's always something). My Monarchy Majesty came with and sounds awesome with 10s, but from reading the forums, switching to 9s requires a lot of readjustments; the truss rod, the tremolo springs, the individual string height adjustment claw. It sounds so perfect I hate the thought of messing with anything on it.
Interestingly, I break fewer strings with 9's than I did 10's. The simple fact that I don't have to push hard to reach the note I'm bending to means the strings rarely break. Go figure.
Not really surprising considering it requires less tension to tune a 9 to E than a 10. Less tension = less stress on the string. Kind of like if you took 10s and tuned them down to D. Less tension!
I usually play 11s and got a few sets of 9s for Christmas from someone who doesn’t know there’s a difference and I probably broke more strings in a month than I had over the last few years
Well , after 40 years of playing and battle with numbness went to 8,11,15,24,32,42 get good tone , and I do play with allot of vibrato . The bends I get are really great and it's true I can get around the fretboard quicker, this is just me your results may vary !
Light strings are just the trick for that! I would recommend giving these gauges a try in the future for a bit more balance up top: .008 - .0105 - .014 - .024 - .032 - .042
I started years ago w/D'addario xl120s. Lately I tried the SJ9.5-44which was ok. A little too light. I finally put my own custom set together 10-13.5-18W-26-36-48. I have fallen in love with this set. The wound 3rd is special and my USA Slash Les Paul Anaconda Burst has come to life like never before. I feel like I have a new guitar. I'm going to go w/ 9.5-13-18W-26-36-48 from now on. A little easier on the lighter two and plenty of chug up top. Just a perfect blend.
As a metal guitarist, I like light top heavy bottom sets. Good tight tension for the chords and open strings, then there's a good amount of flex for the leads and solos.
I just discovered the Stringjoy TH-cam channel and am enjoying learning all about strings. The history lesson in the first 2:30 of this video explaining 9s and plain third strings was wonderful, and might make for a good video on its own with proper references.
I've been playing since I was 13 (I'm 29 now) and I've always used 9's. I've never even known that there was any criticism about 9's. On my strat I use fender bullets and on my epi les paul i use ernie ball classic pure nickels. Both sets are 9's.
Having recently put on a set of 9s its really taught me to play lighter on the frets. 10s and 11s are pretty lenient, but 9s tend to buzz out shift pitch with too much pressure.
9-42 was what I started with on my first electric 40yrs ago. I thought that was the only thing to use for metal XL 120s. I recently have been educated by you and your channel to 10-46. Thank you for your time and attention to detail, not to mention all the hard work.
9s are super light? I been playing Ernie Ball Super Slinky .008s on my 1966 Guild Starfire V since I got it in 1967. I have resisted the temptation to try Billy Gibbons .007s... But some day, I might! 53 years with same guitar, and same brand/size strings...
I have been a 10-46 player for a long time, got used to them on a 25.5 inch scale, tuned to E standard. Ive switch to 9-42 and love them ! I feel that I can be more expressive with my left hand with them since I can have more control on their full sonic potential if that make any sense. Since there's less fighting, I can focus on the nuance and detail of my playing. I wound't say they sound thinner, if anything they seem to handle gain in a more controled way and give you less of that overloading sound that thicker string can provide. So definitely better in my case :)
Been using GHS Boomer 9's since the mid 80's . Tried other brands but Boomer 9's have always been my go to . Cant remember last time I broke a string and they last me a really long time . I always wipe down after playing getting into this habit can really keep your strings alive sounding good much longer .
Nothing wrong with Boomers at all! I (Scott) used Boomer 10s for quite some time before I started a string company, and they were always very solid as I remember.
Great video, thanks Scott. I have been loving the "Husky Light Plus" strings since last year and have turned some friends onto Stringjoy! Very, very happy!
After 35 years of playing the same brand of 10s on my SG and Strat two problems have cropped up: neurological issues have weakened my fretting hand, and the strings I used all those years are no longer made. It was time to try 9s. So I did. But they just don't have the same visceral feel as the 10s and that leaves me less inspired to play. But all is not lost. I've been playing more classical.
I'm slowly getting back to using different gauge strings for different guitars. It depends on the guitar, and what I use it for. For guitars I play slide on, I want slightly thicker strings than a guitar I play a lot of solos on. A guitar that I use mostly for rhythm might end up sounding better with slightly heavier strings than the guitars I play solos on. It also helps differentiate them when recording.
I have been on a string journey the last 4months, I started with 11-52 then 11-48 10-46 now I'm on 9-42, and I love them. The lower end is so much tighter and clearer
I switched to 9s about 5 years ago and tried 10s again the other day and switched right back. It's nothing to do with bending or vibrato for me, that's not the reason I switched to 9s ...it's a tone thing. They have more brilliance and twang...much easier to get some bite out of a lead run also for me
9s for Fenders, 10s for Gibsons. One whole step bends easy on each. As far as gauges go, they change with the wind for me. What I like now I might not like later, especially if I change guitars. I do remember using an 8s set in my early Clapton, Jim McCarty period. Know what was available in my area? Gibson Sonomatics.
10-46 pretty much for the last 30 years. Did try going up, 11's and even 12's, but getting tendonitis in my wrist ended that experiment. LOL I have a Tele and one of my shred guitars set up with 9-46, doing crazy pedal steel style bends on my Tele is a lot easier with lighter strings. Wanted to try something lighter on one of my shred guitars, used to use 9-46 for most of the 80's.
Switching to 9's was a gamechanger for me after years of playing 10's. Makes playing less of an effort and it really altered my playing style. Vibratos are so much easier to do.
Don't forget to do a complete setup for whatever gauge you choose. It your nut is already cut low...you may need a new nut. Floating trems, like every Fender Stratocaster and all Floyd Roses will need spring tension adjustment and intonation. Bridge height will need attention also. Complete setup. One cannot just change string gauges and expect to have a great playing guitar. Now, how many guitars do you think are out there that suck only because the string gauge has been changed with no setup to compensate??
Around 1970 I was finally able to finally get the perfect string gauges... 8, 11, 14, 22W, 36W, 46W... kind of eighty nines, of course that's just me, your results may vary.
Very nice! It's always valuable to work to find the perfect custom set for you, that's why I started this company in the first place. Thanks for watching!
I used to use 9s on my Strat, and 10s on my Les Paul. But then I got use to playing the Les Paul more often started over bending the lighter strings on the Strat, so I've gone 10s across the board
Shit I always thought 9s were considered pretty standard. I always use 9s and yeah I get crazy vibrato, I tend to shake the shit out of a string and noticed when I recorded myself to analyze my playing. I never break strings, I've had a set of 9s on the same guitar for 2 years because it has a Floyd Rose on it and can be a pain in the ass to string it up and for using the Floyd and the amount I do bending I think I'm doing pretty good on the string breakage. I've tried 10s recently and they felt too thick to me that I took them off the guitar, refit a nut and put 9s on it. I always just walk into the store and ask for a set of Ernie Ball 9-42 from the guy I buy them from. Been playing them for 25 years and I've always gotten complimented on the tone, feel and overall playability on the guitars I own. I've even sold a few of them and the last time I sold one the guy told me he was going to try and talk me down on price but after playing it he felt it was worth every penny I was asking and that made me feel pretty good. Today I've become familiar enough with guitars that I am now building my own from scratch and am the only one who touches them to do work on them, I will never build a guitar for myself that uses anything but a set of 9s. I actually had no idea they were viewed in a negative light, when I was a kid and started playing back in 94 I was under the impression it was what came standard on a guitar but then again I played only Fender back then so thats probably why cause 9s are standard for Fender.
9s are fairly standard, they're less popular than 10s, but come in 2nd after that just before 11s. "Super Light" is the name of that gauge (10s are "Light", 11s are "Medium"
Ha, zz top (billy) plays with 7's and so did BB king. I made the huge mistake of emulating Metallica when i started playing and my fingers where bleeding from the 11s (they play 11s-48) when i started to learn bending, and leads. yngwie's custom strings are the best for me, they go from 8s-48.
That string set looks interesting, it's the only one I've come across (thanks to you) that goes lighter than standard 9s at the top but heavier than a 42 at the bottom. Sort of like a hybrid set for heavy chugging but with more bendable top strings too.
I recently tried Picato strings (handmade in the UK). I play 9’s and they are the best strings I have ever played. I’ve played for over 40 years and have to say these babies have a very unique feel. Ritchie Blackmore calls them the best strings, period. Tommy Iommi uses them and Clapton used them when he was young and didn’t have any endorsement deal. They used to be impossible to find, but with “Strings Direct” you can get them real easy. Try a pack, you will not be disappointed.
I got a guitar that was new with brand new 9s and instantly saw why every guitarist I learn from uses them. Once I got those and a super thick 7 mm pick I started really really feeling like the instrument was one with me. I use 9 12 16 24 32 48 for my tele with the larger scale as I prefer slightly chunkier strings on the bottom but the top 3 will always be 9s for me
I am using 10s on a Les Paul right now because this guitar seem to like them more. I have used 9s or hybrid Slinkies for yonks though. it is not really for bending though, because I actually find a 9 too light for bending. The reason i prefer them is I do not like my low strings to be too bassy sounding. I prefer them to have a tone more like the skinny strings. Fat strings can be too thick sounding for some lead tones and that makes the bass in them dominate more than i like.
I’m like Darth Vader - once I went down the dark path of heavy gauges years ago it’s now too late for me, my son. Recently ordered a custom heavy set of StringJoys 11.5-60 and some goofy gauges in between. Quite pleased, especially by the ability to get exactly what you want.
Can you recommend any other brands that have 9, 12, 15 in its set? Stringjoy don't seem to be available in New Zealand. Most I see, such as Ernie Ball, come as 9, 11, 16. Thanks.
a friend of mine plays tens but has the 16 on the G string. Another friend had me set up his guitar with 9.5's which.... plays nice and sounds pretty good. I think I want to explore some options.
I got a used guitar and didn't know the string sizes so I looked into it and people were saying like 11's were hard oh don't get 10's blah blah blah but I've been playing for 8 months and I talked to the lady at the guitar store and she reccomended nines so I opened them after I bought them and I got pissed bc they were so much smaller than my current strings, turns out I do need like 11's so yeah do ur research on ur strings before u get them lol
I've been playing ax for 53 years, like 10's but 9's just feel great after using 11's on the 175 all night. Plus your right about the multitude of effects, bends, slaps, and they take a lot of abuse these high tech days.
Gary moore uses to play 9 gauge, and he says that he uses to play 10, but he had an accident in his hand and change to 9. And he says that only feel the difference in the bottom strings. And he was really agressive player
I enjoyed your video Scot. I switched from 10's to 9s about 15 years ago. I find I actually break strings much less often, with them. I find I like the tone to be better for classic rock, & blues tones and they are so much more responsive to subtle manipulations. I'm tempted to try your 12B & 15G variation, but my wammy-bar is so tuned in to the old standard. I just ordered three "old standard" 9s sets. I was happy to see pure nickel, love that sound. Looking forward to testing them out.
Ive been using 9's since the 60's and Super Slinky"s first came out. I see no reason to change....easy to play and I am able to get great tone with them.
I use 8s up to 12s. Depends on the guitar and the style of music. 9-46 is a great all around country, rock, blues gauge. Give 8s a try, they feel great! Now for intense blues or jazz get 10s or 11s.
I currently play 11 -> 52 in C#-standard. It feels very close to hybrid-9 sets in E-standard (I only had to tighten my trem screws a few turns). I do have a 22 wound for the "g"-string (g in quotes because it is now an e). I feel nothing holding my back for bends and vibrato other than the wound-G string, but the improved tone of a wound "g" is worth it, imo. The tone is chunkier sounding. I tried 12-64 (the Mammoth Slinkies) for C#-standard and it dulled out my tone. Now it is bright, snappy and has more chug than I was expecting (yes, I'm a metalhead). I am currently getting my wrist back into shape for 180bpm + metal rhythm playing and I simply hope that the lighter bounce on the 52 C# string will not hold me back. There are videos that demonstrate that going TOO high a gauge will make a tone duller. [EDIT/UPDATE] Ended up tightening them up to D-standard. Too much bounce, not enough snap-back for higher tempos
Been playing almost 40 years. One thing I learned long ago was that the gauge of the strings on a guitar really only count for one thing: playability and comfort. Did I say one thing? I meant two. Lol I’ve used .009s for over 20 years now. Currently I use Ernie Ball hybrid slinky strings .009-.046. They’re like a set of 9’s on the unwound strings and .010s on the wound ones. And that stuff about having to use a heavy gauge string to get a thicker and heavier tone is BS. Billy Gibbons uses .008sand he’s always had a great tone.
I swear by 9s on my electrics, I play country. I use 12s on acoustic, and love those too. Just need the lighter strings on electric for the different playing styles.
I keep reading people writing that i went from 10s to 9s because of my arthritis or other condition's ..STOP.... if you feel that use your amp to compensate for the tone ....Even with the clean tones there's so many ways to get a bolder clean sound without going back to 10s...
The whole youtube was telling me "You got Fender Jaguar? Well .12 strigs are what you need." So I played .12 for like a years and it never felt good to me. Then, a second guitarist in our band told me "Don't listen tothat shit, put tens or nines on Jag, it opens much more stuff you can do with this guitar thanks to its short neck." Man, how he was right! I use Hybrid Slinky set now and it's perfect. If someone tells me nines are for beginners, then I'd rather stay a begginer and enjoy my guitar the way it feels the best for me.
I'm always a bit skeptical whenever somebody tries pushing the 9s. Not so much because I figure that they're still at "beginner" level... But rather because there are so many musicians unaware of how often they are out of tune. 9-gauge sets introduce a lot of increased challenges, in keeping your chordal tones steady and not all over the place. I used to play 9s all the time, when I was younger and mainly shredding all the time. After years of doing some jazz (and more chordal stuff), the switch to 10s was quite a relief. I wish I had made the switch a lot sooner, but I guess I was just in a mindset from when I was younger. Even when I was younger though, ironically, I thought that the thicker strings were great for playing the blues, as the extra resistance seem to make the bends have more of the sound you'd want for that style (as opposed to the neo-classical stuff I'd usually be doing back then). And now, over 20 years later, we've got internet videos about how such strings help with the bends. Honestly, I don't think I had ever thought that they really helped with that, but rather the legato I was doing, where the thinner gauges were easier to grip under my fingertips before all the pull-offs.
Just wait until you try a set of .07/38 Rev. Willy's 'Mexican Lottery Brand' strings. Wonderful tone and so easy to play, plus bend better than anything else available. I Can't believe I played on heavier strings for so many years, and probably will never go back again, with my injured hands/wrists I can now play all day again without pain or serious fatigue.
BB King used 9s also. His reply to another player, can't remember who it was, who was relating to BB that he thought all the big players use heavy gauge strings, was "Why work so hard". Right. Shouldn't playing be easy and enjoyable? Not a superhero competition. My guitar teacher back in 93 told me to use 10s, which I always have. Here and there over the years I have bought 9s but I think I will permanently go back to 9s since I hardly ever play anymore and I'm so out of practice I could use a little help.
I started on 8's, but eventually settled on Fender Super Bullets 9-40. However, they don’t seem to be as available as they once were. More recently I’ve been using NYXL Balanced Tension 9-40, which are a good alternative. I’ve been playing a couple of 7 strings lately, but I can’t find an equivalent set of string gauges. As far as breaking strings goes, I’ve never broken one on stage. I’m lucky not to have sweaty hands, and when I’m playing a lot on stage, I change strings proactively, wipe them down, and I always wash my hands prior to playing…
Hey Johnny, thanks for watching! We'll make a video about our Balanced Tension sets in the future, one thing that separates ours a bit is that we use slightly heavier wound strings in our balanced tension sets, which in my opinion balances better tonally and in terms of playability, as wound strings will inherently have more flexibility than plain strings of the same tension. As for 7 strings-yes, most string companies have very few options (we have 18 different 7 string sets, plus fully custom options). In your case I'd highly recommend our 7 String Balanced Super Light Gauge (9-54) set, or we'd be happy to draw up a set that's a bit lighter if you want to keep the same 6 string gauges from that 9-40 set you've been using.
I'd love to see a 12.5 for B string. When you go 9.5-12-16-24-32-44 it makes the B string too light. Going to a 13 makes it slightly heavier and its noticeable between the G and E strings. a 12.5 would sit in a lighter range tension wise. I think i'd prefer the B slightly less tension vs. slightly more tension compared to the G and E strings. Theres only 1 company making a 12.5 so i'm forced to get a 9.5-44 set and add the 12.5 B string seperately.
Crazy I always played 9’s that was always standard in my area growing up and always stocked up. Today I play 8’s.. But I didnt know in some areas 10’s were average and 9’s were considered light, I never knew because everyone I knew including myself we all played 9’s.. I never bought 10’s ever. 8’s are perfect for me, and I dont break strings. I just dont. Ever.
Guitar tension is overrated, I played 9-52s on my 7-string Jackson 26.5" in Drop F# and it played quite well. Actually prefer them than any other set I had before (.13-.74 for 7 comes to mind). Actually prefer them than any other set I had before (.13-.74 for 7 comes to mind). And on LP I have 10-52s in Bartione standard. I feel like I have much more control in dynamic on lighter set. With bigger gauges I feel like I'm fighing against string instead. And apparantly Tony Iommy played with very low tension on C# with .42s. So I think it comes with your own playstyle preferences and exploration!
Good video. An interesting fact about SRV is that it was a custom set - it sounds crazy that he was bending on 13s but really as the strings got lower the gauges got more reasonable and it was more of a heavy first string set than a whole heavy set, plus being drop tuned to Eb his low 3 strings were action very low tension. But as for gauges if anyone is judging over gauges then they need to keep their opinions to their own guitars and not judge others. There are lots of jazz guys playing 10s (and 9s sometimes) with a great, thick jazz tone. Same with picks, some guys are using really thin picks for jazz and you wouldn’t guess it a lot of the time. George Benson has an interesting way to describe it which is like the lighter the string the heavier the pick and vice versa. He uses heavier strings and a medium pick from what I remember. I don’t follow that rule myself as I prefer pretty heavy for picks and strings but if I were starting over I would follow it because it really balances the tension and looseness ratio between the pick and strings and facilitates playing fast and clean as well as having a good tone.
One thing I haven't seen discussed in the couple of your videos I have watched is floating versus fixed bridge guitars. In the past I used Fender 150XL strings on fixed bridge guitars. One of the main reasons is that I found that the 15 G balanced way better with the rest of the set. I just ordered a set of your balanced 9s to try them on a fixed bridge Ibanez I got yesterday. On my Floyd based guitars (Jackson, ESP, etc.) I have been using a different 9 set. 46 36 26 16 11 9. I have found that the heavier bottom works better on Floyd equipped guitars. Maybe you have a video on that topic too. If so I look forward to watching it and hearing your perspective. Thanks, Steve
Does string gauge have anything to do with how hard it is to make that F Major bar chord? Not sure if it's that, or my action. I was a dumb-ass and bought 12-56 strings because I wanted to jump right into metal, and had to detune my guitar all the way to C# standard just to feel comfortable lol.
I used .013s for a Les Paul, and broke the headstock. Had to replace it with an Epiphone headstock AND the Logo back to Gibson(to change the angle) now I put an Original Gibson headstock and put it in .010s now. But Compared to my Tele, I'm almost never playing LPs again.
I started out on bass and I keep bending and whacking strings out of tune with a pick (I try to improvise soem blues-rock type of stuff in open tunings like open D minor, DADFAD), so even 11s don't seem to be heavy-enough for me; I'd only use 9s with the 9 removed and a 56 added as the lowest. Which I might just try.
I pretty much exclusively play 10s. I did recently try a set of (Ernie) 9s on one of my guitars. They were certainly more floppy, and I felt I needed to lower the action a bit to make ‘em more stable. I think it was the lowered action that made me more uncomfortable, so I’m back to 10s. But if you’re not as hamfisted a player as me you might actually really like the lower action and more sensitive touch the 9s give you.
I chug all day long in most all Drop tunings(D, down to A) with nickel 9s(mainly Fender 150Ls). I never broke a string while playing in over a year on 3 guitars. No floppy strings, no fret buzz. I can also bend much much easier. I am always so confused as to why everyone say you need big thick gauge strings for drop tunings, because I don't have any issues..
Adam C. I’m with you man. My Gary Holt guitar and my Jackson Soloist guitar came with 9’s from the factory. I used to run heavier gauges, but lighter gauges sound so much better and much more dynamic. And I usually tune 1/4 step down anyways so I get all the punch I had with heavier strings but with much more bite and brightness. I still have heavier gauges on my lower tuned guitars, but 9’s are awesome. It does take a little getting used too. It’s much easier to push notes out of tune with lighter strings when playing aggressively. But honestly, it’s just helped me clean up my sloppy playing. So bonus. I’ve seen the light! Literally
Well ur not wrong. But I don't see much of a point imo because E standard is high enough and if I wanted to go higher I would use a capo. But maybe ur different and it works for you, thats what matters
@@raydog_97 True. You can go on your 24th fret in F# Standard and bend up to a G#. Although, I would just get a 29 fret guitar to do that. But then again they are not as common and maybe you don't have money to get a new guitar anyways. IDK keep doing your thing.
I have a 13 as a high E string. I broke the new 10 when replacing the old broken 10 so all I had left to fill the hole was the 13 of the old set. It makes me look tough but I'm just being cheap ;-)
Good video I'm going to drop it on someone on FB to review. Too much bad advice going around on Guitar payers group pages. Thanks for your very to the point discussions. Trying to help someone through the issue of - if he wants to change from 10s to 9s will he need a set up. I feel/felt as you stated just be sure you have no sharp edges. Also if you do a lot of bending yadda yadda. Some dude said you need a set up going 10s to 9s. I don't necessarily agree. This is where people give wrong info. And, they hurt more than help obviously. What is your take on it ?
I'm trying 8's on my short 24" scale guitar rn...They are so fun to bend, but they are also pissing me off because they are so floppy lol. Will definitely be going back to my 10's.
Are lighter chords easier to barre with a lighter gauge. I have pretty small hands, and that definitely effects it, but I’m having a hard time with barre chords. I’ve been playing for two years now, entirely self taught, but I’ve started to get more serious, and I’ve noticed it’s now becoming a huge barrier to my playing. Sorry for this weird rant, if anyone could respond I’d appreciate it.
Why aren't there many manufacturers making lighter wound 3rd string sets? Most are heavy jazz sets with a 22w. Why can't I get a 15w or at least a 17w for my electric guitar?
I started on 9s, went to 12 because I thought I was tough. Went to 10.5 because I still kind of thought I was tough but started to care less about being cool. Now I play 10s on all guitars, and that’s that.
Do you guys sell gauge-specific lap steel sets? Some useful chordal tunings for lap steel result in huge disparities in tension on adjacent strings.....
Steve Vai pays with a set of 9s. Yngwie Malmsteen plays with a set of 8s. I used to play with 10 to 46 for years and I always had issues with the G string, even with intonation set properly. Recently I tried a set 9 to 42 Optima Gold strings and it's a night and day difference. They have more tension than a standard set of 9s, so there is not that huge difference with a set of 10s. Moreover, after the intonation set nicely I don't have the issues I had before with my G string.
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Thanks for checking this video out! I'll get it started (this is Scott here): right now I'm using our Balanced Super Light Plus (9.5-46) set on my number 1 guitar, and a bunch of different string gauges on my other guitars (11.5s at the heaviest, 9.5s at the lightest), depending on what I'm going for with a particular guitar.
For me, it's always key to balance out full tone, with enough playability to do what I'm trying to, depending on the genre. I used different guitars for different genres precisely so that I can dial them in and find what works for me, for a particular playing style.
I don't know if tuning instability would go away if you don't use the whammy bar and want to just put the bridge all the way down where the bar is of no use. are there any advantages to putting the bridge all the way down if you do not use a bar ?I just bought a strat and was thinking of doing that since I have no interest in using the bar. I have a set of 9's on my guitar now but I think I will like the 10's the best from what I hear.
Is there a balanced set with 44 on the top?
“We’re gonna talk about the people who have used them”
Every 70’s Rock guitarist: “Let me introduce myself”
9's are pretty much standard for a lot of guys. I wouldn't consider them "super light"
I agree. I think they are EXTRA LIGHT. 8s should be SUPER LIGHT. Some manufacturers labeled them this way...like DArco, for example. I do think though that SUPER LIGHT should be lighter than EXTRA LIGHT...but two or three companies, for some reason call the lightest ones extra light and the 9s SUPER LIGHT, which I agree, seems wrong.
tbh extra super light sounds silly and shouldn't exist. 9's should be light
@Kizzy C 9's are better to play easy bends
and essential with a f rose
with a sg -lp it's better too even if you lose some sustain or big sound
no matter how you lose
Agree... 008s are light, and 007 Billy Gibbons are super light.
@Kizzy C yes 10s are okay it has warm sounds and easy to bend but don't use Ernie ball regular slinkys they rust fast after a day and it will sound dead after a week
One thing I don't see people discussing is how a hand injury can affect you decision to play with a lighter set. I used to play 10-48 but over the years have developed arthritis in both hands and have had to go to a lighter set (9-42). I have noticed a slight difference in how my guitar sounds, but I've learned to deal with it.
Yeah, I have occasional problems with the joint in my index finger, from playing too hard in my earlier days. Plus I'm starting to have problems with the base of my thumb when griping the neck. (It's always something). My Monarchy Majesty came with and sounds awesome with 10s, but from reading the forums, switching to 9s requires a lot of readjustments; the truss rod, the tremolo springs, the individual string height adjustment claw. It sounds so perfect I hate the thought of messing with anything on it.
Yup, I'm in the same boat. Been playing 10's for over 30 years, but the fingers just don't seem to have the same strength they used to.
Try 8th!! Fantastic sound and feel!
You can always EQ the sound, though.
Interestingly, I break fewer strings with 9's than I did 10's. The simple fact that I don't have to push hard to reach the note I'm bending to means the strings rarely break. Go figure.
Makes total sense-there's less tension with lighter gauge strings so this puts less stress on them.
Get Graphtec nut and saddles. Really helps a lot!
Not really surprising considering it requires less tension to tune a 9 to E than a 10. Less tension = less stress on the string. Kind of like if you took 10s and tuned them down to D. Less tension!
I usually play 11s and got a few sets of 9s for Christmas from someone who doesn’t know there’s a difference and I probably broke more strings in a month than I had over the last few years
Extra lights strings are also far less stressful to fretting fingers.
Well , after 40 years of playing and battle with numbness went to 8,11,15,24,32,42 get good tone , and I do play with allot of vibrato . The bends I get are really great and it's true I can get around the fretboard quicker, this is just me your results may vary !
Light strings are just the trick for that! I would recommend giving these gauges a try in the future for a bit more balance up top: .008 - .0105 - .014 - .024 - .032 - .042
Yes will try
Not quite a Tony Iommi set
That's right! On his D# Standard axe he's playing .008 - .008 - .011 - .018w - .024 - .032 - hard to believe!
@@Stringjoy Does Tony Lommi use a feather to fret the strings? Wow, so incredibly light!
I started years ago w/D'addario xl120s. Lately I tried the SJ9.5-44which was ok. A little too light.
I finally put my own custom set together 10-13.5-18W-26-36-48. I have fallen in love with this set. The wound 3rd is special and my USA Slash Les Paul Anaconda Burst has come to life like never before. I feel like I have a new guitar. I'm going to go w/ 9.5-13-18W-26-36-48 from now on. A little easier on the lighter two and plenty of chug up top. Just a perfect blend.
As a metal guitarist, I like light top heavy bottom sets. Good tight tension for the chords and open strings, then there's a good amount of flex for the leads and solos.
I tried those and hated them unfortunately. They took so damn long to tune and I didn't notice much of a difference in the feeling or sound.
Kevin Benoit Totally agree. By the way, which string gauge do yo use for drop tunings? (In case you use them) Thanks
I just discovered the Stringjoy TH-cam channel and am enjoying learning all about strings. The history lesson in the first 2:30 of this video explaining 9s and plain third strings was wonderful, and might make for a good video on its own with proper references.
Thanks for watching!
I've played 9s forever and love them....
I've been playing since I was 13 (I'm 29 now) and I've always used 9's. I've never even known that there was any criticism about 9's. On my strat I use fender bullets and on my epi les paul i use ernie ball classic pure nickels. Both sets are 9's.
Allan Holdsworth used 9's and don't think anyone would say his clean tone was weak.
Having recently put on a set of 9s its really taught me to play lighter on the frets. 10s and 11s are pretty lenient, but 9s tend to buzz out shift pitch with too much pressure.
9-42 was what I started with on my first electric 40yrs ago. I thought that was the only thing to use for metal XL 120s. I recently have been educated by you and your channel to 10-46. Thank you for your time and attention to detail, not to mention all the hard work.
Try 9.5-13-18W-26-36-48. The wound 3rd is fantastic and the 48 gives plenty of meat on top.
9s are super light? I been playing Ernie Ball Super Slinky .008s on my 1966 Guild Starfire V since I got it in 1967. I have resisted the temptation to try Billy Gibbons .007s... But some day, I might! 53 years with same guitar, and same brand/size strings...
I use 9s on my strat and 10s on my les Paul
Person same here!
@@jongauthier9289 I use 9's on my Telecaster 10's on my SG
to compensate for the scale length?
I do just the opposite. 9's feel good on my SG, but 10's feel better on my fenders. But it's kind of fun trying different things
funny enough I'm opposite 😂 9 on pauls and 10 on strats
9s on all my Strats and 1 Mustang, 11s on my Jaguars, 10s on 2 other Mustangs, on a Jazzmaster, a Telecaster, a Les Paul and a SG.
I have been a 10-46 player for a long time, got used to them on a 25.5 inch scale, tuned to E standard. Ive switch to 9-42 and love them ! I feel that I can be more expressive with my left hand with them since I can have more control on their full sonic potential if that make any sense. Since there's less fighting, I can focus on the nuance and detail of my playing. I wound't say they sound thinner, if anything they seem to handle gain in a more controled way and give you less of that overloading sound that thicker string can provide. So definitely better in my case :)
I use barbed wire, damn it! (I use 9-42).
Been using GHS Boomer 9's since the mid 80's . Tried other brands but Boomer 9's have always been my go to . Cant remember last time I broke a string and they last me a really long time . I always wipe down after playing getting into this habit can really keep your strings alive sounding good much longer .
Nothing wrong with Boomers at all! I (Scott) used Boomer 10s for quite some time before I started a string company, and they were always very solid as I remember.
Aaron KM Same here! I've used GHS Boomers 9-42 since mid 80's. Never change a winning team👍
Ok Boomer (sorry I had to even though it's a dead meme)
GHS makes great strings.
9-12-15-26w-36-48-64 on 26.5 scale 7 string is my perfect set.
That's an excellent set!
That's the gauge I play, minus the 64, but tuned down a 1/2 step on a 24.75" neck.
Great video, thanks Scott. I have been loving the "Husky Light Plus" strings since last year and have turned some friends onto Stringjoy! Very, very happy!
Hey Phil-I'm so glad to hear it! I love those Husky 10.5s, just had a set of those on my full size 335 and they were just what the doctor ordered.
I use them on my 335 too! Great minds think alike!
Oh wow, great minds indeed!
In the 70s, a lot of people played .08s. It wasn't until SRV that thick strings became fashionable.
After 35 years of playing the same brand of 10s on my SG and Strat two problems have cropped up: neurological issues have weakened my fretting hand, and the strings I used all those years are no longer made. It was time to try 9s. So I did. But they just don't have the same visceral feel as the 10s and that leaves me less inspired to play. But all is not lost. I've been playing more classical.
I am but a learner. I've got my guitar setup with #8s. The theory behind that was that less finger pressure would be required.
I'm slowly getting back to using different gauge strings for different guitars. It depends on the guitar, and what I use it for.
For guitars I play slide on, I want slightly thicker strings than a guitar I play a lot of solos on. A guitar that I use mostly for rhythm might end up sounding better with slightly heavier strings than the guitars I play solos on. It also helps differentiate them when recording.
Been using 9’s for years…. Just ordered some Stringjoy strings to test drive 🎶😎👍🏼
I have been on a string journey the last 4months, I started with 11-52 then 11-48 10-46 now I'm on 9-42, and I love them. The lower end is so much tighter and clearer
I switched to 9s about 5 years ago and tried 10s again the other day and switched right back. It's nothing to do with bending or vibrato for me, that's not the reason I switched to 9s ...it's a tone thing. They have more brilliance and twang...much easier to get some bite out of a lead run also for me
9s for Fenders, 10s for Gibsons. One whole step bends easy on each. As far as gauges go, they change with the wind for me. What I like now I might not like later, especially if I change guitars. I do remember using an 8s set in my early Clapton, Jim McCarty period. Know what was available in my area? Gibson Sonomatics.
10-46 pretty much for the last 30 years. Did try going up, 11's and even 12's, but getting tendonitis in my wrist ended that experiment. LOL I have a Tele and one of my shred guitars set up with 9-46, doing crazy pedal steel style bends on my Tele is a lot easier with lighter strings. Wanted to try something lighter on one of my shred guitars, used to use 9-46 for most of the 80's.
Switching to 9's was a gamechanger for me after years of playing 10's. Makes playing less of an effort and it really altered my playing style. Vibratos are so much easier to do.
9's are rockin af. all the ibanez come with 9's and the tone is to die for.
i'm upgrading my 8 string inspired by ibanez with 9/11/16/24/32/42/54/64
68 would make more sense but they don't have those
We have .068s 😉
Don't forget to do a complete setup for whatever gauge you choose. It your nut is already cut low...you may need a new nut. Floating trems, like every Fender Stratocaster and all Floyd Roses will need spring tension adjustment and intonation. Bridge height will need attention also. Complete setup. One cannot just change string gauges and expect to have a great playing guitar. Now, how many guitars do you think are out there that suck only because the string gauge has been changed with no setup to compensate??
This, exactly!
Around 1970 I was finally able to finally get the perfect string gauges... 8, 11, 14, 22W, 36W, 46W... kind of eighty nines, of course that's just me, your results may vary.
Very nice! It's always valuable to work to find the perfect custom set for you, that's why I started this company in the first place. Thanks for watching!
I used to use 9s on my Strat, and 10s on my Les Paul. But then I got use to playing the Les Paul more often started over bending the lighter strings on the Strat, so I've gone 10s across the board
Shit I always thought 9s were considered pretty standard. I always use 9s and yeah I get crazy vibrato, I tend to shake the shit out of a string and noticed when I recorded myself to analyze my playing. I never break strings, I've had a set of 9s on the same guitar for 2 years because it has a Floyd Rose on it and can be a pain in the ass to string it up and for using the Floyd and the amount I do bending I think I'm doing pretty good on the string breakage.
I've tried 10s recently and they felt too thick to me that I took them off the guitar, refit a nut and put 9s on it. I always just walk into the store and ask for a set of Ernie Ball 9-42 from the guy I buy them from. Been playing them for 25 years and I've always gotten complimented on the tone, feel and overall playability on the guitars I own. I've even sold a few of them and the last time I sold one the guy told me he was going to try and talk me down on price but after playing it he felt it was worth every penny I was asking and that made me feel pretty good.
Today I've become familiar enough with guitars that I am now building my own from scratch and am the only one who touches them to do work on them, I will never build a guitar for myself that uses anything but a set of 9s. I actually had no idea they were viewed in a negative light, when I was a kid and started playing back in 94 I was under the impression it was what came standard on a guitar but then again I played only Fender back then so thats probably why cause 9s are standard for Fender.
9s are fairly standard, they're less popular than 10s, but come in 2nd after that just before 11s. "Super Light" is the name of that gauge (10s are "Light", 11s are "Medium"
Ha, zz top (billy) plays with 7's and so did BB king.
I made the huge mistake of emulating Metallica when i started playing and my fingers where bleeding from the 11s (they play 11s-48) when i started to learn bending, and leads.
yngwie's custom strings are the best for me, they go from 8s-48.
That string set looks interesting, it's the only one I've come across (thanks to you) that goes lighter than standard 9s at the top but heavier than a 42 at the bottom. Sort of like a hybrid set for heavy chugging but with more bendable top strings too.
No, Billy Gibbons says BB King used 7s. It's because Billy Gibbons did draw the wrong conclusion. BB King actually used 10-54.
I recently tried Picato strings (handmade in the UK). I play 9’s and they are the best strings I have ever played. I’ve played for over 40 years and have to say these babies have a very unique feel. Ritchie Blackmore calls them the best strings, period. Tommy Iommi uses them and Clapton used them when he was young and didn’t have any endorsement deal. They used to be impossible to find, but with “Strings Direct” you can get them real easy. Try a pack, you will not be disappointed.
Weird, first I've ever heard of them. Whatever floats yr boat.
I use bridge cables, dammit! (14-58)
Dude, you must have a six pack on your knuckles if you play 14s!!!
16-80 get on my level
Do you tune to drop A
F yeahh!!! I use 14-60 on standard F (higher that standard E)
Dz N So some news guys, I kept breaking the 14’s, so I upped to 15-60 gauge.
Tuned to E flat.
Started out many years ago with 8’s but soon moved on to 9’s. Been playing that gauge for years and years until just recently. Now I’m back to 8’s.
007.-038 for years Can’t wait for you guys
*laughs in 8-38’s*
That's what I use
I got a guitar that was new with brand new 9s and instantly saw why every guitarist I learn from uses them. Once I got those and a super thick 7 mm pick I started really really feeling like the instrument was one with me. I use 9 12 16 24 32 48 for my tele with the larger scale as I prefer slightly chunkier strings on the bottom but the top 3 will always be 9s for me
I am using 10s on a Les Paul right now because this guitar seem to like them more. I have used 9s or hybrid Slinkies for yonks though. it is not really for bending though, because I actually find a 9 too light for bending. The reason i prefer them is I do not like my low strings to be too bassy sounding. I prefer them to have a tone more like the skinny strings. Fat strings can be too thick sounding for some lead tones and that makes the bass in them dominate more than i like.
Eddie Van Halen used .09 -.046 My EVH Wolfgang's came factory with .09 - .046 on them... I'm sticking with them!
I’m like Darth Vader - once I went down the dark path of heavy gauges years ago it’s now too late for me, my son. Recently ordered a custom heavy set of StringJoys 11.5-60 and some goofy gauges in between. Quite pleased, especially by the ability to get exactly what you want.
Can you recommend any other brands that have 9, 12, 15 in its set? Stringjoy don't seem to be available in New Zealand. Most I see, such as Ernie Ball, come as 9, 11, 16. Thanks.
D'Addario Balanced tension set EXL120BT runs 9, 12, 15, 22, 30, 40.
I use 8s and I'm happy with them and it helps me play with carpal tunnel... which is why my acoustic lives in it's case.
James Burton uses 8-38 set up. No lack of tone there! James Rocks!
Friends University no, he uses 09-40
a friend of mine plays tens but has the 16 on the G string. Another friend had me set up his guitar with 9.5's which.... plays nice and sounds pretty good. I think I want to explore some options.
I got a used guitar and didn't know the string sizes so I looked into it and people were saying like 11's were hard oh don't get 10's blah blah blah but I've been playing for 8 months and I talked to the lady at the guitar store and she reccomended nines so I opened them after I bought them and I got pissed bc they were so much smaller than my current strings, turns out I do need like 11's so yeah do ur research on ur strings before u get them lol
For sure! And everyone's different. Definitely don't believe all the folks saying 11s are too much...
I've been playing ax for 53 years, like 10's but 9's just feel great after using 11's on the 175 all night. Plus your right about the multitude of effects, bends, slaps, and they take a lot of abuse these high tech days.
Gary moore uses to play 9 gauge, and he says that he uses to play 10, but he had an accident in his hand and change to 9. And he says that only feel the difference in the bottom strings. And he was really agressive player
I enjoyed your video Scot. I switched from 10's to 9s about 15 years ago. I find I actually break strings much less often, with them. I find I like the tone to be better for classic rock, & blues tones and they are so much more responsive to subtle manipulations. I'm tempted to try your 12B & 15G variation, but my wammy-bar is so tuned in to the old standard. I just ordered three "old standard" 9s sets. I was happy to see pure nickel, love that sound. Looking forward to testing them out.
Ive been using 9's since the 60's and Super Slinky"s first came out. I see no reason to change....easy to play and I am able to get great tone with them.
I use 9s standard(flat tuning). If I tune in D I use 10s.
Yeah, I've heard that the lower you tune, the heavier your strings need to be.
I use the Fender Malmsteen set 8-46, I tune down a half step too. Fight me.
Jed Nadin Jonny Greenwood has tuned to drop A on 9 gauge strings
Imagine the wobble
You need 7s
I use 3s on Drop E.
I use 8s up to 12s. Depends on the guitar and the style of music. 9-46 is a great all around country, rock, blues gauge. Give 8s a try, they feel great! Now for intense blues or jazz get 10s or 11s.
I currently play 11 -> 52 in C#-standard. It feels very close to hybrid-9 sets in E-standard (I only had to tighten my trem screws a few turns). I do have a 22 wound for the "g"-string (g in quotes because it is now an e).
I feel nothing holding my back for bends and vibrato other than the wound-G string, but the improved tone of a wound "g" is worth it, imo.
The tone is chunkier sounding. I tried 12-64 (the Mammoth Slinkies) for C#-standard and it dulled out my tone. Now it is bright, snappy and has more chug than I was expecting (yes, I'm a metalhead). I am currently getting my wrist back into shape for 180bpm + metal rhythm playing and I simply hope that the lighter bounce on the 52 C# string will not hold me back. There are videos that demonstrate that going TOO high a gauge will make a tone duller.
[EDIT/UPDATE] Ended up tightening them up to D-standard. Too much bounce, not enough snap-back for higher tempos
Been playing almost 40 years. One thing I learned long ago was that the gauge of the strings on a guitar really only count for one thing: playability and comfort. Did I say one thing? I meant two. Lol
I’ve used .009s for over 20 years now. Currently I use Ernie Ball hybrid slinky strings .009-.046. They’re like a set of 9’s on the unwound strings and .010s on the wound ones.
And that stuff about having to use a heavy gauge string to get a thicker and heavier tone is BS. Billy Gibbons uses .008sand he’s always had a great tone.
I swear by 9s on my electrics, I play country. I use 12s on acoustic, and love those too. Just need the lighter strings on electric for the different playing styles.
I keep reading people writing that i went from 10s to 9s because of my arthritis or other condition's ..STOP.... if you feel that use your amp to compensate for the tone ....Even with the clean tones there's so many ways to get a bolder clean sound without going back to 10s...
Whoever says 9s are only for people with arthritis is super dumb
The whole youtube was telling me "You got Fender Jaguar? Well .12 strigs are what you need." So I played .12 for like a years and it never felt good to me. Then, a second guitarist in our band told me "Don't listen tothat shit, put tens or nines on Jag, it opens much more stuff you can do with this guitar thanks to its short neck." Man, how he was right! I use Hybrid Slinky set now and it's perfect. If someone tells me nines are for beginners, then I'd rather stay a begginer and enjoy my guitar the way it feels the best for me.
I'm always a bit skeptical whenever somebody tries pushing the 9s. Not so much because I figure that they're still at "beginner" level... But rather because there are so many musicians unaware of how often they are out of tune. 9-gauge sets introduce a lot of increased challenges, in keeping your chordal tones steady and not all over the place. I used to play 9s all the time, when I was younger and mainly shredding all the time. After years of doing some jazz (and more chordal stuff), the switch to 10s was quite a relief. I wish I had made the switch a lot sooner, but I guess I was just in a mindset from when I was younger. Even when I was younger though, ironically, I thought that the thicker strings were great for playing the blues, as the extra resistance seem to make the bends have more of the sound you'd want for that style (as opposed to the neo-classical stuff I'd usually be doing back then). And now, over 20 years later, we've got internet videos about how such strings help with the bends. Honestly, I don't think I had ever thought that they really helped with that, but rather the legato I was doing, where the thinner gauges were easier to grip under my fingertips before all the pull-offs.
Just wait until you try a set of .07/38 Rev. Willy's 'Mexican Lottery Brand' strings. Wonderful tone and so easy to play, plus bend better than anything else available.
I Can't believe I played on heavier strings for so many years, and probably will never go back again, with my injured hands/wrists I can now play all day again without pain or serious fatigue.
BB King used 9s also. His reply to another player, can't remember who it was, who was relating to BB that he thought all the big players use heavy gauge strings, was "Why work so hard". Right. Shouldn't playing be easy and enjoyable? Not a superhero competition. My guitar teacher back in 93 told me to use 10s, which I always have. Here and there over the years I have bought 9s but I think I will permanently go back to 9s since I hardly ever play anymore and I'm so out of practice I could use a little help.
Superb! Thank you!!
I started on 8's, but eventually settled on Fender Super Bullets 9-40. However, they don’t seem to be as available as they once were. More recently I’ve been using NYXL Balanced Tension 9-40, which are a good alternative. I’ve been playing a couple of 7 strings lately, but I can’t find an equivalent set of string gauges. As far as breaking strings goes, I’ve never broken one on stage. I’m lucky not to have sweaty hands, and when I’m playing a lot on stage, I change strings proactively, wipe them down, and I always wash my hands prior to playing…
Hey Johnny, thanks for watching! We'll make a video about our Balanced Tension sets in the future, one thing that separates ours a bit is that we use slightly heavier wound strings in our balanced tension sets, which in my opinion balances better tonally and in terms of playability, as wound strings will inherently have more flexibility than plain strings of the same tension.
As for 7 strings-yes, most string companies have very few options (we have 18 different 7 string sets, plus fully custom options). In your case I'd highly recommend our 7 String Balanced Super Light Gauge (9-54) set, or we'd be happy to draw up a set that's a bit lighter if you want to keep the same 6 string gauges from that 9-40 set you've been using.
I'd love to see a 12.5 for B string. When you go 9.5-12-16-24-32-44 it makes the B string too light. Going to a 13 makes it slightly heavier and its noticeable between the G and E strings. a 12.5 would sit in a lighter range tension wise. I think i'd prefer the B slightly less tension vs. slightly more tension compared to the G and E strings. Theres only 1 company making a 12.5 so i'm forced to get a 9.5-44 set and add the 12.5 B string seperately.
Crazy I always played 9’s that was always standard in my area growing up and always stocked up. Today I play 8’s.. But I didnt know in some areas 10’s were average and 9’s were considered light, I never knew because everyone I knew including myself we all played 9’s.. I never bought 10’s ever. 8’s are perfect for me, and I dont break strings. I just dont. Ever.
Guitar tension is overrated, I played 9-52s on my 7-string Jackson 26.5" in Drop F# and it played quite well. Actually prefer them than any other set I had before (.13-.74 for 7 comes to mind). Actually prefer them than any other set I had before (.13-.74 for 7 comes to mind). And on LP I have 10-52s in Bartione standard. I feel like I have much more control in dynamic on lighter set. With bigger gauges I feel like I'm fighing against string instead. And apparantly Tony Iommy played with very low tension on C# with .42s. So I think it comes with your own playstyle preferences and exploration!
I use the custom Stevie Ray Vaughan string gauge. The .013's. Never going back since I watched your video about them!!
Good video. An interesting fact about SRV is that it was a custom set - it sounds crazy that he was bending on 13s but really as the strings got lower the gauges got more reasonable and it was more of a heavy first string set than a whole heavy set, plus being drop tuned to Eb his low 3 strings were action very low tension. But as for gauges if anyone is judging over gauges then they need to keep their opinions to their own guitars and not judge others. There are lots of jazz guys playing 10s (and 9s sometimes) with a great, thick jazz tone. Same with picks, some guys are using really thin picks for jazz and you wouldn’t guess it a lot of the time. George Benson has an interesting way to describe it which is like the lighter the string the heavier the pick and vice versa. He uses heavier strings and a medium pick from what I remember. I don’t follow that rule myself as I prefer pretty heavy for picks and strings but if I were starting over I would follow it because it really balances the tension and looseness ratio between the pick and strings and facilitates playing fast and clean as well as having a good tone.
One thing I haven't seen discussed in the couple of your videos I have watched is floating versus fixed bridge guitars.
In the past I used Fender 150XL strings on fixed bridge guitars. One of the main reasons is that I found that the 15 G balanced way better with the rest of the set. I just ordered a set of your balanced 9s to try them on a fixed bridge Ibanez I got yesterday.
On my Floyd based guitars (Jackson, ESP, etc.) I have been using a different 9 set. 46 36 26 16 11 9. I have found that the heavier bottom works better on Floyd equipped guitars. Maybe you have a video on that topic too. If so I look forward to watching it and hearing your perspective.
Thanks,
Steve
That's a good idea all around Steve, thanks kindly!
I like your videos Bro!- Great info.
I like 9s because then there is less bass and more clarity that I prefer. And it makes playing guitar more fun.
Does string gauge have anything to do with how hard it is to make that F Major bar chord? Not sure if it's that, or my action.
I was a dumb-ass and bought 12-56 strings because I wanted to jump right into metal, and had to detune my guitar all the way to C# standard just to feel comfortable lol.
I used .013s for a Les Paul, and broke the headstock. Had to replace it with an Epiphone headstock AND the Logo back to Gibson(to change the angle) now I put an Original Gibson headstock and put it in .010s now. But Compared to my Tele, I'm almost never playing LPs again.
Jeez that's pretty crazy, a well-built LP should absolutely be able to handle .013s...
@@Stringjoy The high action(1/2" high) didn't help the poor ax.
I use extra super light... 😂 i just like the sound...
Same
I started out on bass and I keep bending and whacking strings out of tune with a pick (I try to improvise soem blues-rock type of stuff in open tunings like open D minor, DADFAD), so even 11s don't seem to be heavy-enough for me; I'd only use 9s with the 9 removed and a 56 added as the lowest. Which I might just try.
I pretty much exclusively play 10s. I did recently try a set of (Ernie) 9s on one of my guitars. They were certainly more floppy, and I felt I needed to lower the action a bit to make ‘em more stable. I think it was the lowered action that made me more uncomfortable, so I’m back to 10s. But if you’re not as hamfisted a player as me you might actually really like the lower action and more sensitive touch the 9s give you.
I chug all day long in most all Drop tunings(D, down to A) with nickel 9s(mainly Fender 150Ls). I never broke a string while playing in over a year on 3 guitars. No floppy strings, no fret buzz. I can also bend much much easier. I am always so confused as to why everyone say you need big thick gauge strings for drop tunings, because I don't have any issues..
Adam C.
I’m with you man. My Gary Holt guitar and my Jackson Soloist guitar came with 9’s from the factory. I used to run heavier gauges, but lighter gauges sound so much better and much more dynamic. And I usually tune 1/4 step down anyways so I get all the punch I had with heavier strings but with much more bite and brightness. I still have heavier gauges on my lower tuned guitars, but 9’s are awesome. It does take a little getting used too. It’s much easier to push notes out of tune with lighter strings when playing aggressively. But honestly, it’s just helped me clean up my sloppy playing. So bonus. I’ve seen the light! Literally
9’s are great for F Standard, 8’s are great for F# Standard.
Well ur not wrong. But I don't see much of a point imo because E standard is high enough and if I wanted to go higher I would use a capo. But maybe ur different and it works for you, thats what matters
Henry Martino Well for me you get more range when you tune the guitar up to F and F# like you get more of the fret board that way
Henry Martino For Acoustic guitars I can understand using a capo for those tunings but for electric at least for me I want more frets
@@raydog_97 True. You can go on your 24th fret in F# Standard and bend up to a G#. Although, I would just get a 29 fret guitar to do that. But then again they are not as common and maybe you don't have money to get a new guitar anyways. IDK keep doing your thing.
Henry Martino You too man 🤘
My Luthier uses lighter strings for strats because of the whammy bar. He believes the strings stay in tune, I agree with him.
I have a 13 as a high E string. I broke the new 10 when replacing the old broken 10 so all I had left to fill the hole was the 13 of the old set. It makes me look tough but I'm just being cheap ;-)
An informative AND useful video on TH-cam?-- Imagine that! :D I may have to give y'all a call Monday morning ;)
The lighter the better in terms of tone and also your wrists and fingers.
Good video I'm going to drop it on someone on FB to review. Too much bad advice going around on Guitar payers group pages. Thanks for your very to the point discussions. Trying to help someone through the issue of - if he wants to change from 10s to 9s will he need a set up. I feel/felt as you stated just be sure you have no sharp edges. Also if you do a lot of bending yadda yadda.
Some dude said you need a set up going 10s to 9s. I don't necessarily agree. This is where people give wrong info. And, they hurt more than help obviously. What is your take on it ?
I'm trying 8's on my short 24" scale guitar rn...They are so fun to bend, but they are also pissing me off because they are so floppy lol. Will definitely be going back to my 10's.
Are lighter chords easier to barre with a lighter gauge. I have pretty small hands, and that definitely effects it, but I’m having a hard time with barre chords. I’ve been playing for two years now, entirely self taught, but I’ve started to get more serious, and I’ve noticed it’s now becoming a huge barrier to my playing. Sorry for this weird rant, if anyone could respond I’d appreciate it.
In general, yep!
Why aren't there many manufacturers making lighter wound 3rd string sets?
Most are heavy jazz sets with a 22w. Why can't I get a 15w or at least a 17w for my electric guitar?
Ech Ech I think string joy makes an 18 wound
Great for blues,Hendrix. Bending strings into each other.Sax sound on guitar.Tons of expression only done with light guage strings.
Your 9.5s are gold, that's all I use.
Glad to hear it Jacob!!
I started on 9s, went to 12 because I thought I was tough. Went to 10.5 because I still kind of thought I was tough but started to care less about being cool. Now I play 10s on all guitars, and that’s that.
Don't hurt yourself to be cool. Go with what's better for you.
I like 9 gauge
Do you guys sell gauge-specific lap steel sets? Some useful chordal tunings for lap steel result in huge disparities in tension on adjacent strings.....
Not right this moment but we definitely need to get into some before long!
if I switched from 9-46 to 9-42, would I expect to do a setup?
Steve Vai pays with a set of 9s. Yngwie Malmsteen plays with a set of 8s. I used to play with 10 to 46 for years and I always had issues with the G string, even with intonation set properly. Recently I tried a set 9 to 42 Optima Gold strings and it's a night and day difference. They have more tension than a standard set of 9s, so there is not that huge difference with a set of 10s. Moreover, after the intonation set nicely I don't have the issues I had before with my G string.
Are 9s super light? What are 8s and 7s then?