Bucking the Trend: .008's

[CandidPicker]

I realize that many of you are into heavier guitar riffs, pursuing hard rock and metal with appropriate amp models.

Because my hands often suffer from carpal tunnel (computer use, nighttime wrist strain), I thought it wise to make a switch to lighter gauge strings, ala Billy Gibbons use of either .008 or .007 gauge strings.

I also realize that many of you have stepped up in your string gauges for heavier riffs.

May I ask, how many of you have found that heavier gauge strings contributes to faster hand fatigue than lighter gauge strings?

The reason for my question is simple: If one can still perform adequately with lighter gauge strings and do well with them, what prevents that person from playing classic rock / blues / jazz / funk / swing if heavier riffs are not part of his repertoire? Would lighter gauge also translate to easier string bends with quicker recovery time from fatigue?

Understandably, one might need have gauge strings for detuning, but for other genres of music, what say you?

 

[veinbuster]

I don’t notice a difference in hand fatigue between 9s, 10s, 11s.
12s I cannot play as long comfortably.
My hands are sore most of the time. Playing seems to reduce the chronic pain.

 

[Drew]

Heavy strings are unnecessary for pretty much most styles. I use 9's on all of my electrics, from 24.625" to 25.5" scale. There has been this movement to heavier strings in the last couple of decades and there is not much practical use for it, unless you are doing something like extreme downtuning. Then I can see 10's or 11's. For standard tuning, 9's work fine and will be better for your hands and wrists. Heck, Yngwie uses 8's and he's done alright with them.

A perfect example of thick string obsession gone wrong is the guitarist for Incubus. Was using 13's at one point and that lead to significant injury.

 

[RallyFanatic]

8’s actually seem to be the trend lately since the Rick Beato YouTube video. I’m so used to the way 10’s handle, but I’m strongly considering trying 8’s on one of my Silver Sky’s to see what they’re all about.

 

[jak3af3r]

Lighter Guage makes bending easier because of the lower tension but I feel like the actual distance of the bend is greater.

I've used 9s, 10's, and 11s on a lot of my guitars and find 10s to be the sweet spot of playing well and not breaking early like I had with the 9s.

I also don't have any hand issues so it was just a matter of strength training which didn't take long at the time because I was playing between 2 and 6 shows a week at roughly 4 hours each. Now I don't do that anymore I'm back on 10s and may switch all my teles over to 9s for easier steel guitar bends.

 

[AP515]

I'm gonna try 9's on my Cu24 at the next string change.

 

[bodia]

I run 8s on a couple of mine.

 

[WEDGE]

I got a guitar in recently that had such light strings it felt like a strand of hair under my fingers. For me it is 10’s minimally so I don’t bend them sharp by just fretting them, and so that they feel right. I loved the 11’s on a DGT but I need real big frets to make them feel and work well for me.

 

[Zeke L.]

I play 10s because I can play them in tune. I've gone as low as 8.5s but find my bends are too wide in a bad way and my vibrato becomes too microtonal and sounds extra sloppy.
I grew up playing 9s and find them very playable as long as I don't play overly "hard" or aggressively. 10s are a compromise between comfort and tonal accuracy.

 

[Shreve]

9s across all guitars for me, even DGT. Seems to strike a balance that works, and makes life much simpler, easier. Been into some greasy steel chikin’ licks lately, and they require some crazy bends in all directions for my old hands. I save a couple centavos and buy em bulk.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

Saw the Beato video "Are you using the wrong string gauge" (or something like that) ...Saw his tests and observations regarding the differences between 8 through 11 gauge strings... Went into it thinking that the heavier gauges were necessary for "good" tone ..Only to see that myth totally debunked .

Went the Dunlop "Rev Willy Mexican Lottery " strings (Billy Gibbons endorsed) and man ... am I diggin on them. !

Eights are standard for me on less than 25.5", where I went to Sevens . Glad I did too, as I was ready to part company with my Stratocaster elements, as with 10 gauge on the long scale length was just not fun ...

With 7's its a whole new deal. No, the frets don't move closer together, but the reduced string tension makes her a lot more fun to mess with !

Now, there is the "feel" thing. That is very real, as if your fingers are dead (really heavy callouses and can bend steel rebar) from the first joint up... You will not feel anything that light under your hands ...

But as one who has been branded rhymes with "wussy-hands " by my local frenemy Sam Ash Tech , they work fine for me.

Sometimes 10's are easier to "find" ... but for the most part the lower tension is preferred. Lighter technique like BB King said, "why do you want to work so hard"

Oh ... and don't forget that adjusting pick up height will probably be necessary, as the lighter gauge strings present less mass to the magnets and probably need to be moved closer. But even withh that I have managed to get 8's too boomy, and needed to adjust downward so ...

 

[dogrocketp]

4 hand surgeries, and it’s all 9’s for me now. No more pain, just a little stiffness by the middle of the third set.

 

[RickP]

It's a personal sound and feel thing. There's no myth in that. If you like 7s or 8s, use them with my complete blessing. I happen to use 10s on all of my electrics, and did use 9s for decades before that change. The 10s work better for my right and left hand playing style, and hold up longer for me. That's me, personally. You do you.

Rick Beato and Rhett Shull put out their opinions, which are as valid as anyone's. But it didn't prove anything for anyone but them, and you just have to use what you think feels and sounds best to you. Yes, players like Billy G and BB used very light strings, and Stevie used very heavy ones. Being as I know two of those guys aren't on this forum, and I'm pretty sure the third isn't either, that means exactly zero to you or me. What works for you works, and that's that! No one can pick that but you. And by the way... it might change from time to time. It doesn't mean your prior choice was wrong.

 

[Silvertree]

I buy singles for 46/36/26/14/11/08. Best of both worlds.

 

[Huggy Love]

There's a huge difference in technique between Rock/Blues and Jazz/Funk, so lighter gauge strings are going to benefit you in the first but will be a challenge for the later. Bending strings and rapid fire riffs will be easier on lighter gauges for Blues or Rockin', but you'll get a by far better tone experience and more stable intonation for Jazz with heavier strings.

I can be done with either but each has their pro's & cons, and YMMV.
Good luck in your quest for tone & playability.

 

[Warmart]

4 hand surgeries, and it’s all 9’s for me now. No more pain, just a little stiffness by the middle of the third set.

TWSS

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Probably too late for me to post a well thought out response to this issue. Would be too long.

 

[jak3af3r]

There's a huge difference in technique between Rock/Blues and Jazz/Funk, so lighter gauge strings are going to benefit you in the first but will be a challenge for the later. Bending strings and rapid fire riffs will be easier on lighter gauges for Blues or Rockin', but you'll get a by far better tone experience and more stable intonation for Jazz with heavier strings.

I can be done with either but each has their pro's & cons, and YMMV.
Good luck in your quest for tone & playability.

I might move funk towards the thinner string side. I completely agree about jazz though. There's something I find inspiring about really heavy (13 or higher) gauge strings on a well set-up jazz box.

 

[CandidPicker]

Thanks for all your responses thus far, guys.

I agree that playing jazz (standards, not so much for modern) might require a thicker gauge string. I might simply ask, wouldn't it be easier to tweak some amp settings for the tone you'd like? Perhaps jazz does not have all that many wide bends that rock or blues might, so there is the temptation for venture into either's territory when playing jazz. IDK. Maybe it's a good thing to blend genres instead of keeping them separate. It's entirely possible.

Yet regards tone, my feeling is tone can be modified with your amp, your guitar knobs, and your hands. The only reason, I might personally choose a 12 or 13 gauge string is for drop B or C, where you might need the extra tension for those heavier baritone riffs. Though, TBH, that's not my preferred style of music.

One of my questions regards .008s is one would likely need to perform an intonation on a .010 gauge string guitar, I'd guess. No slotting required; likely some neck bow loosening to accommodate lighter tension (?), saddle adjustments, and pickup height adjustment. I'd likely try this with my McCarty, but not my HBII Piezo. The HBII is already bright because of the maple top/back; I'd need to seriously tweak my amp presets for .008s regards the HBII. It could happen; it's just more busy work.

Might spend some time on this, this afternoon, though I think I'd have extra time Sunday afternoon because of my work schedule. Trying to dry out my back hallway from rain seeping under the storm door because of a full rain-barrel connected to the downspout. Apartment handyman had to visit and clear the gutter of debris after the rain-barrel was disconnected so the gutter wouldn't overflow...pouring right over the eaves into the backdoor...safer now but still have a wet carpet floor inside the backdoor...

 

[Prs Mods too]

I use 7s tuned a half step down.

Everything sounds and plays great.

You just need to adjust your technique. Lighten everything up, picking and fretting.

A minor tweak to the amp and/or guitar controls might be needed too. But 7s can sound like 13s. People complain that lighter strings sound wimpy but that's just not true if you play them correctly. You can't just whale away on 7s like you can with 13s. It's all relative and proportionate. Pick and fret lighter with lighter strings and they sound the same.