String Experiment Begins tomorrow...

[Monahan]

This past Spring I took delivery of a new DGT. Had the shop set it up with my standard set of strings: DR Pure Blues 10's.

They had set the action super low... which was great. Usually I have it set to a medium height, but really enjoyed the ease of fretting. As the seasons changed the neck has moved just enough to make the strings buzz. So now it's time to give the guitar a good setup. AND, while I'm at it, I've decided to play with different string gauges. Inspired in part by the low action my DGT arrived with, and partly by a few recent videos on the topic. My favorite being:

5 Watt World Pros/Cons of Light Strings

Tomorrow I'll hit our local shop to see what strings they have in stock, and hopefully score a set of 8's. More for the feel, and ease of playing than for "tone."

Thought it would be fun to document my experiment here

So how 'bout y'all? What light sets are you using? Anyone go from heavy sets to light sets?

 

[Moondog Wily]

I tried 8's in 2022 to give my fingers some relief, but the high E kept breaking on me, so I gave up (3 strings broke in 4 weeks, I usually break a string or two per year - 0.010's). YMMV. I was fine with the tone they were delivering, then again, I am pretty easy to please in the tone department (I usually just adjust eq mostly to get what I think is missing). I did enjoy the feel of the lighter gauge though, especially the flatwounds I tried.

Looking forward to the results of you experiment!!!

 

[Prs Mods too]

I have been using 7s for around a decade. Pick and fret lighter and they sound like the 10s that I used to use.

 

[xxxadixxx]

I usually play 10's and 11's though I was inspired to give 9's (on my DC594) a shot based on the same 5 Watt World video. My guitars are all fixed bridge 22 fret 24.594 - 25" scale. While the tone was a bit "brighter" to my ears the issue was that they were too easy to play. They felt sloppy. I am exclusively a rhythm player and I have a rather heavy grip. This lead to a lot of string noise, notes going sharp, and a generally uneven playing experience. It was unpleasant enough that I simply stopped playing the guitar because it was too much work to think about playing adjustments with the new strings.

I could see more subtle playing benefiting from the lighter gauge or situations where grip strength is a challenge. For me, it was a fun experiment for a few weeks and then I cut the 9's off. My DC594 is now back with its normal 10's and taking its rightful place back in my rotation.

 

[Sybo]

I am playing around with flat wounds on a Mira . I like Flat Wounds on a really bright guitar.

 

[dogrocketp]

9-42 NYXL’s on everything except my SE Hollowbody piezo. I’ve got 9.5-44 D’Addario half rounds on that one. They’re a grossly underrated Hollowbody string, IMHO.

 

[bodia]

9-42 Optiwebs on everything. I tried the Rev Billy G set of 7s, but it was too hard, or I was too lazy, to lighten my touch.

 

[Prina]

9.5-44 D’Addario XLs on the Core & S2, 8-38 XLs on the Korean SEs. The American PRS lose too much tone when going to 8's. To me the D’Addario sound better than EBs.

 

[László]

I usually play 10's and 11's though I was inspired to give 9's (on my DC594) a shot based on the same 5 Watt World video. My guitars are all fixed bridge 22 fret 24.594 - 25" scale. While the tone was a bit "brighter" to my ears the issue was that they were too easy to play. They felt sloppy.

I find .009s too sloppy as well. I don't play very hard, and I do solo, but they still don't cut ice for me.

I had my new DGT set up with the stock .011s. I love the feel and the tone.

I often disagree with Five Watt World videos. I find that the fundamental (as opposed to overtones or harmonics) sound more solid with .010s, and even more so with .011s. The tone is different, better for my hands and ears, and blah blah blah.

I do find the Five Watt World videos entertaining, though, and the host seems like a good guy - I like his unique delivery. But...mostly not the info.

Of course, we're all different and YMMV.

 

[Prina]

For me, it was a fun experiment for a few weeks and then I cut the 9's off.

That's really the only way that you know for sure. 8's on the S2 sounded so thin and plinky that they lasted maybe a couple of weeks and haven't even thought of anything less than the current 9.5's for the Core.

Compared to other tone related 'hardware' changes, like switching pickups, it's about the cheapest and easiest change to make. When strings were on sale earlier this year I got multiple sets of 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5 and 10 and am gradually testing them out on the guitars to find the best combinations as I need to change strings.

 

[Monahan]

Finding strings locally these days-- good grief!!

Truth be told, I was being somewhat picky as I was looking for "pure nickel" vs. "nickel wrap." Lots of freeway driving in the rain, but thankfully Rik Emmett was on Eddie Trunk's XM show to take the edge off the stress

Found the 8's at Guitar Center, which until today NEVER has what I'm looking for LOL!

Here's the day's score:

Pure Blues are in 9's & 10's, EB's are 8's. now to decide which guitar gets which strings. The three in play:
- DGT
- CE24
- '95 Carvin SC90T

Each have a 25" scale with trem bridges; again-- going primarily for feel with this experiment

Since today got away from me, tomorrow will be set-up day

Thanks for all the comments-- Been enjoying the different perspectives

 

[Gerryg]

Back to Pure blues 10’s for me, tried a few different light gages, didn’t feel right.

10’s on a 24 fret sound really good,…on a short scale just feels right.

Switched from Fender 10’s…never went back.

 

[László]

String selection is as personal a choice as guitars, There's no right or wrong.

For example, lots of folks love a satin-finished neck; for me, no way! But again, no one's right or wrong. So what feels good to me might not feel good to someone else.

I play pure nickel strings, too; currently I like the Sono-Tone Vintage because they're a little brighter than other Pure Nickels I've used, and they have a nice feel.

The great thing about strings is that trying different brands and formulations is a cheap thrill. Even the pricier strings are still under 20 bucks, and the usual fare is under ten.

 

[László]

I have to mention that the cost of re-stringing a medium sized (5'11") grand piano is about $7500.

 

[Moondog Wily]

I have to mention that the cost of re-stringing a medium sized (5'11") grand piano is about $7500.

How much of that is strings and how much is labor? Just curious. Also, if you know (I know I could google it) but with 88 keys, how many strings are there in such a piano?

 

[Simon Says]

No matter how much I experiment, I keep returning to 11s for Eb tuning in my Custom 24. I felt like experimenting a few weeks ago, and I strung it with 10-46, only to put the 11s back again by the end of the day.

I have 10s in my Standard 24 currently. It's my E standard guitar. I'm finding the feel of pairing with 11s in flat E, so I will keep it that way, at least for as long as I have some 10s in the strings box.

The 9s and thinner are not my kind. I need to feel metal under my fingertips.

 

[Maxime Bousquet]

I always come back to Daddario, I like the Nyxl, 10 for PRS, Fender, Gibson, and 9 for Ibanez and all the Floyd Rose type tremolos. Your comparison will be interesting to follow!

 

[Simon Says]

I always come back to Daddario; I like the Nyxl, 10 for PRS, Fender, Gibson, and 9 for Ibanez and all the Floyd Rose type tremolos. Your comparison will be interesting to follow!

I'm using Daddario, too. Standard EXL: I have tried the NYXL - they are great but three times the cost. I'm changing strings every two weeks or until the violins turn black (whichever comes first), so I cannot justify the cost. I have tried the XS, too, but I had a weird buzz in specific positions on the neck after a few days; I am not sure why. I came back to EXL's. I have used them all my adult life, and they work.

When I was a kid, I used the Ernie Balls. I liked the packing. When I switched to Daddarios (the shop had no EBs in my size), I couldn't believe the difference. Never looked back

 

[Maxime Bousquet]

I'm using Daddario, too. Standard EXL: I have tried the NYXL - they are great but three times the cost. I'm changing strings every two weeks or until the violins turn black (whichever comes first), so I cannot justify the cost. I have tried the XS, too, but I had a weird buzz in specific positions on the neck after a few days; I am not sure why. I came back to EXL's. I have used them all my adult life, and they work.

When I was a kid, I used the Ernie Balls. I liked the packing. When I switched to Daddarios (the shop had no EBs in my size), I couldn't believe the difference. Never looked back

d'Addario EXL are excellent and a logical choice especially if you change them every two weeks! There is no point in spending more! The NYXL sounds a little longer to my ears but that's still subjective... An 11 configuration certainly sounds punchy!

 

[RCM78]

I use 10-46 NYXL’s on my 594’s.
I use 9-42’s on my 25.5” guitars in the summer and 9.5-44 the rest of the year.