String gauges

Open mindedness leads to innovation.

I’m in my mid 50s, so that might sound contradictory for a boomer, but I’ve always subscribed to it. With strings, in the late 70s everything was 9s. I didn’t consider options because no one talked about it. Played those almost exclusively for nearly 20 years. Even my first PRS came with 9s. Some 10s now and then but experimented more with all nickel vs nickel steel. Then came the DGT and its 11s. The pendulum swung the other way and I started playing 11s across the board and loved it. But here’s the catch: what you need when you’re playing guitar by yourself in your living room or studio is completely different than what you might need in a band setting. You’re fighting for every frequency you can claim, and when your guitar is emphasizing something that’s also stepping on the bass guitar or drum, someone loses. And it’s a waste of amp watts to reproduce it. So, in my latest quandary - DGT is magnificent with a pair of rigs that are universally perfect for all of my guitars but is flubby on rhythms - this topic reminded me of how to shave off those conflicting frequencies without changing anything else. So today, on my day off, I’m doing the unthinkable and putting 9s on my DGT. :eek: The next practice will tell me if I’m tumbling down the wrong rabbit hole. Oh, and will feel like Superman on the fretboard, too.
 
For those feeling experimental based on these videos, I have a suggestion that might equally expand your tone adjusting: grab an assortment of picks... varying shapes (meaning the entire pick and just point variations), thicknesses, materials. Without changing a thing on the guitar and amp, play a strumming pattern with each. You will see that each pick change will alter the sound of your tone and attack, sometimes dramatically. Repeat with a lead line. You may be surprised. I was.

This was something a Grammy-winning engineer showed me while recording in Texas some years back. We changed picks for acoustic strumming, and then for electric strumming and single note work. Although I normally finger pick with my bare fingers, you get the same variations in tone and attack by changing point shape, thickness/stiffness, and material on finger picks as well.

The pick, if you use one, is half of your connection to the plucked string or chord. It has as much effect as putting different tires or raising/lowering the pressure in them has on the handling of your car. For the price of a set of good strings you can test a whole handful of picks. Try it.
 
Last edited:
The pick, if you use one, is half of your connection to the plucked string or chord. It has the as much effect as putting different tires or raising/lowering the pressure in them has on the handling of your car. For the price of a set of good strings you can test a whole handful of picks. Try it.

I agree with you. I'm usually being argued at about picks affecting tone. I use dragonsheart picks, and I swear it makes a sound difference! Yep, they're expensive, but they last loooooong and easy on my fingers somehow.

Original+Tweed.JPG
 
Open mindedness leads to innovation.

I’m in my mid 50s, so that might sound contradictory for a boomer, but I’ve always subscribed to it. With strings, in the late 70s everything was 9s. I didn’t consider options because no one talked about it. Played those almost exclusively for nearly 20 years. Even my first PRS came with 9s. Some 10s now and then but experimented more with all nickel vs nickel steel. Then came the DGT and its 11s. The pendulum swung the other way and I started playing 11s across the board and loved it. But here’s the catch: what you need when you’re playing guitar by yourself in your living room or studio is completely different than what you might need in a band setting. You’re fighting for every frequency you can claim, and when your guitar is emphasizing something that’s also stepping on the bass guitar or drum, someone loses. And it’s a waste of amp watts to reproduce it. So, in my latest quandary - DGT is magnificent with a pair of rigs that are universally perfect for all of my guitars but is flubby on rhythms - this topic reminded me of how to shave off those conflicting frequencies without changing anything else. So today, on my day off, I’m doing the unthinkable and putting 9s on my DGT. :eek: The next practice will tell me if I’m tumbling down the wrong rabbit hole. Oh, and will feel like Superman on the fretboard, too.
Great reply, you make a lot of great points. Update us when you try the 9’s.
 
For those feeling experimental based on these videos, I have a suggestion that might equally expand your tone adjusting: grab an assortment of picks... varying shapes (meaning the entire pick and just point variations), thicknesses, materials. Without changing a thing on the guitar and amp, play a strumming pattern with each. You will see that each pick change will alter the sound of your tone and attack, sometimes dramatically. Repeat with a lead line. You may be surprised. I was.

This was something a Grammy-winning engineer showed me while recording in Texas some years back. We changed picks for acoustic strumming, and then for electric strumming and single note work. Although I normally finger pick with my bare fingers, you get the same variations in tone and attack by changing point shape, thickness/stiffness, and material on finger picks as well.

The pick, if you use one, is half of your connection to the plucked string or chord. It has the as much effect as putting different tires or raising/lowering the pressure in them has on the handling of your car. For the price of a set of good strings you can test a whole handful of picks. Try it.

I agree with you. I'm usually being argued at about picks affecting tone. I use dragonsheart picks, and I swear it makes a sound difference! Yep, they're expensive, but they last loooooong and easy on my fingers somehow.

Original+Tweed.JPG

I totally agree about picks, I think I mentioned ULTEX picks earlier in this thread. When you drop them they sound like they’re made of glass. They are made by Dunlop, really affects tone, provides a very clear tone.

I’m going to look up and try the Dragonheart picks.
 
I agree with you. I'm usually being argued at about picks affecting tone.
Which is an odd thing to argue about - it is so easy to test - just record yourself with a variety of picks, or listen to someone else using a variety of picks. The differences are obvious. Now whether a person considers the differences "huge" or not, and whether they think technique can make up for pick type/thickness/etc, well, that is, like an opinion, man.
 
I use a mix of different string sets on my guitars, 9's on my CE-24, 10's on CU22, 11's on Hollowbodies, 12's on Archtop, etc That's why it's nice to own different PRSi ... especially when it comes to owning a few of the same model (ie for me Hollowbodies and Archtops) - I have them all strung anywhere from 10's, 11's and 12's with/without wound G's)
 
Notice any change in tone on the cu24? I'm really digging the playability!
really did not notice a tone difference. i use 9s for old rock on the cu24 and 8s to bend the blues.8s on my NF-3 , EG-4 , Trimonti, and hardtail strat., and LP es memphis.
just my opinion . the playability is what I love.
 
really did not notice a tone difference

Ya, I'm loving the playability on the 594 - they're staying on this guitar.
Definitely give em a try on the cu24.

Gotta lighten up my fretting hand a little however! Probably a good thing :)
 
I have used a 9-46 set standard tuning on my DGT for a few years now.I prefer the sound with lighter strings compared to the 11s DGTs come with from the factory.My main reason to go lighter was bendability and a softer feel of the tremolo.After watching the Beato video i tried a 9-42 set and the tremolo now feels perfect.I will stick to a 9-42 set for standard tuning and a 10-46 set for Eb tuning.
 
Last edited:
a video to explain? i hate the world and every one of these useless click farmers

If you haven't watched any of Rick Beato's vids yet you really should. Out of all the YouTube channels on music, I think his is the best by far. He was also a producer and breaks down the writing/production/theory of a lot of songs pretty accurately which is a nice change compared to a lot or people on youtube who cant even get the chords right. Hes also not one of those self promoting youtubers who says they're going to get you "really good at guitar" in a matter of 3 days while making cringeworthy stills to attract you to their vids. Actually, he doesn't even teach guitar covers or songs, he just likes breaking them down and talking about music theory.
 
Cool thread! The Rick Beato video is really causing a stir out there, everyone is talking about it. My tech played 11s on his Strats and Teles for years, and because of the video went to 9s - and he says he is liking them a lot better.

I normally run with 9-42 on my 594s, tuned to E. I am doing an experiment now trying a couple of guitars with the Billy Gibbons (Reverend Willy) 8-40 set and the D'Addario XL 8.5-39s. I don't have them back from my tech yet, will report back...

(Also getting some of the Chicago Crew here together in a couple of weeks for a "594Fest", some of the guitars will be outfitted with the above, so they will be able to comment as well, with regards to both tone and feel.)
 
Cool thread! The Rick Beato video is really causing a stir out there, everyone is talking about it. My tech played 11s on his Strats and Teles for years, and because of the video went to 9s - and he says he is liking them a lot better.

I normally run with 9-42 on my 594s, tuned to E. I am doing an experiment now trying a couple of guitars with the Billy Gibbons (Reverend Willy) 8-40 set and the D'Addario XL 8.5-39s. I don't have them back from my tech yet, will report back...

(Also getting some of the Chicago Crew here together in a couple of weeks for a "594Fest", some of the guitars will be outfitted with the above, so they will be able to comment as well, with regards to both tone and feel.)

I’m assuming that he says 10’s don’t make any difference?

I can’t be bothered to watch controversy.

Use what you like and what gives you the tone you want.
 
Back
Top