.09-.046 gauge guitar strings? any good Tim?

[Dave_Mustaine84]

i saw on your site that you use low gauge strings and i was thinking about getting my jackson performer tunded to Eb.

won't the strings be to flappy and loose at that gauge?

also how do they handle artifical harmonics, does the gauge make that big a difference?

answer's from everyone will do

 

[Lord Tim]

I always used really light strings, so when I tune to E natural, I even use .008 - .038, so tuning down a half step to Eb with slightly heavier strings keeps the tension pretty similar between tunings.

So what I'm saying is, it's just something that I've always preferred. There's no real advantage to it except that the strings are easier to bend and vibrato. They're not really floppy, but just not quite as hard on the fingers...

The disadvantages are the can break more often (depending on your playing style - I don't have that problem because of the twisted way I play! HAHA!), their sustain isn't quite as good as, say, .010 - .052 (which isn't a problem if you use a lot of distortion) and they go dead a little quicker than heavier gauge strings.

Harmonics are no different on any gauge I think...

Try 'em out, that's the best advice I can give! It's up to you to decide if it sucks unwashed ass! HAHA!

 

[spawn]

Originally posted by Lord Tim
I even use .008 - .038,

Wow, I use .11. - .52, you must be able to bend those things about 9 steps per note! Though I have to move up to heavier ones because I pick really hard so they break

 

[Dave_Mustaine84]

hmm i might just stay with normal size gauge then

 

[Blitzkrieg]

MMM, I use that gauge on a Jackson Performer, and it sounds great. The harmonics sound great too, but I prefer the tension of standard tuning (E), so I changed it back the other day.

 

[Dakk]

....ahh, but if you use heavier gauge strings & tune down, the tension is relative....

I used to use 10-52's (GHS TNT's) in my old band, tuned to D... Heavy(ish) gauge strings, but tuned like that they feel like 9-46's tuned to E...

Does that help anyone? These days I use .45-.105, sometimes with a .130 on the E string.. Now that's heavy!

 

[TinMan666]

I use 9 - 46s.. but I don't tune down.

As the guys have said though, tuning down = less tension in the strings.

 

[Stu]

That's all i use.

9-46 is great for the sort of playing I do - just a little extra bottom end and i find it hard to play anything else.

GHS boomers of course! thanks dakk!

I agree with timmahh, try a few gauges - throw out some licks and see what you like.

Stu

 

[Dave_Mustaine84]

hmm i shall go with .09's-.046's next and get it tuned back up to E standard or Eb, i need a new humbucker baddddddddllly the stock pickups suck.

Blitzkrieg what p/u's have you got in your performer? i might go for either Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio or an emg81 (even though i'll have to get the single coils turned off but they pretty much suck too)

 

[spawn]

Ive got EMG H/Zs on my ESP and they are quite good indeed if that helps

 

[Cooperman]

I use 010-052 in E but I'm quite a heavy picker and was breaking 009-046's too regularly... generally speaking lead guitarists prefer lighter gauge strings while rhythm guitarists use heavier gauge... I think I read that Malcolm Young of AC/DC uses 013-060's or something like that... but you can do that when you're just busting out chords and want some serious tone and not worrying about bending notes or vibrato.

One extra thing though... playing with heavier gauge strings gives your hand a good work out... so much so that when you go back to lighter gauge strings it's definitely a lot less work.

 

[spawn]

Zakk Wylde has a .11 - .70 on his guitars. But he strangles wild boar with his bare hands on his time off so he probably has no problems with them.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Originally posted by MetalMeshuggahMan
hmm i shall go with .09's-.046's next and get it tuned back up to E standard or Eb, i need a new humbucker baddddddddllly the stock pickups suck.

Blitzkrieg what p/u's have you got in your performer? i might go for either Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio or an emg81 (even though i'll have to get the single coils turned off but they pretty much suck too)

I still have the stock pickups in mine, but yeah, I would love a new humbucker, perhaps an EMG81. Can anyone tell me how much for one, and if it would be really worth it?

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Originally posted by spawn
Zakk Wylde has a .11 - .70 on his guitars.

 

[Winmar]

Originally posted by spawn
I pick really hard so they break

Go easy on your nostrils, man.

Hehe I agree Moony!

 

[spawn]

 

[Dave_Mustaine84]

emg81's at allans cost between $250-300 including installation but they have to order them so you have to wait too