Has anyone noticed problems with heavy gauge strings?

[::XeS::]

Bb
Anyway you're right...but Loomis uses long scale too.

 

[Harry Hughes]

I used to use 64 for my low B, but after a while it just wasn't clear enough. Partly due to the 25.5 inch scale, but I'm not willing to just go out and buy a longer scale guitar (mind you with money I don't even have) to be able to use thicker strings with more clarity.
For low B, 54 or even 52 is great clarity wise but for tension a little too loose for me.

 

[John_C]

I use 56 for B and 54 for C#

it's just perfect for me, it doesn't kill my hands, the tension is reasonable, the tone is good and chunky without being "flubby"

 

[::XeS::]

I've just done some tests.
I recorded a riff, with 2 different settings. Now I post the good reamps with Marcus DI's and my friend's riff (same amp's settings)

Marcus riff (good tone): http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/1/4/2252209/Mmids.mp3
Friend riff (good tone): http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/1/4/2252209/Sym.mp3

My riff (same settings of the other 2): http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/1/4/2252209/Same_Settings.mp3
Same riff with the Depth switch off (less bass): http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/1/4/2252209/No_Depth.mp3

Can you hear the differences between my riff/guitar and the other 2? I know it's a different riff but in the other 2 you can notice a similar good sound...my riff with the same setting is way more bassy and less defined.

 

[::XeS::]

I did another test and I think it's the solution
http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/1/4/2252209/Solution.mp3

I play this one very very hard and I push very hard the strings with my palm muting...now it sounds good.
So...guys, play very hard on those strings!!!!
With heavy gauges the feeling is better if you tune down, but you have definitelly to push harder on the strings.

 

[John_C]

To get a decent metal sound, you gotta hammer those strings!

 

[::XeS::]

Definitelly...and for good palm mutes you have to push your palm very hard on the strings. It all depends on the type of riff and palm mute you need...but strings picked and pushed hard sound way way better.

 

[MarkG]

First off, thanks for the compliment Michele! And yeah, I use 12-54 in C-standard, which I find a perfect balance between tension and ease of vibrato, especially on the lower frets closer to the nut (for pinch harmonics); sure, I have to tune the 54 slightly flat (and I do mean slightly), but it hasn't been a problem when I'm actually playing, either with the open string or with power chords, so I don't see a reason to go any thicker. And...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRA7rXtl_wE

Michele, what pickup do you have in your Schecter? Cuz if you want clear and clean, the EMG81 can't be beat! And yeah, also, I'd like to think I have a pretty firm and tight picking hand (even if there was some doubt after the whole guitar tone competition DI's fiasco, which was in fact the result of the pickup being too low and the riff not being suitable for serious chugga-chuggas )

How do pinch harmonics?

I find that the best way to tell if strings are getting old is by looking at my amp settings. Whenever I put new strings on I'll be like holy fuck this sounds middy and bright, and I turn the mids and presence down. Vice versa as strings get older I also turn up mids and presence to compensate for their age. I don't do this on purpose, it just turns out that way. Whenever the mids on my amp hit around 7/10 I know its that time again :Smug:

My fav strings are GHS boomers by the way.

Definitelly...and for good palm mutes you have to push your palm very hard on the strings. It all depends on the type of riff and palm mute you need...but strings picked and pushed hard sound way way better.

Don't always have to palm mute hard...positioning the hand right goes a long way.

 

[::XeS::]

Yeah, of course it depends on the riffs. But with heavy strings you need to palm harder.

 

[Metaltastic]

Last night I also spoke with another friend that said me he changed string's brand. Now he uses 12-56 from Ernie Ball and he said that his sound changed brutally with them: more clarity, less muddy and way way better than D'Addario.

I use D'addario, and find them to last much longer and sound much fuller than Ernie Balls

 

[Force666]

I use D'addario, and find them to last much longer and sound much fuller than Ernie Balls

D'addario till death!

 

[Agonal]

can't go wrong with elixirs. great for recording since they will sound fresh and new for weeks. coated DR sux don't get those lol

 

[Tachy]

Another part of the guitar sound is the size of your pick...I use heavy picks

 

[::XeS::]

I use 1.14 picks.
Elixirs are good.....but they cost very very much

 

[Aaron Smith]

I somehow got in to the habit several years ago of playing with the Dunlop Tortex .50mm picks, I can't even remember how. They're pretty thin of course, but I'm so used to that feel in my playing! I can play with thicker picks too but I have to grip a lot looser for it to work out, and it's just not near as comfortable. I think if I really want to progress at shredding, I'll need to move away from the thin picks... Are there any shredders who actually use thin picks?

By the way, I have about 1,000 picks in my room that Dunlop recently sent to Loomis... They're his usual white 1.5mm Tortex Sharp picks, with the Nevermore logo on one side, except someone at Dunlop messed up and put Jim Sheppard's signature on the back Jeff definitely didn't want them and neither did Jim, so he gave them to me, but was like "Hopefully Jim's signature doesn't bring you bad luck in your playing..."! Hahaha...

 

[John_C]

I somehow got in to the habit several years ago of playing with the Dunlop Tortex .50mm picks, I can't even remember how. They're pretty thin of course, but I'm so used to that feel in my playing! I can play with thicker picks too but I have to grip a lot looser for it to work out, and it's just not near as comfortable. I think if I really want to progress at shredding, I'll need to move away from the thin picks... Are there any shredders who actually use thin picks?

By the way, I have about 1,000 picks in my room that Dunlop recently sent to Loomis... They're his usual white 1.5mm Tortex Sharp picks, with the Nevermore logo on one side, except someone at Dunlop messed up and put Jim Sheppard's signature on the back Jeff definitely didn't want them and neither did Jim, so he gave them to me, but was like "Hopefully Jim's signature doesn't bring you bad luck in your playing..."! Hahaha...

hahaha that's one hell of a lot of picks.

I reccomend slowly stepping up the thickness, and perhaps trying different materials. I'm using .94mm Clayton Ultem atm, and it feels much less clanky to play with than other picks of the same thickness

 

[Metaltastic]

I can't use anything under 1mm here, and usually thicker! (though I'm still going through my experimentation process to find my perfect pick as outlined in this thread)