Thick string players? Am I alone?

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Meeotch

Meeotch

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I learned guitar on an acoustic with 13-56 strings. After a few years I bought my first electric, and could just never get used to the standard 10's. 9's were way out of the question. I moved on to Ernie Ball's skinny top heavy bottom, and that was better, but still...

I feel like I've finally found my niche with D'Addario's medium top, extra heavy bottom (11-56) and this is for E standard tuning. Am I crazy? It really has nothing to do with the cliche you often read about with players suffering through thick string sets to get tonez. Granted, I enjoy how full everything sounds, but my main reason for thick strings is that I'm heavy handed, and I hate sending notes sharp. The thicker strings feel much more stable under my hand too, and my right hand technique feels way more on point.

Anyone else?
 
You not crazy, for a while i was playing EB hybrid 46-9’s. Then straight 10s which i never loved. I switch to stringJoy strings and on their recommendation went with 54-10.5. I acclimated to these strings alot more than i thought. I dropped down to 11-9.5s and find Im having issues picking and fretting the smaller strings. Ill be switching back to the 54-10.5s pretty soon.

The stringJoys are a little pricey but I find they do last longer than EBs.

EDIT:: probably help if I mentioned i’m tuning to Eb on a PRS, 25” scale length.
 
SRV used 13s I'm pretty sure. I remember a Doug Aldrich interview where I think he said at the time he was using 10 - 50.

I use 11s in Cobalt only.
 
Personally, I feel too thick of a gauge at too high tension is detrimental to any guitar tone.
Just the same as too light of a gauge at too low tension is.

Balance is key...Goldilocks if you will.
 
Can you elaborate on what you feel is inferior about the tone of too thick strings? In other words, what is it that you notice as strings start getting too thick? The strings I use max out at about 28lbs of tension. Tight yes, but seemingly not absurd.
 
I think you lose some definition & spank but gain thick power
 
Meeotch":345u514p said:
Can you elaborate on what you feel is inferior about the tone of too thick strings? In other words, what is it that you notice as strings start getting too thick? The strings I use max out at about 28lbs of tension. Tight yes, but seemingly not absurd.
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With too thick of strings with too much tension I feel the attack is significantly dulled, and there is compromised sustain due to less vibration.
 
I go back and forth, right now I’m on a DR Strings 11-50 for 6 strings and 11-60 for 7 strings. But with that size, I tune down to Standard D tunings (every string dropped a full step). Tension is good.
 
I use either Dean Markley Blue Steel 11-52 or D'addario EXL 116 11-52. I tune a whole step down to D Standard, Sometimes C# & Sometimes E Flat......But i always have at least 3 guitars in D Standard. I also write on an Acoustic that is tuned to D Standard.
 
I played 12-13’s for years and years, recently I did a couple guitars with 10 and 11s and thought it was cool till I picked up one of my old guitars I didn’t change. Old habits are tough to break
 
stephen sawall":2jb9g9ku said:
10-52
Standard and drop D on a Les Paul.
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Same here.

I also have a 25 1/2" scale guitar tuned to D standard with 11-54s.
 
In standard tuning I never go lower than the purple Ernie Ball slinky packs (11's). Drop tunings, I go up one for each half step. When I was playing in D standard I was using 13's on a Les Paul.
 
10-52 a half step down. Sometimes down a whole step to D.

I like the snapback that more tension gives me on the lower strings.
 
Meeotch":3sc2ai8v said:
I learned guitar on an acoustic with 13-56 strings. After a few years I bought my first electric, and could just never get used to the standard 10's. 9's were way out of the question. I moved on to Ernie Ball's skinny top heavy bottom, and that was better, but still...

I feel like I've finally found my niche with D'Addario's medium top, extra heavy bottom (11-56) and this is for E standard tuning. Am I crazy? It really has nothing to do with the cliche you often read about with players suffering through thick string sets to get tonez. Granted, I enjoy how full everything sounds, but my main reason for thick strings is that I'm heavy handed, and I hate sending notes sharp. The thicker strings feel much more stable under my hand too, and my right hand technique feels way more on point.

Anyone else?
Click to expand...

I would say you are not alone , but in the majority . I personally play 9-42's and if I make a change it will be to 8's .
 
Whatever feels best, use it. I went to 11's about 14 years ago, because the tension felt more even across the strings for my right hand. Over the last five years, I've played less and I'm older and my left hand is really giving me fits. I moved to 10's in standard, but now I'm contemplating 9's. Guitars that I've purchased come strung with 9's and I will say that legato, bends and vibrato are SO FUN with lighter gauge strings.
 
rottingcorpse":1dq1w5nd said:
10-52 a half step down. Sometimes down a whole step to D.

I like the snapback that more tension gives me on the lower strings.
Click to expand...

Agree.... it's about the feel as much as the sound.
 
All this feedback has been helpful! Based on what I'm seeing, it still looks like I'm playing with more tension than most, but not by too much. I think the takeaway is that light strings sound different than heavy strings, not necessarily better or worse. Although Andertons blog says

Basics:

Light string gauges are easy on the fingers, easier to play and provide less resistance against bends. However, may yield more fret buzz.
Heavier strings sustain well, have a thicker low-end tone and sound chunky. But most people consider them more difficult to play.

The feel is important too, and if 10's feel noodley to me then so be it. Just gotta keep experimenting right? Cheers!
 
I play the 12-52 Daddrio set. Light Jazz or something like that, blue package. I play hard and for whatever reason thicker strings sound better to me. I often grip so hard that the notes go sharp, and when I strum sometimes with light strings it sounds like there's a weird pitchy warble where the chord sounds out of tune with itself. I have no idea how to describe what I mean by that, but thicker strings prevent those things. So instead of learning to play with finesse I just made the guitar physically more difficult for my caveman hands to operate. :lol: :LOL:
 
I use EB's 12-56, but I tune down a whole step.

I agree with D-Rock about the tone of thicker strings, though. At some point, they become a bit dull and boomy-sounding. I like to go as thin as I can go while still being playable (I think too light strings are awkward to play too).
 
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