Switching gages ... going Lighter ...

[GPW]

   Getting OLD now and bends and vibratos are becoming “Painful”  with 10s and 11s...    CTS , arthritis ,joint pain,  and who knows what else  is contributing to less playing FUN ...   Haven’t played 9s in years ...  I originally went heavier strings for better TONE ...      Now that I have the Tone I always wanted (homemade guitars and amps/ pedals)   I’m wondering how much of an effect these lighter strings will have ...    But less Pain would be nice !!!    Anybody using 9s ?   Any Old guys , or am I the only one ...

[breakfastime]

I went to 10's a while ago, and will eventually go to 9's.

But I no longer play every day, maybe once a week for 20 minutes or so.

BTW, for me, the guitar always sounds better with no strings! 

[Talen]

The tone will be noticable at first, but it shouldn't take much meddling to get it back to that sweet spot. I choose strings based almost entirely on feel. Tone is more adjustable than feel.

[OysterBoy]

What scale is your guitar(s) GPW? If you have 24 3/4" scale you're halfway there to easier playing. Lighter strings will help but they're thinner so watch that e string.

I've always played 10-46 on all my guitars and that's what I'm used to. I've had 5 injections to ease the pains I've incurred from playing. Maybe you can too.

[Chris]

I play .09s. I usually get he hybrid sets if available.

[Great Dane]

I have .09 on my strat, and .10 on my Godin

[thebird55]

Don't forget that going light not only makes it easier to bend, it's easier to over-bend. At first, anyway. The plus being the potential for more nuanced expression.

And, or course, I wrote that for less experienced readers. I'm sure you knew that already.

[SecretWeapon]

Just last week I unblocked the trem on my Strat and put 9's back on it. Same thing with my Roadstar II. I went from HBST strings on all my guitars to 9's on my trem guitars and 10's on my Les Paul.

Feels more comfy. 

[Gilks]

I have 9's on all my 25 1/2 scale guitars and 10's on my Eclipse. Of course as you already know they will be a bit stiffer on the larger scale length, but I like them. They feel like I'm playing 10's on a 24.75 scale length when playing chords and single notes, but when I bend it feels like I'm playing 9's that are a tad stiffer. I think you'd like them after you get used to it.

[GPW]

  Thanks Guys , I’m not so leery of switching now ...   I’ve got guitars with all different scale lengths ... and will certainly give the 9s a try on the longer scales ...


 Injections huh ?? Into your fingers ...

[son of gumby]

with today's amps there's no need to fear switching to 9's.  you can EQ any tone back into your sound easily enough.  i use d addario 9-46s , always have.  the "d" string makes an awesome garrote in a pinch.

[GPW]

 That G string doesn’t “choke” the notes huh.. ?   
  Going out today to get some 9s...  Looking forward to more vibrato and bending ...   I don’t think I could play without those ... my style..   Guess I could always take up Jazz..      

[Baz]

i've always used .09's the only time i haven't is when the guitar has come with something else originally when i bought it i put .10's on the latest one i built though because i knew those were more preferable for players if they were gonna buy my guitar... which no one has done yet, lol

[GPW]

  You know , I’ve read that Jimi actually used light strings ...   
 from musicplayer.com  :   “ The String Thing

Hendrix’s strings of choice were light-gauge Fender Rock ’N’ Roll sets (gauged .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038). However, guitarist/producer Bob Kulick—an acquaintance of Hendrix’s during the Greenwich Village days—remembers him breaking a string in a dressing room, and saying, “Uh oh, I don’t have any extras.” Kulick asked him what he needed, and Hendrix said he used an E string for a B. “That was the first time I’d ever heard of anyone moving their string gauges over like that,” Kulick says.

But, then again, Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles insisted that Hendrix used a very heavy E string, a medium gauge on his A and D, a Hawaiian G string, a light B, and a super-light E. This was supposedly not just for experimentation, but something Hendrix did because he thought the mixed gauges would keep the guitar in tune better. (Michael Bloomfield apparently tried some of the Hendrix Strats that Miles owned, and he was also a proponent of the mixed gauge theory.)  “



   Interesting ... Guess if it was good for Jimi then why not ...   Still wondering what a Hawaiian G string is ...     G string with a grass skirt ? 

[sonofaglitch]

I find that on electrics the strings make a minimal difference. I hate playing with thins because they fing slide all over the place, but tonewise there isnt much (or any) difference. Acoustics are another story though.