Change Your String Gauge For BETTER Tone? - Here's What I Recommend!
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- Опубліковано 26 кві 2024
- Dropping some common-sense truth bombs today!!
Changing string gauge for the RIGHT reasons
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Change string gauges based on feel, and playing style, not for tone - save that for your amp :)
What is your favourite string gauge? What amp do you dream of owning?
I agree, I watched a video not long ago about someone claiming they were playing the wrong strings and trying to sell tht everyon should be playing ultralight strings. I called bullcrap right away.
I play 12's on electric and 13's on acoustic, not for tone but for feel and resistence for more articulate bends and vibrato. I have strong hands and a heavy feel so lighter guages are too easy to move and "sloppy" for my playing style.
Heavy strings and heavy picks is what works for me.
And I only play DR strings because they are just better then everything else.
Darrell Braun Guitar favorite string gauge? Currently using .10-.46, i think. Might change to skinny top heavy bottoms because I find that when I hit the low E it goes quite a bit sharp. Favorite amp? Currently really digging the distorted tone of those 100 watt Revv amps, they just sound so flipping huge
Darrell Braun Guitar being a starter and being pretty young i really need thin strings
Currently using 10-46 on my guitars. I'm thinking about experimenting with 9.5-44. I have a Katana Artist and Peavey Classic 50 head/4X10 right now. I'm kind of lusting after a Friedman Dirty Shirley or Twin Sister. And the new Paul Gilbert JHS PG-14 pedal, and...
I use 8s or 9s I feel more confident as a beginner with the lighter gauge. I use a Peavey Classic 30 with a Celestion speaker. Love the bridge pickup on my MIM 72 Tele. The neck is a humbucker and it’s just not my favorite sounding.
Old -Darrell Braun Guitar.
New - Darrell Braun Amplifier.
High E 9 Gauge String:
Me: *prays before winding it up*
That moment when you're winding the high e string while tuning the B string... 😱
I play 8s imagine my fear
Glad i play 10s
Well I already find my 10s scary, I even got hit in the face yesterday, luckily it was only the high e so I am not hurt😂
Yeah I use 9s, had some high Es snap in my time 😖
I just want to say thanks, for taking time out of your day to teach some really good pro tips that we intermediate/newbs need
Agreed!!!
Hey fbi there's no loli's here don't play guitar when your on job😂🤣
3:06 Reasonable
He makes a ton of money with these videos. Thats why he takes the time.
I’m 54, so my hearing is bad enough that I can’t, for the life of me, hear the difference between string gauges. I can definitely tell the difference in adjusting the eq on my Katana MKII. Great video!!!! Thanks!!!!
A lot of the differences are very subtle which get lost in compressed youtube audio. I'm 57 and play what feels most comfortable - my hands complain pretty loudly with anything heavier than 9's.
I'm 55, had my hearing tested in the hospital when I was 48 after a nerve had been infected, and after the treatment my 'hearing age' was still 21.
So age says nothing, as long as you protect your hearing against damage.
Same age, but I can clearly tell a difference between 9s and 11s of the same brand. I know, however, that the turn of a knob will compensate that difference, the same way it will compensate all the tiny little differences nitpickers want to ascribe to wood type or anything else.
@@mikedr1549 I'm 51 and started playing again 3 years ago after almost a decade off. I've always used 10s. Lately my fret hand has been feeling funny - tingly, like when a limb "falls asleep", and sometimes stiff and a bit swollen in the AM. So I changed to 9.5s on one guitar - and while bending is way easier, I hate the feel. I feel like I need more resistance - without it, I can't play the way I want to. And the tonal difference is like night and day to me - the lighter gauge just doesn't do it. Anyway....
String gauge is all about the feel for bends and runs. An often overlooked aspect is the pick impact and response. Definitely a must to explore what is going to work for you.
Yes finger memory hand-picking attack all has changed going from 11 to 9 also harmonics are different as well
rn, I am still experimenting for metal gauge (drop B), like 11-54/56 or 12-56, to find what truly I'm looking for.
@@melanovapedia7924I'm using 15-65 for that! lol. To be clear, B standard, not drop B.
I had a MIJ Strat and a cheap Gorilla amp when I was in high school in the mid 90's. I never really liked the sound. The music teacher at my school let my try my guitar through his Peavey Studio Pro and it sounded great. That was my lightbulb moment. My guitar was fine, I just needed a better amp.
MIJ strat sounds absolutely amazing, that's some serious guitar going through into serious crappy amp lol.
@@sohamsengupta6470 LOL you got that right! That amp sucked lol Back then you could pick up a used MIJ Strat pretty cheap. I think it was 1994 when I bought it for a little under $300.
i dont think anyone/thing could make a gorilla amp sound good.
I wouldn't advise any kid to buy a Gorilla amp today. Better get a used Roland Cube 20X for the same 50-75 bucks.
@@gingerbeer914 I had a cube-01 that I gave to my daughter and I still have a 10gx. Awesome little amps
For me string gauge has always been about tension and feel. The other week I was selling my Jackson DK2M, and a guy came over to try the guitar. Before even plugging it in, he got it in his hands, and just said, "oh no it feels too firm". I had 10.5 - 48 strings in standard E tuning, so I tried explaining that, but he just went "no this guitar doesn't feel good", and almost didn't buy it. But, I got an old used set of 9-42s that I hadn't thrown away yet, we swapped the strings, and then he played the guitar for like 20 seconds and said it's perfect, and bought it...
Nice save
He'd hate my RG tuned down to G standard with 64 on the 6th string. XD
besides my bridge would go to the moon just from tension if you even ATTEMPTED to get near E lol
I use 10s for basically every tuning I do (basically the lowest I go is drop C, MAYBE, but I usually stay in standard for Eb standard).
@@bsiccs Yep. That’s my Strat with 11-46’s on it. Just for fun…then I looked the bridge doing a nosedive in E-tuning. 1/2 step down it’s almost flush with the body. I like the feel of the thick strings. Can’t play any better. 🤦🏼♂️
Typical shredder. Maybe you should have put 8's and increase the price 10% ;)
Great vid. I’ve been playing 10-52 forever and just recently tried putting some 9s on my PRS SE. Really enjoying the difference in feel of the strings and ease of bending. Def a great idea to try different gauges to find what’s right for you!
The scale-length and the string gauge are the most underrated topics. Sometimes it’s good to have a little thicker strings for rhythm and normal or little thinner for solos and bending.
I travelled that road last year. I'd used the same strings for many years and after learning what some other artists used I wanted to see if some change would "improve" sound/tone. I tried sveral brands and gauges, which was fun, and I could hear VERY subtle frequency changes but nothing blew me away to the extent of migrating to a new standard. What I did learn was that I was in fact very happy with where I'd already been. Confirming that was a worthy exercise. You hear about what your heros use and begin to think if you're not doing that, you're behind the curve. Nonsense. You MUST find your own comfort zone. You'll be miserable trying to mimic someone else's. I was glad to have that confirmed through this video.
You have turned my thinking around on a couple guitar related subjects. This is another one. You open my eyes (ears). Thank you I enjoy your channel a lot. 👍🏻
You are by far my go to guitar channel these days. No bs, considerate well thought out opinions. Always friendly good mood and in a good mood :)
My first guitar had 11-56 already on it. My next guitar had 9-42. I thought I liked the heavier strings until I played the 9's. Now I'm sticking with them. Super Slinky for me. Nice video!
Been using the standard ole 10-46 for years. They work for me and I like how they feel under my fingers. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Great content Darrell!
I was always 10 to 46 but changed after a while to 9 to 46, especially on 25.5 guitars.
Darrell I love your informative video's. You are such an upbeat person and very knowledgeable. I take your projects to heart in understanding the different guitars and accessories and how their built and your opinions of various subjects. So easy to follow.
Best channel. So glad to have discovered it. Massive back catalogue to get through!
After watching Rhett's and Rick's videos on string gauges, I started checking my guitars with a micrometer and found out I've been playing on 9s on my favorites. It is a feel thing, rather than a sound, that matters, I've realized. Thanks, Darrell.
As Mr. Natural said in the way back when, "Get the right tool for the job."
Good vid.
Darrell, this was a great piece of advice on guitar tone. On a different note, I have been watching you online since you first started your youtube channel and I consider you to be one of the best online. Just giving us excellent advice and your knowledge of all the aspects of guitar playing that is taking it to another level ( i.e. , Berklee College of Music) Thank You!
What a significant piece of info for me right now as I just got my first baritone (28”) and i’m trying to figure out the best set for A standard/drop G. Thanks Darrell.
Thanks, as always, for the practical advice! String gauge is a comfort thing. If you're uncomfortable playing, your tone will suck no matter what strings you're playing.
One of the coolest guitar channels on UA-cam and the hair to match:)
Fascinating demo, Darrell, and watching the software change the tone was an eye-opener. I play both acoustic and electric guitar, and it's important to me that the strings feel consistent from instrument to instrument. I've settled on string sets with 11s as the high E. They're a little heavier 1st string on the electrics and just a touch lighter on the acoustics than usual, but they feel the same to my fingertips, which affects my playing of both kinds of guitar. I'd rather the electrics feel just like my acoustic. I'm still learning about amp EQ, but I accidentally followed your advice and bought a 2nd amp (Blues Junior III) when I was unhappy with the sound coming out of my 1st one (Fishman Loudbox Performer) with a couple (but not all) of my guitars. It's made a difference I can hear. I'd love to have your amp setup, but cant' justify the expense - I'm just a guitar hobbyist.
I just bought my first cheap electric guitar last year. Switching from acoustic to electric gave me tons of questions and this guy is breaking all the myths said to me by people. For the whole day I was watching in his YT channel. I'm looking forward for more of your videos!
After watching Rick Beato's vid on string gauge, my takeaway was that I didn't need to suffer with 10's or 11's to get good tone. It seemed to me that using lower gauge strings may give you slightly more string differentiation when using gain, but the tone itself didn't change that much. Darrell is just taking that a step further and pointing out what to do if you DO want to change your sound. I would have thought "pickups" first, but he's right...amps, along with their EQ settings, really control your sound. Just listen to any amp modeler to hear the differences. Pickup swaps can bring slight change, especially to dynamics, but bang for the buck tone change happens with the amp (or amp modeler). I've found I can even replicate single coils from my Schecter humbuckers by using the 7 band EQ on my Zoom G5n (which, since I only play at home thru headphones or into a DAW, is essentially functions as my amp).
Yes different strnig gauges sound different but the lightest gauge of strings really minimizes the tension & facilitates good technique.
Thanks so much for pointing out the difference in application from acoustic to electric. Fantastic.
Another great video! You're the best Darrell. Thanks for keeping the language clean too.
I use 9's because my hands are 70 yrs. old and I've had Carpal Tunnel surgery on both hands and I find the 9's easier on the fingers and a little easier to bend. I think I do notice a slight difference in tone but if I were a younger fellow with better flexibility in my fingers I probably would be using 10's or 11's. Thanks for the Info Darrell.
Kevin O'Rourke
i've used 009's for the last 40 yrs on my Fenders & a Champ,a Twin, and 20yrs ago a Blues Jr for my tone controls;i'm 68
Long time ago after I had been playing for a couple of years and was getting decent I started using 11s in order to get a better sound. I was quite into SRV at the time and was even considering going up to 12s. I just assumed that the sound was better but in hindsight it was probably psychoacoustics. I was doing OK with the heavy gauge and my hands became stronger but after several years I realized it just doesn't make that much of a difference. And when trying to play things involving fast runs or lots of bending it makes life a lot harder.
Now I'm back down to 10s and I think they're just fine. I don't know if I could handle going down to 9s because I would overbend everything and I like the string to fight me a bit. I also quite like a louder acoustic tone for quiet practice and 10s help a little with that as well.
You do such a good job. Never stop man.
Love this channel. Thank you for great content!
On my experience it was a good change. I play a lot legato lines and was playing 09-42 all my life. But when I changed to 10- 46 was soo different. The tone, feel, sound are so powerfull...even on a no expensive guitar. I will try with 11.
The timing of this video is very interesting haha. Almost as if it was a response to another popular video going around, though it doesn't seem to address the premise of the other video. Also, might have been nice to see some string gauge comparisons, or perhaps record a lick with one set of strings, and show that you can EQ a totally different set to sound the same.
Sweet! I will give these a go! Thank you!
I use Fender Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child 10-38s....
Thanks Darrel.
There's one slight advantage of using a slightly heavier gauge string on guitars with medium jumbo or jumbo frets....
They help with intonation.
With tall frets and light gauge string, it's easier to press too hard on the string and push the note or chord out of tune.
Heavier gauge strings can help avoid this by their natural resistance to bending.
Of course having tall fat jumbo frets also forces a player to develop a lighter touch
Exactly!
But, I think that would be the part of "if you play with a light, feather touch". I play with a fairly light touch, high frets, and it works for *me*. But, people who don't, are way off on intonation when they play my guitar. Hence, we should pick the strings that work for each of us. :)
I agree. I switched from .9s to .10s when I started to play jumbo frets. And nowadays I also have .10s in my tele with medium jumbo. But this is for logistic reasons... (pack buying) ;)
"Of course having tall fat jumbo frets also forces a player to develop a lighter touch" That would be an interesting topic for a video, Darrell...
If you adjust your style this is not a problem.
I've always laughed at the "tonewood" argument when it comes to solid-body electrics. Bodies have been made from pine and plexiglass, they work fine. I suspect if I took the same neck, same electrics, same everything, and put those components in a pine body, a swamp ash body, a plexiglass body, and a bedpan body, there won't be much difference. Well okay, the bedpan-body might have a little more twangy ring to it.
Seth Tyrssen, the tone knob makes more difference than the body wood.
@@choreuviz Righteo.
...I still wanna build a bedpan-bodied guitar.
I usually can hear a difference (e.g. Swamp Ash being brighter than Mahagony) depending of what the guitar is made of and if it has a Maple fretboard or something else but I don't care about it since you have a lot of options to get a swamp ash guitar to sound exactly like a mahagony guitar for example. Also the difference is just very tiny so that nobody really hears it, only when really concentrating on it
@@choreuviz 🤣😆
I learned a lot in this channel Darrell is truly a legend sharing his knowledge to other people
Always so instructive!!!
I don't know if this is a reaction to Rick Beato, but he captured the difference with microphones and it is audible.
And although the term EQ was thrown around a bit in Rick's vid, it was much more about the tightness of the sound. At least that's my impression.
@WaurufEx The unfortunate thing about the Beato video is that it was all high gain tones. The distinction between gauges is even easier to hear with cleaner tones.
@@kenlee5015 define "tightness of sound."
I think Beato and Darrel are both right . Beato pointed out one particular, somewhat more subtle
facet of tone, and that was that lighter gauge strings have less boomy bass and fatter strings
have more bass .....but.....you did have to listen carefully to hear this ........Darrel on the other
hand is definitely correct also in saying that the amp (and/or EQ) is the strongest definer
of guitar tone ......FAR more of a significant effect on the tone than string guage .
But to say that string guage has zero effect upon tone, is from my experiance not totally
accurate .....but certainly it is far less important than amps and EQ settings.
Well sure there is a difference but is there that drastic of a difference that it couldn't be compensated for with amp/eq? Is it that drastic of a difference to justify a gauge that's uncomfortable for you?
If 10s sound 0.9% brighter to you, you can always move your amp's treble knob slightly to the right XD
We should focus on how the strings feel in our hands.
Really appreciate the advice man. I am an avid user of Ernie Balls and 13s for a long time now. Cheers for the information
How do you playon 13s?????
Arnav Matrix he probably plays jazz or metal, if you were playing metal, you’d like to to have heavy strings to keep even tension. And for Jazz, you’d want to have really tight tension to not bend anything out of tune, or to resemble an acoustic guitar. I mean, SRV and Jim Adkins play 13’s too.
@@krisdelcid5319 hmmmm ok
@@krisdelcid5319 as does josh smith..
I play 13's like anyone would play anything else, tonnes of bends and vibrato, any style anywhere anytime. I use heavy strings because I have strong hands.big bends and vibrato with my pinky. If I play light strings guitars feels soupy to me and everythings sloppy, light strings ruins every aspect of playing for me from pick attack to finger feel. I like high action too as high as I can get it without messing up intonation.
I don't play metal or jazz.
You choose strings and set up your guitar for comfort, tone comes from you as a guitarist, your pickups and your amp.
Thank you for your advice, that was the best. And you are the only one I've been following.
Thank you, Darrell! I've had my first guitar for just over 2 weeks and I freakin love it! Been learning stuff and practicing every day since I got it. Thank you, brother! Without your channel, I'd never have even thought about buying a guitar and learning to play. 🤙👍👍
Thank you!
Congratulations!
Welcome aboard 😁
@@DarrellBraunGuitar Thanks, Darrell! To say that Duane Allman is my biggest inspiration to learn to play would be an understatement. It's going fairly well, so far 👍 that and my Dad named me after him, so...yea. Same spelling and everything 😆🤘🤙❤️
Well said bro! I've been playing for over 40 yrs. and played with just about every gauge string out there and my tone never changes... I always sound like me! Lol. Now if I change the eq settings on my amp, that tone changes, but still sounds like my fingers, my touch/attack is my tone.
You will hear a difference if you use clean tone, but I guess that’s not your thing?
@@matsp888 Mostly the Grateful Dead and a little Zeppelin
I've used Ernie Ball pretty much exclusively for my electric guitars. For decades, the 9-42 Super Slinky was my go-to set. Three or four years ago, though, I switched to the 9-46 Hybrid Slinky set for all my electrics and I've been quite happy with those.
Marc Coté same here, having the 9’s helps get that cut but having the 46 on the bottom string keeps that low end, it’s worked for me too 👍🏻
I used Ernie Ball for a long time but then a couple of years ago I started to get the ball ends unwinding (on more than one guitar). Switched to D'addarrios and no problems since.
Anyone else noticed this?
I'm using Elixir strings (10-52) for a couple of years now and even though they cost a bit more they are really, really solid. They are lasting several months before you have to change them.
Have you ever tried 11-52 in D standard? It’s really nice. I use that on a strat with high gain pickups. 9-42/46 is my favorite in E standard. D is a similar feel but something extra.
Sn1pZzx I use Ernie or GHS and I play between 1-3 hours per day and strings last for months. Just make sure you keep your hands clean and sometimes wipe the strings.
I usually swap strings when they don’t stay in tune or feel bad. 👍🏻
Glad this was clarified .thanks DB good vid
Oh my gosh thank you for doing this!!!!! You are the best
I have bad hand health and my ears never worked correctly. I've been playing light strings for years. My cat is my only audience and she doesn't seem to care what it sounds like.
Being able to bend the strings properly is much more important then any possible difference in tone one could get from thicker strings.
you get tone from understanding your amp...
Being able to play chords properly is as important as bending, rythm playing is as if not more important as soloing.
As always you are an incredible source of no Myth information! Thank You
Very good information Darrell. Thank You Sir!
Sticking to regular ol' daddario xl120s
The string gauge does change the tone of the guitar. Rick Beato did a great video looking at and comparing 8s through to 11s, and there was a big difference in the low end. The myth was that thicker strings gave a beefier low end, but what they actually found was that thicker strings produced a more muddy sound, and thinner strings had a tighter bottom end, much better for rock and metal. They also fit in a mix better.
While I understand what you’re saying, I think you’re missing the nuance of the changes that string gauge, and even string composition, makes. The guitar is a system of interconnected parts, and each one affects the tone, even if only a little bit. I say you should always experiment, and changing your string gauge is a lot cheaper than changing your amp or guitar.
Yup on all counts, especially regarding cost efficiency. The Beato piece was an eye (ear?) opener for sure! I've already switched from 10's to 8's on my LP.
ive seen rick and rhett's videos about guitar string, but i feel theres still a flaw on the video bcs they only tested the tone. some player need higher tension the 10s or 11s give for their play style. i use 10s bcs i tune my guiitar D-C-G-F-C-D (2 step lower than standard) and i finger pick all the time. i had tried using 8s, but the tension just too loose and it buzz on some parts of the guitar.
@@patrickfitzgerald2861 How do you find the 8s to play? I loved the sound of them in Ricks video, but I mainly play in Eb and drop C sharp and I'm not sure if there would be enough tension on the strings with 8s
@@leeallen2301 I tune standard and mostly play medium soft with a pick, so you may have a problem with those tunings. However, you watched the Beato video, and a set of EB Extra Slinkys only cost six bucks, so why not try them? They don't feel strange or wobbly to me, and I'm liking the tone too. My guess is they'll be fine for the Eb tuning at least. Good luck!
Very insightful. Thanks Darrell!
Thanks for this one Darrell, a good rational approach. How about cabs? I recently watched a vid (forget who it was, unfortunately) where he demonstrated, very well I think, that your speaker cabinet is even more fundamental to your tone. Would love to have your considerations on this.
When I returned to plahing after years without touching a guitar i loved super thin strings. One month later I am tired of them. Too soft. Bends are easy and lovable but the picking hand feels no resistance and the steing wobbles too much. I will test now medium strings hoping to find a good balance of softness and resistance.
I’ve noticed LOTS of changes in tone when changing strings!
... Which all had to do with the fact that I put a fresh set of strings on there. Not the gauge.
I really do agree with all you say here! So many things affect our tone, yet I so often see guitarists getting hung up on the details. We discuss tonewoods, string gauges and tubes to an almost comical degree, while I see just as many ignore their tone controls or speakers and cabs, which will have a much greater impact on the tone.
I've been playing since 1968, and have been through every string gauge imaginable. Years ago, I settled on a hybrid gauge, based on a set of .009s, but with a .0095 High E, and .0115 B string on, all of my guitars. On my ES-175, I use flatwounds .011-.050.
Great info here, thanks Darrell!
“An” interesting divide in the guitar world?? The guitar world has the most chaotic divide EVER, obsessing about everything along the chain of tone on every link from fingers, picks, strings, fingerboard, necks, scale length, nut, bridge, pickups, “tone wood”, finish, electronics, pots, cable, pedals, amps, amp placement, speakers, cabs, tubes, effects, etc. etc. ect. endlessly all the way to your ears. I can’t think of ANY single tiny variable about electric guitar that is not feverishly debated. Name ONE! 😄
I applaud you sir. Well said.
experiment with everything in the chain:
* new strings make most of the sound of a (clean) guitar tone. changing them does a whole lot of difference.
* a guitar set up differently, can sound dramatically different. set it up the way you want to.
* effects. a compressor dialed gently can change your sound completely, and still sound natural. most of the sounds you like are probably compressed by high quality studio grade gear.
* an amp. yeah, most of the sound comes out of it.
* try boosting the treble on the amp, and turn down the tone and see what it does. try lowering the volume knob on the guitar and cranking the amp. every one of the aspects interact with one another.
but, in the end, try everything yourself. don't listen to anyone.
I really like what you have said and agree. I start clean. Set the strings and intonation. Then, EQ my amp. Then, I get the pedals set up for where to other to are depending on what I am looking for. Then, I go back and make the subtle changes on the amp to tweak.
Great video, totally agree. HOWEVER, what’s the best gauge for a beginner? There’s a compromise to be made between string tension and the lowest action that the guitar can be setup to. The action can be set lower with heavier gauge strings, making barr chords easier apparently. Can’t say I noticed it being much easier though. What do other people find (assuming that the guitar is setup optimally for each string gauge)?
I have a friend and he can make anything sound good just by tweaking some eq dials.
I’m glad you mentioned it’s so different for an acoustic guitar.
Another great honest, grounded video
Thanks
Use a different pick.
i use 1.14 for chords arpeggios melodies ( sound more clear ) and 1.50 for heavy stuff! if a song have both i'm screwed! i just bough Flow 1.35mm and i don't like it!
Patrick TAYLOR this is often overlooked. I’ve been using the matte Jazz IIIs for about 9 years now and when I tried the shiny Jazz III boy was that different. Currently though I switched to the Ernie Ball Prodigy Sharp and those things do a good job not detuning my strings (because I tend to play hard).
@@satamique I have a Flow 420, I love it for everything, I also have 1.5's and I like them just fine but the 4.20 is best for everything though
@@jaxonvictoria4345 I just changed from ultex Jazz 3's to Dunlops flow picks, I got the same gains from this change as I got like 15 years ago when I changed from junk picks to jazz picks.
I play a 6mm for everything :D
Damn! I knew I have to get a 5150
Sage advice. Thanks Darrell. 👍😎
Thank you for your information. I have always wondered about the strings gauges.
When i watched Rick Beato's video I thought the same thing, it doesn't really matter. It does change tone, yeah, but you shouldn't sacrifice the right string gauge for your playing, just to have that slight change...
But a lot of people use the wrong gauge for what they're playing 'cause someone else, who plays something copmpletelly different uses that gauge.
Sebastián Encina That wasn’t really the point of the video though. He was arguing against the people that say they use 11s and higher for better tone. He said the tone is actually slightly better on lower gauges and even if it weren’t, they’re easier to play and will make you feel more comfortable on the guitar. Rhett Shull talked about switching back to thinner gauge strings in the same video because they’re more comfortable and you’re not sacrificing tone.
@@Lemontheft2 Absolutely! but I could also see that some of them (like Rhett) decided to change yo thinner gauge strings because of the tone changes (and i think he also said that he liked the feel of the 9s, but didn't want the 'thinner' tone). So you can tell that some of them used thicker strings because they thought it affected the tone that way. What i got from the video (apart from what you pointed out) is that they've been using strings for the tone, and not the feel
I don't think different string gauge on brand gives "better" tone, more like "different" tone. It's more personal preference on what sounds better or worse.
11-52 playing in Eb tuning....thanks for all the great videos.
Yet another awesome video Darrell. I love all of your videos. Straight to the point and great to follow. Very informative and enteraining. I really like your explanation and demo of EQ. I am thinking of using 9-42 for tuning down to standard C. I have currently got really thick down tune strings on now but they are too thick for my guitar nut. I am having tuning issues for the E and A strings. I also find that the 9-42's are a lot better for bending and harmonics. What do you think? My dream amps are an ENKL Powerball, Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and EVH 5150.
I agree Darell, I’ve been using a 10-38 gauge for 45 years on all my electrics, Strat, Tele or my 59 RI and I use these for the feel and ease of playing. Amps matter! Thanks for another great informative video.
10-38 is my preferred as well. I know Hendrix liked it too.
I like dem 9.5's.. Stable and don't feel to stiff.. just right :)
well! didn't know they make 9.5 thank's i will try!
onefatstratcat is that 9.5's that you like on a Strat we would assume?
@@Riverdeepnwide well I'm not "oneobesepaulsballs" am I?lol... Actually these days I play my Roadstar 440 deluxe more than anything.. the oem hummer on it is awesome!
@@satamique try I think you shall
Hey Darrell! Great video, man. I’m a touring guitarist for national tours of shows and I just went from 10’s back down to 9’s on my Tokai strat. I was playing 10’s for years set up way too low and it just never felt right. Too many people misjudge 9’s in how good they can feel and sound.
I use equalizer to cut the band mix or to agressive sound, or boost some frequency, always in the input of the amplifier. Great video!
In regards to @3:00, there is another factor that we don't talk about enough in the guitar community. I used to play heavy gauge strings and had a very heavy touch. Well, almost 30 years later I now have nerve damage in my left hand's fingers (index is the worse). Perhaps just advising people with a heavy touch to go for the heavy strings, as a blanket statement, might not be the best idea. Learning a lighter touch might be in order for some people. For a while I was afraid I'd have to give up playing. I eventually learned what works for me. I had to change my touch. I had to change my guitars as I found neck shape helped quite a bit; Fender's Modern C and Ibanez's Wizard works for me btw. But perhaps most importantly, I found that string gauge made a huge difference! Today I run 9's at the heaviest. I recognize that the overall point of the video is on tone but I feel that that statement in the video could have been made a little better.
And to my heavy handed playing friends... honestly guys, learn a lighter touch before its too late.
Hybrids are perfect, not to thick for solos and the heavier strings are usually for power chords, guess you don't need to use much strength with them.
Man, what you're saying is a so overlooked but so important aspect. An analogy would be seeing some guys in the gym clearly lifting too heavy. Playing an instrument can lead to RSI and many people don't even think about the stress they are placing on their joints and tendons, especially the left hand from fingertip to elbow for guitar, which will show some years down the line. So yes, the same as with the gym analogy. many guys think playing heavier strings is "macho" and light is lame
You're right. I've been playing 0.13 from the start, and now i have tried 0.11 and my God...now i see the huge force and tension difference....it just aint worth it. My left hand fingers are now more than thankfull 😀
Has anyone mentioned that Rick Beato just showed unequivocally that string gauge ABSOLUTELY affects the tonal characteristics of the guitar? It was fairly scientific, too.
affecting tonal charecteristics doesn't mean "makes it any better"
@@forfrigsakes3330 If you find a particular tonal characteristic better, and changing gauge brings that tonal difference, then it does by definition make it better.
@@soundscape5650 and if you find any other tonal characteristics better then that particular one then it by definition makes it worse.
Sure, it makes a difference. You can mimic that difference in most cases with your amp's EQ (or an EQ pedal, plug-in, etc) as well as make much more sweeping changes. I think the biggest take away from both videos is to use the string gauge that feels best to you. Even STV went to lighter strings eventually...
@@soundscape5650 Different can also mean worse.
Truth! I was so happy to see you do this subject. I found it so ridiculous that many are recommending to change to a lighter string gauge to clean up your tone. Thank You Darrell! ....for addressing the real issue here. It took me a while to figure out what string gauge I felt most comfortable playing on. I can tail up so many different tones using both my guitars controls... and the amp's tone controls (if it has them) I can get any sound that I want. OK.... I can't really get the "semi-hollow" tone out of my solid bodies, but I do know of a way to get close. LOL! I could also buy one of those guitars if I really need that tone.
Thanks for the video. I feel like topics like these are underrated
But Beato said we had to!
He didn't
oh.. go beato off.. lol
Zach Delph LOL I just commented the same thing.
Beato absolutely did, and did a blind test. You can clearly hear a subtle difference. However to Darrell's point, you can alter the tone far more by changing the eq.
H Toner he just convinced Rhet Shull that he could use lighter strings...admittedly I haven’t seen many of his vids, but that doesn’t seem to line up logically...
If you are comfortable you will play comfortable. I use to have 9’s on my Tele but changed to 10’s because I’m a bit heavy handed and when it comes to bends they feel better to my style of playing. Didn’t Hendrix and Gibbons use 8’s? Their tone is huge!!!
God bless!!!
Jimi used hybrid 10-38
Excellent advice!
After so many years of using .011's and tuning to Eb , I am switching back to .10's and 440 . Teaching my grandaughter I realized that 440 just sounds better , especially on acoustics . I started playing guitar in the 60's when string gauge didn't seem very important , usually the gauge was not even on the packs . Nothing worse than Black Diamond strings . Anyway , when light gauge strings and unwound G string became available I was in heaven . Fast foreward 20 years and Stevie Ray uses heavy strings , then I learn that Hendrix and Stevie tuned to Eb . I switch to .011's , tune to Eb , and I am happy with my tone , although it is a pain when playing with others that tune to 440 , and you have to play everything 1/2 step up . Oh well , love your videos , you are always on point , and I appreciate it . You are correct about string gauge . On my electrics I am using .010's again , tuning to 440 and a little more happy with my tone . Billy Gibbons is living proof ( although .08's feel like rubber bands to me ! )
I fell for the Stevie Ray, telphone cable guage guitar string voodoo but I like the feel and sound, yes you heard me, sound of 8's and 9's. The thicker strings have a thuddy sound that I couldn't dial out, the smaller strings sound more open when amplified. Also, your wrists will thank you when you can take a gallon of milk out of the fridge without pain!!!
Right tool for the job ... yep! I prefer the feel of 9's on my Fenders ... so I use 10s on my 23" scale-length tenor guitars (DGBe) ... same tension. Planning to use 8s on one of my tenors & tune to uke (GCEa) ... I expect similar string tension. Great work Darrel. Greetings from Oz.
Darrell you ROCK! I've been having endless discussions about the tone issues with my friends: the tonewood, the fingerboard material: maple vs rosewood, the tube vs solid state vs modellers, fingerpicking vs thick plectrum, the speakers vs cabinet wood material, handwired pickups vs stock, custom shop vs stock amps... you name it. Well it all boils down to the EQ. So easy, so simple? Now all the shops, all the marketing guys will track where you live ;-). You've ruined their carefully cooked sales pitch. To make matters worse, the other day I found a film by Philip McKnight who compares a Squier built vs MIM vs Fender Custom Shop .. .and guess what: the Squier and the Custom Shop shared the same components (ok, that was in a specific line of products, so just very few models, but still). And now you're adding to it. I expect some heated debate ;-). Right on!
Beato made that video recently and they came to the conclusion that lighter strings had tighter bass or something. The difference was noticeable but pretty subtle, and all I could think of is that you should be able to get the same result by tweaking the EQ on the amp or pedal or whatever. But if playing lighter strings makes somebody feel better about their sound, that's exactly what they should do.
Dustin Anderson Ths difference was actually pretty noticable! The lighter the strings, the more clarity the sound had. The bass pretty much stayed the same and the mids were better also. I would overall argue, the better the start of the sound chain, the better the end.
It was VERY noticeable!
@@Tim_Duran I was really surprised to hear the difference in sound. Actually I tried thinner strings again and I realized they feel much better. Win win
Rick Beatos assessment showed quite clearly that heavier gauge strings have naturally more bottom end mud to mask clarity of higher frequencies. Lighter gauge strings have more definition and clarity. But EQ is as the name says " equalisation" so choose your favourite most playable strings then clean up with EQ.
@@MarcoRaaphorst so how do you adjust pick up height for string gauge?
It's more important which strings work best for you. Tone comes from the fingers, so I think finding the right type of strings for you can make a difference. I used to play 9s, but always thought they felt wimpy and made it hard to estimate how much pressure I was using. I switched to 10s and haven't considered going back to 9s. I think I tried 11s and thought they were too tthick. 10s are just perfect.
Good point. Eddie Van Halen said " Tone starts with your fingers". My philosophy is that whatever gauge is most comfortable for your playing hand is what you should choose. Whatever tonal difference there may be changing string sizes can always be adjusted with your Amp! This method has always proven true for me after 45+ years!
Comments about the Rick Beato video, yes there was a subtle difference, but those differences can be overcome with tone ajustments to the guitar, amp and effects. So I agree more with DBG here and think its more important to go with feel. Good video Darrell!
thanks for your honesty and help with Guitar sounds..
Ernie Ball .10s and a Fender Champ 40 with my 2019 Fender Player Strat SSS.
Haha that's my amp and strings! Absolutely love this setup with my epiphone explorer!
Just got my hands on a Bugera V22, can't wait to warm it up!
I have been watching your vids for a long time and this is the first time I have disagreed. Each string gauge has a different resonance and set of overtones. If you only have one string, you can eq as much as the amp’s limited eq will let you. But you have six strings. When you play more than one at a time, the combination will sound differently depending on the string gauges selected, and eq will not eliminate that with only a three band eq. How much different is a good question, but there will be a difference.
Darrell you do a great job!
Strong presentation, cheers!
Some universals: lighter strings give less bassy tone. Raising the pickup thickens the sound until the magnets begin to interfere with string vibration. Lowering the pickup thins the tone. If your guitar seems to respond unevenly across the strings from low to high, try raising one side of the pickup. For example, if your guitar takes more pick strength on the treble side to get the same volume as the bass strings, try raising the treble side bit by bit (not a lot at once) or lowering the bass side.
I thoroughly enjoy Darrell’s videos but I disagree with him on this one. After watching Beatos video I decided to switch from 10’s to 9’s and I can definitely here a difference in tone, most notably clarity on the mid range.
Actually Brad the Guitologist called Darrell out when he touched on this topic on his 15 guitar myths busting vid.
Maybe these results won’t be the same for everyone, but it absolutely did for me, and all my guitars are now switched to 9’s.
Give it a shot.. See for yourself...
When you play rock on 9's instead of 11's the sound is way thinner, it really matters I dont understand why he says that.
Ron Beato plays on 8’s which to me seems crazy. 11s are just too thick for liking.
I’ve stuck with 9s for the past 3 months and my bends and vibrato sound much better.
To each his own. Stay safe bro...
What Darrell misses is that pre gain eq is not the same as post gain eq. Yes, you can shape the sound of your guitar to be a lot of different things with post gain eq, but there's a reason we use tube screamers in front of high gain amps instead of just eqing them later: pre gain eq matters.
Thanks, I now have found my dream setting on my Bassbreaker Amp. The Bass is now at pretty high, at 6, mid very low at 3 and treble at 8. I thought the bass had to be low, and the mid higher. What a difference!
Thanks Darrell!