Gauge 9 vs 13 Guitar Strings: Can you hear the difference?! (SRV TONE)
#Gauge #Guitar #Strings #hear #difference #SRV #TONE
Originally posted by UCNQfEXT4zWX8L0Czj75zvLw at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj-z-RBfFJc
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As a teenager all I knew was metal players used heavy strings and I was only semi-aware that this was mostly because of down tuning, but for some reason it seemed intuitive that thick strings would sound better. So I started putting 10s on Fender scale length, then progressing to 11s. Tried 12s, but they felt too tight, settled on 11s for a good while.
Fast forward to my 30s and stumble across the stories remarking on Billy Gibbons playing 7s. Interesting but I'm not the biggest ZZ Top fan. Good tone though. Then I hear from people who worked with Hendrix that he played light strings, sometimes 8s, famously seemed to settled on a 10-38 hybrid. That's interesting, Hendrix is an icon and I love his sound. So now I'm curious. Then I hear my shred idol, Paul Gilbert, say during the Racer X days he often played 10s but he'd switch to 9s, or even 8s for recording particularly difficult parts. Recently he's been playing 8s live and the Ernie Ball 8.5s are his current favourites. So now I had to try light strings. Paul Gilbert was the final straw, especially because I'd assumed something like 8s would be floppy and you wouldn't be able to pick quickly, and he's got one of the all time great alternate picking techniques.
So I ordered some 8.5s and read on about the light string gauge legion. Malmsteen next, plays 8-46 hybrid sets, light top heavy bottom, and I love his tone and specifically the tone of his legato playing. Then of course Van Halen, another guitar god, played 9-40 and used really thin picks, 0.6mm Dunlop Max Grip, and his lead playing is famous, but I particularly love his tone for riffing. It's just so electric and alive. Oh, and a lot of Van Halen stuff is in semi tone down tuning.
Finally I get the strings, I play them, it's weird for 5 minutes, and then suddenly it's just better. My tone is more articulate, brighter, better. It doesn't sound thin like I expected, just clearer. Bends and legato are easier, playing feels immediately fun, responsive and expressive. It's easy in a good way. And I love palm muting even more with all that clarity. I then heed the wisdom of Van Halen and Paul Gilbert (who's a big orange Tortex guy, 0.63mm advocate) and try out light picks. Wow, that's where that extra energy comes from with some of his playing and in those Van Halen riffs. It's that little scratch on every stroke, the cello rake as the thin pick gets into the grooves of the string, it's like a tiny bright layer of distortion on top of each note.
So tl;dr, now I play lighter strings. Don't have to go crazy, but I recommend trying at least a half gauge down, Ernie Ball does 9.5s and 8.5s. And trying lighter picks if you're an avowed medium-heavy or heavy picks guy and looking for a bright, aggressive tone. For a jazzer soft materials like nylon and thick picks will give that clean, warm attack with minimal pick noise. Maybe that's your bag regardless. But for rock and metal guys, try a light pick gauge, get that bright scratch. It even lets you turn down the distortion a little while retaining that big sound. It's so alive and awesome sounding. No one is shocked that Jimi Hendrix, Van Halen, Billy Gibbons, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert know more about great playing and great tone than some teenager messing about with a guitar. Heed the wisdom of the legends! [Disclaimer, I'm convinced lighter sounds better, the thickness comes from the pickups and the amp not the strings. But feel is so important, some guys like to fight the guitar to express themselves, like SRV, and if that's integral to your playing it's the right option. But even then SRV would drop down when his hands didn't feel so strong or when he started dealing with carpal tunnel.]
I think for the most part the listener is only gonna notice that you’re bending more on the 9s
I hear no difference. 9's feels way playable though.
Stevie was a monster I don’t think my fingers could handle 12s or 13s again been on 9s for so long
Your fingers know the difference that's for sure ????
I've never used anything but 10s and I'm really tempted to try 9s
The size of the package the strings come in is 3 inches by three inches by one eighth. There are 6 packages. They each have a specific colour and are all the same long length so they will fit every guitar with a long or short scale length. They come in ranges from 8 to 13 as demonstrated here. It's so easy to tell the difference . Can you ? Right at that 52 mark.
A distorted sound guitar sounds the same with light or heavy gauge strings. But if you want to make your playing more difficult, and wear out your frets quickly, go ahead use heavies.
The 9s sound better to me
I prefer the thick strings i really like the feel of a acoustic guitar it's more kf a challenge and takes more effort and is just nore fun to play on my ekectric i have 9's rn snd it just feels loose and sloppy i bought some 11's and might go even higher depending on what i think of the 11's
I can hear the flop and fret buzz on the 9s, sorry.
The 9s sound much tighter and more "focused", if you will.
13g sound dead. Little high end
I play light strings because they're more comfortable, the sound difference doesn't matter to me. ????
I want put 12 gauge always if I had an electrical guitar.
9's are great for balance however I've been using 7's on my hsh strat and I'll tell you what. Those things have been a god send for tone and clarity
Wigger don't understand life.
It sound more difficult for you with 13 gauge ????. REALY NICE SRV TONE BTW ! ????
Ehm, when I play, it doesn't matter at all. I should go and practise (PLAY) more. For me, light or heavy is not relevant. Yet. I got big strong hands, bit heavier gauge is okay, too. Sure I feel the difference, bending heavy strings is hard. So, I always buy the same brand and regular light, and there's nothing wrong with them. For bass I like flat wounds, maybe I'll check if there are flatwounds for electric guitar, too. Guess that sounds "jazzy". But again, I need to take more time playing. It's like the discussions on what pickups, when my cheap Strat clones and LP clones are good enough as is, why spend money? Playing in a band, on stage, these things get more important. I don't, I dial my amps and that's it.
Wish you all lots of fun! Gee, this man here can play!
Yes. Lighter sounds better.
Light strings are for live on stage work!!!!!!