Do Most Guitarists Play 9s?

[DeathJag]

where are my “wound 3rd” brothers and sisters?
11s for longer scale and 12s for short.

I use a wound G and a .017 wound B! I wish someone would make a wound .013.

[JVG]

I reckon a wound 13 would be pretty difficult to make.

The core would have to be around 07 or 08 diameter, with a corresponding wrap wire diameter of 06 or 05.
That’s some seriously thin wire…dunno if this is practical.

[JSett]

I reckon a wound 13 would be pretty difficult to make.

The core would have to be around 07 or 08 diameter, with a corresponding wrap wire diameter of 06 or 05.
That’s some seriously thin wire…dunno if this is practical.

07 internal with 05 wrap would be 17, no?

[JVG]

Shit. Stupid mathematics.

[DeathJag]

I reckon a wound 13 would be pretty difficult to make.

The core would have to be around 07 or 08 diameter, with a corresponding wrap wire diameter of 06 or 05.
That’s some seriously thin wire…dunno if this is practical.

Oh I get that, the core would probably break under tension. It's a stupid dream. But man I hate how bright and loud those unwound strings are. I wish there were a chemical that could dull them, but only because the wound style is probably impossible. The wound .017 is kind of awe-inspiring.

[garyptaszek]

Stand back! The boys are seeing who has the biggest string!

Well then, make way for the rumbler!

I would like to try these.
I've been using 12-60s for standard and Eb on Jazzmasters since D'Addario brought them out. I have started using 12-54 on my tele.
I don't find them hard to bend but I am a rhythm player. I kinda prefer my electrics to feel like acoustics when it comes to string.

[øøøøøøø]

Another potentially-interesting angle: I’ve never considered myself to have great technique—always enough to get by and do most of what needs doing on guitar outside of extremes, but it never felt as easy for me as it appeared for some others.

So in the last 2-3 years I’ve been making a fairly extensive long-term project of examining where I’m making it harder for myself than I need to, and I reached the conclusion that most of my worst habits can be traced to trying to be hardcore and play heavy strings at like 12 years old.

I bought into all the heavy string hype of the time and adopted kind of a “go hard or go home” attitude. It was ill-advised in hindsight.

Since my little child-hands were nowhere near strong enough (even though I was playing a LOT) I developed a lot of little compensations that are very inefficient and counterproductive… then those little inefficient techniques got repeated a LOT to the point where they became my technique, and that’s been very hard to diagnose and begin to unlearn/unravel.

Early in this process and even still, playing something an easier way feels unfamiliar and wrong, and I have to use attention and intent to remind myself that it really can be easier. This is even when playing with lighter strings! I’ve sort of inadvertently trained myself to permanently be a newborn giraffe trying to learn to stand (even if it doesn’t look like that to the outside observer)

So that’s another thing to consider with string gauge… especially when first learning, there’s something to be said for choosing a gauge that allows you to actually operate the guitar without relying on inefficient techniques

[spindizzy]

There's been a plethora of studies, some reasonably scientific and most not on this subject. The macho 'I use 14s' crowd are especially vocal on the subject as they seem to feel this makes them in some way superior to us mere mortals who'd rather no use cheese cutters on our fingers when we're trying to evoke a sensitive and emotional performance (other than that of agonised digits anyway.)
I play 9s across most my guitars ranging 9-42 or 9-46 depending on the guitar, Strats get 42s and LPs and teles 46s.
My Jazzmaster has been strung with flatwound 10s for about 5 years now, but that's tuned to D standard, so it has less tension and the wound 4th string (the nominal G though it's an F here) can still be bent a tone and a half.
My RW Tele (with Lollar 52s and a Mastery bridge, killer guitar) has 9-46 also tuned D standard. You'd think that'd be 'wet noodles' but it's a responsive, touch sensitive and beautifully expressive and woody sounding guitar. It sounds like a great tele to me.

This all dates back to SRV and the legend of him running fencing wire for strings. Apparently he mostly used 11s but he also tuned Eb - so legends are worth what you pay for them.

I'd say play the lightest strings that you can get the feel you like with them. It'll be better for your technique, there'll be less muddiness in your signal and your fingers won't tire so fast.

[øøøøøøø]

I used heavy strings because of Pat Martino, Grant Green and Wes Montgomery. The use of heavy strings didn't originate with SRV--he was most likely trying to sound like old records. Until Ernie Ball came along, light gauge strings weren’t really a thing

[DeathJag]

This all dates back to SRV and the legend of him running fencing wire for strings.

I'm sorry others have made you feel that way for playing thin strings, but you're making a generalization that is not fair. Thick strings sound and feel so much better for me, playing clean surf. They kind of suck for power chords or punk. I don't know what style you play, but if it's not clean clean, then I agree that gauge means little.

For me it comes from Dick Dale, some rock guy. Apparently they had no choice back then.

[spindizzy]

Yes, I made a generalisation, it's also an accurate one so it is fair, sorry that this doesn't match with your version of reality. Also, not my problem and nobody made me feel anything except amused, I'm quite secure with light gauge strings.

This came to prominence when SRV was around and grew after. Sure there were others before and after but he was easily the most famous and remains so today. Ask 100 guitarists who popularised of heavy string gauge use and the huge majority will answer him. I'm not actually a fan of his musical style btw.

I play a lot of very clean stuff (not a fan of high gain as a base tone, I like layered overdrive and fuzz but clean is the starting point) and have no problem with getting clean, clear tone with good sustain out of 9s even tuned down to D. It's about technique and practice. I actually started on classical guitar for my first 9 years of guitar so clean, accurate and light fretting was the basis of my technique. I also mostly play fingerstyle on electric nowadays as I find it offers more creative dynamism, I'd wager if you spent the time you could get the same tone with light strings too but obviously you are happy with what you're doing so it's not something you're going to try.

And sure, Dick Dale etc literally had only the choice of what was available which was heavier gauges with wound Gs - but limiting yourself to that now seems a strange approach, I bet you they wouldn't have as they pushed the available tech to its limits at the time.

Cheers

[DeathJag]

Yes, I made a generalisation, it's also an accurate one so it is fair, sorry that this doesn't match with your version of reality. Also, not my problem and nobody made me feel anything except amused, I'm quite secure with light gauge strings.

Yeah bro, that's not defensive at all. My mistake for thinking we were having a discussion. You are not correct in your generalization, and your reality is wrong. I've never even heard a single SRV tune, never heard him play, and I didn't know anything about his strings until I joined guitar forums in 2018. My reality is based on my experiences and I'm very open to new information. You can play me a recording and if it sounds good I will say so. I'm sure your style sounds beautiful.

Glad to hear you are happy with your thin-stringed tone. Not happy to see your need to delegitimize people like me who prefer the sound and feel of thick strings.

[Salfaromeab]

Fwiw most of the heavy string crowd that I know generally play Surf or Jazz, sometimes Doom metal or Sludge et al. I’m in the Surf camp myself and can’t say SRV has had anything to do with it personally. But honestly I guess it doesn’t really matter, play whatever works.

[Fiddy]

Yes, I made a generalisation, it's also an accurate one so it is fair, sorry that this doesn't match with your version of reality. Also, not my problem and nobody made me feel anything except amused, I'm quite secure with light gauge strings.

Yeah bro, that's not defensive at all. My mistake for thinking we were having a discussion. You are not correct in your generalization, and your reality is wrong. I've never even heard a single SRV tune, never heard him play, and I didn't know anything about his strings until I joined guitar forums in 2018. My reality is based on my experiences and I'm very open to new information. You can play me a recording and if it sounds good I will say so. I'm sure your style sounds beautiful.

Glad to hear you are happy with your thin-stringed tone. Not happy to see your need to delegitimize people like me who prefer the sound and feel of thick strings.

Terrible generalization...

I prefer thinner because my forearm hurts when playing thicker strings. Nothing to do with any guitar heroes or lack of thereof..

Im one of those that does not really try to emulate any guitar heroes.. I play what i like, and what feels good.

[JSett]

They kind of suck for power chords or punk.

Disagree. They rule for power chords and punk. You can bash the shit outta the strings and they a) stay in tune and b) don't break.

Source: me, 40yrs old and still playing power chord punk every day, on heavy strings.