Re: String gauge

"Rufus" <not@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:d5-dncqdjNh5P8DRnZ2dnUVZ_g2dnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxx

I tried all sorts of different brands of .009s made of all sorts of different materials before I settled on d'Addarios.

Yeah, I find 8s to be a bit sloppy, but they don't sound any different - just break easier. But I also like really low action and use a pretty light touch...back to "feel" affecting tone.

To me, that's the key to string gauge selection, not tone. The heavy-handed among us would inadvertently bend 8s out of tune. And 9s. And sometimes even 10s, for me, it's why I briefly considered going to 11s and why I use a heavy-bottom 10 set. If I play a guitar with a normal 10 set, I find myself yanking those lower-pitched strings out of tune.

Which leads to "Rich's string gauge theorem # 1": Choose the lightest-gauge strings for which you DON'T yank them out of tune. They'll be the easiest strings for you to play without adverse consequences, and you WILL get good tone out of them.

.

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