What gauge strings on your semis and why ?

[High Flying Bird]

I use 9's now.

I prefer and use 9's because I only want to play and get the most out of it. I dont have much time to sit and play anymore. I dont find too much, or any! loss of "tone" .

My technique has changed. There is no over bending or weird pitch problems from pressing to hard.

Me too. I used to use 10s but a few years back I cut the tip of my pinky halfway off. After that it was too hard to bend the 10s with that finger as I don't play often.

[TalismanRich]

On Live at Darryls House, Billy Gibbons was telling a story of how one night before a show with B.B. King, they exchanged axes briefly. Billy commented to B.B. that the string gauge on "Lucille" was really light. B.B.told him that he had been using very light strings for years .008 on the high end.. The then asked Billy "Why are you working so hard"?

Billy has moved to a VERY light .007 on the high side and had been using those strings ever since..

 

Of course, what do BG and BB know about tone?

[Einerbe]

Hi!

I used 10-46th for "decades" on my electrics (once I tried 09-42th but didn't like).

Then I feld my strings became "too weak" or "slicky" as I changed my style of playing (attack, pressure, etc.)

So I started to use 11-48th. I still keep changing and varying to 11-49, 11-50, 11-52.
Once tried a set with 12th but didn't enjoy (except for my acoustics, where I discovered for me it is not usefull to use less than 12th).

When I love to have more punchy basses, then I decide for a thicker lower E-String. So, my journey in the deeper region of strings hasn't been finalised while for the higher tones I definately prefer the 11th gauge.

I am playing a 11-48th or 11-49th set on my Heritage H150 while my H535 currently it's equipped with a set of 11-49 (`D'Addarios).

I found that Dogal Strings suit perfectly for my third Kalamzoo girl ES-335 (set RW155E for example). They are handmade in Italy.

Will try them on my H535 and see how this may influence my sound(feeling).

 

Have a nice day
Ralph

[hobokenheritage]

Elixir nanoweb 10's on everything (137, 140, 525, 530, 535, millie), except the 575 which has 11's. Considering going up to 11's on the 525.

 

12's on all the acoustics, but they don't count here (2 Gibson and a National Delphi)

[Bonenut]

Nines only for a long time, but I only owned an original Casino. When I borrowed guitars strung heavier, I found it helped my phrasing. Moved up to 10s on all electrics. 11s on archtops and flattops. I still find playing acoustics a bit of a struggle although I don't have similar trouble with archtops. I use Thomastiks of various flavors now—I hate changing strings and they sound great for a long time.

[ironmike]

13son my sweet 16,thomastic...13s on my Spruce 575,pyramid,16s on my 575 maple top labella,all flatwound...12 flats on my 330 ti's,12 round on my 335,pyramid,11 round on my g&L legend,12 flats on my other g&L legend,12 round on my g&L asat,11s on my h150,bronze on everything acoustic,bebops13 on my national..guts on my olds Martin parlor pearl ring..wound nylon alvareZ on my guild electric cutaway. nylon.flamingo strings.

[RhoadsScholar]

10 guage D'Addario (the ones always on sale at GC, the Orange package) for semi's. 12 chrome flats on archtop guitars. Tried going up to 11 (think Spinal Tap) but found it hard to bend to pitch (quickly went back to 10's). I use the same strings on my 25 1/2 inch scale guitars and 24 3/4 guitars.

[Ghostbound]

11-46 Thomastik power brights on the H555...Semi Hollows are built like tanks, so they can take the extra tension. I have always used 11s on pretty much every guitar that I tune to E standard/A440.

 

The 11-46 is an interesting set...I was worried that the 46 on the bottom would not give the same "chunk" as a 48 or 49, but I hardly notice a difference, whereas with an 11-50 DR set, for instance, I notice the difference between the 48 and the 50. I love Thomastik Strings. I have an 11-53 set on another guitar that I keep in D standard.

 

Regards,

Alec

[Gianluca]

On my H535 D'Addario EXL115 11-49

 

I custom ordered my 535 to have 1.75 nut width and Ebony fretboard(among other specs) after 1yr I bought my Martin D-35

I think I made a (sort of)correlation between those two guitars, on my D-35 I'm currently using Elixir nanoweb 12-56

 

I think the exl115 give with more modulation and dynamics on a semihollow being bigger, bending is the same I don't find difference with exl110 I use on my Les Paul and RK Strat

[rjstauber]

I just got a used H-535 and changed the strings (after oiling the fingerboard and cleaning the guitar) back to the original factory type: GHS Boomers 0.10-0.46

The guitar sounds really nice to me that way, so for now, I will stick with these.

[khmr33]

On my H150, I'm trying out Hybrid Slinky's 9-48. That's working pretty well so far.

 

Actually just got a brand new bone nut installed. I'll never settle for a factory plastic nut again!

 

 

When he was six, he believed that the moon overhead followed him... by nine he had deciphered the illusion. Trading magic for fact, no tradebacks. So this is what it's like to be an adult. If he only knew now, what he knew then...

[bolero]

+1 on bone nuts

 

I used .11's for years on my Gibson & Heritage's, but recently made the change to .10's and am really liking it

 

much easier to bend notes, easier on my left hand. I did like the .11's for rhythm playing though!!

 

Fenders am still using .10's so far, but may try .09's soon