How many of you...............

[Hooligan]

use medium guage strings?

I see many guitars recommend medium guage strings in the owners manuals but at the stores all I see are lights. Now I know why they are all strung with lights but how many of you play day in and day out with medium?

[Tech Player]

Lights.

I found that using mediums put too much stress on everything, at an average of 200 lbs. tensile strength or pull, actually, times 6 (average). That was just too much for me to live with, but people can do whatever they want with their acoustics.

With mediums, you can always start with a truss rod adjustment for negative bow increase, and hope for the best at the bridge, flattop, and heel-joint.

Again, I have no source for the figures, but have seen & lived with the guitars' structural issues for 37 years, and lately haven't had whatever it takes to look things up, just saying that "I go with what I know?"

[LesStrat]

I use 13s on my Taylor 110E. Then again, that is how it was originally set up, and I like the sound of it.

You can use whatever gauge you prefer. Just make sure the guitar is setup to handle what you choose.

I get strings from juststrings.com. Great folks, great/quick service, great prices. AND, they carry just about any set you want.

[MadHatter]

I use 11-52's on my electrics
and 12-56's on my acoustics

I can't play with light strings, they feel all flimsy whimsy, and they never seem to resonate as well as mediums and heavy strings

[MikeW]

I've been using D'Addario EJ26 Custom Lights,(.011 - .052) on most of my guitars. they work really well.

I am trying some D R RPML-11's on my 000 Martin. The gauges run (.011 - .050). They also have a great sound on a 000 size guitar. Not sure if they would be good for a Dred sized guitar.

[Wally]

I like Martin SP Lights for my acoustics - they are .012-.054. I even use them on my Regal round-neck resonator. I tried the heavier "resonator" strings and didn't like them. On electrics, I use .009's for my Fenders and .010's on my Gibson Melody Maker. I am thinking of trying some heavier gauge strings on my electrics.

[hotraman]

I use Elixir acoustic lights on my acoustic guitars ( mid 1970's Gibson and BC Rich B 28)
FWIW, I tried a set of Cleartones. They're a lot brighter than I am use to.
But they're pretty expensive.
I play 10's on my electrics.
I've found that i need to play my acoustics often to keep my hand in shape.

[kensmith]

Elixer Lights PB nano (.012s) on acoustic (Taylor 314ce) and Elixer .010s on electrics

[marcgtr]

11's on electric(Strats and OLP wolfgang knockoff) and 12's on my acoustic (Ibanez blond exotic wood acoutic/elec)

[LiveOak]

Lights as well 10-46. Use D'Addaro EXL110 regular lights, nickel plated steel strings on both my Strat and my LP. Love the tone and action!

[MusicChad]

I use a variety depending on the tone/style I'm looking for... I'll also take how long I'll be playing into consideration... That being said, I generally try to stick with the same gauge on the same guitar all the time as the set-ups change a bit...


at an average of 200 lbs. tensile strength or pull, actually, times 6 (average).

Is that an ADDITIONAL 200 lbs tension? I'd love to know how much "added" tension comes up between gauges, although I haven't ever had trouble with too much deflection in the faces of acoustics, etc. Sometimes I lower the tension a bit if I'm planning to store a guitar for a while, but usually I just assume that everything is in "balance" and leave well enough alone. I DO lower the tension if I'm transporting an instrument very far, particularly if there is much change in environment expected or if traveling by air... I suppose I should be more concerned with the overall tension / stress placed on the guitars...

[Wally]

I like Martin SP Lights for my acoustics - they are .012-.054. I even use them on my Regal round-neck resonator. I tried the heavier "resonator" strings and didn't like them. On electrics, I use .009's for my Fenders and .010's on my Gibson Melody Maker. I am thinking of trying some heavier gauge strings on my electrics.


I decided to give Martin Resonator strings another try on my Regal Resonator. Strung it up this weekend... the high E in that set is a .016 and the low E is .056. Jury is still out... definitely louder with more "twangy resonator sound", but the slide noise is also louder. I'll have to see how they are after a week or so. I tried these before, but I was mainly playing with my fingers at the time and didn't like 'em. I can see the advantage now for slide. One unusual thing about this set - they are nickel wrapped like an electric set. I think all the other manufacturers besides Martin use the more traditional phosphor bronze for their reso sets....