Change string gauges based on feel, and playing style, not for tone - save that for your amp :) What is your favourite string gauge? What amp do you dream of owning?

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

I agree, I watched a video not long ago about someone claiming they were playing the wrong strings and trying to sell tht everyon should be playing ultralight strings. I called bullcrap right away. I play 12's on electric and 13's on acoustic, not for tone but for feel and resistence for more articulate bends and vibrato. I have strong hands and a heavy feel so lighter guages are too easy to move and "sloppy" for my playing style. Heavy strings and heavy picks is what works for me. And I only play DR strings because they are just better then everything else.

@wannaberabbi9302

4 жыл бұрын

Darrell Braun Guitar favorite string gauge? Currently using .10-.46, i think. Might change to skinny top heavy bottoms because I find that when I hit the low E it goes quite a bit sharp. Favorite amp? Currently really digging the distorted tone of those 100 watt Revv amps, they just sound so flipping huge

@ArbiterBrick

4 жыл бұрын

Darrell Braun Guitar being a starter and being pretty young i really need thin strings

@Supperconductor

4 жыл бұрын

Currently using 10-46 on my guitars. I'm thinking about experimenting with 9.5-44. I have a Katana Artist and Peavey Classic 50 head/4X10 right now. I'm kind of lusting after a Friedman Dirty Shirley or Twin Sister. And the new Paul Gilbert JHS PG-14 pedal, and...

@daleturner3507

4 жыл бұрын

I use 8s or 9s I feel more confident as a beginner with the lighter gauge. I use a Peavey Classic 30 with a Celestion speaker. Love the bridge pickup on my MIM 72 Tele. The neck is a humbucker and it’s just not my favorite sounding.

Old -Darrell Braun Guitar. New - Darrell Braun Amplifier.

I’m 54, so my hearing is bad enough that I can’t, for the life of me, hear the difference between string gauges. I can definitely tell the difference in adjusting the eq on my Katana MKII. Great video!!!! Thanks!!!!

@mikedr1549

4 жыл бұрын

A lot of the differences are very subtle which get lost in compressed youtube audio. I'm 57 and play what feels most comfortable - my hands complain pretty loudly with anything heavier than 9's.

@gingerbeer914

4 жыл бұрын

I'm 55, had my hearing tested in the hospital when I was 48 after a nerve had been infected, and after the treatment my 'hearing age' was still 21. So age says nothing, as long as you protect your hearing against damage.

@Leo_ofRedKeep

4 жыл бұрын

Same age, but I can clearly tell a difference between 9s and 11s of the same brand. I know, however, that the turn of a knob will compensate that difference, the same way it will compensate all the tiny little differences nitpickers want to ascribe to wood type or anything else.

@humanbeing2420

3 жыл бұрын

@@mikedr1549 I'm 51 and started playing again 3 years ago after almost a decade off. I've always used 10s. Lately my fret hand has been feeling funny - tingly, like when a limb "falls asleep", and sometimes stiff and a bit swollen in the AM. So I changed to 9.5s on one guitar - and while bending is way easier, I hate the feel. I feel like I need more resistance - without it, I can't play the way I want to. And the tonal difference is like night and day to me - the lighter gauge just doesn't do it. Anyway....

I just want to say thanks, for taking time out of your day to teach some really good pro tips that we intermediate/newbs need

@leonardocastilhone399

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed!!!

@gagambahunter8738

3 жыл бұрын

Hey fbi there's no loli's here don't play guitar when your on job😂🤣

@tienat2046

2 жыл бұрын

3:06 Reasonable

@nacienlos70

10 ай бұрын

He makes a ton of money with these videos. Thats why he takes the time.

String gauge is all about the feel for bends and runs. An often overlooked aspect is the pick impact and response. Definitely a must to explore what is going to work for you.

@steveclark9934

11 ай бұрын

Yes finger memory hand-picking attack all has changed going from 11 to 9 also harmonics are different as well

@melanovapedia7924

7 ай бұрын

rn, I am still experimenting for metal gauge (drop B), like 11-54/56 or 12-56, to find what truly I'm looking for.

@IanMainBliss

5 ай бұрын

@@melanovapedia7924I'm using 15-65 for that! lol. To be clear, B standard, not drop B.

I had a MIJ Strat and a cheap Gorilla amp when I was in high school in the mid 90's. I never really liked the sound. The music teacher at my school let my try my guitar through his Peavey Studio Pro and it sounded great. That was my lightbulb moment. My guitar was fine, I just needed a better amp.

@sohamsengupta6470

4 жыл бұрын

MIJ strat sounds absolutely amazing, that's some serious guitar going through into serious crappy amp lol.

@jasonbaker5430

4 жыл бұрын

@@sohamsengupta6470 LOL you got that right! That amp sucked lol Back then you could pick up a used MIJ Strat pretty cheap. I think it was 1994 when I bought it for a little under $300.

@haydenkayne

4 жыл бұрын

i dont think anyone/thing could make a gorilla amp sound good.

@gingerbeer914

4 жыл бұрын

I wouldn't advise any kid to buy a Gorilla amp today. Better get a used Roland Cube 20X for the same 50-75 bucks.

@jasonbaker5430

4 жыл бұрын

@@gingerbeer914 I had a cube-01 that I gave to my daughter and I still have a 10gx. Awesome little amps

High E 9 Gauge String: Me: *prays before winding it up*

@altwouss

4 жыл бұрын

That moment when you're winding the high e string while tuning the B string... 😱

@ervinggonzalez5977

4 жыл бұрын

I play 8s imagine my fear

@monke12355

4 жыл бұрын

Glad i play 10s

@Skybro88

3 жыл бұрын

Well I already find my 10s scary, I even got hit in the face yesterday, luckily it was only the high e so I am not hurt😂

@bilkywaygalaxy

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I use 9s, had some high Es snap in my time 😖

The scale-length and the string gauge are the most underrated topics. Sometimes it’s good to have a little thicker strings for rhythm and normal or little thinner for solos and bending.

For me string gauge has always been about tension and feel. The other week I was selling my Jackson DK2M, and a guy came over to try the guitar. Before even plugging it in, he got it in his hands, and just said, "oh no it feels too firm". I had 10.5 - 48 strings in standard E tuning, so I tried explaining that, but he just went "no this guitar doesn't feel good", and almost didn't buy it. But, I got an old used set of 9-42s that I hadn't thrown away yet, we swapped the strings, and then he played the guitar for like 20 seconds and said it's perfect, and bought it...

@bsiccs

3 жыл бұрын

Nice save

@bsiccs

3 жыл бұрын

He'd hate my RG tuned down to G standard with 64 on the 6th string. XD besides my bridge would go to the moon just from tension if you even ATTEMPTED to get near E lol

@jared305

3 жыл бұрын

I use 10s for basically every tuning I do (basically the lowest I go is drop C, MAYBE, but I usually stay in standard for Eb standard).

@craig.encinitas

2 жыл бұрын

@@bsiccs Yep. That’s my Strat with 11-46’s on it. Just for fun…then I looked the bridge doing a nosedive in E-tuning. 1/2 step down it’s almost flush with the body. I like the feel of the thick strings. Can’t play any better. 🤦🏼‍♂️

@bernardm3066

2 жыл бұрын

Typical shredder. Maybe you should have put 8's and increase the price 10% ;)

I travelled that road last year. I'd used the same strings for many years and after learning what some other artists used I wanted to see if some change would "improve" sound/tone. I tried sveral brands and gauges, which was fun, and I could hear VERY subtle frequency changes but nothing blew me away to the extent of migrating to a new standard. What I did learn was that I was in fact very happy with where I'd already been. Confirming that was a worthy exercise. You hear about what your heros use and begin to think if you're not doing that, you're behind the curve. Nonsense. You MUST find your own comfort zone. You'll be miserable trying to mimic someone else's. I was glad to have that confirmed through this video.

Great vid. I’ve been playing 10-52 forever and just recently tried putting some 9s on my PRS SE. Really enjoying the difference in feel of the strings and ease of bending. Def a great idea to try different gauges to find what’s right for you!

After watching Rick Beato's vid on string gauge, my takeaway was that I didn't need to suffer with 10's or 11's to get good tone. It seemed to me that using lower gauge strings may give you slightly more string differentiation when using gain, but the tone itself didn't change that much. Darrell is just taking that a step further and pointing out what to do if you DO want to change your sound. I would have thought "pickups" first, but he's right...amps, along with their EQ settings, really control your sound. Just listen to any amp modeler to hear the differences. Pickup swaps can bring slight change, especially to dynamics, but bang for the buck tone change happens with the amp (or amp modeler). I've found I can even replicate single coils from my Schecter humbuckers by using the 7 band EQ on my Zoom G5n (which, since I only play at home thru headphones or into a DAW, is essentially functions as my amp).

Been using the standard ole 10-46 for years. They work for me and I like how they feel under my fingers. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Great content Darrell!

@RideAcrossTheRiver

3 жыл бұрын

I was always 10 to 46 but changed after a while to 9 to 46, especially on 25.5 guitars.

After watching Rhett's and Rick's videos on string gauges, I started checking my guitars with a micrometer and found out I've been playing on 9s on my favorites. It is a feel thing, rather than a sound, that matters, I've realized. Thanks, Darrell.

Thanks, as always, for the practical advice! String gauge is a comfort thing. If you're uncomfortable playing, your tone will suck no matter what strings you're playing.

experiment with everything in the chain: * new strings make most of the sound of a (clean) guitar tone. changing them does a whole lot of difference. * a guitar set up differently, can sound dramatically different. set it up the way you want to. * effects. a compressor dialed gently can change your sound completely, and still sound natural. most of the sounds you like are probably compressed by high quality studio grade gear. * an amp. yeah, most of the sound comes out of it. * try boosting the treble on the amp, and turn down the tone and see what it does. try lowering the volume knob on the guitar and cranking the amp. every one of the aspects interact with one another. but, in the end, try everything yourself. don't listen to anyone.

@stupididea1151

4 жыл бұрын

I really like what you have said and agree. I start clean. Set the strings and intonation. Then, EQ my amp. Then, I get the pedals set up for where to other to are depending on what I am looking for. Then, I go back and make the subtle changes on the amp to tweak.

My first guitar had 11-56 already on it. My next guitar had 9-42. I thought I liked the heavier strings until I played the 9's. Now I'm sticking with them. Super Slinky for me. Nice video!

I use 9's because my hands are 70 yrs. old and I've had Carpal Tunnel surgery on both hands and I find the 9's easier on the fingers and a little easier to bend. I think I do notice a slight difference in tone but if I were a younger fellow with better flexibility in my fingers I probably would be using 10's or 11's. Thanks for the Info Darrell. Kevin O'Rourke

@MrZootalores

3 жыл бұрын

i've used 009's for the last 40 yrs on my Fenders & a Champ,a Twin, and 20yrs ago a Blues Jr for my tone controls;i'm 68

I've always laughed at the "tonewood" argument when it comes to solid-body electrics. Bodies have been made from pine and plexiglass, they work fine. I suspect if I took the same neck, same electrics, same everything, and put those components in a pine body, a swamp ash body, a plexiglass body, and a bedpan body, there won't be much difference. Well okay, the bedpan-body might have a little more twangy ring to it.

@choreuviz

4 жыл бұрын

Seth Tyrssen, the tone knob makes more difference than the body wood.

@tyrssen1

4 жыл бұрын

@@choreuviz Righteo.

@tyrssen1

4 жыл бұрын

...I still wanna build a bedpan-bodied guitar.

@nobuna2114

4 жыл бұрын

I usually can hear a difference (e.g. Swamp Ash being brighter than Mahagony) depending of what the guitar is made of and if it has a Maple fretboard or something else but I don't care about it since you have a lot of options to get a swamp ash guitar to sound exactly like a mahagony guitar for example. Also the difference is just very tiny so that nobody really hears it, only when really concentrating on it

@leemodernemo5059

4 жыл бұрын

@@choreuviz 🤣😆

You give the best value to time spent watching ration on guitar tech KZread channels ever, I've been following you from years, and i really appreciate the knowledge you shared with us, from building my own guitar with my favorite specs to getting the right guitar for my style to getting the right strings, man you got it all covered for me

As Mr. Natural said in the way back when, "Get the right tool for the job." Good vid.

There's one slight advantage of using a slightly heavier gauge string on guitars with medium jumbo or jumbo frets.... They help with intonation. With tall frets and light gauge string, it's easier to press too hard on the string and push the note or chord out of tune. Heavier gauge strings can help avoid this by their natural resistance to bending. Of course having tall fat jumbo frets also forces a player to develop a lighter touch

@murraymcleod7605

4 жыл бұрын

Exactly!

@SashaCrutaire

4 жыл бұрын

But, I think that would be the part of "if you play with a light, feather touch". I play with a fairly light touch, high frets, and it works for *me*. But, people who don't, are way off on intonation when they play my guitar. Hence, we should pick the strings that work for each of us. :)

@olimon63

4 жыл бұрын

I agree. I switched from .9s to .10s when I started to play jumbo frets. And nowadays I also have .10s in my tele with medium jumbo. But this is for logistic reasons... (pack buying) ;)

@olimon63

4 жыл бұрын

"Of course having tall fat jumbo frets also forces a player to develop a lighter touch" That would be an interesting topic for a video, Darrell...

@MisterTee

4 жыл бұрын

If you adjust your style this is not a problem.

On my experience it was a good change. I play a lot legato lines and was playing 09-42 all my life. But when I changed to 10- 46 was soo different. The tone, feel, sound are so powerfull...even on a no expensive guitar. I will try with 11.

Finally!!! A guy who actually makes sense when considering ALL the factors that make up your guitar tone without being a member of one cult or the other on string gages! This confirmed a lot of my own ideas and failures I’ve made trying to find my perfect tone! I’ve been using 13’s tuned to 440hz. I’m going way down to 9’s for pure ease of playing!! As B.B. King once said about using light strings…”why work so hard?”

After so many years of using .011's and tuning to Eb , I am switching back to .10's and 440 . Teaching my grandaughter I realized that 440 just sounds better , especially on acoustics . I started playing guitar in the 60's when string gauge didn't seem very important , usually the gauge was not even on the packs . Nothing worse than Black Diamond strings . Anyway , when light gauge strings and unwound G string became available I was in heaven . Fast foreward 20 years and Stevie Ray uses heavy strings , then I learn that Hendrix and Stevie tuned to Eb . I switch to .011's , tune to Eb , and I am happy with my tone , although it is a pain when playing with others that tune to 440 , and you have to play everything 1/2 step up . Oh well , love your videos , you are always on point , and I appreciate it . You are correct about string gauge . On my electrics I am using .010's again , tuning to 440 and a little more happy with my tone . Billy Gibbons is living proof ( although .08's feel like rubber bands to me ! )

I don't know if this is a reaction to Rick Beato, but he captured the difference with microphones and it is audible.

@kenlee5015

4 жыл бұрын

And although the term EQ was thrown around a bit in Rick's vid, it was much more about the tightness of the sound. At least that's my impression.

@aldersmoke1

4 жыл бұрын

@WaurufEx The unfortunate thing about the Beato video is that it was all high gain tones. The distinction between gauges is even easier to hear with cleaner tones.

@kynoceph

4 жыл бұрын

@@kenlee5015 define "tightness of sound."

@rhykko77

4 жыл бұрын

I think Beato and Darrel are both right . Beato pointed out one particular, somewhat more subtle facet of tone, and that was that lighter gauge strings have less boomy bass and fatter strings have more bass .....but.....you did have to listen carefully to hear this ........Darrel on the other hand is definitely correct also in saying that the amp (and/or EQ) is the strongest definer of guitar tone ......FAR more of a significant effect on the tone than string guage . But to say that string guage has zero effect upon tone, is from my experiance not totally accurate .....but certainly it is far less important than amps and EQ settings.

@NoahNCopeland

4 жыл бұрын

Well sure there is a difference but is there that drastic of a difference that it couldn't be compensated for with amp/eq? Is it that drastic of a difference to justify a gauge that's uncomfortable for you? If 10s sound 0.9% brighter to you, you can always move your amp's treble knob slightly to the right XD We should focus on how the strings feel in our hands.

Long time ago after I had been playing for a couple of years and was getting decent I started using 11s in order to get a better sound. I was quite into SRV at the time and was even considering going up to 12s. I just assumed that the sound was better but in hindsight it was probably psychoacoustics. I was doing OK with the heavy gauge and my hands became stronger but after several years I realized it just doesn't make that much of a difference. And when trying to play things involving fast runs or lots of bending it makes life a lot harder. Now I'm back down to 10s and I think they're just fine. I don't know if I could handle going down to 9s because I would overbend everything and I like the string to fight me a bit. I also quite like a louder acoustic tone for quiet practice and 10s help a little with that as well.

1. An amp does not have anywhere close to the intricate adjustability of a DAW EQ. When we pick up our guitar and play through our amp we are not recording it with a mic and sending it through a DAW with a graphic EQ. 2. Rick Beato demonstrated with scientific accuracy that lighter strings (like 9s), through a distorted amp, do sound superior. If your point is that people should stop obsessing over gear and practice playing their guitar so that they get better instead... I think we all agree on that! :) For over 12 years I've been playing 10-46 sets and replacing the 10 with a 9.5. Rick Beato's video was very helpful to me because it proved that switching to a 9-42 set would give me the very present distorted sound that I am seeking and currently causes me to turn up my presence control on my amp to 7.5 and use a Blues Driver as a light boost to get... the huge bonus will be easier string bending. Of course, if they break when I bend I will go back to a 9.5 set. When I started playing in 1997 Guitar Center sold me a Fender Princeton Chorus with a distortion channel that sounded like a can of bees. There were many times where I almost literally kicked the speakers out from my frustration with the bad tone. Then I got a Johnson J-Station and ran that into it... this helped for a while, but was ultimately still too buzzy and shrill. Then I bought a Soldano Astroverb and a 2x12 cab with Vintage 30s and all my tone problems were instantly solved... particularly after I replaced the Duncan Custom TB-5 Humbucker (ceramic) in my strat with a Duncan Custom Custom TB-11 (alnico). The conclusion I have come to is that there is no reason for anyone to torture themselves with anything bigger than 9s unless their only goal is to sound like SRV through a clean amp, in which case, 11s seem to do the trick. Love your channel!!

@DarrellBraunGuitar

4 жыл бұрын

Hi! Thanks for the kind words :) Here was my main point: a person should pick a string gauge that suits their playing style - that should ALWAYS be the first priority. Picking strings for tone - even if it's the worst set for your playing style just doesn't make sense... If you have great tone, but always over bend notes, or perhaps press too hard and put notes sharp, then it doesn't matter what your tone is like, the playing will suffer, and it will be a frustrating experience. Honestly, there are 1001 ways to change the tone of an electric guitar but only a couple ways to match a person's playing style (the guitar's setup and, of course, string gauge). Think of it this way: If you play better, then you will most certainly sound better - this is why great players can sound amazing on any type of gear :) Now, once a person finds the gauge they play the best on, then choosing a string set (brand) for tone and longevity is definitely a worthy pursuit 👍 Take care, D

@StratMatt777

4 жыл бұрын

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Whoa! The man himself replies! :) I absolutely agree with every word you typed and I'm glad that you received my comment in the positive way it was intended! When I got my replacement neck with tall and skinny 6105 frets I found that I started going sharp because I had horrible technique of fretting way too hard. I used to flirt with tendonitis problems and I think that the 6105 frets forcing me to correct my technique helped me avoid tendonitis (which I was probably on a path towards). When I try out a guitar at the store I am always amazed at how effortless the playing is and how good I am on the 9s. When I go back to 9s on my next string change I may find that I go sharp and that I am too heavy handed... which is a perfect illustration of the point you are making! For me, I think that Rick Beato's video demonstrated that you get a more present distorted rhythm sound from a tube amp with lighter strings. I figure this is possibly due to the reduction of bass hitting the amp's preamp section from the smaller bass strings, or perhaps from the lighter gauge treble strings vibrating with more amplitude. Whatever it is, it sounds good to me. I think this probably only applies to amps with tube preamp sections. You have the most genuine friendly and helpful conversational personality on KZread. Thanks for the reply!

I have bad hand health and my ears never worked correctly. I've been playing light strings for years. My cat is my only audience and she doesn't seem to care what it sounds like.

The string gauge does change the tone of the guitar. Rick Beato did a great video looking at and comparing 8s through to 11s, and there was a big difference in the low end. The myth was that thicker strings gave a beefier low end, but what they actually found was that thicker strings produced a more muddy sound, and thinner strings had a tighter bottom end, much better for rock and metal. They also fit in a mix better. While I understand what you’re saying, I think you’re missing the nuance of the changes that string gauge, and even string composition, makes. The guitar is a system of interconnected parts, and each one affects the tone, even if only a little bit. I say you should always experiment, and changing your string gauge is a lot cheaper than changing your amp or guitar.

@patrickfitzgerald2861

4 жыл бұрын

Yup on all counts, especially regarding cost efficiency. The Beato piece was an eye (ear?) opener for sure! I've already switched from 10's to 8's on my LP.

@kibon8387

4 жыл бұрын

ive seen rick and rhett's videos about guitar string, but i feel theres still a flaw on the video bcs they only tested the tone. some player need higher tension the 10s or 11s give for their play style. i use 10s bcs i tune my guiitar D-C-G-F-C-D (2 step lower than standard) and i finger pick all the time. i had tried using 8s, but the tension just too loose and it buzz on some parts of the guitar.

@leeallen2301

4 жыл бұрын

@@patrickfitzgerald2861 How do you find the 8s to play? I loved the sound of them in Ricks video, but I mainly play in Eb and drop C sharp and I'm not sure if there would be enough tension on the strings with 8s

@patrickfitzgerald2861

4 жыл бұрын

@@leeallen2301 I tune standard and mostly play medium soft with a pick, so you may have a problem with those tunings. However, you watched the Beato video, and a set of EB Extra Slinkys only cost six bucks, so why not try them? They don't feel strange or wobbly to me, and I'm liking the tone too. My guess is they'll be fine for the Eb tuning at least. Good luck!

“An” interesting divide in the guitar world?? The guitar world has the most chaotic divide EVER, obsessing about everything along the chain of tone on every link from fingers, picks, strings, fingerboard, necks, scale length, nut, bridge, pickups, “tone wood”, finish, electronics, pots, cable, pedals, amps, amp placement, speakers, cabs, tubes, effects, etc. etc. ect. endlessly all the way to your ears. I can’t think of ANY single tiny variable about electric guitar that is not feverishly debated. Name ONE! 😄

@MrEric622

4 жыл бұрын

I applaud you sir. Well said.

I've been playing since 1968, and have been through every string gauge imaginable. Years ago, I settled on a hybrid gauge, based on a set of .009s, but with a .0095 High E, and .0115 B string on, all of my guitars. On my ES-175, I use flatwounds .011-.050.

When i watched Rick Beato's video I thought the same thing, it doesn't really matter. It does change tone, yeah, but you shouldn't sacrifice the right string gauge for your playing, just to have that slight change...

@darkiee69

4 жыл бұрын

But a lot of people use the wrong gauge for what they're playing 'cause someone else, who plays something copmpletelly different uses that gauge.

@Lemontheft2

4 жыл бұрын

Sebastián Encina That wasn’t really the point of the video though. He was arguing against the people that say they use 11s and higher for better tone. He said the tone is actually slightly better on lower gauges and even if it weren’t, they’re easier to play and will make you feel more comfortable on the guitar. Rhett Shull talked about switching back to thinner gauge strings in the same video because they’re more comfortable and you’re not sacrificing tone.

@sebastianencina2707

4 жыл бұрын

@@Lemontheft2 Absolutely! but I could also see that some of them (like Rhett) decided to change yo thinner gauge strings because of the tone changes (and i think he also said that he liked the feel of the 9s, but didn't want the 'thinner' tone). So you can tell that some of them used thicker strings because they thought it affected the tone that way. What i got from the video (apart from what you pointed out) is that they've been using strings for the tone, and not the feel

One of the coolest guitar channels on KZread and the hair to match:)

Yes different strnig gauges sound different but the lightest gauge of strings really minimizes the tension & facilitates good technique.

i have used them all but now I am using 08's and I love it. I tune in E and D standard. I have a very light touch for lead and heavy down picking for metal rhythm. The confort and dynamics I get from 08's is just amazing. I usually play death metal and grind with . Feel is extremely important to me, the guitar should be comfortable and a pleasure to play. I have really low action and use high gain pick ups. people should give a try to lighter gauges instead of blindly following the trend.

Great education! I heard that Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top uses a really thin guage starting with 8's for the hi "E". He says why go to the extra effort in playing. Meanwhile, SRV would use a heavy guage starting with 13's for the high "E" on some of his guitars. I wonder what Neil Young used? He would grip that Les Paul like he's holding a baseball bat. Thanks, Your other brother Darrell 😄

I've used Ernie Ball pretty much exclusively for my electric guitars. For decades, the 9-42 Super Slinky was my go-to set. Three or four years ago, though, I switched to the 9-46 Hybrid Slinky set for all my electrics and I've been quite happy with those.

@MarkPritchardGuitar

4 жыл бұрын

Marc Coté same here, having the 9’s helps get that cut but having the 46 on the bottom string keeps that low end, it’s worked for me too 👍🏻

@Lutonbodyhome

4 жыл бұрын

I used Ernie Ball for a long time but then a couple of years ago I started to get the ball ends unwinding (on more than one guitar). Switched to D'addarrios and no problems since. Anyone else noticed this?

@CR3ATIVEx

4 жыл бұрын

I'm using Elixir strings (10-52) for a couple of years now and even though they cost a bit more they are really, really solid. They are lasting several months before you have to change them.

@woolgum

4 жыл бұрын

Have you ever tried 11-52 in D standard? It’s really nice. I use that on a strat with high gain pickups. 9-42/46 is my favorite in E standard. D is a similar feel but something extra.

@woolgum

4 жыл бұрын

Sn1pZzx I use Ernie or GHS and I play between 1-3 hours per day and strings last for months. Just make sure you keep your hands clean and sometimes wipe the strings. I usually swap strings when they don’t stay in tune or feel bad. 👍🏻

Well said bro! I've been playing for over 40 yrs. and played with just about every gauge string out there and my tone never changes... I always sound like me! Lol. Now if I change the eq settings on my amp, that tone changes, but still sounds like my fingers, my touch/attack is my tone.

@matsp888

3 жыл бұрын

You will hear a difference if you use clean tone, but I guess that’s not your thing?

@MikeCindyWhite

3 жыл бұрын

@@matsp888 Mostly the Grateful Dead and a little Zeppelin

I’ve noticed LOTS of changes in tone when changing strings! ... Which all had to do with the fact that I put a fresh set of strings on there. Not the gauge. I really do agree with all you say here! So many things affect our tone, yet I so often see guitarists getting hung up on the details. We discuss tonewoods, string gauges and tubes to an almost comical degree, while I see just as many ignore their tone controls or speakers and cabs, which will have a much greater impact on the tone.

The timing of this video is very interesting haha. Almost as if it was a response to another popular video going around, though it doesn't seem to address the premise of the other video. Also, might have been nice to see some string gauge comparisons, or perhaps record a lick with one set of strings, and show that you can EQ a totally different set to sound the same.

Use a different pick.

@satamique

4 жыл бұрын

i use 1.14 for chords arpeggios melodies ( sound more clear ) and 1.50 for heavy stuff! if a song have both i'm screwed! i just bough Flow 1.35mm and i don't like it!

@jaxonvictoria4345

4 жыл бұрын

Patrick TAYLOR this is often overlooked. I’ve been using the matte Jazz IIIs for about 9 years now and when I tried the shiny Jazz III boy was that different. Currently though I switched to the Ernie Ball Prodigy Sharp and those things do a good job not detuning my strings (because I tend to play hard).

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

@@satamique I have a Flow 420, I love it for everything, I also have 1.5's and I like them just fine but the 4.20 is best for everything though

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

@@jaxonvictoria4345 I just changed from ultex Jazz 3's to Dunlops flow picks, I got the same gains from this change as I got like 15 years ago when I changed from junk picks to jazz picks.

@EisGlockner

4 жыл бұрын

I play a 6mm for everything :D

I fell for the Stevie Ray, telphone cable guage guitar string voodoo but I like the feel and sound, yes you heard me, sound of 8's and 9's. The thicker strings have a thuddy sound that I couldn't dial out, the smaller strings sound more open when amplified. Also, your wrists will thank you when you can take a gallon of milk out of the fridge without pain!!!

Fascinating demo, Darrell, and watching the software change the tone was an eye-opener. I play both acoustic and electric guitar, and it's important to me that the strings feel consistent from instrument to instrument. I've settled on string sets with 11s as the high E. They're a little heavier 1st string on the electrics and just a touch lighter on the acoustics than usual, but they feel the same to my fingertips, which affects my playing of both kinds of guitar. I'd rather the electrics feel just like my acoustic. I'm still learning about amp EQ, but I accidentally followed your advice and bought a 2nd amp (Blues Junior III) when I was unhappy with the sound coming out of my 1st one (Fishman Loudbox Performer) with a couple (but not all) of my guitars. It's made a difference I can hear. I'd love to have your amp setup, but cant' justify the expense - I'm just a guitar hobbyist.

Being able to bend the strings properly is much more important then any possible difference in tone one could get from thicker strings.

@MrZootalores

3 жыл бұрын

you get tone from understanding your amp...

@ThatBassline

Жыл бұрын

Being able to play chords properly is as important as bending, rythm playing is as if not more important as soloing.

Really appreciate the advice man. I am an avid user of Ernie Balls and 13s for a long time now. Cheers for the information

@mister_matrix

4 жыл бұрын

How do you playon 13s?????

@krisdelcid5319

4 жыл бұрын

Arnav Matrix he probably plays jazz or metal, if you were playing metal, you’d like to to have heavy strings to keep even tension. And for Jazz, you’d want to have really tight tension to not bend anything out of tune, or to resemble an acoustic guitar. I mean, SRV and Jim Adkins play 13’s too.

@mister_matrix

4 жыл бұрын

@@krisdelcid5319 hmmmm ok

@shawnnaughton3479

4 жыл бұрын

@@krisdelcid5319 as does josh smith..

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

I play 13's like anyone would play anything else, tonnes of bends and vibrato, any style anywhere anytime. I use heavy strings because I have strong hands.big bends and vibrato with my pinky. If I play light strings guitars feels soupy to me and everythings sloppy, light strings ruins every aspect of playing for me from pick attack to finger feel. I like high action too as high as I can get it without messing up intonation. I don't play metal or jazz. You choose strings and set up your guitar for comfort, tone comes from you as a guitarist, your pickups and your amp.

I have been watching your vids for a long time and this is the first time I have disagreed. Each string gauge has a different resonance and set of overtones. If you only have one string, you can eq as much as the amp’s limited eq will let you. But you have six strings. When you play more than one at a time, the combination will sound differently depending on the string gauges selected, and eq will not eliminate that with only a three band eq. How much different is a good question, but there will be a difference.

A lot of people don't seem to get the point so here's my 2 cents. In Rick Beato's video they came to the conclusion that different string gauges sound different. This is true. Darrell never disagreed with that statement, he's just trying to tell us that if you're used to playing on one gauge, you shouldn't change your strings and, implicitly, your playing style to get that different tone. You can use your amps, pedals, tone control and plugins to achieve the same end result

I just bought my first cheap electric guitar last year. Switching from acoustic to electric gave me tons of questions and this guy is breaking all the myths said to me by people. For the whole day I was watching in his YT channel. I'm looking forward for more of your videos!

When I returned to plahing after years without touching a guitar i loved super thin strings. One month later I am tired of them. Too soft. Bends are easy and lovable but the picking hand feels no resistance and the steing wobbles too much. I will test now medium strings hoping to find a good balance of softness and resistance.

It's more important which strings work best for you. Tone comes from the fingers, so I think finding the right type of strings for you can make a difference. I used to play 9s, but always thought they felt wimpy and made it hard to estimate how much pressure I was using. I switched to 10s and haven't considered going back to 9s. I think I tried 11s and thought they were too tthick. 10s are just perfect.

@rickschneider3887

Жыл бұрын

Good point. Eddie Van Halen said " Tone starts with your fingers". My philosophy is that whatever gauge is most comfortable for your playing hand is what you should choose. Whatever tonal difference there may be changing string sizes can always be adjusted with your Amp! This method has always proven true for me after 45+ years!

Since you asked about changing amps making the difference: I guess, I must have had an intuitive understanding of how things worked before really KNOWING about the reasons for why they worked. That means: Whatever gear I had - shabby boutique or pawn shop stuff in the beginning and gradually improving on quality and brands - I looked for a "sweet spot" with them all and was happy when I found one. That said, started with a shared VOX AC 30, the other guitarist claimed it, I let him have it as I couldn't pay him out, got a Peavy amp (could've been solid state, not even full tube amp, I'd have to check) and cranked the heck ouf of that one (no pedals, a TC Electronics chorus later on, which I should have never sold). Could've been a Kitty Hawk combo after the Peavy, which I continued to use for years on end as it gave me MONSTER sound (and volume until your ears started bleeding...; it was also a "back buster" because of its weight and heavy duty power amp and speaker, EV, I think). Mesa Boogie afterwards, and to this day and age, I think they're my favorite amps for just about anything aside from straight ahead Jazz (you could possibly use it for that, too, but that'd be like getting a Hummer for running errands... pardon the analogy, I'm not meaning to diminish the significance of Jazz...) So yes, the amp plays a huge role. And yet I wouldn't underrate string gauge or make either, as it can have quite a bit of influence on the way the guitar responds to your playing and hence on your tone. So, tldr; Yes, amp is important, but really other aspects contribute to the sound as well. Peace. And thanks, always good stuff on your channel!

Me - looks at string gauge vids *after* changing to 8's (after 35 years of the wrong strings for me and my dainty fingers - recently struggling with 10s *for tone*). *Personal change management process confirmed fit for purpose*. Great presentation and info as always, Darrell, thank you!

I don't think different string gauge on brand gives "better" tone, more like "different" tone. It's more personal preference on what sounds better or worse.

If you are comfortable you will play comfortable. I use to have 9’s on my Tele but changed to 10’s because I’m a bit heavy handed and when it comes to bends they feel better to my style of playing. Didn’t Hendrix and Gibbons use 8’s? Their tone is huge!!! God bless!!!

@miklu26

4 жыл бұрын

Jimi used hybrid 10-38

Guitars are just string holders. I like pretty looking ones, so I try to play those - but I don’t mistake the HOLDER as having anything to do with how what I play sounds.

Darrell you ROCK! I've been having endless discussions about the tone issues with my friends: the tonewood, the fingerboard material: maple vs rosewood, the tube vs solid state vs modellers, fingerpicking vs thick plectrum, the speakers vs cabinet wood material, handwired pickups vs stock, custom shop vs stock amps... you name it. Well it all boils down to the EQ. So easy, so simple? Now all the shops, all the marketing guys will track where you live ;-). You've ruined their carefully cooked sales pitch. To make matters worse, the other day I found a film by Philip McKnight who compares a Squier built vs MIM vs Fender Custom Shop .. .and guess what: the Squier and the Custom Shop shared the same components (ok, that was in a specific line of products, so just very few models, but still). And now you're adding to it. I expect some heated debate ;-). Right on!

In regards to @3:00, there is another factor that we don't talk about enough in the guitar community. I used to play heavy gauge strings and had a very heavy touch. Well, almost 30 years later I now have nerve damage in my left hand's fingers (index is the worse). Perhaps just advising people with a heavy touch to go for the heavy strings, as a blanket statement, might not be the best idea. Learning a lighter touch might be in order for some people. For a while I was afraid I'd have to give up playing. I eventually learned what works for me. I had to change my touch. I had to change my guitars as I found neck shape helped quite a bit; Fender's Modern C and Ibanez's Wizard works for me btw. But perhaps most importantly, I found that string gauge made a huge difference! Today I run 9's at the heaviest. I recognize that the overall point of the video is on tone but I feel that that statement in the video could have been made a little better. And to my heavy handed playing friends... honestly guys, learn a lighter touch before its too late.

@ron9509

4 жыл бұрын

Hybrids are perfect, not to thick for solos and the heavier strings are usually for power chords, guess you don't need to use much strength with them.

@emiliocurbelo8891

4 жыл бұрын

Man, what you're saying is a so overlooked but so important aspect. An analogy would be seeing some guys in the gym clearly lifting too heavy. Playing an instrument can lead to RSI and many people don't even think about the stress they are placing on their joints and tendons, especially the left hand from fingertip to elbow for guitar, which will show some years down the line. So yes, the same as with the gym analogy. many guys think playing heavier strings is "macho" and light is lame

@nikolagligorovski2234

2 жыл бұрын

You're right. I've been playing 0.13 from the start, and now i have tried 0.11 and my God...now i see the huge force and tension difference....it just aint worth it. My left hand fingers are now more than thankfull 😀

Beato made that video recently and they came to the conclusion that lighter strings had tighter bass or something. The difference was noticeable but pretty subtle, and all I could think of is that you should be able to get the same result by tweaking the EQ on the amp or pedal or whatever. But if playing lighter strings makes somebody feel better about their sound, that's exactly what they should do.

@Tim_Duran

4 жыл бұрын

Dustin Anderson Ths difference was actually pretty noticable! The lighter the strings, the more clarity the sound had. The bass pretty much stayed the same and the mids were better also. I would overall argue, the better the start of the sound chain, the better the end.

@thecman26

4 жыл бұрын

It was VERY noticeable!

@luca7x689

4 жыл бұрын

@@Tim_Duran I was really surprised to hear the difference in sound. Actually I tried thinner strings again and I realized they feel much better. Win win

@murrayrowley2900

4 жыл бұрын

Rick Beatos assessment showed quite clearly that heavier gauge strings have naturally more bottom end mud to mask clarity of higher frequencies. Lighter gauge strings have more definition and clarity. But EQ is as the name says " equalisation" so choose your favourite most playable strings then clean up with EQ.

@luca7x689

4 жыл бұрын

@@MarcoRaaphorst so how do you adjust pick up height for string gauge?

08/17/2020: For over 10-years, I have put D'Addario XL strings (EXL119-3D): 10, 13, 17, 26, 46 on my guitars. I put them on a Fender Stratocaster (Made in the USA), and on a Gretch 5420 full Hollowbody with Bigsby, and always loved the smooth feel, and no string buzzing, and no string squeaking when playing (like Acoustics guitars do). Yes, they are a little harder to hold down, and a little harder to bend strings, and they are a little more bassy. But, I love them. I bought a 2018 MIM Fender Telecaster, Players Series with Pau Ferro fret wood, and I put the Flat Wound Chromes on it. With all my guitars, I never had a problem with setting them up. Nope, no shimming the neck, etc. Routinely with any new guitar I buy, I always take a factory stock guitar set up (always bad), and set the pickup height, and then set up the bridge for string hight (3/32) and set the Intonation perfectly (I use "compensated barrels" for perfect intonation on Telecaster). Once that is done, I never have to do it again. I can put these Flat Chromes strings on, or I can switch to lighter round wound strings with no problems. Anyway, the Flat Chromes are great strings that feel smooth with no string squeaking, and no fret buzzing, and they don't wear fret notches, but a little harder to play and bend strings, and a little Bassier or duller sounding. The tone is relevant to every player's ears. I like what I hear, but many people may not. PS: with all guitars, if the player has a very hard pick attack, then he will get string buzz. Lighten up, and see how that reduces buzzing and tone.

This is what I thought when watching Beato's video. The one redeeming point in that video, though, was a corrective to the misconception that heavier strings sound better.

But Beato said we had to!

@allanwilson8878

4 жыл бұрын

He didn't

@onefatstratcat

4 жыл бұрын

oh.. go beato off.. lol

@uremawifenowdave

4 жыл бұрын

Zach Delph LOL I just commented the same thing.

@robertkorn

4 жыл бұрын

Beato absolutely did, and did a blind test. You can clearly hear a subtle difference. However to Darrell's point, you can alter the tone far more by changing the eq.

@Newnodrogbob

4 жыл бұрын

H Toner he just convinced Rhet Shull that he could use lighter strings...admittedly I haven’t seen many of his vids, but that doesn’t seem to line up logically...

Has anyone mentioned that Rick Beato just showed unequivocally that string gauge ABSOLUTELY affects the tonal characteristics of the guitar? It was fairly scientific, too.

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

affecting tonal charecteristics doesn't mean "makes it any better"

@soundscape5650

4 жыл бұрын

@@forfrigsakes3330 If you find a particular tonal characteristic better, and changing gauge brings that tonal difference, then it does by definition make it better.

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

@@soundscape5650 and if you find any other tonal characteristics better then that particular one then it by definition makes it worse.

@kitoyobeni1

4 жыл бұрын

Sure, it makes a difference. You can mimic that difference in most cases with your amp's EQ (or an EQ pedal, plug-in, etc) as well as make much more sweeping changes. I think the biggest take away from both videos is to use the string gauge that feels best to you. Even STV went to lighter strings eventually...

@rebeltuba9422

4 жыл бұрын

@@soundscape5650 Different can also mean worse.

I prefer a 9-42 set on most of my guitar's because i bend a lot and overall, it's just a comfortable set for my hands to play on. But i do have a couple of guitar's set up slightly heavier. I like having a .46 gauge bottom on my Les Paul and i have a couple of other one's set up with 10-46 or 9-46. The set up and neck shape makes them still comfortable to play. The other components involved like your amp's, etc. Really do help compensate any tonal quirks with the string's, but I really do like NYXL the best right now. A friend who owns a music store gave me some five year's ago, and i really liked the sound and playability of them. They stay in tune well and usually last a decent amount of time.

You are by far my go to guitar channel these days. No bs, considerate well thought out opinions. Always friendly good mood and in a good mood :)

Note that more ferromagnetic mass will result in greater disturbance of the magnetic field and more signal from the pickup. That's part of why your lower strings are louder than your higher unwound strings. Note as well that the stiffer the string, the less harmonic content it will have. That's why analog octave-down and octave-up boxes tend to track poorly until you're picking above the 7th fret or so - shorter string lengths are stiffer with less harmonic content to elicit mistracking. Finally, stiffer strings are easier to pick quickly because they "return-to-position" easily, and resist your pick better. Just *try* playing Misirlou with a set of .008-038. Won't happen. So, pickup *height* may need to be adjusted if you change gauges, to provide appropriate sensitivity. Amplifier tone and pedal settings may need to be changed with changes in string gauge. And lastly, the gauge needs to be a good fit for your playing style. Not just based on much or widely you bend, but also on your anticipated speed of picking..

@ronramsay8587

4 жыл бұрын

Hi. Higher-tension strings might well resist your plectrum more, but is that better? With a lighter touch it might still be viable push into the string and release it while playing fast, (unless the strings are as loose as rubber bands). And what do you mean by "stiffer strings ... return-to-position easily"???

@markhammer643

4 жыл бұрын

@@ronramsay8587 Hey, if you can do mandolin-style picking on light-gauge strings, more power to you. But stiffer strings make it easier. Indeed, even though they're fairly slender strings, because the strings are short and under fairly high tension (i.e., stiff), that's why mandolin players can engage in repetitive picking pretty much anywhere along the string. One can do similar picking on a guitar, with any gauge of string, right by the bridge, but you're confined to that particular tone. What I should have said was "don't move much", rather than "return to position". I own a Guild Tri-Oct, a hexaphonic octave divider from around 1971 or so. It comes with a proprietary hex pickup that has a footprint about the size of a P90, making it largely impossible to place near the bridge like a Roland GK1/2/3 divided pickup. The tracking is poor enough that you wonder why they ever released it. But then I realized that most players at that time would have been using stiffer heavier-gauge strings, reducing the amount of bleedthrough by staying put.

@ronramsay8587

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks @@markhammer643

Sticking to regular ol' daddario xl120s

Lol 2yrs too late but in my experience engineering guitarists almost all electric players who were seeking something in their sounds found the most satisfying improvements with addition to their rigs with good class preamps and tools like that... they seek typically richer warmer tones without going into a hallow or boom sound and it surprises me to this day how many never consider the chain and what even cheap preamps can improve... specially my favorite old skool trick was a 100 dollar presonus pre with an upgraded tube chained infront of a sonic maximizer.. it's like no matter what your rig is, it sounds like you just lifted a blanket off your cabnet.... lol.. not a very costly trick but damn sure a solid one...

In the early 80s mostly everybody played 08s. There wasn’t hardly any way to find out which ones stars like Gary Moore played. So in guitar shops we were told to play 08s because everybody did so. Today I play 10s because on KZread everybody says that one should at least take 10s. But I agree with you that turning the eq knobs is the best way to work on your sound.😊

I thoroughly enjoy Darrell’s videos but I disagree with him on this one. After watching Beatos video I decided to switch from 10’s to 9’s and I can definitely here a difference in tone, most notably clarity on the mid range. Actually Brad the Guitologist called Darrell out when he touched on this topic on his 15 guitar myths busting vid. Maybe these results won’t be the same for everyone, but it absolutely did for me, and all my guitars are now switched to 9’s. Give it a shot.. See for yourself...

@ron9509

4 жыл бұрын

When you play rock on 9's instead of 11's the sound is way thinner, it really matters I dont understand why he says that.

@RYAN-cj2fp

4 жыл бұрын

Ron Beato plays on 8’s which to me seems crazy. 11s are just too thick for liking. I’ve stuck with 9s for the past 3 months and my bends and vibrato sound much better. To each his own. Stay safe bro...

@iurigrang

3 жыл бұрын

What Darrell misses is that pre gain eq is not the same as post gain eq. Yes, you can shape the sound of your guitar to be a lot of different things with post gain eq, but there's a reason we use tube screamers in front of high gain amps instead of just eqing them later: pre gain eq matters.

Sorry Bro, Beato is right on this one. Gauge effects the tone. Amps compress at a lower threshold with higher tension strings

@Newnodrogbob

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, that’s more signal. Larger mass of metal moving near the magnets generates more signal. Play the strings that feel right and get a boost pedal.

@allanwilson8878

4 жыл бұрын

That is right, but you can effect this with an eq before the preamp.

@enricoruotolo

4 жыл бұрын

Gordon Roberts More low end is going to cause it to compress differently, it’s not just more signal. An Eq pedal can’t necessarily remove the fact that the strings are vibrating differently either

@victormats949

4 жыл бұрын

Gauge affects the tone but also feel. Playing 8s is just stupid, I bet they could adjust the frequency differences by dialing the amp or the mic placement.

@allanwilson8878

4 жыл бұрын

Enrico Ruotolo But the point of using an eq is that you can remove specific frequencies, eg the low end. I agree that it won’t be exactly the same as changing strings tho. The point about the different vibrations is exactly right, though I wonder how audible that might be.

I find 'my' tone on any piece of gear. I tweak with all the settings until it sounds the way I want it to. That way I can switch between my Rickenbacker 360 and Gibson Firebird without too much difficulty. Always end up sounding like me on whatever I use. They all sound like electric guitars after all.

Thank you Darrell! 10-46. Bought myself a tube amp Marshall DSL20. Don't like the overdriven channel - too gritty. But the clean one is wonderful. A bit of reverb, and I do not want to play metal anymore, just clean tube amp sound :) Plug in the cable, turn on and play, and there is nothing else you need.

Damn! I knew I have to get a 5150

I agree Darell, I’ve been using a 10-38 gauge for 45 years on all my electrics, Strat, Tele or my 59 RI and I use these for the feel and ease of playing. Amps matter! Thanks for another great informative video.

@stevebadachmusic

4 жыл бұрын

10-38 is my preferred as well. I know Hendrix liked it too.

Strings matter. There are many variables in shaping tone. Strings are just one of them. Most amps are limited to a few tweakable ranges. Speakers play a huge part. Pickups play a huge part. Further, tone-shaping is happening at many stages prior to the amp. You don’t just trust the amp for all of it. Everything from the guitar to every pedal in the chain matters. It’s a cocktail. As a rhythm player who uses a lot of big, expressive chords and open voicings, I’ve always found very little gear was designed with me in mind. There are many frequencies I need to tame and great versatility I need from my gear. Not having thick gauge strings does help me to tame some of the low end bloom that’s hard to control otherwise. You can overuse the Lows knob on an amp, but you sacrifice a lot of the range you want in the process. It’s just as you said-you’re taking a sledgehammer to a process which requires precision.

The recent video from a few other KZreadrs didn't really make sense to me. I cannot play 9s because they have no feel to me and I struggle with hitting the note on my bends. For me 10s are ideal on 25 to 25.5 scale length guitars (PRS and Strats / Teles). But I recently discovered 10.5 gauge strings (mega slinky by Ernie Ball specifically) that feel ideal for the shorter 24.75 scale length on my Jaguar and Les Paul. 11s were too heavy. I could not imagine playing a 24.75 with 9s. I struggle even playing 10s on them.

@P_Ezi

4 жыл бұрын

Well said

I have always used 10s or 11s, partly as I fell for the myth that thicker strings meant more tone, but two things are making me think I'll try 9s. One is I've always been a heavy player, in that I wear my frets out quickly and often break strings, but I've been consciously making an effort to apply less pressure when I play, and not hit the strings so hard. Also, I'm guessing, you saw the Rick Beato video about string gauge, and according to their "test", the thinner set had more definition when played with dirt, and I'm curious to try to see if I agree or not.

@fathermurphy218

4 жыл бұрын

same here. i switched to mid push kind of sound for everything (metal/Rock/Blues etc) about 10 years ago. Use lighter strings and copper picks i make myself. the clarity really shines when lots of gain is applied. For cleaner stuff i just roll the tone knob back a bit and bingo.

@matsp888

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, thicker strings mean more tone. Unless you're drowning it in distortion, then it won’t matter a lot, I guess. You seldom see jazz guitarists put super light strings on their instruments. Go ask them why.

Exactly how I run 10's on 24 3/4, 9's on 25 1/2 and 25. As far as amps Mesa Boogie (ps the H&K sounds good, but I really dug the Blue Angel tone better)

I just changed my strings to 8's on My Epi Les Paul Studio after watching Rick Beato and Rhett Shull's videos. Wow, what a difference!! Bending is so easy now, but have to be lighter on the touch...otherwise it's too easy to be out of tune.

I play 8’s and sometimes 7’s. I not only prefer the sound, but they feel amazing and actually make me WANT to play guitar for hours. Don’t fall prey to the “SRV 13’s string Voodoo” in reality that was a short lived experiment SRV did for about 6 months. By 1989 he was playing 10’s, and of course in Eb tuning which creates more slack.

The eq on most amps is nowhere near precise enough for what you need imho. This is why people have been using tube screamers, treble boosts and the like. I think the best tool is an eq. And if you are to use it in the way relevant to this video, eg removing too much bass caused by heavy strings, then it needs to be before the preamp. You cant do it post. It's too late then.

@chadbouterse8617

4 жыл бұрын

Maybe for the tone you like... but you can put an EQ anywhere... you can put a wah anywhere... you can put a compressor anywhere... each location will sound different, but saying you can only do something one way is ridiculous

@shawnnaughton3479

4 жыл бұрын

@@davidburke2132 agreed

@allanwilson8878

4 жыл бұрын

David Burke exactly David. You can use eq anywhere you want, but if, say, your tone is muddy because of heavy strings and you want to fix that, you want to eq before, not after, the preamp. But you can of course use eq in heaps of ways.

@allanwilson8878

4 жыл бұрын

Chad Bouterse Yep. If I had said that, that would have been ridiculous.

@DarrellBraunGuitar

4 жыл бұрын

Also something to consider (that many people forget about): There are other effective ways that don't involve processing like lowering the bass side of the pickup and lowering individual bass string pole pieces. This can work wonders on guitars with an overly bassy or boomy low end.

I like dem 9.5's.. Stable and don't feel to stiff.. just right :)

@satamique

4 жыл бұрын

well! didn't know they make 9.5 thank's i will try!

@Riverdeepnwide

4 жыл бұрын

onefatstratcat is that 9.5's that you like on a Strat we would assume?

@onefatstratcat

4 жыл бұрын

@@Riverdeepnwide well I'm not "oneobesepaulsballs" am I?lol... Actually these days I play my Roadstar 440 deluxe more than anything.. the oem hummer on it is awesome!

@onefatstratcat

4 жыл бұрын

@@satamique try I think you shall

I for one have tried changing strings to try to see if I could find THE absolutely right feeling and best playing strings... Years ago, I always have used 09-42's But just few months ago I went to 10-46's I immediately found that my style of attack and finesse while playing was forced after playing 4-5 sessions. I can't believe how different the jump from 09's to 10's was! I can't imagine how 11's would feel!!!! And 12's!!!! Eeekkk!! After playing 10's for 5-months and getting used to every single detail about them I decided to play with 9's again and found that the total control with 9's was right on. Like Darrell said, one must find the right gauge for their particular style of playing which is very true. Only once did I try 8's and right off the bat I knew that those were NOT for me! But for my taste 9's seem to be just perfect! Glad I at least gave other string gauges a try, now I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever... I would encourage folks to do the same, don't live with doubt, you may just be on the wrong string gauge and not even know it!!!!!

You have turned my thinking around on a couple guitar related subjects. This is another one. You open my eyes (ears). Thank you I enjoy your channel a lot. 👍🏻

Ernie Ball .10s and a Fender Champ 40 with my 2019 Fender Player Strat SSS.

@marcindih4570

4 жыл бұрын

Haha that's my amp and strings! Absolutely love this setup with my epiphone explorer!

@gszenderski

4 жыл бұрын

Just got my hands on a Bugera V22, can't wait to warm it up!

Some universals: lighter strings give less bassy tone. Raising the pickup thickens the sound until the magnets begin to interfere with string vibration. Lowering the pickup thins the tone. If your guitar seems to respond unevenly across the strings from low to high, try raising one side of the pickup. For example, if your guitar takes more pick strength on the treble side to get the same volume as the bass strings, try raising the treble side bit by bit (not a lot at once) or lowering the bass side.

I use 11-49 but I am not a professional playing for hours every week, just a backyard hack. This is a very rational and reasoned approach and I am shocked. You know, when you've been sitting in the dark and someone turns a very bright light on. Thanks🤘

After watching a video of the great Billy Gibbons talking about his gear & people who influenced him, I have used lighter strings since. Used to use 10's or 11's on many of my guitars. But after hearing Billy quote what he was once told by the legendary B.B. King, "always play the lightest strings you are comfortable playing, don't make your fingers work so hard using heavier strings", I have since switched to 8's & 9's on all my guitars, with the use of 9.5's on one. 8-38's or hybrid 9-40's I now use, have just as great of tone, & are much easier on the fingers, all it took was some neck & pickup adjustment, & of course some amp fine tuning, & the tones sound just the same. I was pretty surprised when I learned Billy uses 8's, but now I see why & highly recommend anyone give lighter strings a shot. Your fingers will thank you. \m/

Me, using 11s for tone and my playing style Fear me

@andrey901

4 жыл бұрын

When you will be use 13s gage, your guitar will be look like a bow.

@nothingheretowatch7371

4 жыл бұрын

Mick or Jim ?

@tehalexy

4 жыл бұрын

@@andrey901 hahaha thanks for that comment :D 13s @ 25.5" and E Standard could really work as a bow :D

I wish guitar players would stop talking about tone so much and just practice.

@DADSGETNDOWN

3 жыл бұрын

Without good and proper tone, you suck, no matter who you are or what you play, how good or bad you are.

@bazjaddley6369

3 жыл бұрын

@@DADSGETNDOWN nope. Great players often make junk sound great. Charlie parkers plastic sax.. those african street drummers with cracked cymbals and ripped snare heads! Performance is king. Shite in=shite out. Not saying tone is not important but a bad player with great gear and gonna inspire anyone

@DADSGETNDOWN

3 жыл бұрын

@@bazjaddley6369 These are two different points. And ofcourse a great player can play junk and make it not sound like a junk player playing junk or so much like junk. And a junk player isn't going to inspire anyone so to speak, although one could say, I am not going to play or sound like that and set that goal.

@janeteppers6584

11 ай бұрын

Of course we should. I was never a gear head. I had my big muff,delay,chorus. Within today becoming “successful “ is not on the stage. It’s within KZread. This allows us to be our own company/label. So I won’t be the next Elliott smith or become huge. What I can do tho I’d have a sound I love and work towards When I see Eric Johnson and more on YT I always see in the comment “I’ll never be able to do that” which is upsetting I never ONCE uttered those words. I’ve always said “I CANT WAIT until I can do that” so chasing the “Tone” is at times 90% useless but it’s fun

@CoolGuyAtlas

7 ай бұрын

Old comment, but tone is important for your own enjoyment and when making music. If your guitar doesn't sound good to you you won't feel inspired or have as much fun playing as you could. For making music yeah you can have garbage tone and hope they can fix it in post or have the sound guy deal with it, but then you're just being lazy and putting the work off to someone else.

Favorite string gauge: Everley Rockers 10 - 46 on 1990 LP Standard. Favorite amp dream: Same one I have (line 6 pod pro rackmount, qsc power amp, hughes & kettner 4x12) lasting another 15 years. Ooorah!

What a significant piece of info for me right now as I just got my first baritone (28”) and i’m trying to figure out the best set for A standard/drop G. Thanks Darrell.

Hey, I'm a contractor and I use my drill as a hammer all the time....

@mark78750

4 жыл бұрын

I use my hammer as a drill.

@shawnnaughton3479

4 жыл бұрын

@@mark78750 love it

@forfrigsakes3330

4 жыл бұрын

Buy a hammer drill and get the best of both worlds.

@gordon4385

4 жыл бұрын

You sound legit to me.

Thank you, Darrell! I've had my first guitar for just over 2 weeks and I freakin love it! Been learning stuff and practicing every day since I got it. Thank you, brother! Without your channel, I'd never have even thought about buying a guitar and learning to play. 🤙👍👍 Thank you!

@DarrellBraunGuitar

4 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! Welcome aboard 😁

@J__C__

4 жыл бұрын

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Thanks, Darrell! To say that Duane Allman is my biggest inspiration to learn to play would be an understatement. It's going fairly well, so far 👍 that and my Dad named me after him, so...yea. Same spelling and everything 😆🤘🤙❤️

I just thought I'd add another Guitar String Myth about Heavier Strings Vs Lighter strings. Some people claim that Lighter strings get more fret buzz than Heavier strings when using very Low action. I used to Play 13's because I want as low of action as possible, But when I switched down to 10's after seeing this video I saw no Difference in fret buzz on my guitar. Because my guitar was set up just right and the truss rod was perfectly set it gives me the same results. I have a very light picking style and I use thicker Beveled picks, so it creates a smooth pluck on the string with minimal string warbling. Pick type, material and picking style also affect your tone as well!

2:34 da wae

Sorry dude but Beato, Rhett and Dave Friedman are right on this....your string gauge changes the interaction between you, your guitar and your amp. Dragging the EQ of a recorded signal they way you showed is a red herring and misses the point of what the recent string discussion is about.

@DarrellBraunGuitar

4 жыл бұрын

Here is the main point: Forcing yourself to use a string gauge that you like the tone of, but may not suit your playing style, is totally counterproductive. Pick a gauge based on your touch and playing style, and you will sound better, because you will be playing better :) There are 1001 ways to change your tone - don't force a string gauge change when it may not be needed. When it comes to sting gauge, it's all about finding the right fit for your style. Tone should not even be in the conversion (until a gauge is picked, then trying out different brands for tone and longevity is a great idea)

@Measuringman

4 жыл бұрын

Mister Tee EQ introduces phase, which is delay. It is fundamentally changing the tone in a completely different way than changing the string gauge. And engineer worth their salt tries to get something right before the microphone records it because EQ has its issues with tone. Also amp eqs and pedal even don’t even have finite enough control. But different gauge strings do interact with the guitar, wood, pickups, electronics and your fingers in ways that would change the tone in ways fundamentally different than EQ. Beato didn’t day lighter is better, just ‘tighter’, read less, in the bass. So if that’s what your shooting for try it. But I don’t play light strings cause I play real heavy. But I sorta wish I could. But it’s not as important as how I bash my guitar around to me. Daryl is being a bit needlessly strict about his assertion. gauge changes tone. Along with a bajillion other things. They all interact. I personally like to get it as close so that my EQ is doing as little heavy lifting as possible. But the speaker, the tubes, the pots, the cable are all part of it.

@MisterTee

4 жыл бұрын

Darrell Braun Guitar That’s another strawman Darryl. Nobody Is being forced to be anything. What the videos you aren’t understanding are saying is ‘if don’t like the tone coming out your amp’...not your recording console, a simple tweak like going up or down a gauge will give you a noticeable change in the way your map sounds. Yes, you can get a new amp but the added mids, reduced bass and zinger sound you get from 9-42 rather than 10’s or 11’s may be all you need to do. You are making it sound like a string gauge change is some sort of Herculean effort when it’s actually an easy thing to try. Also a player can adapt to any gauge....it’s not some huge pain in the ass. And brands will make way less of a difference than gauge or material when discussing strings and tone

Picks (thickness, material, size etc), or pick vs fingers, can affect the tone far more than string gauges, just get a good quality brand and play! It's all in the hands.☯️

Rick Beato just did a video on strings. Strings actually do change the tone. Not much, and you can balance is back with pedals and knobs but they do effect your tone slightly.