Guitar String Gauges... what works best for you?
Do you use a set that's right out of the package or do you like to mix them up?
I use light gauge (12 - 53) on the acoustic guitars as I tend to play a lot of improvise a lot of lead guitar lines when I fingerpick. Between doing that and bending the strings up to a whole step the light gauge is easier on my fingers.
However, on the instruments set up for slide guitar I use a medium set and swap out the E (13) for a (14)... as I find it does improve the overall tone. I tend to tune those guitars down to D, D6, Dm, G, and Gm. In doing so I also swap out the 3rd string (26) for a (24) as going back and forth between those tunings tended to exhaust the higher gauge.
I have a couple of parlor guitars from the 30’s. I’ll use custom lights on those - 11 - 52.
Finally, my 12 string guitars are strung with mediums (12-52) and tuned down 2 whole steps to get that Blind Willie McTell - Leadbelly sound.
My dread’s which I use for bluegrass are strung with a mix of light and medium gauge strings... 12, 16, 25, 35, 45 and 56. Basically it’s just a medium gauge set with light gauges for the 1st and 2nd strings... as I like to bend those strings from time to time but also enjoy the beefier sound of medium gauges in the bass.
Some folks use different string gauges depending on the wood the guitar’s built from. They’ll use various combinations to suit their ear depending on whether the top is built from spruce, cedar or mahogany and the many variations of wood used as sides and back. For some reason my cedar 12 fret guitar responds fairly well to a medium set of strings tuned down to DADGAD. I’m not sure why, but it sounds a bit fuller with that combination of gauges and tuning.
There's really no hard and fast rule as to what to use. It's worth your while to experiment and see what works best for you.
As a by line... I like D’Addarios. I’ve been using them since the early 70’s when they used to be called Darco New Yorker.
Toby Walker
However, on the instruments set up for slide guitar I use a medium set and swap out the E (13) for a (14)... as I find it does improve the overall tone. I tend to tune those guitars down to D, D6, Dm, G, and Gm. In doing so I also swap out the 3rd string (26) for a (24) as going back and forth between those tunings tended to exhaust the higher gauge.
I have a couple of parlor guitars from the 30’s. I’ll use custom lights on those - 11 - 52.
Finally, my 12 string guitars are strung with mediums (12-52) and tuned down 2 whole steps to get that Blind Willie McTell - Leadbelly sound.
My dread’s which I use for bluegrass are strung with a mix of light and medium gauge strings... 12, 16, 25, 35, 45 and 56. Basically it’s just a medium gauge set with light gauges for the 1st and 2nd strings... as I like to bend those strings from time to time but also enjoy the beefier sound of medium gauges in the bass.
Some folks use different string gauges depending on the wood the guitar’s built from. They’ll use various combinations to suit their ear depending on whether the top is built from spruce, cedar or mahogany and the many variations of wood used as sides and back. For some reason my cedar 12 fret guitar responds fairly well to a medium set of strings tuned down to DADGAD. I’m not sure why, but it sounds a bit fuller with that combination of gauges and tuning.
There's really no hard and fast rule as to what to use. It's worth your while to experiment and see what works best for you.
As a by line... I like D’Addarios. I’ve been using them since the early 70’s when they used to be called Darco New Yorker.
Toby Walker
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