Recommended strings for Epipone SG Special

[zipperkarting]

Hi guys
This is my first post as I have just purchased a used, but immaculate, Epiphone SG Special.
Does anyone have any particular recommendations for the best strings as I am going to restring it.
Also someone commented that the tuners were not he best so should I change them before restringing.
Thank you

 

[DrBGood]

Welcome to the SG family zipper, you'll find tons of good info and opinions here, enjoy the ride.

Tuners are fine on it. Looks like you're a newbie, so the easiest string will be what you need. I suggest Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-42, which are also not expensive.

Make sure you lock the strings on the posts, so they will not slip.

 

[donepearce]

You don't buy strings for a guitar model. You buy them for your own taste.

 

[Go Nigel Go]

Strings as noted above are a matter of personal choice, and most guitars will handle whatever your preference is if properly set up. I will second the Ernie Ball Super Slinky .009-.042, but full disclosure, they also happen to be my personal choice for just about every electric guitar I own. I won't try to claim they are objectively superior, but they are my favorites and will for sure work on your Epiphone with zero issues.

Regarding the tuners, if they are not damaged in some way they should be fine. Were the recommendations you got from people who personally inspected your guitar and pointed out some flaw or damage, or were they random internet advice? If someone can show you the problem I might consider replacing the damaged parts, but otherwise I would use them as is until you find your own reasons for making the change.

If you start swapping parts to please random internet "experts" you will spend a fortune and wind up with a drawer full of parts that are perfectly fine but don't match someone else's laundry list of perfect bits. I'm not saying don;t mod your guitar, I'm just saying don't do it without a reason of your own to solve issues you have identified yourself. No issue? No problem.

 

[donepearce]

I hadn't spotted the question about tuners when I posted about strings. Epiphone tuners are just fine. If you find any tuning stability problems, the issue is always with the nut, never the tuners.

 

[DrBGood]

Strings as noted above are a matter of personal choice, and most guitars will handle whatever your preference is if properly set up. I will second the Ernie Ball Super Slinky .009-.042, but full disclosure, they also happen to be my personal choice for just about every electric guitar I own. I won't try to claim they are objectively superior, but they are my favorites and will for sure work on your Epiphone with zero issues.

Regarding the tuners, if they are not damaged in some way they should be fine. Were the recommendations you got from people who personally inspected your guitar and pointed out some flaw or damage, or were they random internet advice? If someone can show you the problem I might consider replacing the damaged parts, but otherwise I would use them as is until you find your own reasons for making the change.

If you start swapping parts to please random internet "experts" you will spend a fortune and wind up with a drawer full of parts that are perfectly fine but don't match someone else's laundry list of perfect bits. I'm not saying don;t mod your guitar, I'm just saying don't do it without a reason of your own to solve issues you have identified yourself. No issue? No problem.

Very well put, couldn't have said it better. I too have those strings everywhere.

 

[Col Mustard]

Welcome to ETSG

As an Epiphone owner, you'll soon learn to ignore all Epiphone bashers. IMHO there's way too much of that on many internet fora.
People repeat something somebody else wrote because they think it makes them sound knowledgable and cool.

It does not. Anyway, my suggestion is to use the guitar as it is for a good long spell, except for changing strings. You've got plenty of choices about what gauge of string to use. You could try a different gauge every time you change strings... until you find the set that sounds best and feels best and enhances your playing. Then buy a ten pack when you see them go onside. Guitars always sound better with new strings.

My recommendation for you and your new SG is to take it to the best luthier you can find or afford. Ask local pro guitarists where they take their axes for service. Later on you can study how to set the instrument up yourself.

But for the beginning I recommend professional work. Epiphones respond really well to setup, and this will enhance your SG experience
all out of proportion to the cost (which isn't cheap). Get your Epi set up by a pro, and soon you'll be wanting to do it to your other guitars.
*grins

Also, remember the ETSG motto:

PICTURES, OR IT
NEVER HAPPENED

 

[Les’s Nemisis]

I believe the stock strings would be a .010 to -.046 (aka 10-46) set. They are my preference. I find .009's to be a bit thin sounding on a Gibson scale.

If you can't decide between .009 and .010 sets, Ernie Ball has a .0095 (9.5 to 46) "Turbo Slinky" set that runs right up the middle and is nicely balanced along the way.

 

[DrBGood]

I find .009's to be a bit thin sounding on a Gibson scale.

I wonder how thin do thin strings sound. Do Billy Gibbons guitars sound thin to you ?

 

[donepearce]

.009" sounding thin is like blue amps sounding cool. It's all in the mind.

 

[DrBGood]

... is like blue amps sounding cool.

They're not ?
Awww ...

 

[NMA]

is like blue amps sounding cool. It's all in the mind.

Not in the mind. It's in the tubes, the speaker, the cabinet construction....
Though not my favorite amp, my blue amp can sound cool.

 

[NMA]

I believe the stock strings would be a .010 to -.046 (aka 10-46) set. They are my preference. I find .009's to be a bit thin sounding on a Gibson scale.

Yup, go with the stock .010s. Stick with what Gibson recommends. In a few months after you've had some experience playing that guitar, then you can try something different.

These are the stock strings Gibson puts on, and they also happen to be fantastic strings. Have a nice trebly bite. I love them on my SG.

 

[Hector]

NYXLs work great, it's really down to your personal preference though...

In terms of size, take a look at this:

 

[plankton]

Welcome to the forum and SG ownership!

Personally I prefer 10-46 on my 24.75" scale guitars, but as mentioned it's all down to personal taste. I don't know about any differences in tone, but changing gauge sizes will affect the feel, with thinner strings feeling looser.

I used Ernie Ball strings for awhile but found they got "dead" sounding rather quickly. I've switched to D'Addario which seem to sound better for longer.

 

[Les’s Nemisis]

Yup, go with the stock .010s. Stick with what Gibson recommends. In a few months after you've had some experience playing that guitar, then you can try something different.

These are the stock strings Gibson puts on, and they also happen to be fantastic strings. Have a nice trebly bite. I love them on my SG.


View attachment 47893

I used to use Gibson Strings but they're no longer available at retail. Plus, I try to stick with $6 strings.

Welcome to the forum and SG ownership!

Personally I prefer 10-46 on my 24.75" scale guitars, but as mentioned it's all down to personal taste. I don't know about any differences in tone, but changing gauge sizes will affect the feel, with thinner strings feeling looser.

I used Ernie Ball strings for awhile but found they got "dead" sounding rather quickly. I've switched to D'Addario which seem to sound better for longer.

I'll have to monitor the Ernie's I just bought for that. D'Addarrio seem to lack a little on the Treble side IME.

My preferred strings are GHS Boomers. Bright, seem to last, not expensive so I can change them fairly often.

 

[plankton]

I used Boomers back in my teen years, simply because I think I read that Randy Rhoads used them. They're not as common down here, especially the bulk packs, but I might have to try some soon.

 

[DrBGood]

Who thinks zipperkarting will ever come back to read all this ?

 

[3bolt79]

I would say use the factory 10-46 gauges. As far as D’Addario, Ernie Ball, GHS, and other really common available brands go, any of them would be fine.

I use EB, because I like the packaging better. I don’t like how the D’Addarios all come lumped in the same god awful plastic bag. I had used D’Addario for many years, but dealing with how the strings are packaged is just a mess for me.

 

[TChalms]

I hadn't spotted the question about tuners when I posted about strings. Epiphone tuners are just fine. If you find any tuning stability problems, the issue is always with the nut, never the tuners.

I wouldn't make such a blanket statement. My Epi G-310 (made in China in '08) wouldn't stay in tune for a minute. I changed the nut, it got a little better. I changed the tuners and now it stays in tune just fine. So, not all Epi tuners are just fine. I suppose that the more recent tuners are better, but the ones from China in '08 were rubbish.