SG String Guage

[Dave]

8s on all my guitars.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Thanks! Great to be here, can already tell there's a lot of knowledge on these boards!

Welcome Iosador, Oh yeah, there is a ton of experience and knowledge on these boards. Some folks are monster players, expert luthiers, expert electronics engineers, and some who know amps and recording etc etc.

Then there are newbies and all manner of folks. Welcome here.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

EB10's here. I have a gorilla's touch and will pull a 10 out of tune without even trying. 9's might work on some of my guitars but I would have to work to get used to them.

 

[losador]

Welcome Iosador, Oh yeah, there is a ton of experience and knowledge on these boards. Some folks are monster players, expert luthiers, expert electronics engineers, and some who know amps and recording etc etc.

Then there are newbies and all manner of folks. Welcome here.

Thanks, and it's great to be here! Yes I can see already there are people who really know their stuff here.. And thanks all for the responses on this.. it does fascinate me, different people's experiences with their guitars. I'm 11's all the way on everything - apart from my SG! Just looking at this thread it seems most people tend to prefer a particular string gauge and stick with it, but there are some who do vary by guitar..

 

[Chuteboxehero]

I've been very happy with the EB 9.5's. Pretty much works on any scale length that I have encountered. I used 10s for years on a Gibson but I've started to get arthritis in my first finger of my fretting hand so I'm trying to go a little easier. The 9.5s don't feel too slinky.

 

[Neil from Ottawa Canada]

Wow I didn't know EB made 9.5s, will try them! I have a prejudice regarding EB strings...stupidly I guess...because the Slinkies Super Slinkys I used in the 1970s broke alot. I've been using 10s for years but threw on 9s on one guitar (Fender MIM HH Blacktop) and loved the feel for blues soloing.

 

[Col Mustard]

I agree that Fender scale feels better and plays better with one gauge
lighter than what you prefer on a Gibson scale.

I started out with 11s on my first SG, partly because it was the first electric guitar
I'd bought since I was a LOT younger, and I'd been playing acoustic and bass with
much fatter strings. I'm still playing 11s on that '08 SG, and it's 12 years later.

I stuck with the 11s because they sound so beautiful on that guitar. Reason enough.
But I bought another SG in 2013, and that one was issued with tens. I put 11s on it
because I was used to them, but kept wondering... so finally I bought a ten pack of tens
and tried them, and was delighted. They sound great and are easy to play, and
they stay in tune.... which is another reason I started with heavier strings. I wanted
tuning stability, and was having some problems getting it.

I learned a lot about tuning stability, owning a stable of electric guitars eventually.
So I'm not afraid of using the lighter gauges, and I use tens on my Epiphone ES-339,
and on my Fender Telecaster, and on my 2012 sg special. Highly recommended.
I've never used anything lighter than tens.

I actually have no problems playing the 11s on my original SG special, which is the best
guitar of any kind that I have ever played. I've modded this instrument until it's just
the way I want it, and it sounds so incredible that I don't want to mess with anything else now. Nothing left to do with Luna but play her. And she responds so well.

So the answer is yes, some guitars respond better to heavier strings, some play
better with lighter gauges. Down tuning indicates heavier strings, to avoid clatter.

 

[Biddlin]

some guitars respond better to heavier strings, some play
better with lighter gauges.

I have two 2014 Les Paul Melody Makers that came with 9-46 Gibson Brite Wire strings. One is now strung with my usual 9-42 NYXLs, but the other still has light top-heavy bottom strings. Tonally there is little difference. I can get a little bit lower action (less neck relief) on the lt. top-hvy-bottom because of the minimally greater pull of the bottom strings. I string my 25.5" scale guitars with 7-36, no noticeable difference in bass range but the top end sizzles and bends go up as high as you like. Wrap and core seem to make more difference in tone than diameter. jmho

 

[KelvinS1965]

Wow I didn't know EB made 9.5s, will try them! I have a prejudice regarding EB strings...stupidly I guess...because the Slinkies Super Slinkys I used in the 1970s broke alot. I've been using 10s for years but threw on 9s on one guitar (Fender MIM HH Blacktop) and loved the feel for blues soloing.

They've only recently started I think. I've been using 9.5 D'Addarios on my Fenders for a long time, but noticed EB in 9.5 gauge when looking recently. They also do a version that had got 9.5 on the higher strings and the bottom strings are the same gauges as their 10 gauge.

The 'normal' 9.5 gauge are called 'Primo Slinky' and the ones with the heavier bottom strings are called 'Turbo Slinky'.

This is the range here:
https://ernieball.co.uk/guitar-stri...nickel-wound-electric-guitar-strings/6-string

Back to the OP: I use EB 'Regular Slinky' 10s on my SG, with the tail piece raised up so that the strings don't catch on the back of the bridge. I find these slinky enough for my taste, but for some reason my Les Paul 60s Tribute suits the EB 'Ultra Slinky' 10s which have heavier bottom strings.

Funny thing is that years ago I just used to put 9s on everything; I think I'm getting fussy in my old age.

 

[Robert Nunn]

I use 10's on my Gibsons (and topwrap) and 09's on my Fender style guitars (D'Addarios)

 

[Retrop]

For standard tuning on Gibson scale I use 10-46 and for Fender scale I use 9.5-44. For anything below standard (i.e. 1/2 step down) I go up a gauge.

 

[John Hanson]

I use the 9 gauge fender bullet end strings. They sound and feel great, and the bends are easy. I've tried lots of other brands, but those work best for me.

 

[Go Nigel Go]

I also use EB super slinky 09's on everything. String selection is of course very subjective, based on comfort and playing style etc, so I will only state my preference with the caveat that your mileage may vary...