Do Most Guitarists Play 9s?

[Nevets]

I just put 9s on one of my Jazzmasters. Feels good!

[garyptaszek]

They kind of suck for power chords or punk.

Disagree. They rule for power chords and punk. You can bash the shit outta the strings and they a) stay in tune and b) don't break.

Source: me, 40yrs old and still playing power chord punk every day, on heavy strings.

can confirm.

Honestly I have never considered using heavy strings a dick measuring contest. I grew up playing most acoustic guitar, and a friend of mine recommended that I use heavier strings on electric (I didn't even know about there being different string gauges at this time).
I experimented with a bunch of different string gauges, tunings etc. I use the strings I use because they feel most comfortable to me. The sound of the strings isn't even something I consider.
I would find it more difficult to play a guitar with lighter strings and feel that it would take more effort for me to play accurately.

[DeathJag]

They kind of suck for power chords or punk.

Disagree. They rule for power chords and punk. You can bash the shit outta the strings and they a) stay in tune and b) don't break.

Source: me, 40yrs old and still playing power chord punk every day, on heavy strings.

Yeah copy that. I was speaking just for my experiences trying to play surf leads and then a 4-chord punk song with the same pick. I guess I forgot about when I was younger playing a strat with 12 - 54s! Same strat that ended up warped. Do you use a soft or hard pick? I find strumming sounds so much better with a thinner pick, but the 1.0mm is my go to for the surf stuff. The fat pick seems to jam up the strum and make certain strings wham louder. I pound the shit out of my strings for the most part, because I like how they sound and like you say, they can take it.

I also love the extra tension, I love that. So I happily stand corrected - fat strings are good for everything! I guess I was trying to be generous, big mistake.

So sorry about the hand thing. That sucks. I have some nerve damage that comes and goes and the thick strings do hurt it, as do the thin ones. I have to do desensitization exercises to make that go away, but it always seems to come back. Only in my fretting first finger.

This thread reminded me of how much better it always sounded when I went up, so I ordered and just received my custom sets - .0135 - .060! I'll be filing the nut and adjusting the truss rod on that Squier jag to see if I like em. I bet I will.

EDIT: I do! I absolutely love how this set feels. It's easily the most balanced set and all the strings are as loud and firm as the next. I am so happy. It's D'Addario nickel wounds .0135 / .020w / .026 / .034 / .046 / .060

Now I have a bunch of strings I'll never use. Get ready for another "free stuff" post soon.

[shoegaze_head]

Can't speak for anyone else but I always use 10 to 52s on my JM/strats, and I've swapped between 11s and 10s on my jag, not decided yet. 9s don't feel like theres enough string for me to grip

[JSett]

Do you use a soft or hard pick? I find strumming sounds so much better with a thinner pick, but the 1.0mm is my go to for the surf stuff. The fat pick seems to jam up the strum and make certain strings wham louder. I pound the shit out of my strings for the most part, because I like how they sound and like you say, they can take it.

I use the Tortex orange ones. I think those are, what, 0.6mm? Kinda soft I guess but still with a little resistance. I do wear them down pretty quickly. If I go too light on the string guage I find my left hand can hit them so hard they detune as the note is hit a little, especially the lower strings. That and gripping too hard can pull them sharp. Easier for me, and my hamfisted playing style, to just stay on a heavier guage.

I could probably play lighter strings but I'd have to consciously play much softer and I know I'd get over-excited and end up whacking them anyway I very rarely play and kind 'lead' stuff or soloing but, when I do, I don't struggle to bend up a couple of semitones with them.

[efiug]

I also prefer a heavier gauge string with a light pick, bought a pack of the red dunlops once for a bit of a laugh and I ended up really liking how they sounded on power chords and the like. I feel like with heavier picks if I strum too hard its gonna fly out of my hand and then a really thin pick doesn't really play nice with light strings because the pick and the strings don't stay in place. Big strings feel nicer under the fingers for me.

[danbind]

11's on the Jag, the D'addario nickel wound light top/heavy bottom (10-52) on everything else

[garyptaszek]

yep, another heavy strings and light picks guy here. Orange Tortec, sometimes Dunlop Nylon .88 but not so much recently. Depending on the guitar it'll be 12-54 (tele) 12-60 (Jazzmaster).

[Britfingersisback]

11 or 12s. Never anything less.

[thisisnickpaige]

I love things like this, it’s all what you know and are comfortable with. Like most I started punk or rock so heavy strings. Went to Skin Top heavy bottoms cause my friend was into Blink182 and that’s what Tom used, so we had to as well. But I also started on bass, and my seasoned Boston punk rock friend told me, “ no, if you want that sound it’s a heavy pick you need”.

Now a days a red Jazz III or the M3 green one, and mostly 9-42s I put set of 9-46s on my SG and that feels stellar. But I’ve seemed to settle on pure nickel round cores as a rule of thumb. Took some time getting use to, almost gave up, but now I’ve developed a softer touch and I can’t say I’m goin back.

[CaptainCrunch]

I bought a gigantic like 50pk "Stupid Deal Of The Day" of D'Addario 9's over a decade ago and I still haven't gone through it. I put those on 25.5", 10's on Gibson scale, and 12 or heavy bottom 11 on 24" guitars. I put a set of 13's on my old SG after it was redone, for that "ye olde tyme feele" since that's what it likely had new, and it's just not pleasant to play.

Should just tune it down to C-something and play Sabbath riffs.

[JSett]

I bought a gigantic like 50pk "Stupid Deal Of The Day" of D'Addario 9's over a decade ago and I still haven't gone through it. I put those on 25.5", 10's on Gibson scale, and 12 or heavy bottom 11 on 24" guitars. I put a set of 13's on my old SG after it was redone, for that "ye olde tyme feele" since that's what it likely had new, and it's just not pleasant to play.

Should just tune it down to C-something and play Sabbath riffs.

Jeez, your body pH must be really kind on strings. I go through 20 sets a year just on my #1. Two weeks and they're already dying.

I probably buy 70-100 sets of strings a year (and I only have a small collection of guitars!)

[garyptaszek]

I bought a gigantic like 50pk "Stupid Deal Of The Day" of D'Addario 9's over a decade ago and I still haven't gone through it. I put those on 25.5", 10's on Gibson scale, and 12 or heavy bottom 11 on 24" guitars. I put a set of 13's on my old SG after it was redone, for that "ye olde tyme feele" since that's what it likely had new, and it's just not pleasant to play.

Should just tune it down to C-something and play Sabbath riffs.

Jeez, your body pH must be really kind on strings. I go through 20 sets a year just on my #1. Two weeks and they're already dying.

I probably buy 70-100 sets of strings a year (and I only have a small collection of guitars!)

wash your hand you filthy grunger!

[Larry Mal]

I used to play 9s then one day I began noticing that I was more comfortable playing my acoustic guitars so I went up to 11s. Now I just use whatever is called "medium" on whatever instrument I'm stringing, so 13s on acoustic at this point.

It occurred to me that I don't really bend strings as such that I would need light gauge strings. And the heavier strings can kind of control for some slop in my playing in that I'm not pulling the strings sharp inadvertently.

[JSett]

wash your hand you filthy grunger!

Ain't got time, they're always on your mum