Which super light weight strings?

[trader56]

A suggestion was made to me that I use Super or Extra Light-weight strings, as this might be easier on my hands as they get back into shape after so many years off. It was said that this would be particularly helpful with Barre chords and on the lower nmubered frets.

 

Which of this type of stings do yuo guys like best?

Any particular brand you'd recommend?

 

Thanks again to the board's many experts for your time and help!

 

Dave

[Derrick1642607670]

I play DR's and Gibsons, try some gibson brite wires or DR tite fits.

[rgordon83]

i would say not to use super light weight strings for a few reasons:

 

1. If you have not played in a while you will want to build your strength. Light strings won't do any good for this. It may take a few more days to get used to som 10's or 11's over 8's or 9's. But it will help build your strength.

 

2. if you switch to super light strings you will have to have your guitar set up to match the tension, then if you go heavier later on you will have to have it set up again. why waist the money?

 

3. Super light strings just don't have good tone.

 

4. If the only reason you want light strings is so you can play a ba chord or two, well that seems a little lazy (sorry). Just take some time to practice and strengthen your hands and you will be able to play fine on 10's or 11's

 

it's just my two cents....

[God of War]

Your reasons for using super light strings may be faulty. The ability to play on the lower frets & Barre chords has more to do w/ how the guitar is set up, particularly how high the action is. I use D'Addario 09s, but I bend a lot. The Ernie Ball Slinkys in the same gauge work as well.

[Oyster]

I play DM Blue Steel XL's, and they have wonderful tone. Wow.

[GuitarPlayerFL]

It's not just the overall outside diameter that affects playability, it's the inner core that has a lot to do with it.

 

Dean Markley strings, for example, have a thicker inner core than D'Addario, so they feel stiffer for the same gauge. Try some D'Addarios.

 

Personally, I think you should just use regular .010s and build your strength up.

It won't take that long.

[fantasticsound]

I'm with rgordon83 and GuitarPlayerSoCa. Little kids play with 10's. Unless you have severe arthritis I can see no reason to use 9's unless you're doing so to stay with them. I've always found 9's (and certainly 8's) to be too elastic at pitch. They're hard to keep in tune unless your touch is extremely light. Just my experience, though.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

intonation with thin strings is just too stupidly bad. Particularly the G string.

 

It is not the high E, but the other strings. Markley makes a stainless steel string that has some decent weight in the mid strings yet ends up in a 9 that is not too bad, but I still prefer 10s. I used to make up custom sets, with 11, 14, 18 to 20 solid (for intonation), 28, 38, 48 to 50.... but it just got to be too much trouble.

 

The real key towards getting back into shape is just to work back into it rather than beat yourself up.

 

Bill

[Hardtail]

Just get some 10s and play everyday.

[Bluesape]

I'll say it yet again: 8's sound fine, and are faster and easier. The hype about strings needing to be heavy to sound good applies to gear older than your parents, and only to flat clean settings. I'm a large guy with well above average hand strength, and I still prefer 8's, because I've learned to incorpoprate their springiness into my playing style, with wild bends and, at times, extreme speed.

 

In other words, there is no universally correct guage for all styles, just as there is no one ideal guitar. Find what you like, and don't be swayed by opinions that may be about someone else's ideal.

[trader56]

Thanks, Guys!

 

You all make good points! I've got some buddies that play different things, so maybe I'll try their set-ups and see which feels best.

 

I appreciate everyone's input!

 

Dave

[caprae]

I was waiting for Reif to weigh in on this.

[Bluesape]

[Professor Monkey]

Hehe.. I used the heaviest gauage blue steel stirngs on my squier strat in my 2nd month of guitar.. It hurt.. but now I can play the XLs regulars on my ESP easily.