Kendrix Posted September 9, 2001 Share Posted September 9, 2001 Hey This got lost deep in the bowels of the favorite solo thread so I thought I'd resurrect it as a new topic here. K --- Tedster, Thanks for being such a good host with the welcome note. (Either that or you must have wayyyy too much spare time) Actually I had been active on these EQ forums under anopther name prior to the guitar forum poping up.. Been hybernating for a while... got a new internet service/e-mail - so I've changed my identity. Enuf of that Hey any opinions on the optimim of string diameter when trying to get tone similar to J. Becks. Sometmes his stuff sounds very loose / like a slinky string Other passages not so. I know.. I know... It's all in the fingers but... How do you guitarist deal with the tradeoff of heavier strings/better intonation, against slinkier strings/a more fuild/bendable instrument. Currently, I choose either an .009 or a .010 with .046 on the bottom end. The diference betwee these two is significant on my Gretsch. Cheers Check out some tunes here: http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted September 9, 2001 Share Posted September 9, 2001 I admit...I'm a wimp. I use .009s. Don't know how much it has to do with not wanting fuller tone...I just like to be able to bend 'em. I think Beck uses a bit heavier string. And, you're using a Gretsch...every time I see videos of Jeff he's playing a seafoam green Strat...I think I've seen him playing a Paul, too... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrmac Posted September 10, 2001 Share Posted September 10, 2001 Beck said in an interview that he uses an .011 guage "E" string and I guess the set to match. I've seen him live twice recently and it does sound like this is true. He has the trem floating and he uses it to bend the strings up as well as down. Go see him live if you get the chance. It will help you to understand how he does a lot of the techniques he uses, and you'll also be saying "how does he do that?" quite a bit too I expect. ------------------ Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan My Music: www.javamusic.com/freedomland Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratman_dup1 Posted September 10, 2001 Share Posted September 10, 2001 I use .011's and I personally think they aren't that much more difficult to bend than .009's or .010's. That could be simply because I HAD to get used to them, or deal with breaking strings all the time so ymmv on this one. One thing I have noticed is the difference between brands can be pretty astounding. I've pretty much set on D'Addarios now but a while back I did some experimenting with different brands and found that some of them are much harder to bend in the same gage (.011) as the D'Addarios. GHS Boomers are one that comes to mind as being much harder to bend, I believe the Fender strings (I can't remember which type) were also a lot harder to bend as well. But I would have to belive that the type of guitar you play will have a big factor on being able to cop a certain tone or vibe, no matter how good your technique or what type of strings you use. Maybe it's time to look into getting the best, most fulfilling electric guitar there is to play. A STRAT!!! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Of course, that's just my unerring, perfect in all ways opinion. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynx Posted September 13, 2001 Share Posted September 13, 2001 I concur with other posts here. In the early days Beck used lighter strings but I remember an article about 10 years ago where he said he had gone to heavier strings at some point(like many of us adults!) Keep in mind that this is a person who literally wrings sound out of a guitar. A must see live if you haven't had the chance. I used .009's (extra light set)almost exclusively until about 5 years ago when I made the switch to heavier strings (.52,.42,.30,.17,.13,.10 ) for the superior tone. It takes a while, but you get stronger. At that time I also started playing a Strat a lot more instead of my Gibsons. Playing a Strat with it's spring loaded bridge, is a big help, too, if you like to bend. I personally feel like I now have better control with the heavier strings (although it seems like the opposite before you master them). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrix Posted September 14, 2001 Author Share Posted September 14, 2001 Hey guys thanks for the posts. Its nice to see some substantive chat here along with all the "whats your favorite" threads. I did have the chance to see J. Beck a few months back in NYC at the Roseland. Its the first time I actually heard him speak. Wow what an intense Blue Collar english accent. No wonder he rarely speaks. Any how I ws amazed at how he looked just the same as he did in 1969. His tone was superior. The live version of Beatles "Day in the life" was killer. I can't wait to have him record it. Anyone aware of any version of this available anywhere?? Rollin & Tunblin was quite intense as well. Jeff is clearly the master of tone and technique. No one sounds like him at all. Thanks again. I may even try some .011's as a result of this thread and play more with my tremelo bar for bends... Cheers, Kendrix Check out some tunes here: http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted September 14, 2001 Share Posted September 14, 2001 Originally posted by Kendrix: The live version of Beatles "Day in the life" was killer. I can't wait to have him record it. Anyone aware of any version of this available anywhere?? It's on a compilation of recordings George Martin recently did with various people. There's also a couple of live bootlegs floating around that are utterly tremendous.... ------------------ New and Improved Music Soon: http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrmac Posted September 14, 2001 Share Posted September 14, 2001 I must agree that a Strat is the most essential ingredient in the pursuit of a "Beck" tone. A Tele can come close. A Marshall Amp is probably also part of the recipe. It's hard to imagine a Gretsch doing the job with any strings. Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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