LiveMusic Posted November 10, 2001 Share Posted November 10, 2001 I put new Elixir strings on my Taylor 310CE acoustic... this time .13, up from the previous .12 e-string. This was the heaviest Elixir gauge the store had; I wonder if that's max from Elixir. Of course, I don't guess I'll go heavier anyway. I thought I had good calluses. Nope. My fingers are killing me. Just straight playing; I don't bend the strings much. Would you expect this to go away after I build them up even more for this gauge? I sure do like the fatter sound. Sounds awesome. I'm not married to Elixir, either. Doesn't matter to me, whatever is good. > > > [ Live! ] < < < Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted November 11, 2001 Share Posted November 11, 2001 Originally posted by LiveMusic: . Would you expect this to go away after I build them up even more for this gauge? I sure do like the fatter sound. Sounds awesome. I tried 13's just this year (Elixers, actually) and it killed me. But I try to play like it's an electric, so YMMV... My callouses wear through on 11's most longer gigs anyhow, but that's sort of like a DiMeola thing so that's probably not a good comparison, either. Callouses happen from stretching the skin side to side, not straight down. If your fingers are sore it's probably because you're wearing/sawing through your callouses, if you're not bending. Should take more strength but if you're not bending that shouldn't matter I would think. I think it's diminishing returns past 12's.... 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...
Groove Yard Posted November 11, 2001 Share Posted November 11, 2001 Greetings, I play an archtop with flats, and keep the action fairly low. I started with 12's, and worked my way up to 15's. Gotta respectfully disagree with the idea of diminishing returns. Didn't get the fatness I wanted with anything lighter. The heavier strings are also much better for grace notes, and pull offs. They ring our like crazy. When I show up at a gig, I usually just take my axe out of its case and do the most minor tweaking to my tuning. Here's what I play on: 15, 19, 26,36,48, 60. One thing you can try if the 13's are killing you is to increase the low E A and D strings before the others, or vice versa. The idea is to jump up a guage or two at a time, instead of jumping up an entire set. My .02 - go for it, but do take some care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobSanders Posted November 11, 2001 Share Posted November 11, 2001 Live Music. You can also try raising your bridge. It produces great tone if the string height doesn't bother you. You may not need more than 12's then. I think even Stevie Ray Vaughan dropped back to 12's just before he died. I think it makes damping the strings easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanner Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 well as a i say-the bigger the better! i use <13s-60s> and i dont remember it ever hurting maybe because the sound was so bombastic- but i think 'chipmcdonald' is right: after 12/13s the sound doesnt get any mo better-if thats what he meant by "diminishing returns'. s AMPSSOUNDBETTERLOUDER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 What a bunch of sissies! Hey girls, I use a wound .024 for my E string....024-.085. and I tune UP to G. And I set my action 1/2" above the neck and do two whole step bends routinely.. Do my fingers hurt? Hell no! I don't have fingers anymore! HAHAHAHAHA... Do whatcha want. I use .011s. I'm not into pain and bondage. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 Originally posted by Groove Yard: Greetings, I play an archtop with flats, and keep the action fairly low. I started with 12's, and worked my way up to 15's. Gotta respectfully disagree with the idea of diminishing returns. Didn't get the fatness I wanted with anything lighter. I assume he's refering to a regular acoustic. An archtop with flatwound strings is a different thing entirely. 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...
Steve LeBlanc Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 Just play every other day until it stops hurting...pick away the dead skin and suck away the blood then get back to business. In the process you probably write some great stuff...nothing gets my creative juices flowing like a bit of pain. Quit whining, the heavier the string the better the tone...nothing has proven me wrong yet I use 11s on my electrics and 13 or thicker on Acoustic...it rarely hurts anymore. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 Okay...I've bought myself a set of six-string bass strings...gonna put 'em on my acoustic and tune it up to standard guitar pitch. I oughta get great tone for at least a couple of minutes til my neck snaps... Kinda like the search for infinite sustain...Ibanez actually made a promotional guitar out of solid brass (for a NAMM show or something). Fabulous sustain! Weighed like 80 lbs...but had great sustain! "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted November 12, 2001 Share Posted November 12, 2001 heh, ok but I've never heard an acoustic sound good with 11s unless the room was REAAALLLLYY quiet Regardless, my main point of contention is that having an instrument that puts up a bit of resistance is IMOa good thing...music shouldn't be too easy to play. [ 11-12-2001: Message edited by: Steve LeBlanc ] http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugo121 Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Originally posted by Tedster: Okay...I've bought myself a set of six-string bass strings...gonna put 'em on my acoustic and tune it up to standard guitar pitch. I oughta get great tone for at least a couple of minutes til my neck snaps... Heehee! nice one Ted,not quite sure which neck you are talking about,your own, or your guitar's Wouldn't like to be around if one of those suckers broke,would solve the problem with sore fingers sure enough being decapitated and all. Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Originally posted by Steve LeBlanc: heh, ok but I've never heard an acoustic sound good with 11s unless the room was REAAALLLLYY quiet Regardless, my main point of contention is that having an instrument that puts up a bit of resistance is IMOa good thing...music shouldn't be too easy to play. [ 11-12-2001: Message edited by: Steve LeBlanc ] For me, music isn't easy to play anyway... And I do use a mic or a pickup... And Hugo...I was talking about the guitar, but decapitation could be a problem. Reminds me of a story I heard about a Great Lakes ore carrier tying up to the mooring...a dockworker was too close when the cable snapped...Marie Antoinette all over again... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Originally posted by Steve LeBlanc: [QB]heh, ok but I've never heard an acoustic sound good with 11s unless the room was REAAALLLLYY quiet Regardless, my main point of contention is that having an instrument that puts up a bit of resistance is IMOa good thing...music shouldn't be too easy to play. [QB] I think it's silly to make things unnecessarily difficult: standing on your head will make it harder to play as well, but it doesn't mean you're going to make better music that way. IMO. I've also never heard anyone in an audience comment negatively about string gauge before, either. 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...
Tedster Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Well said, Chip. I've been thinking about buying a bed of nails from this Hindu guy to lie on while I play...NAHHH... http://www.addamsfamily.com/addams/playroom2.jpg Tedster getting ready to practice... [ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Tedster ] "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUSH IS GOD Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Uff course you zhould alvays usse ze heaviest schtrings. You'ff got to feel ze burrn. No pain, no gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathtoallwhoopposeme Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Man...I do about 16 hours a week of serious gigging and My fingers don't hurt but my wrists and hands in general, are sometimes so sore that i can't play at all on my days off...I use Extra lights on my acoustics and 10's on my electrics..I can't see how anyone could use the really heavy strings..I must have repeditive strain issues, But there is really nothing i can do...It just amazes me when i read about the heavy Guages some of you are able to use... Sean Michael Mormelo www.seanmmormelo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Originally posted by sventvkg: It just amazes me when i read about the heavy Guages some of you are able to use... "Using" is relative. If you're just doing chords that's one thing, but if you play harder and do bends - that's another. 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...
Steve LeBlanc Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Well, I'm just speaking from my experience...I'm no expert. I find the increase in control I gain from heavy guage strings actually reduces the amount of pain involved in playing. Especially when I'm ripping a lot of faster paced stuff...whatever, everyone has their own way of playing. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 Well, sure, Steve, it's all a matter of personal taste. Whatever works best for you, y'know. Not everyone likes the same kind of food, either... And I think heavier guages favor fast jazz style picking...whereas a lot of hammers, pulls, and bends favor lighter guages. I'm a bend kind of guy. I was going to string one with barbed wire once... [ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Tedster ] "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 I was going to string one with barbed wire once... hahahaha [ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: Steve LeBlanc ] http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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