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Light Strings (0.045-0100)?

#42
Much like speakers, there are 'rules' and there are just as many exceptions to those rules. Only way to find out is try. There is no 'wrong'. In the guitar world, SRV used .013s - Billy Gibbons uses .007s. Personally, I've found .40 - .100 DR Hi-Beam are my ideal. Doesn't mean it's right for everyone.
 
#43
JPaulGeddy said:
Much like speakers, there are 'rules' and there are just as many exceptions to those rules. Only way to find out is try. There is no 'wrong'. In the guitar world, SRV used .013s - Billy Gibbons uses .007s. Personally, I've found .40 - .100 DR Hi-Beam are my ideal. Doesn't mean it's right for everyone.
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I didn't even know they made sevens. I use .009 on guitar which is considered fairly skinny. If I was using .013s I'd need a helper to fret half of the strings for me :).
 
#47
JimmyM said:
Light strings 45-100??? HAHAHA!


I used to use 12's on my acoustic and that was enough. Thank God you can get them in 10's now!
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I inadvertently bought a set of the Martin Retro strings in 12. Nice strings in 10, although I bought a job lot of standard Martin 10s. But I couldn't even persuade my friend with the 1950s jazz guitar I got him for a significant birthday (£150 - plays really well) to take them! They would work well in 10 on my vintage EKO Ranger guitars to take off the brashness for the early Led Zep sound (Page used a Vox on some classic tracks, but probably from the same factory in Italy).
 
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#49
-Asdfgh- said:
I inadvertently bought a set of the Martin Retro strings in 12. Nice strings in 10, although I bought a job lot of standard Martin 10s. But I couldn't even persuade my friend with the 1950s jazz guitar I got him for a significant birthday (£150 - plays really well) to take them! They would work well in 10 on my vintage EKO Ranger guitars to take off the brashness for the early Led Zep sound (Page used a Vox on some classic tracks, but probably from the same factory in Italy).
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Ya, when I read that Stevie Ray Vaughan used to put super glue on his fingertips, put them on his arm, let the glue work, then rip the skin off his arm to give him skin enough to play that night, that's when my days of trying heavy strings came to an abrupt end :D
 
#50
JimmyM said:
Ya, when I read that Stevie Ray Vaughan used to put super glue on his fingertips, put them on his arm, let the glue work, then rip the skin off his arm to give him skin enough to play that night, that's when my days of trying heavy strings came to an abrupt end :D
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Normally, if someone did that, you'd be suggesting they see someone in a professional capacity... Just the superglue should have been enough. And if you need extra thickness, why not tissue paper? I strum geetar with finger nails which wears them away. I use Sally Hansen's products to armour them, but in extremis, superglue and tissue paper, then a layer of Ms. Hansen's finest to smooth it out works well.
 
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#51
-Asdfgh- said:
Normally, if someone did that, you'd be suggesting they see someone in a professional capacity... Just the superglue should have been enough. And if you need extra thickness, why not tissue paper? I strum geetar with finger nails which wears them away. I use Sally Hansen's products to armour them, but in extremis, superglue and tissue paper, then a layer of Ms. Hansen's finest to smooth it out works well.
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You play bass with nails? I gave up the nails needed for fingerpicking when it came down to that or the bass so I flatpicked. But I recently took up banjo, so now I'm trying to get used to finger and thumb picks.
 
#52
JimmyM said:
You play bass with nails? I gave up the nails needed for fingerpicking when it came down to that or the bass so I flatpicked. But I recently took up banjo, so now I'm trying to get used to finger and thumb picks.
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I strum the six string with my nails. Plucking a bass also involves nails unless I angle plucking to avoid it.

They protrude a bit under 1mm from the fleshiest part of the fingertip, or a bit more than 1mm from the point where the nail meets the fingertip. Being able to have some nailless sound means keeping them the right length.

My fingernails are unusually hard, which helps. Years ago I caught a long thumbnail on a door jamb. I took a chunk out of the jamb. It hurt, but the door came off worst. The main issue with six string is abrasion wearing them away. Once I almost wore down to the quick. Hence armouring them.

The nails on my fretting hand are very short.
 
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#53
on my Spector I have 105's those are D,addario xl's . I play metal on that one so a bit bigger heavy but not Cables. I use to run 125's when I was younger, that's a workout for sure... On my Ibanez basses (thin neck) I use super slinky 45-100 and those work good.... cus i'm old lol you'll have to spend some money and try different brands. just don't hate a brand right away, you may need to adjust your action for the difference is string diameter.
 
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