Guitar players what strings do you use?

I'm curious to know what fellow ATS guitar players string setup might be for elecric guitar. I know a lot of people like to use 9's cus they're easy to bend but they tend to sound a little thin. I like a set 10's with one lighter 3rd string cause you bend that one so much and one heavier on the first string to make the chords sound clean and full. A ten buzzes a little. Anyway I was just wondering what you guys find works for you?

I think it all depends on the guitar and what sounds good to you. I have a lot of guitar playing friends and they all have different opinions. Me personally, I use Ernie Ball Super Slinkys.

Originally posted by jblaze
I think it all depends on the guitar and what sounds good to you. I have a lot of guitar playing friends and they all have different opinions. Me personally, I use Ernie Ball Super Slinkys.

Yeah , I believe Albert Lee uses those. A friend of mine said once you can make those sound good using more volume and a lighter touch. He prefers to play with a set of 11's. I love the super slinkys for bending but the chords just don't seem to sound as good to me.

Thats why you see different strings/guitars for different purposes. As far as rhythm goes I prefer a heavier gauge. Also, different guitars have different tonal qualities so you really have to try different strings/gauges. Have you ever listened to Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs)?, he swears by Ernie Ball, and he is one hell of an axeman.

[edit on 15-3-2007 by jblaze]

I play ernie ball hybrids. I feel they're just a good all around string for whatever you happen to be playing.

Originally posted by jblaze
Thats why you see different strings/guitars for different purposes. As far as rhythm goes I prefer a heavier gauge. Also, different guitars have different tonal qualities so you really have to try different strings/gauges. Have you ever listened to Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs)?, he swears by Ernie Ball, and he is one hell of an axeman.

[edit on 15-3-2007 by jblaze]

I'll have to check him out man . I have met people who think its unthinkable to mix or change up string sizes. If you run tens you run tens , you run nines you run nines and then I know a guy that runs a recording studio who will use a real weard sequence of string gauge to get a certain sound that he's looking for when recording distortion. If I remember correctly he lightens up the bass strings a good bit so they don't sound muddy.

Originally posted by YoBrandonRaps
I play ernie ball hybrids. I feel they're just a good all around string for whatever you happen to be playing.

What are hybrids man ? I have never heard of them. Are they light on the treble side and heavier on the bass side?

I use D'Addario EJ16 and EJ17 for my Washburn Acoustic.

Edit: never mind, I see you are talking about electric.

[edit on 3/15/2007 by kinglizard]

Elixer 12s on both electric and acoustic

Martin 16s on dobro

KL, I didn't know you played guitar.

For my electric I use the Ernie Ball Super Slinky.

For the acoustic I usually use Ernie Ball Earthwood.

www.musiciansfriend.com...



www.musiciansfriend.com...

Originally posted by kinglizard
I use D'Addario EJ16 and EJ17 for my Washburn Acoustic.

Edit: never mind, I see you are talking about electric.

[edit on 3/15/2007 by kinglizard]

Well I have an accoustic too. I run twelves on it. The bigger the string the better the tone eh?

Originally posted by whaaa
Elixer 12s on both electric and acoustic

Martin 16s on dobro

I have never really thought it important to choose a particular name brand of sting thus far. I tend to leave the three bass strings alone and just keep an extra 11-13 and 16 , they are gong to break sooner or later.

I just buy what ever they have in the music store under the desk for individual sell. Right now I actually have two elevens and a 16 on my guitar because I broke the one and two strings and didn't have anything else to put on it.

Why do you like elixer in particular Whaa? I don't recall having ever tried them.

To be truthful Voyager1; I bought the Elixers because I liked thier ad in the guitar mags, But I do like the way they feel. The wound strings are coated with some sort of plastic and they are very slick and easy on the fingers. They also sound a bit darker, and quieter and last at least twice as long as conventional strings. My Elixers have been on for at least 6 months and still sound great to my ears. I change the unwound strings when I break them or they begin to sound funky, usually about every 3rd gig.

String choice is more than likely determined by what our heros play; at least that's the way it WAS for me. I used Ernie Ball's strings for years.
Slinky's.........

Depends which guitar for me, all Ernie Ball cause they sound good and everyone has them in stock.

Ernie ball hybrid slinky 2222 on a american strat
Ernie ball extra slinky 2225 on a ibanez rg 570

I use Dean Markley's signiture series on my Strat & Tele ,Bigger one's on the Strat to get some heavy sounds from it, and smaller ones on the Tele for a nice clean sound

This isn't about guitar strings but a little information to make you feel better about playing 6string.

I just bought a set of strings for my upright bass, made of sheep guts, $238.oo bucks. The search for tone gets expensive sometimes.

Originally posted by thehumbleone
KL, I didn't know you played guitar.

For my electric I use the Ernie Ball Super Slinky.

For the acoustic I usually use Ernie Ball Earthwood.

www.musiciansfriend.com...



www.musiciansfriend.com...

A lot of people seem to like Ernie Ball strings, I have tried them, they seem fine.

Originally posted by whaaa
This isn't about guitar strings but a little information to make you feel better about playing 6string.

I just bought a set of strings for my upright bass, made of sheep guts, $238.oo bucks. The search for tone gets expensive sometimes.

Man! You wouldn't want to replace those much would you. You must be playing a Jazz gig with an upright bass??

Lets see...

On my Charvels I use DR Hi-beams Big -n- heavy (Like a set of 10's for the plain strings and a set of 12's for the wound strings) or the standard 10's set

DR pure Blues 10's on my Strat, and Tele, 11's on my LesPaul Special, and 12's on my Gretsch 6120RHH.

If I can't find DR's I grab some ErnieBalls

I can't imagine playing with a set of twelves Cug, I guess you have to work your way up to that huh?