Am I ready for thicker gauge strings?

Gear & Tools Talk 🎚 Other Gear & Accessories
1

I have been playing for 7 months and it is time to change strings. Should I move from 9s to 10s?

2

There is only one way to find out. Strings don’t cost that much and you can always change back.

What are you playing? Electric, acoustic? What do you feel is lacking from the 9s, or what do you hope to gain from 10s?

There is no right or wrong and you probably need to test the waters to learn what a best for you.

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3

Just an FYI, if you change string gauge it’s going to change the action and intonation on your guitar and you might need to adjust the truss rod or saddle height.

All personal preference though. If you’ve only been playing 7 months, I would wait until you need a setup or you upgrade guitars until changing gauges.

But then again, tinkering with equipment is fun. Part of the process too. And if the strings sound better to you, it might make you more inclined to play and practice more.

I went up to 13s on my electric once because that’s what Stevie Ray Vaughan used. I went back down shortly after :joy: but it was a fun experiment. Cost time and money though.

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4

I used exactly the same gague strings the guitar came with, 9s.
I changed one string at a time
I tuned the guitar, three times.
It sounds out of tune?

Any ideas why the guitar now sounds weird?

5

Did you stretch the strings between the tunings? It can reduce the amount of the strings detuning.

Also, this video might be helpful:

Of course, electric guitars don’t have pins; other than that, the process is the same.

6

There’s no rule that says you have to go to heavier strings over time. BB King played very light gauge strings, 8s IIRC. He said “why work harder than you have to?” On the other hand, Stevie Ray Vaughn played very heavy strings; 12s or 13s I think. He had to put super glue on his finger tips to keep from tearing his calluses off when bending.

Don’t change just because you think you’re supposed to.

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7

Hey I tugged on them pretty good, slacked the strings and retuned, Much much better!

Thanks

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8

Deleted rather than continue the hijack.

9

Glad to hear it’s better now :wink: