Let’s compare string gauges from 8 to 12 and how they affect tone and playability, with surprising results. A must-watch when changing your strings!
https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/what-string-gauge-should-we-use-hts-0005
link is here:
https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/what-string-gauge-should-we-use-hts-0005
This was just asked a little differently yesterday in Community 
Time to go listen to the lesson. 
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Not a whole lot of difference detected between 8, 9, 10………. 11, 12 sounded crappy.
After struggling to get full-tone bends to sound right with 9s, I’m transitioning to 7s. It’s opening up a whole new world. I don’t think I’ll be going back. I don’t mind playing lighter as Justin suggested; that’s what the amp is for.
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I too was playing 10s before. I switched from D’Addario 10-46 to 9-46 and all I noticed is that bending is easier on my fingers and more fun to do. I really like the 9-46, skinny top / heavy bottom strings and will use them going forward.
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My first electric guitar was delivered with 9’s. I quickly changed to 10’s because I was used to playing acoustics and using more finger pressure on the frets, which made the notes sharp. I should perhaps also mention it was a short scale which probably made it worse. Now I have a longer scale guitar, maybe I might experiment with 9’s.
Can’t wait for Justin to repeat the experiment on an acoustic.
On my acoustic, I like the feel of thicker strings, but I can’t say I can tel much of a tone difference. 13s are too much for me, I like 12s, although ideally with an 11 or 11.5 high e.
This may simply be a side effect of also playing nylon string guitar and liking the feel of the nylon strings, which are much thicker, but also soft and having much less tension.
I started on 9s, then had a long period on 10s… and for the last many years (5y+) I landed on 9.5s as the perfect middle ground for electric playing. In standard E tuning. That’s my current default string gauge for live playing.
However, I might be on the edge of doing a radical change once again. I enrolled in a guitar course called “Effortless Shred”, and the teacher on that course made the argument that most/many of the shredders who appears to be playing fast with very little effort were using very light strings. Even 8s, and sometimes even in Eb tuning.
He made a heavy suggestion that for the course material, if possible, we should at least give that a chance. Being open-minded, I decided on a specific guitar I wanted to use for this course that I knew I could “set aside” and not need for live playing - and installed 8.5s on it (so not ALL the way down to 8s, as suggested, but a big step down for me anyway).
I went into this “experiment” fully expecting to hate it, and to have problems with intonation on bends after years and years of playing heavier strings. But I have to say - I actually really, really enjoy the feel of playing super light strings!?! Once you get used to it you realize it gives you full control over even the smallest details of how you want your phrasing to sound. You can effortlessly “play around” with the bends in term of timing, speed etc. Pretty cool stuff!
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I started the beginner’s course on a Yamaha Pacifica with Ernie Ball Slinky 7s (electric) as advised by a friendly busker. They were great for my old hands which after a few years of arthritis had grown weak through under-use. No finger pain either, not a bit.
After a few months I noticed that I was finding them a little too soft. I’d accidentally push the low E right over the edge of the fretboard and I didn’t get a lot of tactile feedback; maybe I was getting stronger and/or the callouses were thickening?
I tried D’Addario nines, which were ok. They fixed the ‘feeling’ problem anyway and seemed to sound better but they were a different brand too so the comparison wasn’t completely fair.
Once again, after a while, and after seeing Beato’s youtube video on string gauges, I wondered whether going up two steps was making life unnecessarily hard for my fingertips. I was finding the D’Addario windings a bit coarse and my fingers would stick. Next time a change was due I tried Ernie Ball 8s and for me they were my Goldilocks strings; not too thin, not too thick and slinky!
Goldilocks or not, I may well experiment again next time it’s time to buy strings. It seems to change everything and it’s cheaper than buying another instrument.
My acoustic Jim Dandy is strung with Ernie Ball Earthwood 10s rather than the 12’s that it came with a month or so ago. At the moment they are just right for me too.
Changing strings is easy and cheap fun so why not experiment and see what happens? I’m reading posts from lots of people like @Kasper above who have been pleasantly surprised.
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9’s on my BMG Red Special and my Strat. 10’s on my Les Paul. I read that they feel about the same as the LP scale length is shorter. When I replace the strings on the Les Paul I will try 9’s
10’s on Gibson LP and 9’s on my Fender Tele. The Fender neck scale is larger than a Gibson the string tension is different. 10’s on Gibson feel the same as 9 on Fender to me.
My guitars were bought second-hand and I played them with whatever gauge strings that they came with (usually medium or heavier). When it came time to replace them, I always chose 10-gauge strings. I figured, as a beginner, it’s best to use a medium gauge. After watching this video, I thought I’d try the 9 gauge strings since Justin liked them so much.
One electric guitar came with a particularly heavy gauge; the third (G) string was wound. When its first string snapped, I figured this would be the one I’d use to try my new set of Ernie Ball 9–42 strings on.
When it came time to tune the strings, I noticed that they were very slack so I tuned upwards. I thought that the strings now felt too taut but I thought that might be the way it is with a different gauge. Everything was going fine until I got to the 24-gauge D string: it snapped as I was tightening it. It turns out I had been tuning the strings a whole octave higher than what they should be. Doh!
When I tuned the strings back down to the correct pitch, I found that I had to be really gentle when plucking the strings. The lower strings (only 5th and 6th as I now have to purchase a replacement 4th) vibrate against the frets if I strike them with any degree of force.
@gpwomack and @Desertpom mentioned that the scale of the guitar affects the slackness/tension for a particular gauge of string. So, I’m guessing the scale of this particular guitar isn’t suitable for set of 9–42 gauge strings.
In any case, I thought I’d share my story as a cautionary tale for anyone else who is used to medium or heavy gauge strings and decides to try a lighter gauge.
Also: don’t try experimenting with strings – or anything else – when it’s late and your tired!
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Hi Anthony, I also use 9-42 on my electric, but when I bought my guitars (new or used) I always have them “setup” by luthier.
When changing string gauges you should also check and adjust the trust adjustment, as different gauges has different tension and guitar neck twists differently. When you put lighter strings, there is not enough tension and your neck is twisted more backwards - this get’s your strings too close to the fret-board and you get those vibrations…
Also if your guitar was setup for 10-46 or higher gauge by previous owner, it could be that the nut has to large grooves and your new thinner strings falls in too deep. Perhaps you need new nut?
And yes - don’t experiment when you are tired (or in hurry)
Anyhow, I hope this helps and also that you will fix the thing soon. Happy strumming 
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Hi Bostjan
I checked the nut and it it looks OK when I compare it to another electric. I’ll verify this with a calipers when I have time later.
I’ll see if I can get a replacement string over the weekend and then try adjusting the truss rod. If that works well, I’ll follow up by adjusting the action and the intonation.
I also need to change the strings on my acoustic which the previous owner told me still has the stock 12s that it came with. I find I have to press down hard when fretting the current strings so I think I’ll try this slightly lighter 11 gauge set from a local guitar shop.
Thanks for the advice,
Anthony
Cool this was brought back up to the top.
I found it very interesting.
I’ve been playing 10’s for a long time on my electrics. It’s what I’m used to and I like them well enough.
When I got my acoustic, it came w/.011’s on it. I’ve restrung it a couple times and have stayed w/.011’s.
I think I may try some .009’s on the electric here when it comes time to change strings again.
I found it interesting that Justin didn’t find much tonal difference between the different gauges.
While I am concerned about pliability, I feel I’m more concerned about what they do tonally. Apparently not much in Justins tests. Myself, in listening to that. I did think the thicker the string, the ‘fatter’ (for lack of a better word) did sound a bit… less twangy.
I may have to give .009’s a try on a electric and see what happens. If not much tonal difference, perhaps I could go down to .009’s. Seemed Justin felt they light did bend easier and I could be up for that.
I thought this was a good lesson to approach for Justin as it for sure effects how we play, and hear for that matter.
I do agree w/ Graham @gpwomack
I would like to see what Justin thinks about this test on a acoustic.
I really like my tones on my acoustic. It has .011’s on it. First guitar I’ve played w/.011’s too, best I’m aware.
I do find them harder to bend than the .010’s on my electrics.
That said, I think that I’ve adjusted to playing them .011’s. I’m down with it as is I think so don’t think I’ll go to .010’s on it.
If I didn’t really really like my tones on my acoustic I would consider this change. But I’m just to struck by what I hear from them .011’s on ‘my’ acoustic.
Great test by Justin.
If ya ain’t checked it out. Do. It will likely be worth the time spent.
Hi Anthony,
one thing I didn’t see mentioned to you is that your wound third string being changed to a solid may give you some intonation trouble. If the bridge is adjustable, then you are in good shape, you can just adjust it. If not, like my archtop, then you’ll want to stay with a wound third string or you will get some slightly sour notes when you fret that string.
I prefer 8 and 9, but you cannot find a wound third string appropriate for those gauges. I am in the US and have only found D’Addario and GHS to have a wound 3rd set starting at 10. I have never liked D’Addario but do like GHS and have been using those.
If your bridge has a fixed saddle, then look for the offset. It should be between either strings 3 and 4 or between strings 2 and 3. If the saddles have individual adjustment screws, then you can check intonation and make sure you are happy with the change to a solid string.
ooh!! I didn’t read. Be aware I am using electric!
Thanks @markr31
Oh, sorry. Guess I didn’t follow the entire conversation, and didn’t think of anybody wanting to use a wound 3 string on an electric.
It’s an archtop with P90 pickups. Here’s the NGD post for some pics both above and below the link. Pictures are worth a thousand words and all.