string gauge advice

[601blues]

All I use is 10s Ive used heavier over the years, But 10s are the best for me

[guitarslim101]

No problem.

[trguitar]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Feb-21-06 AT 08:39 AM (EST)]>Wow, those are some heavy strings. I am new at playing the
>guitar (2 months) and I have 9's (Ernie Ball Extra Slinkys)
>with a low action because I wanted to be able to chord and
>bend easily. I love all kinds of music and want to be
>flexible. Last night, I tried slide for the first time. I
>thought that I wouldn't be able to do anything due to the
>light gauge strings and low action, but it was fun
>nonetheless.
>
>I was thinking of moving up to 10s (Regular Slinkys), but
>maybe I should go heavier. I still want to be able to bend
>easily if I an playing without the slide. I need to
>concentrate on basic guitar playing over slide technique. I
>think I'll leave the action low for now, I don't want to
>fiddle with the set-up just yet.
>
>Allan
>

Myself, I like my 9's and low action, but as far as your setup goes Allan, I think you will find most folks here have more than one guitar. I'm sure as you move along in your guitar playing life you will own others also. I believe in setting them up and stringing them for what you intend to use them for. You can have both. My electrics have 9's but my resonator has 13's. I slide on the reso and the 13's make that much easier to do. The reso is acoustic, so no fast runs or big bends. The 13's don't slow me down a bit. Now on my electrics, I use a light touch, play fast and wanna be able to bend any string off the fingerboard, hence the 9's.

P.S. Some people can bend the heck out of heavy strings, just not me. lol

[guitarslim101]

>P.S. Some people can bend the heck out of heavy strings,
>just not me. lol

With time and motivation, it can come...it comes with frustration, as well...switching to heavier strings is almost like learning how to play again.

[tot_ou_tard]

I *do* have two guitars, but I am not ready to have one permanently set up for slide just yet. By the way, is it hard on strings to regularly change between different tunings?

I for one am not surprised that GuitarSlim can bend heavy strings, afterr all look what he can do to his nose with his finger.

Allan

[trguitar]

Changing tunings often is bound to shorten string life some depending on the tuning you are using, but I don't think to the point of it being a noticable difference. I thing having different guitars in different tunings is just a matter of convenience.

I know I could learn to bend heavier strings, but after 28 years of using 9's I don't really want to. lol

[tot_ou_tard]

I'll just continue as I am for the time being. Although I have a feeling that my Godin Radiator just might spend more and more of its time under a slide.

I betcha GuitarSlim can bend the low string on a bass.

Allan

[601blues]

Ive met plenty of artist that like 12-13s on there accoustics,there is a lot of Blue grass around here,however they don't do much bending and cord vibratos, They seem to do it for string volume,cuz they really attack those notes!! Ive played a couple of guitars with 12-13s on em And they felt like cables to me, The largest I have on one guitar is 11s, Just be careful with experimenting with heavy strings on your guitar cuz you will cut your head nut grooves out and if you go back to smaller size it can cause a problem.

[guitarslim101]

>I betcha GuitarSlim can bend the low string on a bass.

You are correct...bass strings are actually quite easy to bend.

[panhead74]

>Just be careful with experimenting with heavy strings
>on your guitar cuz you will cut your head nut grooves out
>and if you go back to smaller size it can cause a problem.

Good advice, Ronnie.

[tot_ou_tard]

>>I betcha GuitarSlim can bend the low string on a bass.

>You are correct...bass strings are actually quite easy to bend.

Iszat so? I'm gonna have to borrow my coworker's bass and give it a try.

How about sliding on a bass, does anyone do *that*?

[guitarslim101]

http://www.bigroadblues.com/dcforum/DCForumID36/1.html

[tot_ou_tard]

Coool thread GuitarSlim, Claypool, Zappa, Cap'n Beefheart...

BTW, I saw Vic Wooten in concert once, that guy can play lead bass. His brother Teacherman played guitar. Both Vic & Teacherman were playing with both hands on the neck, lots of double handed hammer ons & offs (that was before I had ever heard of hammer ons). I finally understood what they were doing when I came across Nick Chapman's stick.

http://www.stick.com/

Come to think of it, has anyone slid on stick?

Is slid the correct past tense of the verb to slide?

Allan