String Gauges Poll

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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

String Gauges Poll

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IvanP Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10320 southern Michigan	Posted on Sep 20 2006 12:12 PM I'm very curious to see what gauge strings people use when playing surf. I've listed the most common options - if you use some kind of a hybrid, just select whichever choice you think applies the best. I'm going to make a prediction that most people will be playing 11's and 12's. Ivan — Ivan Lords of Atlantis on Facebook The Madeira Official Website The Madeira on Facebook The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook The Space Cossacks on Facebook The Madeira Channel on YouTube Top
WR Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands	Posted on Sep 20 2006 12:34 PM I think you'd need to specify scale length as well. I play 11's on the strat and currently 11's on the jag, but it's an awkward switch and I need 12's on the jag for similar feel.... WR — Rules to live by #314: "When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is." https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/ Top
IvanP Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10320 southern Michigan	Posted on Sep 20 2006 12:37 PM I don't know how to do that, so let's just keep it simple right now.... Ivan — Ivan Lords of Atlantis on Facebook The Madeira Official Website The Madeira on Facebook The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook The Space Cossacks on Facebook The Madeira Channel on YouTube Top
JohnnyMosrite Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 858 New York City area	Posted on Sep 20 2006 01:48 PM IvanP, I'd try heavier strings but I'd probably end up warping the neck on the much slimmer neck on a Mosrite guitar when compared to a Fender STRAT. I do use 11's on the Gretsches and 12's on the non-surf jazzers. But you only gave me one vote... Top
Klas Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 2270 Stockholm, Sweden	Posted on Sep 20 2006 02:08 PM My main guitar for surf is the Jaguar which has 13-52 strings. Made me choose the 12-52 option which should come closest. Fender Jaguar: Pyramid Gold, flatwound 13-52 Fender Jazzmaster: Pyramid Gold, flatwound 11-48 Mosrite Excellent 65: Pyramid, roundwound 10-46 — T H E ✠ S U R F I T E S Top
sidewalksurf Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 243	Posted on Sep 20 2006 02:45 PM Klas My main guitar for surf is the Jaguar which has 13-52 strings. Made me choose the 12-52 option which should come closest. Fender Jaguar: Pyramid Gold, flatwound 13-52 Fender Jazzmaster: Pyramid Gold, flatwound 11-48 Ditto for me. I had been using TI's, which are pretty nice...but I much prefer the tone and feel of the Pyramids. Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3545 mojave desert, california	Posted on Sep 20 2006 03:48 PM 13-54 Pyramid Golds...on the Jazzmaster... Top
Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Sep 20 2006 05:25 PM I switched to the D'addario 65's after hearing this (Thanks a lot Ran! At least I hope it was a suggestion and I'm not ripping on your style or nothing!) : > Kick-The-Reverb: My setup is 15-65 flat wounds, and yes I tune down to D but it's because I like the sound, not to make it easier to play. In fact, I wish I could have used even larger strings for that tuning, but that maybe be the max limit on my Jazzmaster. Also, I doubt it's as easy to find any larger flat wounds for guitar. If I would have played regular tuning, 15-65 would have been perfect. It takes a little getting used to, but it really is not that hard to do. I only wish I could find a flat wound 15 (my thinnest string is the only plain one, I wish they were all wound so they could sound more uniform). The string I use are D'addario flat wound for 7 string guitar, and I discard the thinnest one on the set. Ran I do tune to standard E though. EDIT: Oh yeah and they definately are cables! — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Last edited: Sep 20, 2006 17:40:17 Top
WaimeaBay Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 966	Posted on Sep 20 2006 05:29 PM you 10 & 11 guys (or gals) really gotta step it up a notch. Your tone wll thank you Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3545 mojave desert, california	Posted on Sep 20 2006 06:30 PM 45-105 Rotosound RS66 on the Precision Bass...bridge cables... Top
Surfabilly Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 852 Connersville, Indiana, USA	Posted on Sep 20 2006 06:45 PM I've got a whole box (12 packs, I think it is) of Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky (12-56) strings, waiting for me to install on several of my guitars, and I've got a pack of Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky (11-54) strings around (somewhere) that by now I've forgotten which guitar I'd bought 'em for. I'll be looking into flatwound strings, in the coming future, since it seems they're more preferable for surf guitar. One question, however. Between the choice of flatwound or roundwound, which would be the best toward playing a "hot rod up shifting" sound that I've began practicing? As to scratch "picking" (a la "Diamond Head), I'll take a wild guess that flatwounds are best, for that. Matt — Fast Cars & Loud Guitars! Top
Fripperton Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 270	Posted on Sep 20 2006 07:03 PM On my Pasta Cowboy guitar I use a 9-46 set. I like to have a slinky top on a Tele but the low notes respond better to heavier strings. image I use a 10-48 set on these strats.. image image image image This gets 11-48s image This gets 10-46s image The Jazzmasters get an 11-52 set I make from the top half of Ernie Ball Power Slinkys 11-14-18 and the bottom half of the Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinkys. 30-40-52. Of course that leaves ne with a 10-13-17-26-36-48 set but I use these on the strats. image image The Lyle gets 9-42s and the Teisco gets 10-46s but it can change depending on what I have around at the time. image image — There is Surf east of Sepulveda. Last edited: Sep 20, 2006 20:21:11 Top
WaimeaBay Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 966	Posted on Sep 20 2006 07:33 PM do you really have that map of the US guitar LOL! Top
Fripperton Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 270	Posted on Sep 20 2006 07:37 PM Sure do. Used it at the Surf Museum gig. I call it my "country" guitar. — There is Surf east of Sepulveda. Top
DannySnyder Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11010 Berkeley, CA	Posted on Sep 20 2006 08:11 PM I hope this doesn't come off as being too much the fussbudget. Fripperton, those are awesome pictures that I enjoy looking at very much. But if you haven't noticed, (perhaps you own a larger monitor) once your pictures expand the width of the frame, all the other post's text tends to get expanded too. This makes for a bit of annoyance. So to you and everyone else posting pictures, please try to keep the sizes within the normal frame of the forum. Or post them in the photo section. Thanks, — Danny Snyder Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF _ "With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Top
Fripperton Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 270	Posted on Sep 20 2006 08:22 PM Fixed it. — There is Surf east of Sepulveda. Top
DannySnyder Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11010 Berkeley, CA	Posted on Sep 20 2006 08:29 PM Dang, that was fast. Thanks! — Danny Snyder Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF _ "With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Top
kick_the_reverb Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 1313 Escondido, CA	Posted on Sep 21 2006 10:16 AM Wraydar I switched to the D'addario 65's after hearing this (Thanks a lot Ran! At least I hope it was a suggestion and I'm not ripping on your style or nothing!) Well, why would I think you're ripping on my style? I'm glad you like them (at least that's what I gather from your post). Ran — The Scimitars Top
kick_the_reverb Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 1313 Escondido, CA	Posted on Sep 21 2006 10:19 AM dp 45-105 Rotosound RS66 on the Precision Bass...bridge cables... Eh..no! You call those "Bridge Cables"? That's thin in bass string terms. Ran — The Scimitars Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3545 mojave desert, california	Posted on Sep 21 2006 10:22 AM kickthe_reverb_ dp 45-105 Rotosound RS66 on the Precision Bass...bridge cables... Eh..no! You call those "Bridge Cables"? That's thin in bass string terms. Ran yeah, you're right...i was comparing them to skinny guitar strings... -dp Top

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