.008-.038 on a Tele?

[c_wester]

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[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

The huge drop in size of the low 3 wound strings in the 60's was the best thing that happened for rock and roll. If you compare 54's to 38's in standard tuning on amps that were available at the time it becomes evident pretty quickly.

 

[Happy Tree]

I started with 10-46 Ernie Ball many years ago. I then when to 9-42 and then 8-38. One of the biggest differences is sustain. The tighter the string the less time it will vibrate. I also find the tone to be more chewy for lack of a better word. I wouldn't recommend really light strings to a beginning player though. I tried them with my nephew. He said he had a hard time feeling he was fretting the strings and he kept getting his pick caught up on the strings. You have to be very comfortable with both your fretting and picking hand and the amount of pressure you apply. I can't remember if I got the person right, but I think it was Andres Segovia who said the lighter the pressure you apply the faster you will get. If fast is your thing.

Chewy, yes! I've been using 8s with a sixpence pick for 40 years. It's all I know. And it feels like I don't so much strum or pick notes as squeeze them out.

 

[slammintone]

I have mostly used 10-46 Regular Slinkies for 45yrs + whatever the guitar was. Right now I’m liking 9-46 Hybrid Slinkies (Slinky’s?) on my CS Jimmy Page Mirror Telecaster and the same on an older 62 reissue Strat. As I get older and my finger joints get aching occasionally, I’ll probably end up just going full Super Slinky’s on all my electric guitars except my Rickenbacker Miami Lennon 325.
That gets Rickenbacker 12-52s I think. Plays great with them, wound G and all.