What string gauge do you use on your Strat?

kidmo · Jan 2, 2016

11-49's. I can't believe what a difference this gauge set has made. It's like getting a new guitar. I feel inspired every time I pick one up to play :dude:

Zoso · Jan 2, 2016

Cogswell said:
Yeah, I know it seems crazy. I think the heavier strings sound better w/single coils. They have a little more "oomph" to the Fenders, whereas my Les Pauls & my 336 have greater output & so don't require me to be so heavy handed.

Same here. I used to go the other way and match gauge to feel, so I'd have lighter gauge on the Fenders and heavier on the Gibsons. But then I started matching gauge to tone, and that meant heavier on Fenders and lighter on Gibsons. Fenders with 10s just have so much more substance to my ear than they have with 9s.

renderit · Jan 2, 2016

Zoso said:
Same here. I used to go the other way and match gauge to feel, so I'd have lighter gauge on the Fenders and heavier on the Gibsons. But then I started matching gauge to tone, and that meant heavier on Fenders and lighter on Gibsons. Fenders with 10s just have so much more substance to my ear than they have with 9s.

I suppose there is a bit of method to the madness there. I don't care for anything less than 10's on my P90's and Strat type Collings and Grosh so I suppose those sets of 9's I have maybe need to go on my Humbuckered beasties. Never thought about it that much. But then, brain synapses are rare with me...

BannonJr · Jan 2, 2016

I use fender 150's 9-42

I'm not a big guy with small hands so really prefer the thinner strings

I put 10's on the Tele but always the 9 on my strat

Anje · Jan 3, 2016

lpnv59 said:
Ernie Ball or D'Addario 9-42 on my Strat & Tele's. They feel better to me for country pedal steel bending on a 25.5 scale. Also twang better without the lowend push of heavier gauges. Gibsons shorter scale feel better to me with 10's.

That's exactly how I do and feel it also in general.
It's been both a feel and tone thing to me on a guitar to guitar basis, and ended with 9s on my late 60's / 70's Strats and old early 80's Charvel superstrats, and 10s on my old Gibsons. I think the only strat I may have kept in 10s could have been my old '56, would I still have it.
I use pure nickel EB for all my electrics.

au_rick · Jan 11, 2016

Super Slinky's

The Real MC · Jan 17, 2016

I found that the gauge isn't as important as the alloy used in the strings. Single coils in the strat seem to be really sensitive to different alloys. I like the all nickel strings, use 46-9s.

Stoj · Jan 18, 2016

10-46

Progrocker111 · Jan 18, 2016

10-46 works best for me on all Fenders. Good, still a bit slinky feeling and good tone too.

57gold · Jan 18, 2016

Heads up...IMHO the best Stratocaster strings ever made are available again. Scalar Designs Pure Nickels...introduced to these in 1980s by Charlie's Guitars.

http://scalardesigns.com/

I like 10-46 on 1956 and 1957 Strats or 10-48 with 64 Strat, which I sometimes tune down 1/2 step.

Scalar Nickels are round, warm, even string to string response whilst their Rock model has more mids and snap, more aggressive. If you haven't experienced these, they last 3-4 times longer and get and stay in tune faster and longer...in addition to being more musical than others. I used to use Pyramids, D'As, Nickel Rockers...no more.

TONEQ is name of the newly introduced value brand ($5/pack). Have ordered them to try out, both electric and acoustic. Heard through the grapevine that Scalar believes that these strings (both Scalar and TONEQ) are better made, tighter tolerances, more consistent higher quality wire, ultra high quality alloys than ever before...so the cheaper ones are also supposed to be special. We'll see when they arrive.

hogy · Jan 20, 2016

.008 - .038, trem floating a minor third on the g string. I like a real delicate, sitar like ability to control pitch. And I like the tone of light strings.

gmann · Jan 20, 2016

10-46.

Unbound Dot Neck · Jan 20, 2016

Curt Mangan 11's

:hank

johnnyslim · Jan 21, 2016

Not to hijack the tread...I use 9-42 on Gibson's and Fenders.

I saw recently where Warmoth is now offering a Strat replacement neck in the Gibson 24 3/4 scale length. Assuming they are considering the placement of the Fender bridge. Curious what this might do to the tone of a Strat. I prefer my Fenders to feel like Fenders but this is interesting

Kim R · Jan 22, 2016

johnnyslim said:
Not to hijack the tread...I use 9-42 on Gibson's and Fenders.

I saw recently where Warmoth is now offering a Strat replacement neck in the Gibson 24 3/4 scale length. Assuming they are considering the placement of the Fender bridge. Curious what this might do to the tone of a Strat. I prefer my Fenders to feel like Fenders but this is interesting

I wouldn't be a fan of that change. Scale length (tension) effects everything - feel, tone, dynamics....

Marketing -

What string gauge do you use on your Strat?

kidmo

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Zoso

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renderit

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BannonJr

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Anje

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au_rick

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The Real MC

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Stoj

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Progrocker111

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57gold

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hogy

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gmann

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