Finger strength and string gauge

[scolfax]

I recently switched to 10's after playing 9's forever. They came on my new G&L Legacy and I loved the sound. But I tweaked a knuckle on my pinky and now I'm wondering if the 10's are at least partly to blame.

 

Anyone here use light strings because heavier ones hurt their fingers in some way?

[DavidMgT]

I do with acoustic guitars. It is weird, with electrics I use heavy and with acoustics I use lights.

[sleewell]

i have some guitars with 11's and some with 10s. the longer you play the 11's the easier it feels to bend the 10's. not sure though if you could blame the string gauge for an injury or that a lighter gauge wouldnt have caused the same injury.

[PrawnHeed]

 

I do with acoustic guitars. It is weird, with electrics I use heavy and with acoustics I use lights.

 

 

Not that weird. Acoutic lights and electic heavies are about the same

[MojoFilter]

 

I recently switched to 10's after playing 9's forever. They came on my new G&L Legacy and I loved the sound. But I tweaked a knuckle on my pinky and now I'm wondering if the 10's are at least partly to blame.

 

 

They're absolutely the cause.

 

You've developed your style around a certain set of parameters, and you've just changed those parameters. It's like adding (or subtracting) 10 PSI from your racecar's tires, and expecting to take corners the same way as before.

 

You're faced with two options: change your strings back to what you've used (and what's been comfortable) for most of your life, or start learning how to change your technique.

 

My personal feeling is this: always use the string gauge that is most comfortable for your style of playing; any compromise in tonality (real or perceived) can be compensated for by your choices of gear.

[big_aug]

I can't even tell a difference after a couple of days when switching to heavier strings. I went to from 10s to 11s on my explorer and I can still easily bend the string as far as it will go. I mean the amount of effort to bend a whole step is minimal regardless of string gauge. I doubt it would cause you to injure yourself. I'm not an expert though. I've only been playing for 2 years.

[MojoFilter]

 

I can't even tell a difference after a couple of days when switching to heavier strings. I went to from 10s to 11s on my explorer and I can still easily bend the string as far as it will go. I mean the amount of effort to bend a whole step is minimal regardless of string gauge. I doubt it would cause you to injure yourself. I'm not an expert though. I've only been playing for 2 years.

 

 

This isn't a contest, but I've been playing for 30. I can bend very aggressively when I play live, and constantly use finger, wrist and full-arm vibrato.

 

A few years ago, I briefly switched from 9's to 10's...and quickly got some serious pain in my forearms, and finger fatigue. I switched back to my original gauge and brand, and was fine.

 

Everybody's different, but I stand by what I said: if you're going to change your string gauge, be prepared to re-learn the mechanics of the way you play certain things.

 

People's technique becomes automatic after time, largely based on muscle memory. Changing even a string gauge up or down, or sometimes even changing brands can be enough to cause problems for some.

[SnowViking]

I agree work with what feels best, or do some finger strength exercises to adapt to the extra tension. I used to use lighter gauge strings but and switched to 10s and the sound and feel I get is much better. It was worth the extra effort to get these benefits.

[1001gear]

 

I recently switched to 10's after playing 9's forever. They came on my new G&L Legacy and I loved the sound. But I tweaked a knuckle on my pinky and now I'm wondering if the 10's are at least partly to blame. Anyone here use light strings because heavier ones hurt their fingers in some way?

 

 

I've separated the nail on my third finger more than once. Now I simply avoid strenuous bends. I find that fingers will accommodate 11s and 12s if you let your abilities grow into the task. You can't just start wiggling those stiffer gauges. You have to use your knees so to speak; learn where the leverage is as well as the pitch and speed concerns.

[blingdogg]

I never injured myself, but I played 10s for a little while and didn't like the feel, so I went back to 9s. I like a guitar that's really loose with very low tension, so I can do bends with zero effort. I'm not a weakling or anything, but I like the feel of 9s.

 

Do what suits you best. No one is going to listen to your music and say "What a wimpy guitarist! His tone is thin because he uses 9 gauge strings!" No one will hear the difference.

[scolfax]

Thanks guys. Going to setup the guitar with 9's and see how it goes.

[WRGKMC]

As Mojofilter mentioned, it has nothing to do with how manly someone is. Every time theres a post about string gauges the wingnuts come out and brag about how heavy the gauge of strings they use. I play bass and guitar so I'm always switching between strings that are 95~140 down to 9's and 10s. None of that tells anyone how well someone plays and how much bending they do, nor how many hours they put in per session. String guage is simply a balance between Hand size, Tone and and Speed for someones playing style. In other words, some guy can press 500lbs may suck when it comes to running a foot race. He wouldnt be lifting weights if he was a runner and vice versa. A lead guitarist who plays mostly leads bending alot of notes will more likely go for something that matches that style and again his hand size.

 

For the OP, It all comes down to heal time. As you get older, it takes longer and longer to heal from repetitive stress. I'm hitting 53 now having played since I was 8 years old. It takes me a week to heal what it took two days when I was in my 20s. String guage isnt as important as how aggressively you may play. I'll go at any guitar as agressively as I did when I was a kid and endure the wreakage the next day so I have to be very mindful to know when enough is enough. I can play bass all night like as a bass player and feel fine the next day because I use bass playing techniques. If I were to go up a gauge or two in strings on guitar and try to bend the strings all night long like I normally do, I know I'm going to have some sore forearms and likely some pinched nerves.

 

I do have some guitars that have a longer scale and wider necks and they require 10's or 11's to feel like some other guitars I have with thin necks using 9's. I use the strings that work best on any particular isntrument for tone and action, thats it. I may have heavier strings on a guitar I use for mainly strumming or jazz riffs that use minimal bends. I may use lighter strings on guitars that I bend the crap out of the strings playing mainly leads.

[WRGKMC]

 

Thanks guys. Going to setup the guitar with 9's and see how it goes.

 

 

I use 9~46 on many of my guitars. This way the lower bass strings have the tone and punch of 10's but you have the flexability of 9's on the high end for the first three strings you normally bend the most.

[scolfax]

 

I use 9~46 on many of my guitars. This way the lower bass strings have the tone and punch of 10's but you have the flexability of 9's on the high end for the first three strings you normally bend the most.

 

 

Great idea!

[honeyiscool]

There's also 9.5s.

 

Also, keep in mind, not all 10s are the same.

 

GHS 10s seem to feel very slinky, D'Addario 10s are very stiff. GHS 10s feel a lot like D'Addario 9s. Look at the rated tension numbers, I'm not making this stuff.

 

I like the stiffness in my short scales, but I prefer less tension in my long scale guitar strings.

[Metalrulez]

some of the best recorded guitar tones were recorded with.........8's.

[WRGKMC]

Yea it has to do with the core wire sizes. If they go too light the strings can be a bitch to intonate.

 

I been using 9/46's for 20 years now. I tried some 9/42 D'Addarios the other day just for a change of pace and I had to completely reintonate the guitars I put them on. Even then the low strings were too flabby and I could buzz the strings when I slammed the chords.

 

I still swear by those SFarzo strings. Made in the USA and they have excelent tone and quality controll. I keep around 30 guitars strung up in the studio so I buy in bulk and usually throw a set or two of brands and gauges I've never tried out before. Sometimes thay are a fail, sometimes I latch onto something great like the Sfarzos and stick with them. So far I havent got a bad set buying like 5~6 sets a month so I can attest to the quality. They last at least twice as long as the D'Adarios I put on recently if thats any gauge to measure by. They dont brown out like those others do either, they maintain the tone for the string life. The #1 major requirement for me though is perfect intonation on a variety of instruments for at least two hard playing sessions of at least 3~4 hours straight like two live shows or rehursals of three sets or a recording session of equal endurance. If they go that far I'll use them. If they cant, I waste to much time eaking them in between songs

[WRGKMC]

Yea 8's were the most popular strings back in the 70's earley 80's. Its what all the music stores sold and many of the guitars were built to play them well. Some guys even used 7's.

 

Its hard to believe I actually used them so much then. I guess it was the mid 80's when I started going to 9's and 10's. The quality of 8's were better then and the 9's and 10's werent so great. Guess they might have gone stale sitting on the shelf for too long. believe me strings can go stale. They often rust under the chrome coating and rot from the inside out with some manufacturers.

[mrperson]

Personally I believe it's all a matter of technique, with heavier gauge strings if you use the wrong technique you can seriously hurt yourself - I find light strings more forgiving.

 

I've always preferred the feel and response of heavy strings and use 12s with a wound third because of this - I can still to 3 or 4 fret bends. I do however frequently use guitars that are string with 9s and I have no problem in switching between gauges. If you're having problems with heavier strings just break down whats going on and try and find the root of the problem. I know a few guitarists who learnt to play with heavy strings just to work on their technique.

 

Next time I'm stringing my main electric guitar I plan to use 13s so I'll report back with how I get on with those.

[WRGKMC]

Guitar type and technique surely have alot to do with it. Right hand picking technique I can see being a huge factor too. I switch from using my finger tips of the thumb and first finger for doing arpegios and flat picking to using a monkey grip between the thumb and second joint of my first finger for really digging in to the strings and getting pinch harmonics ZZ Top Style. I also use a thumb pick on occasion as well. My left hand fingers are fast but they arent all that big like a good bass player might have. I actually played violin before guitar and learned to use my pinkey as much as the other fingers. My first guitar was an acoustic 12 string which requires even more muscle to play well.

 

Once I got into lead playing though and doing all the bends, you just wear yourself out for no good reason. If you got a good guitar and amp, you dont have a problem with volume or tone. lately i been using alot of doubble note bends and slides. some if it can be done with thicker strings but doing doubble note vibrados are a bitch with heavy strings unless you use a whammy which I do use as well. I been doing a three piece lately and doubble note leads gets rid of thet big hole switching from chords to leads so the whole thing comes down to sustained endurance pushing sound for me. You have to work alot harder being the only guitarist and that often means sore hands if you're putting on a good show.

 

If I was playing a four piece where I could let the other guy solo and just lay back and play fancy chords to back him up then I'd have no issue using heavy strings. But when you got bto solo nearly every song with so many different techniques I got to stick with what will work. I do however switch guitars. I may use something with a stiffer feel for a warmup, then something a bit more relaxed. Both guitars may have the same strings but the radius, height, scale length, width etc of the neck can have a much different feel. So I use those vs using different gauges. It gives me more or less resistance to work against the strings yet provides the same bendability.

[27Frets]

How many of you 11, 12 and (gulp) 13 gauge users here are tuning to standard A = 440? Could be wrong, but I bet a lot of you guys are playing in drop/alternate tunings....

 

I played 10s most of my life but now use 9s because I like the way they feel and sound (EB Slinky). Used a hybrid set of 11/12 in my last band a few years ago (drop C tuning) for teh brootalz.

[honeyiscool]

I used to use 11s with my short scales. It's really not that bad.

[RyanNash]

Most people out there don't have a rack of guitars with different scales and widths to choose from so for people in that catagory, just use what you can handle.

I've always thought that just playing what feels good is the right way to go. Don't put to much thought into it, if your gauge feels to light then go for the next one up, If it's feelin to heavy and you cant play what you wanna play drop down a notch. I've been using 11-49s' on my two jags and 14-70 on my semi hollow body (tuned down 2 steps) for years, but if I get sore little fingers for some reason I'll drop 'em down.

[honeyiscool]

But the thing I want to stress is that maybe you should switch brands instead of gauges. D'Addario are fine sounding strings but they're extremely high tension for the gauge and people don't realize this.

[RyanNash]

yeah my 11s' are D'Addario. the 14-70 are GHS. GHS do feel a bit more flexable but also more metallic.