Anyone here using 8's on their electric?

ToneControl

ICBM said:

ToneControl said:

btw, why would an 008 be more likely to snap than an 009? It would be at a lower tension

But they're also weaker. Thin strings do break more easily than thicker ones as a general rule.

If you think about it taking it to an extreme, if you had a .001 gauge string it would be under very low tension, but it would be extremely easy to break it.

001's too far away to compare,
as I think I recall from school, Hooke's law says the stretch is proportional until you get to the elastic limit, so I assume that a slightly lower tension string will be less likely to reach that elastic limit with the same player and the same pitch

ToneControl

anyway, tell me what you think of that Brandon Drury piece

ICBM

ToneControl said:

as I think I recall from school, Hooke's law says the stretch is proportional until you get to the elastic limit, so I assume that a slightly lower tension string will be less likely to reach that elastic limit with the same player and the same pitch

No - easier to push harder, both by bending and just by picking, so more likely to exceed the elastic limit, and easier to break if you do purely because they're weaker due to the smaller cross-sectional area.

ToneControl said:

anyway, tell me what you think of that Brandon Drury piece

For me, thicker strings unquestionably sound better. I do play clean most of the time though, and I am somewhat heavy-handed. I'm in the slightly unusual position that I work on guitars so I get to play most of the combinations of guitar type and string gauge on a fairly regular basis, and (in my opinion) it's really not arguable that string gauge doesn't affect the tone. Maybe if you put a lot of distortion on you hear it less, but it's still there.

I also disagree with a lot of the "famous players who use thin strings but have a big tone" examples (eg Billy Gibbons) - to me, they don't… they have a small tone that is amplified heavily… not the same thing. You can hear the difference. (Doesn't mean it's a *bad* tone, either!)

Sassafras

I prefer the control I get with thicker strings,those thin ones just feel like rubber bands sliding all over the fretboard. I think they sound better too. I don't play high gain stuff, so I can't comment on that.

Niallmo

I've noticed no "real" difference with outright distortion from 8's all the way to 12's. Certainly on clean and mild OD tones it does seem to be the bigger the better.

bingefeller

Niallmo said:

I've noticed no "real" difference with outright distortion from 8's all the way to 12's. Certainly on clean and mild OD tones it does seem to be the bigger the better.

Wis'd!

Lew

I use 11-49 in C# which has a little less tension than 9-42 in standard so kinda in the same boat... kinda. Where's your action at?

Gizmo

Been using 09-46 for a while now but i'll throw a pack of 08's on next time im ordering just to try them

i saw this chapers video a while back on 8's vs 11's,just skip to about 9mins of 11's and 15mins for the 8's

usedtobe

I've got a touch a blacksmith would consider a tad heavy, so I can't see me getting below 10's

ToneControl

I think there is a tone difference on cleaner settings
also I think it's harder to unintentionally play out of tune with heavier gauges
Those who play well with 007s must have a lot of accurate finger control

I have noticed that certain tensions can sound right for specific instruments (to me), I assume we all need to fine tune to get our instruments working for us

Tony Iommi's fingers dictated he used 7s I think, and that's part of his sound
Mind you, he can play Jazz too, which must surprise some people

bingefeller

Lew said:

I use 11-49 in C# which has a little less tension than 9-42 in standard so kinda in the same boat... kinda. Where's your action at?

My action is around 1.25mm on the high E, B and G strings.  About 1.40mm on low E, A and D.  My neck relief is around 0.15mm - 0.20mm.  No buzzing at all anywhere on the neck either, which is good, although I'm sure the jumbo frets help.  

What's your action and neck relief?

Lew

1.25mm straight across at the 12th. I don't have any proper accurate way to measure the relief but the necks straighter than Burt Reynolds moustache. Wait... anyway it has very little relief ;-)

Loobs

I can't stand skinny strings. So, no.

bingefeller

Lew;493426" said:

1.25mm straight across at the 12th. I don't have any proper accurate way to measure the relief but the necks straighter than Burt Reynolds moustache. Wait... anyway it has very little relief ;-)

Sounds like a good set up to me :-)

Actually I'll have to measure my action again after changing strings and that.  For some reason my intonation has remained intact even though the guitar was set up with 10s and I have been adjusting the claw at the back and stuff....

jeztone2

I did briefly play 008-038 on my first electric. But 9s seemed more stable. I'm used to 009-046 now. But I always have quite a high action.

XWulfhere

Doesn't the Billy Gibbons goldtop come with 7s?

Octahedron

I was pretty sure that I read an interview or something where they said Gibbons plays with 8s. Maybe has used 7s in the past but I certainly recall hearing 8s and that he very rarely breaks them if ever!

ToneControl

Has anyone found themselves breaking more strings with lighter gauges?

 

JAYJO

Broke top E on 08 but ive never broken a 10. Back in the day i used to buy spare top E strings 08 for the inevitable. Though i also think you get one anyway. Im heavy handed and lose composure if i string a run of more than 3 notes together.

XWulfhere

Yes just cheked the Gibson website, Billy's Goldtop does come with 8s (should have checked it before sorry!)