Anyone here using 8's on their electric?

AndyJP

bingefeller;584925" said:

AndyJP said:

Nice. Is it a modern?





Yes it's the modern.  Very nice guitar too.  I put up a thread here - 

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/28187/ngd-suhr-modern-black

Will probably hold on to it for another while :P

Very, very nice. Great spec too. Like the color, not too bling.

bingefeller

AndyJP said:

bingefeller;584925" said:

AndyJP said:

Nice. Is it a modern?





Yes it's the modern.  Very nice guitar too.  I put up a thread here - 

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/28187/ngd-suhr-modern-black

Will probably hold on to it for another while :P

Very, very nice. Great spec too. Like the color, not too bling.

 Cheers

carlos

Recently been trying the 9-40 "balanced set" from D'Addario. I think it's pretty good, but wouldn't pay more for them as some manufacturers try to. I do appreciate the heavier B (12 gauge) and the lighter G. Some charts:

Regular 9-42 on a 25.5" guitar

9-40 balanced set (the site doesn't have a 40 string)

bingefeller

Thing about going up to heavier strings is that they make your calluses form again...

MatthewShreddery

MatthewShreddery

MatthewShreddery said:

bingefeller

@AndyJP  how are you getting on with the 8's?

AndyJP

bingefeller;619503" said:

@AndyJP  how are you getting on with the 8's?

Hey mate. I really like em so far and planning to keep em. Thinking I play with a lighter touch so seems to work ok. Only got them on my musicman tho.

Got a 046 on the e and a 032 on the a string. The rest are from the 8s. its a nice mix.

Bends are effortless anywhere on the neck. Just more fun to play in general.

But keeping 11s on the strat and 10s on the tele.

You thinking of switching ?

bingefeller

AndyJP said:

bingefeller;619503" said:

@AndyJP  how are you getting on with the 8's?

Hey mate. I really like em so far and planning to keep em. Thinking I play with a lighter touch so seems to work ok. Only got them on my musicman tho.

Got a 046 on the e and a 032 on the a string. The rest are from the 8s. its a nice mix.

Bends are effortless anywhere on the neck. Just more fun to play in general.

But keeping 11s on the strat and 10s on the tele.

You thinking of switching ?

Glad to hear you're happy with them.

I'm going to stay with 10s for the future.  My fingers have got used to them and I don't find bends as difficult.  

I was looking through and I have a lot of strings that I need to get rid of, although no 10s or 11s, but if you need 8s, like I said before, let me know.

Evilmags

If I playes 8s on electric Id have to calluses for 13s on accoustics

AndyJP

Still got the 8's, still happy with the feel and sound.

Need to work on my bends a bit tho.  Very easy to bend with these feckers and I'm always slightly off with them.

bingefeller

AndyJP said:

Still got the 8's, still happy with the feel and sound.

Need to work on my bends a bit tho.  Very easy to bend with these feckers and I'm always slightly off with them.

Stick at it! 

 

With regards to 10s I have a sore ring and middle fingers on my left hand due to practicing the Armed and Ready solo by Michael Schenker which has a 1 1/2 step bend at the 20th fret and a bend at the 2nd fret G string, which I play with my second finger supported by my index....

AndyJP

Bloody ell, sounds hardcore.  A minor third bend at the 2nd fret also?

Never heard that track.  Gonna Spotify it

bingefeller

AndyJP;647903" said:

Bloody ell, sounds hardcore.  A minor third bend at the 2nd fret also?

Never heard that track.  Gonna Spotify it

No, just a full step at the 2nd fret but I find it hard as there ia more tension at that end I think.

DLM

bingefeller said:

I have a sore ring

*rofl*

*DLM replaces serious hat on his head*

I've been following this thread with interest because I bought up a pile of old-stock string packs for just a Euro or two a set a couple of years ago to experiment with different gauges and never got around to trying out the few sets of eights...

... until a couple of days ago. I put "Career" strings on my Strat-scale-length Pacifica. 8-11-14-22-30-38. I paid €1 for the set. I'm amazed not to have broken any after a couple of hours of playing.

I hit the strings very hard, play lots of huge bends and am an aggressive whammy user (it's blocked on the Pacifica, mind), I use 2mm Ultex Sharp picks.

It's working much better than I'd have expected, but the 38 is pretty useless as a low E for the thrash metal I play in my band. I've had the same experience as @bingefeller with fast picking, rhythm or lead. And I hit it sharp and pull it flat all the time.

I had been wondering about trying the balanced tension nines from D'Addario, but I think I'll have to give it a miss because I need a thicker D string, not a thinner one. That's always the first string to go in the standard sets of D'Addario nines I usually use on my main guitar, an RG550. I don't really want to go up to tens, though, as I'd lose the ease of playing. Maybe there is a case for a hybrid set for me, I'll have to give a "heavy bottom" a try, I got some of those from the bargain bin, too.

AndyJP

Yeah hybrids seem a good compromise for the thinner strings.  Finding the 046 and the 032 keep the bottom end.

Recently read an article that was interesting, will dig it out if I can find it.  By some famous guitarist ponce.  Basically he argues string gauge doesn't influence the tone that much.  He said the action height was more important.  He suggesting picking the gauge to fit your style then set the action higher to get your tone.

DLM

Malmsteen has said something similar, justifying his gauge choices: he claims the gauge of the plain strings doesn't affect the tone, only that of the wound strings, which is why he uses thicker ones on the bottom and really skinny ones on top. He also goes for a really high action.