Change Your String Gauge For BETTER Tone? - Here's What I Recommend!

Dropping some common-sense truth bombs today!!
Changing string gauge for the RIGHT reasons
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[DarrellBraunGuitar]

Change string gauges based on feel, and playing style, not for tone - save that for your amp :)
What is your favourite string gauge? What amp do you dream of owning?

[glenngardin]

Old -Darrell Braun Guitar.
New - Darrell Braun Amplifier.

[f.b.i.]

I just want to say thanks, for taking time out of your day to teach some really good pro tips that we intermediate/newbs need

[scottreynolds]

I’m 54, so my hearing is bad enough that I can’t, for the life of me, hear the difference between string gauges. I can definitely tell the difference in adjusting the eq on my Katana MKII. Great video!!!! Thanks!!!!

[migueleespinosa]

String gauge is all about the feel for bends and runs. An often overlooked aspect is the pick impact and response. Definitely a must to explore what is going to work for you.

[jasonbaker]

I had a MIJ Strat and a cheap Gorilla amp when I was in high school in the mid 90's. I never really liked the sound. The music teacher at my school let my try my guitar through his Peavey Studio Pro and it sounded great. That was my lightbulb moment. My guitar was fine, I just needed a better amp.

[Gworan]

For me string gauge has always been about tension and feel. The other week I was selling my Jackson DK2M, and a guy came over to try the guitar. Before even plugging it in, he got it in his hands, and just said, "oh no it feels too firm". I had 10.5 - 48 strings in standard E tuning, so I tried explaining that, but he just went "no this guitar doesn't feel good", and almost didn't buy it. But, I got an old used set of 9-42s that I hadn't thrown away yet, we swapped the strings, and then he played the guitar for like 20 seconds and said it's perfect, and bought it...

[ravelitschimo]

The scale-length and the string gauge are the most underrated topics. Sometimes it’s good to have a little thicker strings for rhythm and normal or little thinner for solos and bending.

[zacharymiraziz]

Great vid. I’ve been playing 10-52 forever and just recently tried putting some 9s on my PRS SE. Really enjoying the difference in feel of the strings and ease of bending. Def a great idea to try different gauges to find what’s right for you!

[Eric_]

I travelled that road last year. I'd used the same strings for many years and after learning what some other artists used I wanted to see if some change would "improve" sound/tone. I tried sveral brands and gauges, which was fun, and I could hear VERY subtle frequency changes but nothing blew me away to the extent of migrating to a new standard. What I did learn was that I was in fact very happy with where I'd already been. Confirming that was a worthy exercise. You hear about what your heros use and begin to think if you're not doing that, you're behind the curve. Nonsense. You MUST find your own comfort zone. You'll be miserable trying to mimic someone else's. I was glad to have that confirmed through this video.

[nehemiahzo_]

High E 9 Gauge String:
Me: *prays before winding it up*

[Florida_Living]

Been using the standard ole 10-46 for years. They work for me and I like how they feel under my fingers. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Great content Darrell!

[patricksclarke]

My first guitar had 11-56 already on it. My next guitar had 9-42. I thought I liked the heavier strings until I played the 9's. Now I'm sticking with them. Super Slinky for me. Nice video!

[KevinORourke]

I use 9's because my hands are 70 yrs. old and I've had Carpal Tunnel surgery on both hands and I find the 9's easier on the fingers and a little easier to bend. I think I do notice a slight difference in tone but if I were a younger fellow with better flexibility in my fingers I probably would be using 10's or 11's. Thanks for the Info Darrell.
Kevin O'Rourke

[imslicc]

experiment with everything in the chain:
* new strings make most of the sound of a (clean) guitar tone. changing them does a whole lot of difference.
* a guitar set up differently, can sound dramatically different. set it up the way you want to.
* effects. a compressor dialed gently can change your sound completely, and still sound natural. most of the sounds you like are probably compressed by high quality studio grade gear.
* an amp. yeah, most of the sound comes out of it.
* try boosting the treble on the amp, and turn down the tone and see what it does. try lowering the volume knob on the guitar and cranking the amp. every one of the aspects interact with one another.


but, in the end, try everything yourself. don't listen to anyone.

[davidmiller]

After watching Rhett's and Rick's videos on string gauges, I started checking my guitars with a micrometer and found out I've been playing on 9s on my favorites. It is a feel thing, rather than a sound, that matters, I've realized. Thanks, Darrell.

[MimirYgg]

You give the best value to time spent watching ration on guitar tech YouTube channels ever, I've been following you from years, and i really appreciate the knowledge you shared with us, from building my own guitar with my favorite specs to getting the right guitar for my style to getting the right strings, man you got it all covered for me

[wesjeanblanc]

Thanks, as always, for the practical advice! String gauge is a comfort thing. If you're uncomfortable playing, your tone will suck no matter what strings you're playing.

[tyrssen]

I've always laughed at the "tonewood" argument when it comes to solid-body electrics. Bodies have been made from pine and plexiglass, they work fine. I suspect if I took the same neck, same electrics, same everything, and put those components in a pine body, a swamp ash body, a plexiglass body, and a bedpan body, there won't be much difference. Well okay, the bedpan-body might have a little more twangy ring to it.

[cerveshred]

On my experience it was a good change. I play a lot legato lines and was playing 09-42 all my life. But when I changed to 10- 46 was soo different. The tone, feel, sound are so powerfull...even on a no expensive guitar. I will try with 11.