What strings do you use?

[Delus]

Hello to everyone!

I have been an owner of a G&L ASAT Classic S/H for over a year now and it has a wonderful sound and vibe.
When I got it it was set up with Elixir 10s, later on I tried GHS, D'Addario, and now I'm using Roto Sounds which to me they sound a little better and fell more comfortable. But now i'm thinking of setting it up with 11s.



What do you think are the most appropriate strings for a semi-hollow electric with single coils?
Here I'm focusing mostly on the string gauge rather than the brand, although each brand has its own feel and sound.
Do heavier gauge strings work better on semis or do they make them sound a bit "muddy"?
Also do heavy gauge strings work better with single coils?
I want the best sound possible from my guitar that is why I set the action relatively high (at least as high as I can handle) and now I want to find out what string gauge would produce the best sounding result.

Also to all the guitar lovers out there I'm curious to know what strings you use and feel most comfortable with.
Thanks

[asphalt-abate]

Delus:

I play an ASAT (Special) solid body so my advice only marginally applies to your situation. But when I saw that you used RotoSound strings I felt like I should chime in.

I use the RotoSound Roto Reds 11 - 48 and I absolutely enjoy them. If you like the RotoSound 10s and want to switch to 11s, I'd start with the RotoSounds, at least you can compare the difference with the only variable being string guage. You might find that the only way to get the Roto 11s is order then through the mail. The music stores in my area, including GC, only carry the 9s and 10s. I think Roto Reds sound fantastic on Tele/ASAT style guitars. They are bright (not too bright) and focused but still manage to have a bit of thickness and warmth. I find them to be an ideal cross between S.I.T.s and EB Slinkies.

Unfortunately I cannot provide you with advice relating to semi-hollow ASATs. I've never owned a semi-hollow but would love to some day ($$$ being a factor).

Like you I like my action high. I'm not sure why but it just seems to to fit my approach. Dont get me wrong sometimes I really dig picking up a fast guitar (light guage strings and low action) and noodling around but ultimately I fing myself back on my ASAT and happy.

Tom

[Delus]

Tom,

The ASAT Special was the first G&L I played and it had left me totally speechless. Anyway back tp the subject.

I almost forgot the EB Slinkys which I have also used and I find them to be second best to the RotoSounds.

In reference to heavier gauge on semis, it's just that I'm not sure if heavy gauge strings would "over-beef up" the sound on a semi-hollow, mostly on the neck pup position (I'm pretty sure the bridge pup position will sound just fine). I suppose I can try and see for myself, but any advice would be most welcome.
As for pups, the P90 style singlecoils on the ASAT Special are certailny "beefier" than the standard singlecoils, so if heavy strings work better on P90s wouldn't they also work better with singlecoils? (this question focuses mostly on pickups rather than guitar body)

Finally, I highly recomend semi-hollow guitars, their truly wonderful!

Delus

[Sean Clavin]

Strings are an inexpensive way to change your tone. I have all my guitars set up with Ernie Ball pure nickles. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I like the evenness of pure nickle strings. Most of my guitars are strung with 10-46. The bigger hollow and semi hollow bodies I use 11-48. On my Tele, if I'm playing a bunch of country gigs, I use D'Addario 9.5's, they sound great but don't have the light feel 9's have. Just my $.02

[MrRoundel]

I have my ASAT Classic SH strung with EB Regular Slinkies (10's), and totally dig the guitar's tone. It seems to provide me with a true all-around guitar, an hybrid between a solid body ASAT and a Casino-like hollow. Like the Casino, they are a pleasure to play, a fact that is helped by their relative light weight. Last night I was playing my '74 Les Paul (over 10 lbs.) and my quadraceps quickly started to hurt from the weight. Since I was on a short scale, I switched to my Casino, and it was a welcome break for my quad's.
Nice looking Classic. Mine is in a cherry burst color, with a deep cherry red, non-burst back. They are great guitars indeed. Enjoy.

[Delus]

Sean Clavin: EB pure nickels, huh? Haven't tried them yet but I sure will!

MrRoundel:

Nice looking Classic.

Thanks! Enjoy yours, too!

[dareaper8]

From an engineering standpoint,
the 2 most important components that contribute to the sound of an electric guitar are the pickups and the strings (followed by the bridge and the nut).
And since there is more metal in thicker strings,
they will produce the best tone.

But then i use super slinky's on my legacy so who am i to say :p

[JonL]

I use DR Pure Blues (Nickel wrap, not nickel plated) on all my guitars. I use .011s on my F-100. The F-100 has pretty good sized frets, and I keep the action on the high side, so I can really get my fingers behind the strings and bend the crap out of them. On my vintage Strat, the frets are worn way down and I don't like to play that guitar with as heavy a touch, so I use standard .010 gauges for the unwound strings (.010, .013, .017) and I use half a DR Pure Blues .011 set for the wound strings. That way I get the beefier bottom end of the heavier gauge strings, but I don't have to dig in so hard to bend the unwound strings. I keep the balance of the set from the Strat to have spares for the G&L. I just buy individual strings for the unwounds on the strat.

Using the different gauges like that actually keeps both guitars feeling quite similar. I don't find it a jarring change if I switch in the middle of a set.

[sirmyghin]

From an engineering standpoint,
the 2 most important components that contribute to the sound of an electric guitar are the pickups and the strings (followed by the bridge and the nut).
And since there is more metal in thicker strings,
they will produce the best tone.

But then i use super slinky's on my legacy so who am i to say :p

Maybe not 'best' but clearest, as they will be the tightest strings, moving less, disturbing only a more central area of the field.

[Boogie Bill]

All of my G&Ls are DFV-equipped and I use the 9-42 Fender Super Bullets on them. I use D'Addario XL strings on everything else; depending on the guitar, 9-42, 9-46 or 10-46.

I don't think there'e enough difference in tone for me to justify struggling with the playability issues I would have with heavier strings.

Bill

[felixq78]

I've got a G&L ASAT Commemorative Classic and a '56 Les Paul.
I love heavier gauge strings and have worked my way up to 11 to 52s on the Gibson, set up correctly you don't notice the heavier strings, especially if you graduate in baby steps..
But my Teles and now the ASAT seem different, I guess it's the different scale necks. I tried going up to 10s and the ASAT felt really chunky so I'm back to 9s.
The advice about trying other axes in the shop is the best though. You can make the comparison without wasting money on sets of strings that you eventually discard.

[Johnny Guest]

I played an ASAT standard for years (3 fret jobs) and for most of that time used Dean Markleys with great success. NEVER broke a string, even when pounding on it 4 nights a week for a month. I started using DR's mainly due to availabilty locally, and they are also a high quality string you might consider.

The concept of which string is right for which guitar is a little odd to me though. I've always had better success matching the right string to the player. We each have different levels of acids in our sweat, which might corrode string x faster than string y...

If you have a brand that works for you, stick with it unless they just don't like your gutiar. G&L's are pretty forgiving though! Good luck!

[Delus]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, your advice is most welcome!

I switched to 11's, mostly because my teacher said that semis really like heavy gauge strings, and here are my impressions.
-Once again I realise that gauge does make a difference, a slight one but still can be noticable. First time I had realised it with my Ibanez (HSH) years ago when I went from 9's to 10's because the 1st (9) sound too thin, and it helped a little.
-Semis indeed like heavier strings especially for those clean or crunchier tones! Although the Asat's scale causes great tension on the strings and makes me try harder when I bend. But then again my fingers soon came to get used to string tension and in time they grow stronger.
-What impressed me most is that I noticed great difference on my Strat. It's a '72 RI MIJ (I guess it's a '90-'91 model from the SN), it has the stock pcups which are low output I believe, low profile frets, and it was set up with EB 10s. I set it up with a set of EB Power Slinky (11's) and I immediately noticed quite a difference, made it sound fuller. Later on I switched to EB Beefy Slinky (the 1st and 2nd are from 11s set while the rest, 4th to 6th, go even heavier) and really struck me. But my fingers can only handle up to standard 11's so I had to compromise. Maybe the bigger difference was emphasized because of the low ouput pcups? (I'm no expert I just make assumptions)
My conclusion: Although 11s need more effort I prefer to have that little improvement in tone coz I play mostly crunch and clean, and it also forces me to try even harder and feel the instrument.

Some questions:
JonL

On my vintage Strat, the frets are worn way down and I don't like to play that guitar with as heavy a touch,

My Strat also has low profile frets does this make it even harder to play and bend on a heavy set of strings?


Johnny Guest

I played an ASAT standard for years (3 fret jobs)

Does your ASAT have a maple or rosewood fingerboard?
Someone once told me that it is more difficult to change frets on a maple than on a rosewood.
Mine has a birdseye maple fretboard. Will it be difficult or "harsh" for the fingerboard to change frets once the need comes up?


Sorry if I wrote too much

[ChrisPcritter]

First off, I always clean my strings with lemon oil prior to installing them..
I have gotten strings that had stuff on them before or that were kinked in
the pack..
I prefer to use D'Addario XL's in 9 or 10 depeing on the guitar. I started using
them, then got a guitar that had the Buzz Feiten tuning system. When reading
up on them he also claimed to use them as they were "the most consistent pack
to pack"..