String gauge? (Electric)

gerarda

Hi,
Whats the easiest way to tell what gauge string you are using? The shop I bought it from says it has 10's on it but Im not so sure? Reason for asking is that they need changing.

Cheers

Alanstrainor

It shouldn't really matter all that much. I would guess 10 too, there's no way to tell from just looking at the strings.

gerarda

Ok cheers, So If i want to put 9's on do I need to adjust anything?

Demeyes

gerarda wrote: »

Ok cheers, So If i want to put 9's on do I need to adjust anything?

If it has a floating bridge you'll have to re-adjust the springs so the bridge is level with the body. If you put on new strings and you're not sure of the gauge you'll want to check the intonation too. That's usually pretty easy and should only take a few minutes.
If it's buzzing too much or the action is too high then you can make some adjustments to that but you mightn't need to.

gerarda

It just has the regular bridge:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ibanez.otaku/guitars/yjm_strat/yjm_trem.jpg

Johnny Storm

If you bought it new it probably it still has the manufacturers strings on it so maybe you could look up the specs for that guitar manufacturers website and see what gauge strings come as standard on it.

It looks from your photo that the bridge is flat against the body. That means that the pull from the sPrings in the back is more than the pull from the sTrings in front.

If there are 10s on there now and you replace them with 9s then the string pull will be even less and the bridge will stay flat.
If the bridge does end up floating (ie the back of the bridge is not pressed against the body) then you can make it flat by tightening the two big screws that hold the springs in the back

68 lost souls

Most guitars come with 9 as standard from the factory so if they are the same set then they will be 9's. THe other way to check is with a vernier calipers and if it reads 0.009 inches then they are 9's or 0.010 then they are 10's etc.

jimmy99

What make and model is the guitar.