String Tension and Action on Guitars?

flyswatter

Got a new Tele there and I had 0.11's installed for the first time, so just a matter of getting used to them now. I got it setup with low action.

Just wondering what the guitarists here prefer in regards to string tension and action?

Grolschevik

I've used 10s on my guitars for years, but I recently did that thing on my Les Paul where you screw the tailpiece right down to the body and string it wraparound, and I've found the string tension more elastic. Great for bending, but maybe a bit "rubbery" for some. Not much fight in the strings now. I was thinking about going to 11s, but probably not...

EDIT: Oh, and screwing the tailpiece down had no effect on tone that I could detect, but visually it looks neater...

Welease

Have used 8's for about the last 20 odd years and set the action really low.. I used to love the really sloppy feeling of the 8's...

Recently moved across to using 9's on some guitars... liking them a lot at the minute.

Demeyes

I use 10's on most of my guitars tuned standard. I normally have the action a little bit high, I don't really like a very low action at all.

rcaz

12s on my Jazzmaster with high enough action, 11s on my Telecaster with lower action. Not very low at all, just lower than my JM.

Squidgy Black

9's on my schecter, really low action.

11's on any tele's, with low enough action.

12's or 13's on hollowbody's with relatively medium height action

rcaz

stetyrrell wrote: »

relatively medium

:pac:

Like "fierce mild" or "extremely average"

Squidgy Black

El Pr0n wrote: »

:pac:

Like "fierce mild" or "extremely average"

All my guitars play averagely exceptional anyways :P

rcaz

stetyrrell wrote: »

All my guitars play averagely exceptional anyways :P

Ah don't worry, that's really normal.

flyswatter

El Pr0n wrote: »

12s on my Jazzmaster with high enough action, 11s on my Telecaster with lower action. Not very low at all, just lower than my JM.

How do you manage on the Jazzmaster? Especially with the action that high?

I played the CP Jazzmaster and it's very heavy so with the action that high I'd imagine it would be a struggle no?

Jamie Starr

I use 12s, the action's about 3mm (medium height I'd imagine) and I like a bit of tension in the strings, because I mostly play rhythm and prefer a solid kind of feeling when I'm hammering away at the guitar.

Malice

I use a .056 gauge B string with a set of .011s on my Ibanez K7. I find .010s too light and I've never tried .012s.

rcaz

flyswatter wrote: »

How do you manage on the Jazzmaster? Especially with the action that high?

I played the CP Jazzmaster and it's very heavy so with the action that high I'd imagine it would be a struggle no?

It was very tough for about two weeks, but I got a bit stronger and the tone and feel was way worth the sore fingertips! Loads more bass, really nice feel on the lower strings, vibrato feels better and the bridge is way more solid. That's where so many people go wrong with JMs, they need heavy strings to really shine. The bridge was designed when 12s were considered 'light' anyway, expecting a JM to work with 9s and low action like so many shops seem to set them up with is bound to make them seem rubbish. The heavier strings and higher action make for a little more force acting downward on the saddles and holds everything in place better.

A lot of people shim the neck to sharpen the angle that the strings make over the bridge but I haven't felt the need yet. The CP JM has the vibrato a little closer to the bridge than a normal JM, which does the same thing of sharpening that angle.

Johnny Storm

I use 9-46 sets
Thats EAD from a 10 set and GBE from a 9 set.
Works for me ;-)

boycey

I've used 11s on anything and everything for years. I've recently switched to 10-52s, and I'm loving them. Slighlty lighter top three and chunky as fook on the heavier three. A bit of a revelation for me, but then again I'm easily impressed!

Oh yeah, I play with a medium to high action. I'm one tough son of a bitch.