string gauge important (like wood guitar)?

[Dru Edwards]

Hey All. Just curious. I'm going to generalize here and that with "most" solid wood Dread guitars from major manufacturers (not custom luthier builds), that medium strings drive the top harder and give a different tone than light strings ... perhaps louder and 'fuller'.

Does the same apply for Carbon Fiber guitars? Does the top need to be driven like a wood guitar to get that extra bass or volume?

Thanks!

[ac]

Medium strings will drive any guitar more but I think the general consensus has been for dread size carbons, it's not really needed except for personal preferences. They are very loud and responsive already with lights.

But the smaller sized carbons like Emerald X7-OS & X5-OS and the CA Cargo have people frequently using mediums to get even more from their smaller size (about parlor size). They are also shorter scale so the tension with mediums remains about the same as lights. The Cargo is 22.XX and the Emeralds are 24 inch scale.

[larryjoh814]

Originally Posted by ac

Medium strings will drive any guitar more but I think the general consensus has been for dread size carbons, it's not really needed except for personal preferences. They are very loud and responsive already with lights.

But the smaller sized carbons like Emerald X7-OS & X5-OS and the CA Cargo have people frequently using mediums to get even more from their smaller size (about parlor size). They are also shorter scale so the tension with mediums remains about the same as lights. The Cargo is 22.XX and the Emeralds are 24 inch scale.

I recently purchased a Rainsong WS1000, an early model w/out a truss rod, and after my luthier set it up and I used it on a 3 hr. solo gig last Friday, my fingertips really felt the slightly higher action and string tension than I have on my Taylor 814 strung with light Elixirs, and since I can't get the action any lower, I switched last night to some D'Addario Custom Lights and now it plays fine, and I look forward to my gigs tonight and Friday. The guitar was very loud unplugged with light Elixirs, but since I play mostly amplified with my Bose Compact L1, the volume of the guitar itself doesn't matter, and it still has ample volume for an unplugged session.
By the way, I used the BOGO for Strings and Beyond I found here on AGF. Yet another reason to surf the site!

[buzzardwhiskey]

Yes. Mediums change the tone on CF guitars significantly. I'm playing JP 710NM's (013 017 024w 032w 042w 055w) after moving from various 12's on my CA GXi. The sound is more luxurious, and more full. I'm not going back.

[Dru Edwards]

Thanks guys. Anyone else experiment with different gauge strings on their CF guitars?