Extra ight (10-47) Users?

KRKHKC · #1 07-31-2013, 03:29 PM

Does anyone else use extra light strings (whether or not D'Addarios)?

Most people sort of make this funny face when I say I like extra lights on my acoustic.
I've played electric for over 40 years (I'm 56) and my style was somewhat between elec. & acoust.
Now I bought my first acoustic (Lag T200ace) and my style still is between both worlds, but it's on an acoustic

I tried a lot of different gauges and happily settled on D'Addario Extra Lights (.010-.014-.023-.030-.039-.047)

I really like the dexterity it allows, and it even has a wound (.023) G string. I do zero strumming, and pay flat-picking and finger-picking (thumb plus next three fingers)styles.
I'd assume strummers wouldn't care for such a light gauge.

michaelhager · #2 07-31-2013, 03:50 PM

I'm with you. I use Elixers, custom lights, same gauge. Almost all fingerstyle, a little strumming, but light and a little flat picking.

I've simply found that for the style of play, my instruments just don't sound right with heavier strings...

To each his own, do what's right for you!

sfden1 · #3 07-31-2013, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KRKHKC

Does anyone else use extra light strings (whether or not D'Addarios)?

Most people sort of make this funny face when I say I like extra lights on my acoustic.
I've played electric for over 40 years (I'm 56) and my style was somewhat between elec. & acoust.
Now I bought my first acoustic (Lag T200ace) and my style still is between both worlds, but it's on an acoustic

I tried a lot of different gauges and happily settled on D'Addario Extra Lights (.010-.014-.023-.030-.039-.047)

I really like the dexterity it allows, and it even has a wound (.023) G string. I do zero strumming, and pay flat-picking and finger-picking (thumb plus next three fingers)styles.
I'd assume strummers wouldn't care for such a light gauge.

I currently have these same strings on a vintage Gibson LG-2 that I mostly fingerpick. I'm about to change them out for something just a tad heavier. While I like the way they feel and play, I think the tone (at least on this particular guitar) suffers a bit. Not quite enough bass for me. Maybe I'll try a mixed set next.

Bonenut65 · #4 07-31-2013, 04:02 PM

My Martin backpacker uses .010 - .047's Other than that I havent tried them on bigger instrument. I have a few sets laying around the house, I just may string one up and see how it goes.

glp · #5 07-31-2013, 04:06 PM

I have Martin extra lights on my Yamaha and mainly play fingerstyle, with some flat picking and light strumming now and then. There is lack of bottom end, but since I don't really play loudly, it doesn't affect the balance with the rest of the strings that much. If they work for you, that's all that matters.

Athana · #6 07-31-2013, 05:15 PM

On Martin D I have 11-50 right now..and other times Elixir 11-52 80/20..
That guitar was Custom Shoppe ordered to be responsive to light strings so its not lacking in volume with those strings.Which is good cause Im begining to find long scales feeling a little stiff now that I am spoiled with short scale Lowden. On short scale its 80/20 12-53 Elixir.They say 80/20 is less tension..
: )

ljguitar · #7 07-31-2013, 06:00 PM

Hi KRKHKC…

I have students who because of surgery, injury, arthritis, or other limitations have down scaled their string weight and action to be able to continue to play and enjoy guitar.

I have a guitar which responds better with .011 (Custom Light) strings than with .012 or .013; and they have been on the guitar plentifully over the 20 years I've owned it. I know how it best sounds and responds to me.

I know there are a lot of people who play .010 or .011 strings, and the companies still manufacture them in abundance.

Ah the joys of youth when we just threw mediums on our Dreads and wailed away! We only knew about volume and projection, not being musical and having balanced tone (or pulling off full step bends).

WannabeWillie · #8 07-31-2013, 06:23 PM

I use .010-.047 Elixir Polywebs on the Ovation in my sig, the Applause AA-21 (six string, no on board electronics), and the cheap but cherished DR-90 Lt. Edition in my sig.

The DR-90 Lt. Ed. is a cheap, plywood guitar, but when I demo'd it, I was totally and compeletely blown away by its tone, even volume response, and sustain. But I can only get it to sound that good with the extra-light Elixirs or light Markely Vintage Bronze. Going up in gauge kills the tone, and every other kind of string I've tried on it make it sound really yucky. I don't know why strings should make such a dramatic difference on that instrument, but they do. With the strings it likes, it's a great sounding guitar. It's painful to listen to with anything else. Wierd, but that's the way it is.

I use the extra-light Elixir Polywebs on the other guitars as a matter of convienience. Those guitars might actually sound better with other strings on them, but I kind of buy Elixirs in bulk because my DR-90 sounds so good with them. I still use that guitar some in live performance -hence the bias in catering to it.

My Applause AE-128 is a super-shallow bowl with a laminated top faced with quilted maple. It sounds best acoustically and plugged in with .010-.046 nickle wound electric guitar strings -either Fender 250's or Markleys. Back in the 90's, I performed a lot with a similar Celebrity model that also had a hardwood-faced laminated top and it sounded best with the same kind of strings, too. So I kind of expected the AE-128 to "come alive" with similar strings like it did. I use the same strings on it that I use on my G&L Legacy solid body electric guitar. It is convienient that they both sound good with the same strings because they're the two guitars I'm currently using the most.

I typically don't use a plectrum, but pick with my bare thumb, index, and middle finger.

patticake · #9 07-31-2013, 07:02 PM

my hands and left wrist hasn't gotten stronger in decades of playing, and using extra lights (d'addario pb's) allows me to play barre chords for ages and do all sorts of tricky stuff. i don't use them on my shortest scale guitar, but i do use them on several, and my husband used them on his J45 for a while.

Davis Webb · #10 07-31-2013, 07:33 PM

On a related note, I use 11s for busking and they dont break. The 12s have a higher string tension and break all day. The 11s have more give and simply last longer under rigorous conditions, so far. 10s are a bit much, but I can see the value of ease of play and dexterity.

dragonfly66 · #11 07-31-2013, 07:37 PM

My first guitar was a classical guitar in the 7th/8th grade. I then got a steel string Sigma dreadnought with 25.5" scale when I starting lessons in the 9th grade. I was barely 5' tall and my fingers very short. It was hard for me to play and extra lights made it easier. After grad school I was working and could afford a new guitar and still stayed with extra lights. I played, performed and wrote songs on a Washburn Dread with extra lights until I was well into my 30s.

You only need what sounds good to you. Arguably there are some benefits to using heavier gauged strings but if they don't benefit you there is no need to go there.

Jim Owen · #12 07-31-2013, 10:02 PM

I play 10s on an antique parlor for structural reasons. On all the rest, I'm a .12 guy. On a lot of guitars, I ain't sure that .10s drive the top.

Whatever works, works.

KRKHKC · #13 08-01-2013, 07:57 AM

Wow- thanks for all the replies, folks.
I couldn't get online until now (about a day after my thread).

I'm surprised and a little relieved how many players use 10's and 11s.

I actually made up my own custom gauges that I liked a lot too;

.0105- .015- .019(plain)- .030- .039- .049

The .0105 is nice. The plain .019 allow for bending without a big volume drop, but admittedly the timbre suffers a bit- always trade offs, 'ya know.

R_Warner7 · #14 08-01-2013, 08:11 AM

I use Martin Lifespan Extra light (.010-.047) Phosphor Bronze on Martin Dx-1,
and Elixr Nanoweb Extra Light (.010-.047) Phosphor Bronze on Guild F-47R.

I do flat picking and strumming. I am very happy with the sound and playability.
The key is experiment and see what works best for you.

Garthman · #15 08-01-2013, 08:23 AM

I've used 10 gauge strings for years - especially on my dreadnought guitars - they produce (IMHO) a more balanced sound across the set.

I normally go for Rotosound 80/20 which have, I believe, a more even tension across the set than D'Addario. The Rotosound 10 Gauge diameters are: 10 14 20w 28 40 50 (compare D'Addario: 10 14 23 30 39 47). I also use D'Addario "Great American Bronze" (these are 85/15) which are similar in size (10 14 22 30 40 50) - good strings and reasonably priced.