String gauge...

[jricc]

So, would .011-.050 nickel wound be too light for my Godin 5th Ave?
I'm not much of a jazzer...

[Bluemonk]

Originally Posted by jricc

So, would .011-.050 nickel wound be too light for my Godin 5th Ave?
I'm not much of a jazzer...

It's all a matter of personal preference. I would say most jazzers shun anything lighter than 12s, but I believe Jim Hall, one of the most highly regarded jazz guitarists, uses 11s.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by Bluemonk

It's all a matter of personal preference. I would say most jazzers shun anything lighter than 12s, but I believe Jim Hall, one of the most highly regarded jazz guitarists, uses 11s.

Thanks Bluemonk, maybe I should phrased the question differently, I was thinking are my .011-.050 set messing with the tone of the guitar because they are too light to drive the top.

[rpguitar]

"Driving the top" is an oft-used phrase that many believe is crucial, but just as many do not. If you experiment with a variety of acoustic archtops, you'll find that heavier strings are not better but are usually different in terms of the sound they elicit from the instrument. I can't explain it with physics, but a very pleasant tonal effect can be had with lighter strings that just "move air," so to speak, over the body. And too heavy can constrict the top and also reduce the amount of dynamics your particular playing style can utilize.

So it's just not that simple. Personally I like 12-53 on all of my archtops, regardless of size and scale length. I don't think that 11-50 are inadequate, though. I draw the line at 10s.