King, a singer renowned for using “eights.” This is why you will see many blues artists opting for light or super-light strings, such as the legend BB. With these gauges, notes, chords, and bends become immensely easier to perform and allow for faster transitions and smoother soloing. Light string gauge sets will emit a weaker tone compared to the heavy string gauges. These strings also are better suited to jazz musicians, as they rarely bend or slide around the neck. This is why heavy strings tend to suit the heavy metal rhythm guitarist, as they are chugging open chords in a lower tuning. Furthermore, string bends can become extremely difficult and painful. However, heavy guitar strings decrease your playability significantly, as they require much more pressure to sound each note. This is due to their increased mass, which can vibrate more and transmit more vibrations into the pickups or body. Heavy string sets will emit a fuller or meatier tone. All guitar gauges offer different qualities, so players must assess their needs before choosing the gauge that’s right for them. The gauge of a guitar string is simply referring to the string thickness. What Is The Difference Between Heavy And Light Gauge Guitar Strings? 059Īs you can see, the smallest number (on the left) represents the first string, or high E, and progresses through to the sixth and thickest string. 056 Heavy (also known as the set of 14’s). 054 Medium (also known as the set of 13’s). 052 Light (also known as the set of 12’s). 047 Super Light (also known as the set of 11’s). Size E B G D A E Super Extra Light (also known as the set of 10’s). Many touring musicians will have multiple guitars, all strung with different gauges to suit different songs.īelow is a table summarising the commonly available string sets. Players will opt for different gauges depending on their style and genre of music. Most companies and players will define their set by the high E’s thickness, with the most common and popular being 10’s, 12’s, and 13’s (Super Light, Light, and Medium).Īre you wondering why there are so many different options? Well, each gauge will produce a different sound and change the playability of the guitar. The gauge is measured in 1/1000th of an inch. One of the guitar strings’ main elements is their thickness/diameter (also known as the gauge). If you are on an acoustic guitar, you are most likely playing with light string set gauges (12’s). There is no easy way to identify the gauge of strings on your guitar unless you purchase a caliper or micrometer to accurately read your strings’ thickness.Īs a general rule, If you are playing electric guitar, you are most likely playing with extra light or light string set gauges (either 10’s or 11’s).
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