Lighter strings, higher action

**p1p** · 04-07-2019, 04:15 PM

Just wondering how many here prefer a lighter gauge string (.10s or lower) with low-to-medium action?

Reason for asking: I'm used to higher tension flatwounds (.12s at least), very low action, and recently started playing with .10s with a little higher action. On a semi-hollow. Really liking both the tone actually and tactile feel of it - it's sensitive, bit more delicate/expressive? That could just be the slinky strings I'm not used to. The higher action also seems to pack more of a punch for single note stuff.

Curious to hear what others have to say.

**Jim Soloway** · 04-07-2019, 08:21 PM

I play with light strings plus I tune down at least a full tone or more most of the time. If you get really light, then the action really can't be as low as it is with heavier strings otherwise it becomes pretty much uncontrollable (unless you're John Stowell). So my action is not especially low but the tension is already so low that it's like a hair trigger. As you've suggested, I do find a light setup like that very expressive, partly because it puts so much focus on dynamic control.

**entresz** · 04-07-2019, 09:14 PM

I went through a phase where I was using a set that went from 14 - 53. I'd buy the Thomastik Jazz Swing 113 set and then swap the B for a 18 and the E for a 14.

Now I use the 12-50 set. The extra effort on the heavier strings didn't actually equate to a better tone. My guitars sound just as good with the 12s, and I can play better too. I'm using a fairly low action on the bass strings, but have the treble strings slightly higher. Kind of the opposite of what most people do, but it works for me.

**mje** · 04-07-2019, 09:49 PM

. I play 10s on my telecaster for blues and rock, and 11s on my Eastman 175 clone and my Epiphone, 12s on my flat tops, and 13s on my Loar 700. Campagnolo plays jazz on 9s. Pat Martino has talked about how he went to bigger and bigger strings until he stopped breaking them. It’s as much a matter of feel as anything, I imagine.

**D.G.** · 04-08-2019, 07:22 PM

I use 10's on all my guitars. They seem to sound better and have more sustain with lighter strings. I don't really like flats or low action, though that depends a bit on the size of the frets. I also tend to prefer plain 3rd strings, except on my gypsy guitar.

The exception is an Eastman FV which only speaks right with 12's. I've lowered the action pretty far due to the tension.

**pauln** · 04-09-2019, 12:51 PM

Just for reference, all of this was covered way back in history with the development of the piano, except for the string bending, fretting feel, etc...

Piano makers had two things to work with antagonistically; string gauge, and volume. Early in the development of the piano it was discovered that the volume of the instrument was going to be limited by how big a string could be used. They wanted the pianos to be as loud as possible, which meant using the highest gauge strings that would sound good, but thinner strings sounded better because they were less subject to "end effects" caused by the stiffness of the string at its terminal mounts. This had to do with the destruction of harmonics, and they even determined the right place for the hammers to strike the string to produce the best sounding harmonic balance (it's one seventh from the end) and the string gauges and hammer points for modern pianos are the same as then, big as possible but still sounding good, hit 1/7th from the end.

So, just suggesting that lighter strings are nothing to fear; with an amplifier the volume is taken care of and you are free to go with whatever feels and sounds best.