Light Strings For Jazz

[s11141827]

To use Light Strings for Jazz I had to extend the scale length from 25.5 inches to 28.5 inches. Also I worked around the strings buzzing issue by having the frets filed down almost flush. Fret Buzz can also be caused by the bridge if it collapsed:

[Stringswinger]

I have no problem with using 10's on a 24.75 scale guitar and getting a fine jazz tone. A light touch and a superb amp are a big part of the equation.

[entresz]

I recently had some issues with my hands, and to help minimise pain and discomfort I temporarily reduced my string gauge from 13s with a medium action to 11s with a slightly lower action. Acoustically my guitar lost bit of volume and tone, but playing electrically there was almost no difference. As Stringswinger said, a light touch helps. A heavy picking hand on light strings causes everything to sound a bit plinky.

[Degranulator]

While the term is usually reserved for horn players, when I use lighter strings I work a lot more on an embouchure for my right hand pick hold. I find I have to recalibrate my attack and use more small motor control in my picking. Takes more, or different, kind of control. In some ways there seems a wider tonal palette with lighter strings. But I go back and forth in preference for harder percussive playing and thus usually stay with 12s or 13s . I found I preferred 10s on an es 135 (1992 semi model).

[s11141827]

I use really light gauge strings because I have Special pickups who's output is twice as high as most pickups which means I can get more volume out of them. They're Railhammer Pickups.

[s11141827]

I now use 9s because I've shaved the braces down to compensate for the reduced acoustic volume.

[s11141827]

I use Magma GA100PB Ultra-Light Gauge Phosphor Bronze Wound Strings on my Acoustic Archtop because I actually shaves off the braces to compensate for their reduced tension.

[s11141827]

My preference for string gauge is similar to what Rich Severson describes in this video:

I don't do that these days because I have Railhammer Pickups which have an output that's 100 times as high as normal pickups so I can use the lightest gauge of strings. Also my acoustic archtop guitars have had their braces amputated just to make them work w/ the lightest gauge of strings.

[reventlov]

I usually string my 24.7 inch scale guitar with Ernie Ball Pure Nickel Slinkys - 11-14-18-28-38-48 - I used to use heavier sets but when my left thumb developed osteo-arthritis, I tried the Slinkys, and I've stuck with them. The tone from my guitar was not discernibly different from what it used to be - I wish I'd switched years ago.

[s11141827]

I usually string my 24.7 inch scale guitar with Ernie Ball Pure Nickel Slinkys - 11-14-18-28-38-48 - I used to use heavier sets but when my left thumb developed osteo-arthritis, I tried the Slinkys, and I've stuck with them. The tone from my guitar was not discernibly different from what it used to be - I wish I'd switched years ago.

I use really light gauge strings for Jazz because I have special Railhammer Pickups which have an extra winding in their coils to compensate for the reduced volume of the lighter gauge strings.

[sgosnell]

If you want to believe that, you can. You can also believe in pie in the sky, and in the tooth fairy and Santa.

[s11141827]

If you want to believe that, you can. You can also believe in pie in the sky, and in the tooth fairy and Santa.

I got low action w/ really light strings by shaving the frets down flush w/ the fretboard.

[Cunamara]

The Beato video, as I remember it from watching it a year or so ago, was focused on rock/distorted sounds. At least in that instance, I think he's probably right. Lighter strings tend to have a less pronounced fundamental and more overtones, which helps prevent overdrive and distorted tones from becoming muddy. On the other hand I think clean tone is better- at least to a point- with a heavier string.

I'm comparing .011s compared to .009; I've gone to .011s on all my guitars. There are people here who think of .013s as a light string set. I find that the heavier string reduces expressiveness with notes and tends to sound worse higher up the neck, as the string gets progressively stiffer as it becomes effectively shorter. That makes it sound progressively deader on higher notes; this is especially noticeable on unwound G strings, but occurs on all strings to some extent. For me, .011's seem to be the best compromise.

[s11141827]

The Beato video, as I remember it from watching it a year or so ago, was focused on rock/distorted sounds. At least in that instance, I think he's probably right. Lighter strings tend to have a less pronounced fundamental and more overtones, which helps prevent overdrive and distorted tones from becoming muddy. On the other hand I think clean tone is better- at least to a point- with a heavier string.

I'm comparing .011s compared to .009; I've gone to .011s on all my guitars. There are people here who think of .013s as a light string set. I find that the heavier string reduces expressiveness with notes and tends to sound worse higher up the neck, as the string gets progressively stiffer as it becomes effectively shorter. That makes it sound progressively deader on higher notes; this is especially noticeable on unwound G strings, but occurs on all strings to some extent. For me, .011's seem to be the best compromise.

How about 9s but w/ Shaved down Frets?

[s11141827]

For lighter gauge strings I have railhammer pickups which increase the signal.

[Cunamara]

Yes as you've mentioned multiple times now, with output either twice or 100 times as strong as normal pickups to compensate for the "reduced volume" of the lighter strings. Along with amputated braces, shaved braces, shaved frets, etc. We got it. I think response to that might be limited here, since it is so far outside the norm for jazz guitarists. I doubt anybody is going to want to do that to their L-5.

[oldane]

Yes as you've mentioned multiple times now, with output either twice or 100 times as strong as normal pickups to compensate for the "reduced volume" of the lighter strings. Along with amputated braces, shaved braces, shaved frets, etc. We got it. I think response to that might be limited here, since it is so far outside the norm for jazz guitarists. I doubt anybody is going to want to do that to their L-5.

I would never do that kind of butchering to my guitars either. I do all right with a traditional setup - standard guitars with standard PUs and frets, standard 12-52 strings, Dunlop standard picks etc. I'd much prefer to choose strings to fit the guitar as it is rather than customizing the guitar in non reversable ways to fit it to specific strings. I also agree that we have got his message by now.

But if it works for him .... good for him. A very ideosyncratic setup may only be for the few players (or only for one) but if it works for that one person, well it works. Freddie Green is a good example. I know of no other guitarist who has played with such a high action. A high action is beneficial for acoustic rhythm playing provided you have the needed finger strength, but for all I know, we still haven't seen any good explanation of why Greens action was that monstrously high. Yet obviously it worked well for him for 5 decades.