Comfortable String Gauges

**Meggy** · 01-11-2010, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Hoopskidoodle

I had never replaced a pick-up in my life, and there I was soldering wires and fishing the guts of the guitar back into place with dental floss. I don't know what got into me.

It happens! I was the same - had been playing for nearly 30 years, and only a few months back suddenly decided to take matters into my own hands. Now I have fitted new pickups and wiring to all my electrics, plus a little careful work on the nut of one of them. They all play better.

Randy is right though to say it's addictive - watch out. I have run out of guitars to modify now, and the temptation to buy something, so I can alter it, is there. I don't need another guitar, it's stupid, but there it is.

**abracadabra** · 01-11-2010, 01:44 PM

and when you combine that with a love of woodwork, like I have, then things can get very dangerous very quickly!

I've seriously been thinking of making my own guitar, but what holding me back is sacrificing actual playing time to do it. I do all my set-ups now though.

**Meggy** · 01-13-2010, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by abracadabra

and when you combine that with a love of woodwork, like I have, then things can get very dangerous very quickly!

I've seriously been thinking of making my own guitar, but what holding me back is sacrificing actual playing time to do it. I do all my set-ups now though.

And a new luthier is born!

At least I'm sure this is just how a lot of established guitar makers get started. Surely with some suitable time-management adjustments you can keep your playing going, and have a go at putting a guitar together too? he said temptingly?

**Hoopskidoodle** · 01-13-2010, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Meggy

...it's addictive - watch out. I have run out of guitars to modify now, and the temptation to buy something, so I can alter it, is there. I don't need another guitar, it's stupid, but there it is.

I've run out of guitars that I'm willing to tinker with. I'm serious think of buying one (or two) Agile AL-3000M wide-neck LP-type solid body guitars. I see nothing but effusive praise for these guitars on various guitar forums. Even though I need another solid-body electric like I need a hole in my head, the thought of an electric guitar with a 1¾" (44.45mm) nut-width causes me to salivate slightly. Plus, they are inexpensive enough that I have no trepidation about taking a soldering iron, a drill or even a router to them in the name of experimentation.

I think that I might already be hooked. Damn you, Stew-Mac!

**abracadabra** · 01-13-2010, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Meggy

And a new luthier is born!

At least I'm sure this is just how a lot of established guitar makers get started. Surely with some suitable time-management adjustments you can keep your playing going, and have a go at putting a guitar together too? he said temptingly?

I wish! But unfortunately my life consists of working, sleeping, eating, spending time with the kids, and playing guitar. The only things I could reasonably cut down on are eating and sleeping, and that's not going to be good when using a band-saw...!

Although, for the future, having priced it up it does look tempting at just under €800 including all the tools! Of course that's assuming I don't make horrendous mistakes and have to throw away a nearly-finished neck or something.

**Meggy** · 01-15-2010, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Hoopskidoodle

I've run out of guitars that I'm willing to tinker with. I'm serious think of buying one (or two) Agile AL-3000M wide-neck LP-type solid body guitars. I see nothing but effusive praise for these guitars on various guitar forums. Even though I need another solid-body electric like I need a hole in my head, the thought of an electric guitar with a 1¾" (44.45mm) nut-width causes me to salivate slightly. Plus, they are inexpensive enough that I have no trepidation about taking a soldering iron, a drill or even a router to them in the name of experimentation.

I think that I might already be hooked. Damn you, Stew-Mac!

I haven't heard of the Agile guitars Hoopskidoodle, I will have to check them out on the web shortly. They sound interesting! My own muse at the moment is the idea of fitting a semi-acoustic with two of the Seymour Duncan P-rails pickups, plus wiring/switching to give series or parallel modes to each pickup, or to allow coil-tapping to select either individual coil on the pickup. So 4 sounds from each individual pickup, plus 4x4=16 combinations in the combined position. Maybe with a phase switch as well, that would give 32 sounds in the combined position, plus 8 more, so 40 in total. Plenty to play around with LOL! Plus I like the look of guitars with lots of mysterious switches... Must have something to do with the pictures of Ted Greene's guitars on/in the Chord Chemistry book!

Originally Posted by abracadabra

I wish! But unfortunately my life consists of working, sleeping, eating, spending time with the kids, and playing guitar. The only things I could reasonably cut down on are eating and sleeping, and that's not going to be good when using a band-saw...!

Although, for the future, having priced it up it does look tempting at just under €800 including all the tools! Of course that's assuming I don't make horrendous mistakes and have to throw away a nearly-finished neck or something.

Well, maybe just see it as a long-term project and do it over a year or two? Plus that will give you plenty of time to consider each stage of the process, which would help to avoid those "horrendous mistakes"!

**NightTrain** · 04-11-2026, 09:03 PM

I have been using the Thomasik Flat 11s on my Gretsch. The sound is perfect. I like the feel of them under my picking fingers. They solved the rattling of the bridge.

Sometimes I love them, other times my fingers feel fatigued and they slow down my playing a lot. I am considering 10 flats. I play every day.

I was forced a day off and I played stronger the day after. I am thinking if you work out you need days to recover. However, who wants to take days off playing.