LEARN about the characteristics of different electric guitar string gauges, and the pros and cons of each gauge. Which one to Choose?
The gauges of electric guitar strings must be taken into account, since it is a characteristic that must be adapted to the musical genre that we want to develop, to the type of guitar, and to the balance between tone and comfort.
String Gauges with Respect to the Electric Guitar Scale
Regarding the type of guitar, we have two large groups depending on the distance between the nut and the bridge or scale length.
There are different scale lengths, but one of the most commonly used for electric guitar would be the short-scale with 24.75 inches (about 62.9 cm) used for example in the most popular Gibson models such as the Les Paul or SG Guitar.
The long-scale of 25.5″ (about 64.8 cm), typical of Fender models such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster, and of the Superstrat models developed by brands such as Ibanez, Jackson, or Schecter.
If you have any doubts, you can always measure the distance between the nut and the bridge saddles to check. Due to the adjustment of the guitar intonation, each saddle has a different position, so if the measurement is around 65cm it is a long-scale guitar (25.5″), and if it is closer to 63cm we would have a short scale guitar (24.75″).
Which Strings to Use Depending on the Guitar Scale Length
Consequently, if we use a standard concert pitch tuning on both scale lengths, the strings mounted on the short scale guitar will be less tense than on the long scale guitar, because we will have to tighten the string less to reach the correct pitch.
This obviously has a clear influence on the sound of the instrument. In short, the same set of strings will have a more defined tone due to the greater tension of the strings on the long scale, and a somewhat thicker tone on the short scale.
For this reason, thin strings are often used on long-scale guitars, since they would be too loose on a short scale. On the other hand, thicker strings are very good on a short scale, to avoid the excessive tension that a long scale would generate.
STANDARD STRING GAUGES for Electric Guitar
String sets are determined by numbers that indicate the gauge of each string, starting with the thinnest and ending with the thickest. For example, a standard string gauge would be 09 – 11 – 16 – 24 – 32 – 42, and would be named as gauge 9 – 42.
Very Light Gauge 8 – 38
We start with the thinnest standard set, which would be 8 – 38. This set allows us to have a low string height, due to the lower oscillation of the string. In addition, the plucking on this string thickness must be done with moderation, which allows the string to oscillate even less.
On the other hand, the 8-38 gauges favour speed of execution, tied notes, and facilitate the execution of bends.
Among the drawbacks compared to thicker gauges are the lack of consistency in the hands when making arpeggios, they have less sustain, they break more frequently, they lose tuning more easily, and they are indicated almost exclusively for guitars with a long scale of 25.5 inches, which makes them less versatile.
The sound of such a thin set of strings is slim and bright. For beginners they can be interesting because of how easy they are to bend. But since they are soft strings, we can accidentally stretch them when we pluck them, which can make the notes sound out of tune.
Light Gauge 9 – 42
Personally, I recommend the 09-42 gauge for beginners, compared to the previous gauge. The sound of this set is not so slim, the bends are comfortable, you can keep the string height low, and they have a bit more sustain.
In short, it is a more versatile set, widely used not only by beginners, but also by experienced amateurs and professionals, especially on long-scale guitars.
The 09 – 42 set is also used in numerous musical genres, and can be essential in musical styles such as Funk, in order to obtain the purest and most characteristic tone.
Medium Gauge 10 – 46
We move on to another of the most used and versatile standard gauges: the 10 – 46 set. This set performs well in different guitar techniques such as strumming, picking and arpeggios.
The sound of the 10-46 gauge has more body, while maintaining a bright tone. To handle this gauge with ease on long scale guitars, you need to develop a certain level of callus on your fingertips. Although for short scales they are quite manageable.
Heavy Gauge 11 – 52
The next standard gauge is 11-52. This set is ideal for arpeggios and music that does not require the use of bendings. These genres include Jazz music, which requires a clean, round and full-bodied sound.
On short scale guitars 11-52 gauge are manageable, but on long scale, they become quite heavy to bend.
The solution may be a 1/2 step down tuning, in E flat. This way, our guitar will produce heavy sounds that are essential for playing genres such as Blues, Hard Rock, or Heavy Metal.
In addition, the heavy gauge of the sixth string favors Drop tunings.
Very Heavy Gauge 12 – 54
Finally, we have the 12 – 54 gauge. A very heavy gauge, difficult to handle in standard tuning, so this gauge is usually used in tunings 1/2 step down or 1 full step down.
Something that provides a very heavy, bass-laden sound for Metal music. Although they can be used in other genres, or simply according to the performer’s personal taste.
Intermediate String Gauges
These would be the standard string sets, but we can also find intermediate sets on the market. For example, if we notice the gauge 9 – 42 too soft, and the 10 – 46 too hard, we have the intermediate gauge 9.5 – 44.
Electric Guitar STRING GAUGES: Hybrid Strings
There are hybrid string sets, made up of a mixture of gauges from other standard electric guitar sets.
For example, if you have a 10 – 46 set strings on a Stratocaster, and you notice some difficulty in stretching the thin strings, but you don’t want to lose the punchiness of the thick strings, you can use a hybrid set of 09 – 46. This set consists of the first three strings from a 9 – 42 set, and the last three from a 10 – 46 set.
On the other hand, if we have a Les Paul with the same 10 – 46 set, and we like the feel and sound of the thin strings, but we notice a certain lack of punch in the wound strings, we can use a hybrid 10 – 52 set, with the first three strings from the standard 10 – 46 set, and the three wound strings from the 11 – 52 set.
Adjustments after Changing String Gauges on Electric Guitar
When changing string gauges, we must take into account the Truss Rod Adjustment. Since depending on the gauge, the strings will pull more or less on our neck, which will modify its curvature. Something that we should check, especially if the gauge change has been quite pronounced, either from thick to thin strings, or vice versa.
It is best to assemble the new set, and see how the neck behaves with the checks indicated on the “Electric Guitar Setup” page, and then act accordingly if necessary.
It is also advisable to check the state of the Intonation after changing the string gauge, in case of any slight misalignment.