String Gauge

dazzer22 · March 2022

My acoustic guitar came with exp16 i think there 12s and i was wondering if i try EJ10 10s strings will i need to replace the guitar nut or setup up the guitar ?

sev112 · March 2022

Some say yes, some say no, some say maybe

personally I’d go to 11s first, just because I tried 10.5s once and they were quite loose

bertie · March 2022

you'll need to tweak the truss cos of the lower tension.................. all personal choice of course but 10's a pretty slim for acoustic..........................

TheMadMick · March 2022

I've found heavier strings give more sustain, lighter strings more attack. Depends what you're after.

11s seem to be a reasonable compromise but I wouldn't discount 13s. Each of these could probably do with a small adjustment to the truss rod as Bertie says.

Mellish · March 2022

Yep, I'd agree with Bertie, Sev and Mick. Try 11s. With those you may get away without a truss tweak. You shouldn't need to mess with the nut

bertie · March 2022

if standard tuning key isnt a requirement - keep the 12s and tune down 1/2 a step - you'll be quite surprised what difference it makes to playability and tone

ICBM · March 2022

If the nut has been cut properly then it should be fine with lighter strings. This is not a given though...

You may need to adjust the truss rod, but - especially if you're only going down to 11s - possibly not.

GoFish · March 2022

What sort of guitar is it and do you play with a pick?

Smaller guitars can take 10s better - I've found that they can get a little lost on the bigger bodied ones.

12 to 10s will probably require a little truss rod tweak - I'd echo Berties suggestion of trying it detuned first, just for the experience (and I'd hate to waste strings!). I've an acoustic that really opens up when detuned a whole step.

dazzer22 · March 2022

GoFish said:

What sort of guitar is it and do you play with a pick?

Smaller guitars can take 10s better - I've found that they can get a little lost on the bigger bodied ones.

12 to 10s will probably require a little truss rod tweak - I'd echo Berties suggestion of trying it detuned first, just for the experience (and I'd hate to waste strings!). I've an acoustic that really opens up when detuned a whole step.

the guitar is dreadnought and I always use a pick , I play both rhythm and solo . The string on the guitar probably need changing that what got me thinking about using a different gauge size , the only thing i would worry about with tuning down is I am very focused on where the notes are on the fret board in standard tuning and how they sound to my ear when playing lead , I am not sure if it will confuse me in the long run .

Devil#20 · March 2022

dazzer22 said:

GoFish said:

What sort of guitar is it and do you play with a pick?

Smaller guitars can take 10s better - I've found that they can get a little lost on the bigger bodied ones.

12 to 10s will probably require a little truss rod tweak - I'd echo Berties suggestion of trying it detuned first, just for the experience (and I'd hate to waste strings!). I've an acoustic that really opens up when detuned a whole step.

the guitar is dreadnought and I always use a pick , I play both rhythm and solo . The string on the guitar probably need changing that what got me thinking about using a different gauge size , the only thing i would worry about with tuning down is I am very focused on where the notes are on the fret board in standard tuning and how they sound to my ear when playing lead , I am not sure if it will confuse me in the long run .

Ah. I think the idea of tuning the guitar down was suggested for you so assess how it would feel with less tension, which you'll get with thinner gauge and not to always play tuned down. Could be wrong. Unless you have a particular issue with playing 12's I'd stick with them. If you're an enthusiastic rhythm player you'll bust more strings too.

Tannin · March 2022

EXP-16s are lighter than average for a set of 12s, but also quite stiff under the fingers. (Does that sound contradictory? Sure it does, but that's what my fingers tell me.)

What you probably want is something easier to bend and easier on the fingers, but it also needs to have enough weight to move that big dreadnought top. In other words, a round core string.

Top of my list for roundcores at the moment is DR Sunbeams. Truly excellent strings, and not expensive. Other good ones are Pyramid Western Folk, and the expensive but excellent Santa Cruz Low Tension. (These last are not round core, but they play like round cores.)

Best to stay with .12s if you can; if you do step down, go to 11s, no further than that.

You can get a pretty fair indication of what the next gauge up or down will feel like by tuning up or down one semi-tone, but to find out what they sound like, you just have to try the real thing.

wrinkleygit · March 2022

If you want something easy on the fingers go for Newtone Heritage, round cores, either 11-47 or 12-51, place an order on their website, which usually says out of stock, delivery is normally 10-14 days. 11’s will probably require a small truss rod adjustment, first time users, make sure you read the instructions on the packet before restringing as these are hand wound.

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