[SuperBob]

I just broke the e string on my guitar. I've been wanting to restring it soon anyway (the e was starting to get rusty some were sounding dead in spots, plus I've had it for about 8 months with the original strings, it's about that time.) Anyway, how could I know what guage strings I have? If I took it to the store, do you think they'd be able to tell by looking? I'm probably gonna either ask them or my uncle to show me how to restring it, as I don't trust myself doing so (I'll prolly end up breaking at least the high e or B.) Thanks for all the help you've all given me, even reading other people's threads.

-Bob

This post has been edited by SuperBob: 15 June 2004 - 09:59 PM

[jshrel24]

I suggest starting off with something light(.012). Thats probably what you have on it now, and work your way on up to some mediums(.013's). Goodluck with restringing it, it aint that bad, especially after a few times of doin it.

[airdog4125]

I'd say just start playing .013's. String 'em on and play till it hurst, with 8 months of playing you should be good with .013's

[jshrel24]

I'd say just start playing .013's.  String 'em on and play till it hurst, with 8 months of playing you should be good with .013's

With 13's he wont be playin to long before it hurts. I play all the time, and ive been using them for about 3 or 4 months. My fingers hurt every once in a while, but only if i hadnt played for a few days.
But no i wouldnt suggest starting on them.

[airdog4125]

even after 8 months? I guess it depends how much you play. I started on 11's and in 2 months decided they weren't good enough, so I moved up to 12's well before 6 months I moved to 13's. Haven't looked back since. My fingers hurt a bit at the start, but not for awhile now. I've been using 13's for about a year and a half.

[Slowhands12bar]

I use 12's, Elixir Polywebs, theyre ######ing expensive though, I got it restrung last Thursday and SNAPPED MY FRIGGING G STRING TODAY!!!!! I was sooooo mad luckily my dad didnt make me pay and just bought a new pack and got the G string strung. I need to calm down during the jams

[SuperBob]

I don't really have trouble with my fingers hurting, I've got my callouses coming in quite nicely. The only thing that occasionally hurts is the muscle running from my wrist to my pinky. I think I'm probably pressing too hard when playing or it's the fact that I'm learning alot of new chords and stuff really quick, it would probably happen on any guage. I'm going to go to the store tomorrow when I get up and get a set of .12's I think and string it up and make it all pretty and stuff. God I miss it, and it's only been like 3 hours...

[Irishcocacola]

My fingers never hurt.

[dadfad]

Of course it depends what you like and the styles you play, but I like D'Addario Phosphor-bronze Bluegrass Guage. They're a hybrid set with light solids and heavier wound strings (I like a lot of bass-response). They're a little harder to find in shops than the regular sets, but not that uncommon, and the shop-guy will probably stock them for you if you ask. For just a regular set of strings I'll use D'Addario mediums (.013s) on most of my guitars. Some of my older vintage guitars are too delicate in which case I'll use lights or even extra-lights. Conversely, on some I'll use pretty heavy strings, like starting with a .014 or .015, generally where I'm going to use it for slide as well, like on my Nationals. It really depends on what you want to play and just what feels good to you.

[wannalearn01]

My fingers never hurt.

Then you sir, don't play enough

Really it depends on the guitar. If you have some ghetto guitar with super high action, you'll only be able to play for about 15-30 minutes with .13's b4 your fingers are shreaded(bleeding) when first starting to play(aka tenderfingers).

I would suggest for a LEARNER to start with some lights(.12's), play till you start to get callouses(sp?), or you break a string. Then move up a guage. Repeat untill your into a set that you like the sound of. Always save your string box so you know what you have tried/liked* It is always better to go over a guage and back down, but if you do that too soon, you'll be taking away from the time your able to play each day. I can't even remember when my fingers weren't "broken in"...I don't know how people who have been playing for a long time could...

T^roy
*Dadfad's suggestion from another post...