[Metal Ken]

Originally Posted by Korbain

I use ernie balls not slinky at all and a .065 bass string. This what a fucking terrible setup lol. The 2 higher strings buzz on the frets, the .065 sounds ok. i wouldn't mind getting an actual guitar string of that size lol. Though, my lower strings are still a bit floppy, i just want them tough and not floppy at all! I tune to ADGCFAD by the way

2 bottom strings on my conklin are bass strings. i intended it that way.

[Xplora]

Also, it's worth mentioning that not all players are equal when it comes to right hand expertise - controlling the thicker strings is more difficult to get that tight clean sound. But as good as my right hand has been in the past, my left has never been as good. Cazares is my model, not Vai

[shredfreak]

9-42's with a 56 for the low B here.

[Hexer]

10-68 here, in standard B-tuning. I would use lower gauges, but I just love tight strings on the low-end. I WANT them stiff for fast riffing. I was actually using a 9-68 before my current setup but wanted to get 10s again to see if that was better.

[TomAwesome]

Originally Posted by Xplora

Also, it's worth mentioning that not all players are equal when it comes to right hand expertise - controlling the thicker strings is more difficult to get that tight clean sound. But as good as my right hand has been in the past, my left has never been as good. Cazares is my model, not Vai

I think it probably varies depending on how a person tends to want to pick. I find thick strings way easier to do fast, tight, staccato work on. That's why I used to put together my own set that went up to 70. For some reason, I have more trouble on the .56 when I try to double/triple pick higher on the fretboard than the first 5 frets or so, which I do pretty often.

[Grom]

Originally Posted by Xplora

Also, it's worth mentioning that not all players are equal when it comes to right hand expertise - controlling the thicker strings is more difficult to get that tight clean sound. But as good as my right hand has been in the past, my left has never been as good. Cazares is my model, not Vai

And using light gauge strings is the way to get Cazares sound. He was using thin strings and, according to his producer : "touching strings like a girl".

[Audiocide]

Originally Posted by Xplora

Also, it's worth mentioning that not all players are equal when it comes to right hand expertise - controlling the thicker strings is more difficult to get that tight clean sound. But as good as my right hand has been in the past, my left has never been as good. Cazares is my model, not Vai

Umm... Tight strings actually take to sloppy right hand technique better than more pliable ones

Originally Posted by Grom

And using light gauge strings is the way to get Cazares sound. He was using thin strings and, according to his producer : "touching strings like a girl".

Yeah, I bet that producer really shreds it up all Petrucci style too

[Naren]

Originally Posted by Audiocide

Yeah, I bet that producer really shreds it up all Petrucci style too

Dino uses a 52 gauge for his low B.

[Shreddy Krueger]

I'm with the "minority guys" on here...

I use 8-50's on my 25 1/2 scale 7's and I almost never go out of tune..
I've used 8's on all my electrics ( since 95' if I remember right ) so it really isn't much of an issue. I've kinda worked my techinque around it.

Plus, I try to "touch the guitar like a girl" at pretty much any opportunity anyway...mostly because I severely injured my neck a few years ago and suffered some nerve damage in my left hand, which makes heavier strings not really much of an option..



I had a couple TOM Schecter 007's that were harder to keep in tune with 8's, and I had a 9-52 7 string set on my EPI LP 7 string and that was kind of a nightmare to keep in tune..but never with my RG 7's.

I've been entertaining picking up a Schecter C7 (either Blackjack or C7FR) with the longer 26.5 scale but don't know how much the added tension would fuck with my already kinda sucky left hand...

[Pericles]

9-54 D'addario XL (27" scale)
I like to be a Djentlemen