Best String Gauge/Brand for Les Paul

Ross Mc

Hey just got a Epiphone Les Paul Custom (in white) , anyways i think it comes stock with gibson 11 gauge strings, i'm sure someone can correct me if i'm wrong. Well I use 9 gauge strings on my other eletric guitars but i'm wondering is that too light for a les paul? would i better off with 10s?

Fingers Mcginty

Ross Mc wrote: »

Hey just got a Epiphone Les Paul Custom (in white) , anyways i think it comes stock with gibson 11 gauge strings, i'm sure someone can correct me if i'm wrong. Well I use 9 gauge strings on my other eletric guitars but i'm wondering is that too light for a les paul? would i better off with 10s?

Whatever you're comfortable with. 9's would be way too light for me...Normally 11's myself but it's a matter of taste really. Billy Gibbons uses 8's on his LP's :eek: and he has great thick tone. I think Jimmy Paige also?

Ross Mc

oh right thanks, i'll try 9s on it, they are what i'm comfortable with but i do sort of go between 9s and 10s, haven't tried lighters, so billy is one crazy mofo

universe777

Almost all guitars come stock with 9's, maybe try 10's?
Really depends on your tuning?

Ross Mc

universe777 wrote: »

Almost all guitars come stock with 9's, maybe try 10's?
Really depends on your tuning?

well yeah but i have it in E tuning and they aren't 9s, no way, i can't see their being all problem with having 9's, it's just i know that i can play faster on this neck but the strings i have atm are holding me back, thats why i think their 11s

universe777

You are aware that Gibson/Epiphone guitars have a shorter scale length?
9's on a strat/ibanez etc will feel tighter than on a gibson/epiphone in the same tuning.

Ross Mc

universe777 wrote: »

You are aware that Gibson/Epiphone guitars have a shorter scale length?
9's on a strat/ibanez etc will feel tighter than on a gibson/epiphone in the same tuning.

yes i am and i know that they could be super light, thats why i'll try them first and then if i don't like them i can always change

Ross Mc

also i play a strat with 10s in D tuning and explorer in Eb tuning with 9s, so a les paul in E with 9s should be roughly in the same ball park

thecatspjs

get some ernie ball hybrid slinkies. I use them and I'm brilliant!!

Ross Mc

thecatspjs wrote: »

get some ernie ball hybrid slinkies. I use them and I'm brilliant!!

I have used them before and they are great at first but for me, they go dead too quickly

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Ross Mc wrote: »

Hey just got a Epiphone Les Paul Custom (in white) , anyways i think it comes stock with gibson 11 gauge strings, i'm sure someone can correct me if i'm wrong. Well I use 9 gauge strings on my other eletric guitars but i'm wondering is that too light for a les paul? would i better off with 10s?

word of warning, I have been putting 10s on my epie LP standard for the last 3 years. I brought it in my local shop for a setup, they pointed out that the bridge was starting to pull out of the body, and a possible cause could be that i was using 10s (it came with 9s). The build quality on a custom would probably be better though. il upload pics tomorrow if i get a chance

thecatspjs

word of warning, I have been putting 10s on my epie LP standard for the last 3 years. I brought it in my local shop for a setup, they pointed out that the bridge was starting to pull out of the body, and a possible cause could be that i was using 10s (it came with 9s). The build quality on a custom would probably be better though. il upload pics tomorrow if i get a chance

Seriously?? that's messed up. What could be done to prevent this happening?

ball ox

Tristian Dry Pantyhose2010 wrote: »

word of warning, I have been putting 10s on my epie LP standard for the last 3 years. I brought it in my local shop for a setup, they pointed out that the bridge was starting to pull out of the body, and a possible cause could be that i was using 10s (it came with 9s). The build quality on a custom would probably be better though. il upload pics tomorrow if i get a chance

That's insane. 10's are not heavy duty at all, if anything they are the happy medium between light & heavy. There's no way a guitar would be built so that it will only take 9's and lower. The person in your local shop was talking through his arse methinks. Sounds like the Epi is just a bad build to be honest. It can be fixed though.

Ross Mc

ball ox wrote: »

That's insane. 10's are not heavy duty at all, if anything they are the happy medium between light & heavy. There's no way a guitar would be built so that it will only take 9's and lower. The person in your local shop was talking through his arse methinks. Sounds like the Epi is just a bad build to be honest. It can be fixed though.

depends what epi it is, i know the custom has the best build quality though, I'm not concerned about putting strings on that are too heavy, it's more that i'm wondering if it's a bad thing to put on ones that are too light.

ball ox

Ross Mc wrote: »

depends what epi it is

Well it shouldn't really, any guitar should be able to take 10's. I had an €80 Encore with 11's on it for Gods sake! If a guitar can't handle 10's there is something wrong with the guitar.

Ross Mc

ball ox wrote: »

Well it shouldn't really, any guitar should be able to take 10's. I had an €80 Encore with 11's on it for Gods sake! If a guitar can't handle 10's there is something wrong with the guitar.

Yeah totally, gonna go for 9's soon anyway, so I doubt they'll be too heavy

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

ball ox wrote: »

That's insane. 10's are not heavy duty at all, if anything they are the happy medium between light & heavy. There's no way a guitar would be built so that it will only take 9's and lower. The person in your local shop was talking through his arse methinks. Sounds like the Epi is just a bad build to be honest. It can be fixed though.

I was suprised too, doubt the strings were the only cause if it lifting though, it lifted nearly 1mm on both sides. It was my main guitar for 3 years, it took a beating in that time, in and out of busses nearly every week (in the over head compartment :rolleyes:). id say it would be the same with 9s on it, just got on epie with a bad bridge by the looks of it. As you say it isnt a big problem to fix, its my second in line at the moment so im not in a real mad rush to fix it. Doesnt effect tone or sustain. Some epies are good, not all bad

tokaitelejohn

Yep - remember when the Les Paul was designed back in 1952 12s and 13s were the norm. Your Epi will probably have come with 10s. Move up to 11s and you'll be amazed at the difference in tone. You may have to tighten the truss rod by a quarter turn (clockwise) because the heavier strings may cause some slight increase in neck bow but it should not be a problem. Go for Ernie Ball Power Slinkys - alot better than D'Addario.

Regarding the shop which suggested that the bridge (probably they were talking about the tailpiece) was pulling out of the body, I agree with ball ox. Pure bull.

Ross Mc

tokaitelejohn wrote: »

Yep - remember when the Les Paul was designed back in 1952 12s and 13s were the norm. Your Epi will probably have come with 10s. Move up to 11s and you'll be amazed at the difference in tone. You may have to tighten the truss rod by a quarter turn (clockwise) because the heavier strings may cause some slight increase in neck bow but it should not be a problem. Go for Ernie Ball Power Slinkys - alot better than D'Addario.

Regarding the shop which suggested that the bridge (probably they were talking about the tailpiece) was pulling out of the body, I agree with ball ox. Pure bull.

i know how much of a difference in tone heavier strings do, i've messed around with different gauges on aria and i prefer 9s