Official Luthiers Forum!

Up until the past 2 years, my personal guitars have been strung with lights...primarily because of my playing bias but also because it "seemed" that most fingerstyle players preferred lights...or so I thought until recently.

I've lately been stringing many of those guitars that had been originally strung with lights and changing to mediums. Besides the volume increase, I'm also hearing a richer tone across the frequency range. Other more experience players have confirmed this as well. While it definitely caused a bit of pain before I became acclimated to the increased tension, I have now built up the necessary strength to appreciate mediums.

Perhaps I allowed my personal bias to guide my decisions but I definitely have a new appreciation of mediums. Nonetheless, I swear that most fingerstyle players preferred lights 7-10 years ago and now it seems to my small circle that the preference has changed. I haven't really paid close attention to Lance's recent string group buys, but it would be interesting to know the ratio of preference.

I'd be interested to know what others are experiencing. TIA

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Depends on the scale, JJ, and how the strings load the top. I like heavies when I can make them work, My 18" jumbo actually had more bass with a lighter E though. Got extra heavies on the VSS mini-jumbo and they work well at that 23" scale. Conversely, absolute cables work well on my 26.22" scale 12 string, but that's a whole 'nuther animal.
I tend to lean toward heavier strings though, as you get a FATTER sound and can make the top thicker. This is one of my longtime theories...that the tone is in the wood, and the more wood you take off, the less tone you get. Instead, you get loud. It comes down to what I call the debate of "instant gratification" vs long term break-in and better tone in the long run. Comes from a lot of years building mandolins...

I mostly use what some call a bluegrass set, which is mediums on the 3 lower strings and lights on the trebles, except for on my Dreadnought. I play a lot in DADGAD and a few other lowered tunings and the larger strings on the bass help a lot. These are available from several suppliers usually and are .012 to .056

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

I got a tip from blues guitarist Woody Mann once after he played my guitar that was built by Jim Warwick (anigre/carpathian that he liked very much).... Woody uses mediums on the upper end or treble side and lights on the bottom three (bass side). I tried that and have been sold on it ever since.
Try it you're going to like it. John Pearse sells this in a set they call New Mediums...I tried those but the strings didn't last long so I just make my own set using D'Addarios and I love those.
Marc

I recall hearing Gordon Lightfoot interviewed a few years back and he said that he used a combination of gauges for the strings on his guitars.

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Under Compensated Nut!

Bluegrass gauge(med/light) for me, please.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

one man's medium is another man's light gauge. Or should I not just say man? No offense intended.

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"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

I use D'Addario medium gauge (0.056 on the bass side). I like a strong "whomp" on the bass. More tension makes 90% of guitars sound better. Does that mean that most all guitars are overbuilt? Or does it mean that thicker strings give a fatter and better sound? Either way, I haven't heard mediums make a guitar sound worse than lights.....or even the same. Seems it always sounds better to my ears.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I like mediums, mostly, especially on a dread and when using open tunings. Used to prefer lights when I thought mediums were too hard to fret, but found that the flatter necks were a big part of that problem. Once I went to deeper necks, I was able to fret mediums better. The tone is fatter to my ears too. Seems I can go just a bit lower on the saddle height with mediums.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

For me, mediums hands down ... I cant say I like the feel of lights either, too thin, less tension, and they get caught in my right hand fingers when playing.

That said, I pretty much ship everything with lights .. clients like them.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I prefer lights for fingerstyle and mediums for flatpicking

I prefer lights for fingerpicking and mediums for slide playing.
Chuck

JJ, I make my personal guitar do everything--strum, fingerpick, or whatever else comes to mind. I've always used mediums, and if the guitar is set up *just right* there's no problem with the added tension.
Just more tone.
My customers are about 50-50 on what they request.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com