Experience with using higher gauge strings
| ~3 minute read
Disclaimer: I am a noob (and also an idiot) so take this with a grain of salt. I'm just sharing my experience.
For almost 2 years I've been using medium gauge strings on my Yamaha Pacifica. I really have been slacking off with guitar practice so I'm really not good enough to say anything real but this is specifically for noobs like me thinking about using a higher gauge strings (specifically 11-50 in my case)
Why switch?
So I initially thought the higher gauge strings would sound louder and since I only have one guitar which is an electric, and I like to play without an amp most of the times, I thought it'd be kinda cool.
I will say that it kinda worked! My guitar is somewhat louder.
My experience
Putting 'em on
When I put on the new strings keeping them in tune was weirdly tricky, until I noticed that my bridge was in the air! I didn't really take a picture but the tremolo bridge was actually lifted up as if I'm pressing down on the arm. That's when I learned why those springs exist in the back.
So yeah I had to tighten the claw which was helpful but it's still slightly in the air, not sure if I can live with it but we'll see if I find a fix (I hope I don't need to get a new spring). A that's why this post exists, because I wanted to share this weird experience!
Maybe they're new (I used the previous ones for way too long) but the new strings look kinda pretty? Yea it's probably because they're just new and the fretboard is cleaner but they do look slightly thicker if I put them side by side with the older ones.
The sound?
I got the thicker strings for only one reason. I have a single guitar which is an electric, and I like to play in whichever room I'm currently in without the need to carry an amp with me. It's obviously a very normal thing but I wanted it to be louder, so I figured I should put on thicker strings. It did actually work but now I feel like I could live without the change too. Since with an amp I really hear no difference, honestly.
Playing experience
They say thicker gauge might be harder to play at the beginning, to me that hasn't been the case, I guess I'm used to playing the guitar now yay.
Funny thing though I was wondering why the action suddenly increased before I realised my bridge is literally in the air. But apart from that these strings may be a little tighter but don't really change the experience that much. Not sure how it affects bending but I rarely do that anyways.
This is post 16 of #100DaysToOffload