Beginner Strings

For an absolute beginner is there a playability difference in 9-42 vs 10-46 strings? Is one easier for the beginner to play than the other and why?

Also, what is the tone difference between the two sizes?

TIA (apologies for the NOOB quesiton). :oops:

For an absolute beginner is there a playability difference in 9-42 vs 10-46 strings? Is one easier for the beginner to play than the other and why?

Also, what is the tone difference between the two sizes?

TIA (apologies for the NOOB quesiton). :oops:

Welcome.

I came to my Tele from an acoustic so .009 always felt too slinky. The immediate switch to .010 didn't do me any harm and I thought .010s made my Telecaster sound better.

I'm no expert and am always learning here and hope you enjoy the community as much as I do.

Good luck.

I'd start on 10's or 11's...

I run 10's on all my guitars.
I started my kid out on 10's and that worked just fine!
http://www.photoweborama.com/posts/brand1.jpg

Thanks guys. Next set, I'm going to try the 10's.

Within the same brand and type of strings, thinner strings will be easier to bend and have a less rich sound. Thicker strings will have a richer sound and be harder to bend. What matters much more than string gauge for a beginner is a guitar that's properly set up, where the nut slots are not too high, the neck relief is set properly via the trussrod, the action is not set too high via the bridge saddle adjustments, and none of the frets are high/buzzy. A well set up guitar is easy to play, a badly set up guitar is not. Lots of beginners have badly set up guitars, and think it's harder to play than it should be.

There is a tendency for thinner strings to sound, well thin. The amount of metal in the string effect the output of the magnetic pickup for a start.

For beginners, thinner strings can be a hindrance. While they are easier to bend, if you have high frets, a beginner will tend to push these strings more into them with different strings with different chord shapes pulling them out of tune...sometimes even pulling them slightly sideways when making a chord change with the same result. Also, you need to adjust your "touch" with different gauges, a skill you work out with time. If you are going to dig in with a pick on light strings, the attack tends to be 'sharp'.

I have always used 10-46 myself on electric and similar on acoustic as well, different gauges work better for different kinds of playing, players and sounds...for me the 10's are a happy medium and suits my "touch" and the set up I use no my guitars.

The point about set-ups is important....you may well need to adjust the intonation to be perfectly in tune when changing gauges. While the bridge is easy enough to adjust, often the nut is a problem too and is less easy to "fix". Other things like neck relief can need work with added tension...I've noticed my main guitar needs a bit of work again most of those areas, so perhaps I'll head off and look for an Allen key ;)

i tend to start kids with .10's--they break less!

what have you got on your guitar now? do they feel good? do your fingertips hurt after playing? (well, they'll hurt when your a beginner no matter what gauge, but, do they hurt quickly?) do they feel rubbery compared to other guitars you might pick up?

see if you can find some friends who have different gauged strings on their guitars and try them out...or try them out yourself...you won't be out much dough...string gauge is a very personal thing, experiment and decide...

(i started out with .09 roundwounds, moved through .10's and .11's, went flatwound, went as high as a .14 for my high E, settled back down, currently playing .11's or .12's on my guitars...a lot changed in 18 years of playing!)

When I first started playing I found that I had trouble playing in tune with 9's, I tended to bend the high strings as I stretched for cords. Putting 10's on mostly fixed that problem. I find that I can play 9's now (5 years later), but I now prefer the feeling of 10's.

I feel like Rip van Winkle! Before I went to sleep, beginners all started on acoustic guitars. What happened while I was napping?

The answer to the argument between 9's and 10's are the 9 1/2's !