Are heavier strings always louder?

[Brent Hutto]

In trying various string gauges and searching for the ever-elusive balance between the plain and wound strings I've always assumed that going to a larger string (of the same type) will make that string a bit louder and going smaller always results in less volume. Is that really true?

Let's say you have strings 11-14-22w-28w-38w-49w and the B-string stands out a little too loudly. Would it ever work out that going up to a 15-gauge string would actually tone it down a little? Or would it always be louder than the 14-gauge one?

[FredDairy]

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto

In trying various string gauges and searching for the ever-elusive balance between the plain and wound strings I've always assumed that going to a larger string (of the same type) will make that string a bit louder and going smaller always results in less volume. Is that really true?

Let's say you have strings 11-14-22w-28w-38w-49w and the B-string stands out a little too loudly. Would it ever work out that going up to a 15-gauge string would actually tone it down a little? Or would it always be louder than the 14-gauge one?

I'd adjust my pickups first.

You put heavier strings on then physically those strings would take up more mass than the area covered by the thinner strings. If I ave to adjust my neck relief because I've put on heavier strings then I'll probably check out the pickups as well.

[Flat357]

With respect to your question , my concern has only ever been with playing comfort , and practicality .
If you need louder , turn up .
Billy Gibbons had a big tone , and played with 8's .

[Brent Hutto]

I'm talking about changing just one string because it's either too soft or too loud compared to the others, not going up or down a whole gauge on the set. For instance, quite often all the strings are balanced except either the G or B string which is much louder.

Sometimes just going one gauge lighter on that string makes it a little softer but I'd almost swear sometimes one gauge larger actually quiets it down...or maybe the greater tension makes the adjacent strings louder (that can happen on a viola or violin for instance).

[Mark Davis]

The way it works theory wise is the mass of the vibrating string is what makes the current that the pickup hears and transmits to the output jack.

So in theory larger strings should produce more signal hence more volume.

[Flat357]

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto

I'm talking about changing just one string because it's either too soft or too loud compared to the others, not going up or down a whole gauge on the set. For instance, quite often all the strings are balanced except either the G or B string which is much louder.

Sometimes just going one gauge lighter on that string makes it a little softer but I'd almost swear sometimes one gauge larger actually quiets it down...or maybe the greater tension makes the adjacent strings louder (that can happen on a viola or violin for instance).

On a set of 9's , I use a 15 ( not a 16 ) on the G , and occasionally if i'm playing a lot of country stuff , i'll put a 10 on the B .

[Doug Ferguson]

I used to play around a lot with different string guages, especially the first three, trying to get a thicker sound out of them. I was never entirely happy with my efforts and finally went back to just using standard .010-.046 sets and adjusting the p/u, like Fred says, and the eq on my guitar and amp -- mainly the amp. And I'm with Flat all the way on the comfort thing. These old fingers of mine just can't handle heavy guaged strings.

[blue metalflake]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

The way it works theory wise is the mass of the vibrating string is what makes the current that the pickup hears and transmits to the output jack.

So in theory larger strings should produce more signal hence more volume.

What Mark says is the theory behind it all. I've never heard of anyone changing guages to try to rectify a balance problem, but you could try dropping to a 13 or 12 to try it.

[boris bubbanov]

I suppose the idea could work, but I think I'd be badly disoriented by strings with dramatically different tensions on them. I rather have a whole set matched in a higher or lower guage than mismatched stuff like that. I'd be sorely tempted instead to swap the pickups out on that guitar for some I had with a depressed B polepiece. I like a wound G when I can find em, but not in a much larger guage than what is otherwise called for, the G is too important for that.

[tboy]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

The way it works theory wise is the mass of the vibrating string is what makes the current that the pickup hears and transmits to the output jack.

So in theory larger strings should produce more signal hence more volume.

Right on, with one thing to add. Bigger strings are generally louder on acoustic guitars because they move more air at lower frequencies. But as stated above, air isn't what your moving with an electric. You're disturbing a magnetic field. More disturbance equals louder, just like shouting into a microphone. Therefore, a more magnetically responsive metal alloy equals more volume also.

[CLAZ]

put a set of 10's oh any brand will do, if you can't make that sound good then keep up the practicing

[bradpdx]

There is nothing sacred about the prepackaged gauges of strings. I have always altered gauges to get the balance I want.

With 10's I use a .016 or ,015 G string on all my guitars (Tele & Strat). The stock .017 is just too fat and loud and stands out.

Experiment until you are happy with the balance.

James Burton's gauges are 009, 010, 012, 022, 030, 038, and he sounds pretty darn good. Try to find THAT set in a package.