What string gauge do you prefer on a tele?

[Lou Tencodpees]

I picked .0095 since that's my latest phase. When I was gigging I used Power Slinkys (11-48) because they countered the adrenaline factor. I moved down to Regular Slinkys and still use them on some guitars but find the .0095 sets special on my Teles. I suppose if there was a graph of my string guage use over time coupled with my testosterone levels they'd match.

 

[Genadeloos]

Just for fun, let's have a string gauge poll!

Well........ bass boomers 045, .065, .085, .105.

 

[Raising Arizona]

10.5, 14, 17, 24,34,44

 

[Festofish]

9s on Fender scale
10s on Gibson scale
In my mind, this evens them out tension wise across my collection.

 

[ratdoc]

9-46 -

D'Addario EXL125 Nickel Wound Super Light Top/Regular Bottom

 

[given_to13]

Found that Power Slinky's sounded great on my ASAT Special back in the 90's and have put them on everything since then...I really should try something different for a change, but at this point it's beyond habitual.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

For a jazz Tele I like Thomastik-Infeld flatwounds. The "Swing" 13 set or the George Benson 14s!

 

[DavidP]

On Teles, I'm liking EXL 125s (9-46) these days.

 

[JeffBlue]

10s for normal tuning and 13s for open tunings and slide.

 

[rdjones]

 

[FendrGuitPlayr]

10-46

 

[joe_cpwe]

9-46 D'Addarrio EXL125

 

[Steve_U1S]

.0085-.039 or .009-.042 depending on the feel of the specific instrument.

 

[Steve_2020]

Like many, I used to use 10 sets ..especially on single coil guitars. About 15 years ago my hands and forearms began telling me to move down to 9s and I did.

 

[blue metalflake]

I’ve used 9’s for more than 40 years

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

.010-.046 on all my guitars except the acoustic which sports .011's.

 

[Manothemtns]

When I was first starting out, I settled-in on 10's pretty quickly. The hard part was choosing a brand and model. Over the next few years, I experimented quite a bit and ultimately honed-in on Elixir Nanoweb's. As the years went by, I gradually changed to 11's and stayed there for a long time. I have big hands and eventually moved on to 12's, where I've been now for at least ten years. I employ a lot of bends, not only on the uncoated strings, but on the coated fat ones, as well, and I really enjoy the deeper tone that rings out of the heavier strings.

I've always played Elixir 13's on my acoustics.

 

[TommyGunz]

Seeing that I don't play much, I use 10's. However, I recently built a tele in the style of Josh Smith. I used his pickup set and strung it with 13's. I loved the sound of those piano wires. They have such an immediate and powerful transient attack with more dynamics compared to lighter gauge. However, it's a commitment I'm not willing to make to be able to play like I do with lighter gauges.

 

[SJerseyDevil]

Startedout inmthe 1950's with12's and13,s on an acoustic with a high action. Moved up to a Harmony solid body electric with 12s that was a beast to play. Now 70 years later I use either .009-042's or .010-.046 and I am leaning more toward the .009's on all of my electrics, several of which are Teles or Tele style. On my 6 string acoustics I use .010's or .011's and .010's onmy12 string ones. I practice about an hour every night and always use a guitar with the lighter strings. At Jam sessions or open mikes I usually play electric and to be honest I see little difference between .009's and .010's through an Amp. The .009's are easier on the fingers and seem to have better tone than they did 20 years ago, and they put less stress
on modern necks. If I happen to be playing a pure acoustic get together I may put on a set of .012's but if playing amplified I don't see that much difference and play the lighter strings. As far as brands back in the 60's I used Gretch Velvet Touch Flat Wounds on my electrics, after they became unavailable I used Dean Markley Blue Steel Cryogenic, and now mostly use Just For Strings House Brand.On the Acoustics Ilike Martin 80/20 Bronze or Just For Strings House Brand but have been experimenting with Stainless Steel, Monel and coated strings and haven't made a decision on which I will be using in the future.

 

[Dik Ellis]

10-38 on all my guitars, except my Parker Fly Classic. That has 9-42.