Question about guitar strings!!?

Question

Whats the difference between

.09 and .10???

Which one is better??

also whats going to happen if all the strings were set of .09 and then one of them snaps.......and change that string to the set of .10???

Answer 1

Strings are all about preference and tone. On alot of heavy music like Black metal, or really any metal in general, alot of guitarists would use heavier strings. On my baritone guitar (A 7-stringed guitar), My bottom string is a .13 - which is pretty thick - because I tune that guitar to an open A#. However the guitar I use to play alternative/punk music, and when I "Shred", I use .9. But if you play all of those types, than .10 would be good. Some people like to use .9's because they have this bright sound to them, and of course they're easy to do bends on. Compared to a .13 however, the tone is very dark, and low, and hard to bend. If you want to switch to some really thick gauges, you're going to need your nut cut a little bit deeper. But in your case, a .10 and a .9 are close to the same, so you don't need to cut deeper into your nut slots. No need to fret over it. It should be fine.

-Nakayama Akira

Answer 2

.10's are larger strings than .09's.  Neither gauge is necessarily better than the other, it's just whichever feels and sounds best to you.  Larger-gauge strings tend to generate "bigger" sounds, and smaller-gauge strings are usually easier to bend, etc.  Your hard rock players probably tend to use larger-gauged strings, while some of your "flashier" players might gravitate toward lighter gauges.  Like most things though, that's just a very general rule (I believe Stevie Ray Vaughn used .12's, for example).  

If you change from one gauge to another on your guitar...I don't think anything bad will happen, particularly if you're just changing a single string by a gauge.  If you eventually decide to change the gauges of all your strings, it might be a good idea to have a local tech "set it up" for you ("Set the guitar up for .09's," is the lingo they use there).  Pretty cheap and simple job really.

Hope that's helpful.

Answer 3

I'm not absolutely sure, but I know that number references the thickness of the particular set of strings, they are always incrementally bigger (as the string gets thicker).  So, if you replace a .09 with a .10, I would assume you would still be able to tune it properly because you simply tighten or loosen until you get the right pitch.

Some people like to bend the G B and e strings and prefer the lighter guitar string sets.  My guess is that the thicker sets are more geared towards rythym guitarists and the lighter are more beneficial for a acoustic soloist.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

It's really a matter of personal preference.  As you play more and more guitar, you'll find which strings you find easier to manipulate.

If you replace one of the .09 strings with a .10, you probably won't notice the sound difference unless you have a VERY talented ear!!

Just try them both and see which you prefer.

Hint:  If you have small fingers, go for the .09's.  Bigger fingers, you may like the .10's better.

Answer 5

.09 is lighter than .10

I like .10 not to hard to bend but still a pretty thick sound

now .11s those are the best but you need strong fingers

and it shouldnt matter to much if you change a set of .09s with one .10

Answer 6

well .9 is better for soloing and easyer to play on but .10 lasts longer and is better for power cords and stuff. and if you change a .9 string to a .10 then that string will just be bigger and stiffer than the rest