Gibson les Paul from factory with 9 gauge high 10 gauge low?

[Rogueaverage616]

i have been trying to find out witch strings Gibson ships or sets up there guitars with,and I kept reading that they ship with .10 gauge,but I just checked the specs from Gibson website for both my 2016 les Paul standard,and 2017 les Paul Traditional,and it’s showing that they use

9 gauge strings with a 10 gauge bottom?

 

[scozz]

Yup...hybrid set. I’ve been using 9/10 hybrid strings for over 20 years...Ernie Ball Super Slinky!

I love them...bends are easier then 10s and you’ve still got the thick sound of 10 gauge on the lower strings, (low E ,A, D).

 

[Rogueaverage616]

Ok I just wanted to make sure from you guys that know way more than me.I finally got my two dream guitars, my 2017 Traditional and 2016 standard,and when I was 13 years old and full of testosterone,I was throwing around .13 guagevstrings like they were toys, with the passion from Stevie Ray bursting out of me lol..now that I’m level headed, I love .9 guage strings,and was researching this topic to see if I Could install .9 gauge strings without a problem, but every where I looked people said that Gibson’s les Paul comes from the factory with .10 guage,and I just checked the build sheets for both my guitars and it said that both my guitars come with 9-10 guage?? So I finally installed my .9 guage set.i was afraid to do it before because I heard that I would have to get a new nut if I put .9 guage on my les Paul when Gibson in fact uses .10???? Lol

 

[chasenblues]

I heard that I would have to get a new nut if I put .9 guage on my les Paul when Gibson in fact uses .10

You heard wrong.

 

[Cjsinla]

Gibson USA uses Cleartone strings, a coated hybrid set, that’s what OP was describing.

 

[Rogueaverage616]

Ok and so Cleartone strings are in fact a .9 guage setvwith basically a .10 guage bottom?

 

[Cjsinla]

i have been trying to find out witch strings Gibson ships or sets up there guitars with.

9 gauge strings with a 10 gauge bottom?

https://www.cleartonestrings.com/shop/product/9-46-hybrid-electric-guitar-strings/

 

[Cjsinla]

Ok and so Cleartone strings are in fact a .9 guage setvwith basically a .10 guage bottom?

They make a number of regular sets too.

 

[colder]

I thought they had been shipping with 9-46 strings since forever

 

[Cjsinla]

I thought they had been shipping with 9-46 strings since forever

I believe they started in 2013 or 2014, they came on my Trad, probably the ‘14 and they had something in the case candy that said what they were so I looked them up. One of the Everly Brothers owned the company at that time. Prior to that they seemed to use 10 to 46 Britewires ‘since forever.’

 

[Macronaut]

I thought they had been shipping with 9-46 strings since forever

That's what my last four "modern" LP's have had on them.

 

[Rogueaverage616]

Cool so then , technically the nut on my 2016 les Paul standard and 2017 les Paul Traditional were cut with .9 guage strings...? Also I am setting my reliefs,and I have .007 thousandths at the 9th fret,is that ok? I guess Dan erlwin says to do .005 thousandths and Gibson .010.

Also I found that my G string and A strings seem to buzz a little while strummed open? Is this normal

 

[Classicplayer]

Have any one of you Les Paul players decided to give 9 guage strings a try and found that you liked them so much that you switched from 10's?

I've been think about trying out the Gibby hybrid set; this after using D'Addario .10-46 sets for ages, it seems.
The last time that I had 9's on a guitar (a Fender Tele) was back in the 70's and I experienced some annoying buzzing and a tinny' sound on the thinner plain strings. Switching to 10's ended that issue.


Classicplayer

 

[scozz]

Have any one of you Les Paul players decided to give 9 guage strings a try and found that you liked them so much that you switched from 10's?

Classicplayer

Yup, me...

...I used to use 10-46 gauge on ALL my guitars including my LPs, but as I said to the OP, I’ve been using hybrid sets ,(9-46), on all my Gibsons for quite a long time. Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-46.

I prefer the lighter gauge high E, B and G strings for bending and comfort, they feel better to me. And the 10 gauge low E, A and D feel and sound right...and I can discern a slight difference in tone from 9s on the low strings. A thicker, slightly heavier tone.

 

[Roxy13]

I have 9s on my Traditional right now and think I'm going to keep it that way. I've always used 10s on LP type guitars, but decided to experiment.

 

[Classicplayer]

Yup, me...

...I used to use 10-46 gauge on ALL my guitars including my LPs, but as I said to the OP, I’ve been using hybrid sets ,(9-46), on all my Gibsons for quite a long time. Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-46.

I prefer the lighter gauge high E, B and G strings for bending and comfort, they feel better to me. And the 10 gauge low E, A and D feel and sound right...and I can discern a slight difference in tone from 9s on the low strings. A thicker, slightly heavier tone.

That's interesting what you write about discerning a tone difference. I have my reasons for wanting to try out a bit thinner guage and it revolves around Jimmy Page and his use of really lighter guage strings. I have come very close to getting Page's middle position tone on my Classic with Seths and my new Trad with B.B. 1,2 pickups. I'm thinking the thinner 9 hybrid may help with my “simulation”. I have done it with the 10-46 set that I normally string both guitars with. It's worth a shot!

Also, I play lots of intervals up and down the fingerboard and use these more that I do chords lately.
Instead of chord progressions, I use “interval” progressions similar to what R&B players in the 50's and into the 60's did in many up-tempo and swing-shuffle style. They sound so good on a full sounding guitar i.e. a Lester. It would be interesting to see if switching to 9 guage would destroy that tone. Next string change the Trad goes first; as an experiment.


Classicplayer

 

[jam81]

Yup...hybrid set. I’ve been using 9/10 hybrid strings for over 20 years...Ernie Ball Super Slinky!

I love them...bends are easier then 10s and you’ve still got the thick sound of 10 gauge on the lower strings, (low E ,A, D).

I switched to the EB Hybrids last year and I love them.

 

[Rob H.]

I thought they had been shipping with 9-46 strings since forever

Yeah those are the gauges for Gibson’s Les Paul signature strings

 

[scozz]

That's interesting what you write about discerning a tone difference. I have my reasons for wanting to try out a bit thinner guage and it revolves around Jimmy Page and his use of really lighter guage strings.
Classicplayer

The slight difference I’m referring to is only the bass strings, (E, A, D), between a 9 set and a 10 set...

....A straight 9 gauge set have 24 D...string 32 A...and 42 E...

...A 9 hybrid set have 26 D...36 A...and 46 E....same as a 10 gauge set....

...the treble strings, E, B, G are the same as a 9 gauge set.

 

[Classicplayer]

The guage differences I already knew. It's the tone differences (if any) that really interests me. I will try a hybrid set before jumping to a straight 9 gauge set. I still prefer a “heavier” bass sound from that .46 guage 6th. That sound I consider part of my full tone.....kinda' like the lower strings on a grand piano. To me, the 6th. String helps “blend” the rest of the strings......sort of sets them up to help accent them.


Classicplayer