what gauge strings did jimmy page & slash use?

[roeg]

Back in '68, with Page in attendance, Jeff Beck handed his guitar to me to check out.... .08s. They got on a thing, from either Davey Grahm or Martin Carthy, of playing such light strings. Originally it started from taking banjo strings and they even went down to .07s. That got me on the Ernie xtra super slinkies for a while. To me they sound bigger than higher gauges but less focused, and they pose problems for me in that chords can be difficult to keep in tune unless certain other precautions are taken lower frets and/or a light touch, care). I play 9s now. i quit for many years and can't afford the gear that was stolen so I'm working on getting my action down to under a mm at 12 though it's adequate already @~1.5. Good luck guys and gezers Hello London scene.

cool story,thx for sharing.welcome!
10's here,i bend like a mutha when i get lost in a solo,but i can see,if i was doing sustained long sets 6 nights a week,9's might be the go-to.I have 13's on my Martins so it has made me very comfortable with my lester loaded 10's recently.

 

[RichBrew]

sorry guys but i had to bump this thread. take a look at this video it will answer all your questions about jimmy page's strings and gauge. skip to 3:55

Ernie Ball | EB.TV

I don't think it coming from the horse's mouth will stop the "I heard" and "I read somewhere" speculation.

RichBrew

 

[ZWILDZR1]

When I first started learning back in 77 I used 10's but broke a lot of the high E strings. Then when I got my 79 custom my teacher told me I should try lighter strings. So I started using the Ernie Ball 9's and stop breaking the high E strings. I eventually went down to 8's on my LP. I used them for many years. I was not in to learning what strings my favorite LP players were using. My favorite player back when I started was Ace Frehley. The bands I liked were Kiss but the Bealtes were what really got me into guitar. I shifted to liking Van Halen. but still loved groups like the Eaagles and CCR. I had three guitars the Gibson Custom, a LP Japaneese copy gold top with bolt on neck and the acoustic I started with. Then back in the early 90's a new shop opened up where I lived. I started hanging out there and that is where I learned about the differences in the LP's through the years. I was checking out all the new LP's coming out of Nashville at the rime. It was at this shop that one of the owners looked at my 79 LP and commented that I should not be using 8's on a heavy LP but should use 10's. So on his advice I went back to using 10's cause he told me that was how to get the best tone from a LP. I bought a Washburn that had two single coils and a humbucker along with a Floyd Rose. I used 8's on that guitar and 10's on the LP. By this time I had learned and stop breaking strings like I did when first started. Today I use 10's on my 68 RI and also on my Tele. I tried 9's on the Tele but like the feel of the 10's better. My son plays a Strat that was mine and has a Dean with two humbuckers. I do most of the setup on his guitars using 9's. I like my LP setup rather low and hate anything with a high action. I remember checking out a lot of LP Customs back in the early 90's and they had terrible setups new coming from Nashville. I do like knowing now what guys like Page were using back in the day but I am going to use what feels good to me and how I play. I think that is what is the most important. Using what string you feel most comfortable with and there are no right or wrong choices really other than what type of guitar and your style of play may dictate .

 

[Guitar_Zero]

Didn't Page use 8's in his Tele days? I seem to recall he did. Would make sense switching to 9's when he went over to the LP.

 

[ice_pick]

I'm surprised that 9s were even available back in the early 70s or whenever he switched to the Lester. I thought guys like Jimi were using a medium gauge set with a wound g and moving each string up one, scraping the low E and buying a banjo string for the high E. I guess things did progress pretty fast from 68-73 or so.

When were the Ernie ball super slinkies introduced?

 

[Dica]

Most great Music from the 60s and 70s is played on very light gauges.
Light gauges do sound better to me they have more sting/treble.
I just hate when the heavey gauges kills of the tone and start sounding muddy also the whole neck starts to vibrate and cause all kinds of funny vibrations.

The only negative thing is light gauges are easier to push out of tune.

 

[LP Bob]

I find the 10-46 gauge sets sound better on the lower strings, but the 9-42 sets sound better on the higher strings, more harmonics, easier bends and vibrato, and also easier on the tendons.

Long story short...9-42's all the way, plenty punchy.

 

[b3john]

I'm surprised that 9s were even available back in the early 70s or whenever he switched to the Lester. I thought guys like Jimi were using a medium gauge set with a wound g and moving each string up one, scraping the low E and buying a banjo string for the high E. I guess things did progress pretty fast from 68-73 or so.

When were the Ernie ball super slinkies introduced?

1962.

Ernie Ball | History

 

[Logan]

Jimmy uses super slinky 9s Slash cobalt 11s super slinky i believe, both ernie ball

 

[Shadowplayer]

Jimmy uses super slinky 9s Slash cobalt 11s super slinky i believe, both ernie ball

Thought Slash used Cobalt 10's. Or was it just 10 before the cobalt?

 

[icantbuyafender]

The only 8 I will use when I get the urge is the RPS Ernie balls

Otherwise they don't last at all.

My monkey hands beat the shit outa my strings.

 

[Rocknme]

09's are the perfect gauge

. . . for Strats and Teles.

 

[Anolin]

I've never understood discussions like these... Who cares what gauge strings other people use, including Slash, JP, etc? It's like asking someone if they prefer wheat or white bread for their sandwiches. Do what feels and sounds right for you, not what feels/sounds right for other people.

 

[bdubbs]

This was said before but is important. I was using 10s on my Les Pauls playing half step down and sometimes drop C# for songs. If you hit the strings you are going to hit them sharp every time unless you are super soft on them. I use skinny top heavy bottom now to make up for that.

Using 8s on a LP with its short scale would almost be impossible to keep in tune. You fret slightly hard you are going sharp, you hit the string a little hard you will be out of tune.

If you play at home exclusively I can see it being ok, i guess, but not for someone playing with a band. No tension is really tough to stay close to in tune.

 

[Cuthbert]

Using 8s on a LP with its short scale would almost be impossible to keep in tune. You fret slightly hard you are going sharp, you hit the string a little hard you will be out of tune.

I've a scalloped Strat and I play 8s sometimes, I found impossible to go sharp at least unintentionally, intentionally you can do that but it's painful.

I've 8s on my Burns Brian May because to play Queen songs you need them, the scale is even shorter than a LP but still I don't have that problem....I assume I've a soft touch.

 

[paco1976]

I started with 9s, then went to 10s but after some years I realized I was doing too much effort for having this "tonal difference", so I went back to 9s.
I actually prefer the sound of 10s however I got to be honest with myself, if I play better with 9s then I should stick to it... it is all about playing, isn't it?
I decided to stop messing with gauges

I guess we should all stop and think sometimes, I personally got small hands so it doesn't really make sense try harder gauges for a better tone, does it? Same as if anyone doesn't have enough strength or has fingers too thin, etc. Some people can play ok with 11s and some cannot... Play fluently, that's we all should aim to, don't set a handicap in your guitar.

 

[paulgibson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The DUDE

9's on a Fender.

10's on a Gibson.

Which is exactly how they come from the factory....

They also come from the factory with a poorly cut nut, shoddy fretwork & bad action.

I just bought a 52 reissue and a 69 thinline reissue and they are superb. No problems with these fine telecasters.


Posted from Mylespaul.com App for Android

 

[dspelman]

I'd also be surprised if he used 0.008s on the EDS-1275. They have such a short scale length that even 0.010s seem to lack tension.

Huh? I thought the EDS-1275 had exactly the same scale length as an LP.

 

[straybeat]

Yeah, .008s on all electric. Billy Gibbons uses .008s too. Can't tell about acoustics, though.

Billy uses .007's. At 1:17 his tech talks about Billy uses his super heavy .008 strings for Just Got Paid.

At 3:25 the tech mentions the .007 strings, so Billy stopped using Bigsby's. And at 5:38 he says .007's to .038's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6DrxfrbbF8

 

[LP Bob]

.009-.042's seem to be perfect, for me anyway...plenty of harmonics on the high strings, while allowing more expressive bending and vibrato, plus plenty of chunk on the low end. Used .010's for awhile and, while lower strings had a little more chunk, they didn't feel comfortable. .009's seem to be the exact right middle ground...plus as we all get older, tendonitis isn't something that's gonna help your guitar playing.