8 gauge strings on a les paul, anyone ever tried it?

I've tried it and didn't like it. I think they sound fine, but it was way too easy to over-bend or play too hard and have the sustain choke out.

If you have a really light touch, they're fine.

I've gotten lazy and just put the same 10s on everything. For some reason, I think I slightly prefer 10.5s on strats, but...not enough to by 2 sizes of strings.
 
Not a LP user but I've run Ernie Ball 8's on all my Ibanez guitars for 40+ years with no issues. I'm a light touch with skinny fingers and I haven't broken a string in years. (maybe 4 string breaks in 40 years). I change them maybe once every 4 or 5 shows with practices in between. It's an acquired taste but they work fine for me even using the Floyd Rose a lot. Just my opinion. I do also use them on my 66 Epiphone Olympic which is basically a Les Paul Junior with zero issues.
 
Oh, yeah, FWIW, I don't break strings. Like...I honestly don't remember ever breaking one except for maybe once or twice while I was changing strings (I assumed they were flawed/damaged), and it's been years since even that happened.

One of my friends who grew up playing metal on a Jackson with a FR said "gotta use ultra-lights if you want to thrash". I believe he played 7s. His bends, non-FR vibrato, and trills were among the cleanest I've ever heard in person.

I play boomer blues/rock, and even considering how hard it is to bend or choke out, the differences between 7s and 13s (which is as far in either direction I've gone on a strat) just seem like nothing but preference to me - I don't think the change in sound is insurmountable.

Also, I think I've got some EB 9s lying around - I kinda want to try them on my acoustic just to see what happens.
 
I'm too heavy handed for 8's. I always pull them sharp. I currently have 10's on my LP tuned Eb standard. More about the feel than the tone for me.
 
marsonic said:
Also, I think I've got some EB 9s lying around - I kinda want to try them on my acoustic just to see what happens.
Click to expand...
That's funny, I use the same Extra-Slinky 8's on my Rainsong and it plays and sounds great IMO. I used to use "Acoustic" strings and when I switched I couldn't tell the difference in sound. I buy Ernie Ball's by the box and it's just easier to use them on everything for me, I re-string 3-5 guitars at a time and I don't want to be messing with different gauges and brands.
 
Used them when I first started playing. 50 years later I'm up to 11's on my Gibson scale guitars. Still use 9's on my Strats and 10's on my Warmoth conversion necks. Yep, I know that's weird.
 
My guitars roam from 11s on the PRS DGT, to mostly 10s and then 9.5 on my PRS 509 and one Strat. I used 8s years ago and thought they were a bit too light so I switched to 9s and used those for a long time.

I think the difference in sound because of string gauge is a thing, but so are the differences in string metals. And, when the guitar’s sound is distorted the difference in the low end is mostly lost because of the distortion. The change in sound is much more obvious when running clean.
 
I've been using 8's on my Lifeson Les Paul. Works and sounds great, but you have to have a light touch and adjust to bending.
 
I went from 10-46 in E to 12-54 in B and it took a little adjustment but I can go between them easily.
 
lqdsnddist said:
Billy Gibbons uses 7’s I believe…..
Click to expand...

Yeah he’s using some light strings. I went down to 9’s on everything except my Eb guitar. 25.5 or 24.5 9’s it is. It suits my oddball way of playing since I smashed my left index in a machine. I personally think heavier sounds better. In Billy’s case, his best tones were on the early albums before going light. But that could just be getting older and hearing changes etc. With 9’s I get out of tune on some chords. No way I could play 8’s.
 
DiedTrying said:
I ordered a freqout pedal to celebrate!
Click to expand...
I have one being delivered today. I missed it after selling it. It's just about the only thing my FM3 can't do as well as a pedal.
...and nothing but 10 gauges on my guitars. 8's would be far to slinky for me.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom