Why do most of the best players use medium gauge strings (or do they)?

Twang

@Mondoslug Check out Olivier Marin guitars before you buy your AJL 😉

Twang

(not saying AJLs aren't great!!!) Dunno what strings they're using. Someone here will probably know though.

peterja

I think it might be because it makes a lower action more viable.

And for me medium gauge strings and a lower action opens up for a greater dynamic range.

I like the old school almost nasal sound of high action and light strings, it's very traditional and immediately makes me think of the old German players. But for my own playing, I find medium gauge and somewhat lower action open up more tonal possibilities, even though I loose some of the more iconic gypsy flavor.

bbwood_98

This is very interesting; I'll throw in for 10's for most guitars for rhythm playing. My reason being they are more complex sounding. IHM not scientific opinion with 10's there are slightly greater 'oscillations' and less fundamental tone, so you get more of the sounds higher up the harmonic sequence; giving rounder chords and more crunch and complexity.

11's make more sense to me a soloist's string; they are slightly louder, more fundamental sounding.

Scoredog

Not that anyone may care but I use a Argentine light set until the E and B strings and switch to medium....except on my short scale...that is medium all the way.

wim

For Clasico you can see on the video on youtube (Django's Tiger), look the felt ends (red=011, purple=010). I think they are both on 11s.

pdg

So, I wonder if they feel they have more right-hand control, and lower action, with 011s. Or if it's just become part of the (Paris?) culture. Or if they just like the sound better.

Mondoslug

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/107149#Comment_107149

@Scoredog I care!

croth

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/107137#Comment_107137

I was reading this thread and I was thinking the exact same thing- when these guys/gals get a little older, and arthritis sets in, all of their reasons for preferring 11’s will go out the window! 🤗

Mondoslug

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/107151#Comment_107151

Good eyesight! Well, there ya have it. Some of the playing on the tunes sounds twangier/slappier than others on this album. Sounds like low action to me but hey I'm wrong about 10s, they probably also have sky high action also then. 😀Such killer playing either way.