Using a lighter gauge e9th

Brian Henry · Posted 2 Apr 2021 6:16 am

Is it possible to use a lighter gauge on strings 5 & 6 on e9th tuning.
Currently 5th string .18 and 6 string .22
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LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN GEORGIA

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

Anything is possible within reason. Try 16 or 17+ 20. Why do you need a lighter gauge?
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KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Danelectro, Evans, Fender, GFI, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I always tend to use heavier strings, not lighter.
I feel you get a better tone with heavier strings. Very Happy

Erv

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Many "standard" pre-packaged E9 pedal steel sets use a .017p for the 5th string B and .020p for the 6th string G#. For example,

GHS
https://www.juststrings.com/ghs-st-e9.html
https://www.juststrings.com/ghs-gb-e9.html

SIT
https://www.juststrings.com/sit-pssho-e9th.html
https://www.juststrings.com/sit-sho-e9th.html

D'Addario
https://www.juststrings.com/dad-eps490.html
https://www.juststrings.com/dad-nyxl1138ps.html

and there are many others. The other "standard with a plain 6th" does indeed use .018p/.022p, respectively. But there's no inherent "problem" with using .017p/.020p, many do. I do mostly. Sure, some people like the heavier sets, and I think there's even a bit of a trend to that lately.

One caveat: strings with a lighter core (in the case of a plain string, the core is the whole string) typically takes a bit more travel to make the pull. If your changer is set up to "just" make the pull with no headroom before it becomes over-tuned, you may have to adjust the leverages or increase the travel on the relevant pedals/levers.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

18 & 22 come in the set commonly called the Emmons gauges.

17 & 20 come in the set commonly called the Sho-Bud gauges or the Nashville set.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

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