The Steel Guitar Forum

I just bought a new tele and I want the proper strings to put on it. Which ones do I need to buy

Hi, The most popular gauge strings I believe would be 10's. Lots of very good brands and many people will have different answers but I like to use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky's in the green package. I use SIT strings in the same gauge sometimes as well. Gauges will be 10, 13, 17, 26, 36, 46.

that should get your new Tele ringing for a while....

String gauge is a very personal thing. I use 9-46 on most fender scale guitars, but a couple of guitars with very small (vintage) sized frets get 10-46 or 10-52...

Got all my tele's set up with .009" - .042".

I use these because the coating makes them last a long time:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KA ... UTF8&psc=1

There are three types of coatings available, Nanoweb, Optiweb, Polyweb and there's a different feel to each one:


"The coating is thinner on the optiwebs than the nanowebs, giving the strings a more "natural" feel, and a bit brighter tone". I've never tried the Polyweb's.

Billy, I stock Curt Mangan strings that our guitar player uses on his Tele. They are .009-.042 Nickel wound.
Jerry

Yes, I'm sure everybody is going to have their own
preferences.

I just found this company that makes their own strings from Nashville. Small company, great products and service. https://www.stringjoy.com/

Scott, the owner is very personable and customer oriented.

Not cheap, but reasonably priced. They will help you with recommendations and even help you build custom sets as needed.

For gauges, most common uses are a 9 set, or a 10 set. It depends on what your guitar is set up for. I know some people say it doesn't matter, but I would defer to Fender for their gauge recommendations for your model of Tele.

Johnny Hiland uses Elixir Nanoweb (. 009–. 042) strings - (Greg's Amazon link.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teIAufr5Jms[url]

I once read that putting thin strings on Fender guitars is what put Ernie Ball in business.
Leo Fender wouldn't put thin strings on his guitars so after the pickers would pick up their guitars from Fender, they would walk down the street to Ernie's place and he would equip them with the strings of their choice!
Erv

I have a Fender Nashville Telecaster. I bought it new and it came with 9-42 strings. That's what I use on it.

I 8use wither GHS Boomers or D'Addario's.

...also b0b carries Black Diamond electric sets in 10 and 11 sets. https://www.steelguitarshopper.com/cate ... struments/

I have used Ernie Ball Slinky 0.010-0.046" for years on my Telecasters. I do flirt with other brands and gages, but keep going back to those. For regular picking, B-bender, and occasional bottleneck playing.

I can't stress this free advice enough: A good setup on a Telecaster (neck angle, truss rod, intonation, string height, nut slots & height...) is the most important thing to help you play best, sound best.

I use DAddario 10-46 on all my Telecasters. Nickel wound. As others have said, it's a preference thing but a proper set up is for sure necessary.

I use SIT Nickel 10s
They stay in tune better for me and have a beefier tone than 9s.
Sometimes I run a set of 10s and put an 11 on the high E.
Mainly because I have 11s in bulk.
Heavier strings sound heavier and stay in tune better for me.
I may be a little heavy handed with my guitars.
With a lighter touch lighter string may work better.

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

this was an interesting watch. I have guitars with 10s (my paisley telecaster for things you play on paisley teles), 11s (my main guitar for general use) and 12s (my Neil Young dropped DD guitar)

the video puts a strong case for using 8s in the search for more balanced tone

Personally, I think 11s fatten up/round out the Tele tone beautifully, assuming they are comfortable for your hands. NYXL strings are particularly slinky - I feel like I can bend like the guitar is strung with 10s.

I recorded on a couple of pal's albums a few years back. The first album I had 10s on my Tele. Second I had 11s. Same engineer for both projects. He noticed the fatter tone immediately.

I've used both 9's and 10's. Lately I've been using 10's because I prefer the way they feel when I'm playing Jazz Style lines. As far as brands go, my two favorites are Fender 150R (pure nickel) and Ernie Ball Colbalts. I also like regular Ernie Ball strings and GHS Boomers, both of which I have used for years. You should probably try a set of 9's and a set of 10's out because string gauges are a personal preference.

I like 9’s. I get all my tele strings online at webstrings.com They are made for them by a major manufacturer and they always sound excellent. Plus, I don’t believe you can find strings cheaper anywhere else.

Jerry Overstreet wrote:...also b0b carries Black Diamond electric sets in 10 and 11 sets. https://www.steelguitarshopper.com/cate ... struments/

While they last. Guitar strings don't sell well in our store. I'm not going to restock.