Electric Guitar String Gauges Explained

Walk up to a wall of electric guitar strings and you will see numbers everywhere. They are simpler than they look. The numbers are thickness, and thickness decides how the guitar feels and sounds.

What the numbers mean

Gauge is measured in thousandths of an inch. A set is named by its thinnest and thickest strings. A 10 to 46 set runs from a .010 inch high E string to a .046 inch low E string. Players shorten that to tens.

9s, light and easy

A 9 to 42 set is the easiest to press and bend. It is a good match for beginners, for players with a light touch and for lots of string bending.

10s, the standard

A 10 to 46 set is the most common choice. It balances easy playing with a fuller sound and steadier tuning. If you do not know what to buy, buy tens.

11s and up, thicker tone

Heavier sets take more hand strength but give a bigger sound and hold lower tunings better. Jazz players often go heavier still, sometimes with flatwound strings for a smooth, mellow tone.

Hybrid sets

A hybrid set mixes thin top strings with thick bottom strings. You get easy bends on the high strings and tight, heavy low notes for riffs. The Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom set is the well known example.

Coated strings

Coated strings such as Elixir Nanoweb cost more and keep their tone longer because the coating keeps sweat and dirt out of the windings.

Changing gauge

A big jump in gauge changes the pull on the neck, so the guitar may need a small adjustment afterward. For how long any set lasts, read how often to change guitar strings.

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