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Originally Posted by Hey
The only real big difference is the sizes of stings. Fingerstylelist(or just pickers...) tend to use light gage, for action. Rythm guitarist tend to use median gage, to get a "fuller" sound. And last, bottle neck guitarist(or slide, but I perfer bottleneck  ) tend to use heavy gage for that "heavy delta" sound. |
With respect Hey. There is a bit more difference between a dread and a folk than just string gauge. The dread is a big guitar. It is meant to be played standing up. The big body gives it more volume and a deep bottom end which is what one wants in a gigging rhythm guitar. It takes a fine touch to adjust them so the strings are low enough to be good finger picking guitars without getting string buzz. Their strength is strumming.
Folks and parlors are much smaller and the focus is on a more balanced tone, a brighter top end. They are designed to have low action for speed and ease of fingering. They are not designed to be strummed like a dread.
String gauge is more about tone than guitar type. The heavier the string, the more tone. I do have heavy strings on one slide guitar for the tone but, I can also and have played slide using 11s on a semi jazz guitar. I tend to play 12s or 13s on my electrics and 13s on my acoustics. Players tend to pick strings for what they want to do and tone.
I was talking to some friends yesterday about strings and we agreed that once your comfortable with your guitars, they will tell you what strings they want. My Alleykat wants 11s. Not my first choice but, that is just what works for it. I have 8 guitars and am happy to say that I have never touched a 9 or 10 gauge string in 30 years of guitar noodling. Guitars and strings are tools. You need the right ones to do the best job.