[Fulltone]

I have a question that I can't seem to find anyone to give me an answer to. I am wondering what the guage of string that SRV used on his "Lenny" guitar? I have Ernie Ball strings on my guitar now.

Here are the ones I am currently using.
Buy Ernie Ball 2221 Nickel Regular Slinky Electric Guitar Strings 6 Pack online

I have been told he exclusively used GHS Boomers that were a lighter guage than what I am using, although I don't what the guage he had was. I have played Lenny - the parts I know and with the right amount of reverb it sounds ok to me and my friend tells me its off and that I need a lighter guage string and of course he doesn't know what it is either. Anyone have any thoughts??

[fly135]

From what I've heard he uses heavy strings (like 13's) and detunes a half step. At least most of the tabs I've seen of his songs are a half step down. So lighter gauge sounds like bad advice to me.

I decided to take a look and this is what Wikipedia says...

"Vaughan is recognized for his distinctive guitar sound, which was partly based on using heavy guitar strings (anything from 13- to 16-gauge sets) that he tuned down a half-step."

[eXperiment63]

Vaughan used 13s most of the time. When he got older(though still young) he used a 13 set with an 11 on the high e.

And yes, his guitars were tuned to Eb Standard.

[Fulltone]

Thanks guys, it didn't sound right to me either but I have heard several people say that his Lenny Guitar for some reason was strung with the lightest gauge strings of all of his guitars. Maybe that refers to the fact he used the lightest heavy gauge string. Like I said I have the Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys which are light I believe the start at a 10 guage on the low string and go from there and I just can't get the proper tone. Don't get me wrong it doesn't sound bad but everyone I have talk to and played around says that my tone does not have enough sustain expecially on the bends like in the start of Lenny or in the same song where he does those small Jimi Hendrix type fills. Especially on those I notice I don't have the sustain it sounds almost like I am missing a note sort of. (Its just missing something). I am confident enough in my playing that I know I am reading the sheet music book right and I know I am playing the right notes in time.

I just though I would post it here first before searching on the net. I appreciate the input and think that it is most likely the case.

Here is what I found last night after I posted on an SRV tribute site.
It says he uses GHS Boomers - with a gauge of .013, .015, .019, .028, .038, .058

I will continue to look for more and if I find something that looks reliable I will post for everyone to see.

Thanks again.

[allthumbs]

You need to remember that Lenny has a swimming pool route under the pick guard. That effectively changed it to a near chambered guitar which accounts for it's bright tones and unique sound It will take more than just the right strings to capture that. BTW, it was a gift to him from his wife. She liked the colour.

[Fulltone]

Allthumbs, what do you mean by a swimming pool route under the pick guard? I have never heard of that or at least by that name.

[allthumbs]

It means that the body was heavily routed to make some pups or active pups fit. When small pups or on board electronics are removed you are left with a space much larger than is needed for the current hardware. That is called a swimming pool. You can see it quite often on bodies sold on ebay that have been modded a couple of times.

[fly135]

Maybe you need the amp that allthumbs posted about in this thread....

A friend demos his new vintage amp.

[allthumbs]

This is a pic of a small swimming pool route. Some players do this deliberately to change the tone or make it easier to swap pups.

[Fulltone]

Wow, that is different. I went and bought a few new sets of strings two days ago. Since I get my strings pretty cheap I figured if I don't like them I can always go back to the original set up and make due with what I have. One set was the set of 13-56 - the gauge Stevie used. The second set was a set of GHS Boomers that are 11-50 gauge. The night before last I re-strung the beast with the 13-56 just to see what it was like. Big MISTAKE, it really was difficult - major change. I think had I strung it with 11-50's played for a month or so then went to the 12-54s (I believe its the next size up) then played another month or two it would have been so bad making the transition to the 13-56's. I lasted maybe an hour after stringing it up and just couldn't do it anymore. It was more than I felt I could get use to.

So last night once again I cut off the old and re-strung with the new GHS Boomers which are 11-50's. They are a big difference in my opinion from the flimsy 10-46's the tone is a really difference than from before. My guitar now has a real warm bluesy tone which is what I was after from the start. In my opinion they have almost an identical tone to the 13's with a lot less stress on my hands. The 11's still put a big hurt on my fingers if I set and try to play a lot all at one time but since yesterday I am slowly getting use to them and love the new tone. Best of all they still fit in with my style of music blues, country and some rock.

I highly recommend them to anyone who wishes to change up there tone for a fair reasonable expense. I paid 5.00 at retail for them which is cheaper than most stores. You can get them off of the Musicians Friend site of other site for like 4.99 I believe. So I paid a penny more, not a big deal.

Now I am extremely close to an SRV tone. Although I can tell the next step will be to change the existing pickups to the legandary Fender Texas Specials.

Thanks allthumbs, for the picture of the swimming pool.

[eXperiment63]

I play 11s. They are a good size for me. perfect amount if resistance. It makes it fun when I play any of my friends' guitars. They all play 9s, and the strings are so flimsy to me.

I have played 12s and 13s before.. Not my thing. Not that I couldn't. I just didn't like how hard of resistance they had. I mean, I can get a good full step bend on the wound G string on my acoustic, without too much trouble... But i still prefer 11s.

[bluesguyjon]

I've recently stepped up to 11s, and like experiment said they're a good feel, and sound a helluva lot better than 10s, and certainly 9s. I'm planning to get my finger strength up and go up to 12s and so on, but for now 11s are a great compromise between playability and tone.

[Stratrat]

I play .010's and .011's on all my guitars, and am preferring the 11's more and more...especially the "heavy bottom" sets that go to .052. My only guitar left with .009's is the Strat, and when I play that thing they feel like spiderwebs!