I have been all over Stick.com looking for the proper gauges of each of the string sets. i am trying to help a friend out to figure what stick he should get.. but he's so picky on the string gauges... can anyone help me in this matter..I use light string gauges.. but there is no actual gauges printed on the package

Buy a micrometer. I'm serious it's the only way you're gonna find out what the gauges are... if you're anal-retentive (hand goes up). The string gauges are balanced for the tunings by Emmett, and trust him, unless you are going into some weird tuning...I always used D'Addario strings for my basses and guitars (that's the manufacturer of Stick Strings) and i went with what I always used (medium) and they felt RIGHT. You can search and find out what they are but it's not worth the effort unless, like I said, you're coming up with a "different" tuning. Maybe, as you become an ACCOMPLISHED MASTER STICKIST, you may find a need to screw around with the balance (wound vs. unwound in certain strings) but otherwise, tell him to give it a rest.

As Marty was alluding to, there's not really any benefit to knowing the gauges. The Stick is not guitar, it's not a bass. The tension of the strings that suit the instrument the best isn't the same as the aforementioned and one shouldn't expect it to be.

My experience as a beginner: specific gauges don't matter, per se, only the set overall. Tell your friend to pick their tuning first then get one set each of light, medium and heavy for that tuning and experiment.

Or just go with medium, I assure you it'll be fine.

Repeat after me: "The Stick is not a guitar" (it can take a lot of unlearning).

yeah when he asked me that question i did kinda look at him in crazy eyes... he's never owned a stick.. but he likes to play mine when he's around.and yes i told him.. it's not a guitar or a bass... but he said.. does the set come in 8's .... lol

Hi Gnat.

Tell him they do come in 008's.....thats the light gauge set!!
Emmett kindly includes a gauge sheet with each new Stick.

I would go with light gauge....since thats what I've had since '82, and it was the original gauge.
With the addition of truss rod, heavier gauges were added later.
If that feels too light (but remember its not a guitar/Bass!!) then try medium gauge.

Interestingly I have a few earlier light gauge sets lying around and my 2nd stick is set up for that, The main difference was a 007 on the first string and a rattlingly thin .100 on the low bass string in classic tuning (in latter sets thats upped to .106)

Hope that helps.

If he's interested in a looser feeling string, tell him he could tune all the strings down a half or whole step until they feel as loose as he likes. The Stick is keyless, so it doesn't really matter what note is at which fret.

That's not to say it won't have some impact on the way the string sounds or how much the string can be bent out of tune from finger pressure.

Thought I'd seen it somewhere -- page 3 of "Free Hands" gives the original string gauges in inches (apparently equal to modern light) as:

Melody: 0.008, 0.009, 0.011, 0.014, 0.022w
Bass: 0.101w, 0.065w, 0.040w, 0.022w, 0.013

Obviously times will have changed things a bit but that's where they started.

I use medium on my grand and they're fine.

Do you guys have experience with heavy gauge? When a string-change becomes due I'm wondering about heavies for my Baritone Melody. I just want maximum ringing tone and I'm not interesting in string bending etc. I'm intrigued to try "wound" throughout. I think Bob once promoted heavy gauge. Any experience to share? How do they feel, any harder to play?


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I tune my DBR a half-step down for a "snakiey-er" feel - Per Boysen tunes up for a "ringiey-er" tone. It's pretty cool what you can do with a set of strings. Experiment! Enjoy!