Ernie Ball 8 gauge 12-string set

mavuser · Feb 22, 2019

I was looking for 9’s and found that Ernie Ball has an 8 gauge 12-string set.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Ernie-Ball/2230-Nickel-12-String-Slinky-Electric-Guitar-Strings.gc

how do u think they play and sound ?

mavuser · Feb 22, 2019

i guess they are for an electric 12-string. my bad!

gjmalcyon · Feb 22, 2019

I tried Curt Mangan extra lights on the D125-12 and they were off within a day - the thing sounded like a sitar. No depth or resonance.

F312 · Feb 22, 2019

I have heard ZZ Tops Billy Gibbons uses 8s or maybe even lighter strings.

Ralph

portsider · Feb 23, 2019

Yeah they are electric strings. Try Ernie Ball Earthwood lights. They’re 9s and are the lightest 12 string gauge I’ve found.

mavuser · Feb 23, 2019

portsider said:
Yeah they are electric strings. Try Ernie Ball Earthwood lights. They’re 9s and are the lightest 12 string gauge I’ve found.

thanks its those and the D’adarrio PB 9s are the only 2 sets I know of. the D’adarrios are nice on 2 of mine already. was not looking for 8s, but for “any and all 9s.”. thanks again for the tip

12 string · Feb 23, 2019

I make a set something like this, only in bronze and with a unison 3rd course, and tune it 3 frets high. In the early '60s the Folkswingers, aka Glen Campbell and the Dillards, recorded a couple of albums for World Pacific with Glen's Gibson B-25 12 set up this way.

' Strang

mavuser · Feb 24, 2019

found 2 more sets of 9 gauge acoustic 12 strings. so the list so far is:

they are not identical to each other, of course. so, splitting hairs here, but listed in order of percieved tension (or lack thereof) based on the overall gauges of each string (not each manufacturer lists tensions), from lighter to heavier:

1. GHS
2. D’addario
3. Ernie Ball
4. Dean Markley

Also I believe Martin has a 10 set that feels like 9s or visa versa, or 9.5s, or something to that effect, but not sure

Ernie Ball 8 gauge 12-string set

mavuser

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mavuser

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gjmalcyon

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F312

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portsider

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mavuser

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12 string

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mavuser

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