What strings & picks to use for fast strumming

[Behan]

Hey Phil,

We all know you're the fastest rhythm guitarist known to mankind --I only hope you would have a solution to my dilemma:

I was attempting to record rhythm acoustic guitar to a very fast mandolin/accordion instrumental I composed, but I keep breaking my G-string (I know, someone's gonna joke about the G-string) as well as my high E. I checked my bridge and the nut and they seem okay (no sharp edges). I use gauge 10 set of strings but I can't seem to find the right gauge of my picks. This may seem trivial, however I need to know the strings and picks you use. I think my pick may be too heavy for this style of playing. This only happens when I'm playing or recording the "real fast" songs. Thanks!

[Mick Molloy]

I believe there's a thread about this. What pick do you use? Cause most acoustic players use .60

[Behan]

Thanks. Yeah. I remember reading a thread about this, but for some reason. I couldn't find it.

[Mick Molloy]

viewtopic.php?t=1785&highlight=picks+strings+gauge

There it is

[Behan]

Oh, I found the thread about strings and picks. Never mind, Phil!

[philipchevron]

Hey Phil,

We all know you're the fastest rhythm guitarist known to mankind --I only hope you would have a solution to my dilemma:

I was attempting to record rhythm acoustic guitar to a very fast mandolin/accordion instrumental I composed, but I keep breaking my G-string (I know, someone's gonna joke about the G-string) as well as my high E. I checked my bridge and the nut and they seem okay (no sharp edges). I use gauge 10 set of strings but I can't seem to find the right gauge of my picks. This may seem trivial, however I need to know the strings and picks you use. I think my pick may be too heavy for this style of playing. This only happens when I'm playing or recording the "real fast" songs. Thanks!

There is no easy answer to this question. I stopped breaking strings in quantity when I started spending a lot of money on guitars and when I quit drinking or perhaps both. But there are still days when the fuckers just keep snapping out of spite.

[Behan]

There is no easy answer to this question. I stopped breaking strings in quantity when I started spending a lot of money on guitars and when I quit drinking or perhaps both. But there are still days when the fuckers just keep snapping out of spite.

Thanks very much Mr. C

The guitar I play is a Gretsch Historic Series (model G3100) acoustic which I believe is a very well made guitar. I think it's just my "Inexperience" of playing the guitar extremely fast in that particular way - the P.Chevron way. When I'm with the band, I don't play too much guitar -- only when I'm recording.
My mandolin and cittern are both "Trinity College" (early editions) and I play them real hard and never break any strings, unless they're getting too old.

And as far as drinking goes, I drink little or nothing "when" recording, or else my mistakes are forever embedded in my recordings. No Thanks, those days are over.

[goodbar]

i stopped breaking strings within the first year i had my guitar. it's either 'cause of the brand or i thought i was a rock star and jammed too hard. or maybe it was thicker picks. now i go months without changing them and they still never break. it's cool.

but goddamn, i've broken my buddie's e-string twice on the same song.

[soulfinger]

Hey Phil,

We all know you're the fastest rhythm guitarist known to mankind

Up there with Joe Messina and Marv Tarplin for me and that's high praise.