Easy bends?

[GoDrex]

side note, some people say that string stretch is a myth, that stings don't "break
in" they settle in the nut, and on the saddles.

in my opinion, when you "stretch the strings" what you're doing is tightening the wrap around the tuners.

On non locking tuners I prefer to use a method that "ties" the string to the tuner, instead of the traditional way of winding it up a lot. Works better for me. (Still need to stretch them out though, IMO. Mainly the lower wound ones seem to need it the most. I pull on them and re-tune until they stop going out of tune from pulling on them. Then they stay in tune pretty well.)

here's an example of what I mean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rhdxCECcl4

 

[koshersteel]

Almost everything you could want to know about guitar string tension is in D'Addario's pdf guide

http://www.daddario.com/Resources/JDCDAD/images/tension_chart.pdf

 

[stubhead]

Well, I'll throw in a couple of links too! This is a page that lists (seven-) string gauges that are calculated to have equal tension all across the neck:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/8340-optimum-string-gauge-sets.html

The main point is that most sets have really undergunned 6th & 7th strings. (10's should go to 50, not 46). This is a link to Bobby Lee's pedal steel guitar gauge chart:

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/gauges.htm

Pedal steel guitars are brutal on strings so the needs are different, and they're usually around a 24" scale - so all these string gauges are heavy. If you made up an EADGBE set from this you'd get 56-42-34-19-15. However, you can use it to calculate a relative set, say if you wanted to use Robert Fripp's CGDAEG tuning or something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Standard_Tuning

 

[dbw]

I think they really do stretch.  Even with locking tuners and a hardtail, I've got to stretch the strings on my Warmoth.

 

[GoDrex]

I think the wound strings may stretch. I doubt that the plain ones do though much if at all. I could be wrong though. Sometimes I think the wrap at the end may have to stretch a bit too  - unless you're using bullet ends.

 

[jackthehack]

I think the wound strings may stretch. I doubt that the plain ones do though much if at all. I could be wrong though. Sometimes I think the wrap at the end may have to stretch a bit too  - unless you're using bullet ends.

All strings - wound or unwound - have some degree of ductile properties and will stretch a bit after you first put them on until they reach equilibrium.