Heavy Guitar Strings (.013 gauge)

Stevie Ray Vaughan's use of extraordinarily heavy .013-.058 gauge strings on his Stratocasters was central to his massive tone. While most guitarists use .009 or .010 gauge strings, SRV's heavy GHS Nickel Rockers required tremendous hand strength but delivered unmatched volume, sustain, and fullness from a single-coil guitar. Combined with his aggressive picking attack and half-step-down tuning, these heavy strings allowed Vaughan to produce a tone that rivaled humbucker-equipped guitars in thickness and power. His string choice influenced generations of blues players to experiment with heavier gauges.