KEEP IT LIGHT

Since that fateful encounter with BB King, Gibbons switched to seven-gauge strings, and now uses his own set. Jim Dunlop’s ‘Rev Willy’s Mexican Lottery Brand’ come in numerous gauges, but the ultra-thin set runs (high E to low): .007/.009/.011/.020/.03/038. “They don’t break,” he says. “You don’t have to re-learn, there’s no special technique. You just string it up and go for it.”

Well, yes and no. Gibbons is a light-touch player, and getting the most from such thin strings takes sensitivity. If you’re switching from .010s or even .009s, ease off on the pressure when fretting notes, or odds are you’ll pull them sharp. You might also need to adjust your amp settings to compensate for any loss of output (Billy pushes up his mids, uses heavy metal levels of gain, and rides his amp hard). Also, as lighter strings create less tension on the neck you may need to slacken the truss rod slightly, but only if you know what you’re doing. Once you’ve adapted, you might just find these babies play themselves, and you’ll know for sure you’re in good company...