Steel Strings.What do most people use?

[Localele]

Without worrying about brands is there much difference in volume and feel and playability between "Extra Light ", "Light " and "Medium".
Do extra lights feel much softer to the player and is the theoretical loss of power noticeable to a player just "Strummin' on the porch,beer in reach"(JJ Cale)?
Is it necessary to load up a dreadnought with heavier strings to get the most out of it or will lighter strings be alright?
Coming from ukes I do know that different strings make a difference but would just like a bit of guidance when it comes to steel strings.
Cheers from Micheal.

[Bob Connor]

I guess it depends on the player Michael, but there really is a lot of difference between gauges of strings.

There is also a lot of difference in the feel of the string depending what scale length you use.

The two standard scale lengths on Martin instruments are 25.34" and 24.9".

You may think that half an inch may not make much of a difference but it really does.

The shorter scale neck will feel like it is string up with a lighter gauge than is actually on it because the string tension will be lower. It will be much easier to bend the strings if you are playing lead on it.

The strings really should match how the instrument has been constructed.

Most dreadnoughts were originally built to be played in Bluegrass bands where the guitar player was battling to be heard over the fiddle/banjo/mandolin combination so they were reasonably heavily braced and the tops thicknessed to accomodate medium to heavy gauge strings, sound reasonable abd still retain structural integrity for some considerable time.

You could certainly build a dread that is lightly constructed and would sound OK with light gauge strings. But it won't sound like a typical dread.

[Craig]

Thicker strings tend to intonate better , but are more uncomfortable to play. They are also responsible for bellying the soundboard on a lot of guitars with their higher string tension.

It's all a bit of a compromise actually .As a Piano Tuner/Tech. , I have studied " Scale and String Calculation".
In theory , guitars should be fitted with a very heavy set ,. but for most ,they are just too hard to play.

I fit Light guage for comfort ,string bending etc. The price I pay ( apart from poorer intonation ) is less volume and losing a bit of bottom end on the 6th and 5th string because of their smaller diameter strings.

I say I use light guage , but actually I use " Custom Light guage ". These are the same as "light guage "except the 1st , 2nd and third strings are slightly thinner in diameter than a "light "set . Easier on the fretting fingers
and can bend them with ease.