SONIC YOUTH STRING GAUGE CHART

This chart shows, for each string from low to high on a standard 6-string guitar, which gauge Thurston or Lee would commonly use for any given note. For example, Thurston's low E shows .052 as the preferred gauge for C and D, where-as E F# G and A all use .046. Notes are given if applicable.

I often get asked about a good set of gauges that is relatively guitar-friendly but still works for many different SY tunings. I'm not sure I can pin it down to one gauge range (consider that the low E is as likely to be tuned down to C as it is to be tuned up to G), but maybe something like this, which is closer to Thurston's range of gauges (Lee tends to use heavier strings as you'll note below):

E: .046 - .052
A: .042
D: .026
G: .020 - .026
B: .017
E: .014 - .017

THURSTON

LEE

low E low E

C D E F#* G A C D E F# G A

.052 .046 .056 - .063* .052 - .056 .046 - .048 .046 .048 - .052 .046

Thurston used .042 for the low F# in the F#F#F#F#EB tuning, but used .046 for the low F# in F#F#GGAA.

Lee usually used heavier gauges deeper into a long tour, after his hands have adjusted. Some guitars have newer, heavier gauges sharpied on the back, including one of his CGDCGD Jazzblasters which graduated to a low .063!

A A

D F# G A C D E F# G A

.052 .042 - .046 .038 - .046 .038 .052 - .056 .046 .048 - .052 .046

Thurston usually used .038 for a single G (CGDGBB, EGDGED) and the heavier .046 if using a unison tuning (GGDDD#D#).

D D

A B C D E F# G B C D E F# G

.036 - .038 .026 .024 .026 .026 - .036 .028 .028 - .032 .028 .026

None.

G G

D F# G B C D E F# G

.022 - .026 .020 - .024 .017 - .022 .036 .034 .028 - .032 .026 - .028 .026 .022 - .026

None.

B B

D# E G# A B C D# E G A B

.017 - .020 .017 - .022 .017 .014 .018 .017 - .020 .020 - .022 .017 - .018 .017

In the 90s, Thurston was using .020s for the D# pair in the GDD# tuning. In the 2000s, he had lightened up a bit with a pair of .017s.
Generally Thurston used .017 for E, but in the 2000s he began using .022.

high E high E

D# G A B C D D# F# A B D

.017 - .020 .014 - .017 .017 .014 - .017 .014 .018 .017 .017 - .020 .017 .014

In the 90s, Thurston was using .020s for the D# pair in the GDD# tuning. In the 2000s, he had lightened up a bit with a pair of .017s.

low E						low E
C	D	E	F#*	G	A	C	D	E	F#	G	A
.052		.046				.056 - .063*	.052 - .056	.046 - .048	.046	.048 - .052	.046
Thurston used .042 for the low F# in the F#F#F#F#EB tuning, but used .046 for the low F# in F#F#GGAA. Lee usually used heavier gauges deeper into a long tour, after his hands have adjusted. Some guitars have newer, heavier gauges sharpied on the back, including one of his CGDCGD Jazzblasters which graduated to a low .063!

A					A
D	F#	G	A	C	D	E	F#	G	A
.052	.042 - .046	.038 - .046	.038		.052 - .056	.046		.048 - .052	.046
Thurston usually used .038 for a single G (CGDGBB, EGDGED) and the heavier .046 if using a unison tuning (GGDDD#D#).

G			G
D	F#	G	B	C	D	E	F#	G
.022 - .026	.020 - .024	.017 - .022	.036	.034	.028 - .032	.026 - .028	.026	.022 - .026
None.

B						B
D#	E	G#	A	B	C	D#	E	G	A	B
.017 - .020	.017 - .022	.017			.014	.018	.017 - .020	.020 - .022	.017 - .018	.017
In the 90s, Thurston was using .020s for the D# pair in the GDD# tuning. In the 2000s, he had lightened up a bit with a pair of .017s. Generally Thurston used .017 for E, but in the 2000s he began using .022.

high E						high E
D#	G	A	B	C	D	D#	F#	A	B	D
.017 - .020	.014 - .017	.017	.014 - .017	.014		.018	.017	.017 - .020	.017	.014
In the 90s, Thurston was using .020s for the D# pair in the GDD# tuning. In the 2000s, he had lightened up a bit with a pair of .017s.