Warning: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in ..../includes/class_bbcode.php on line 2968 Billy Gibbons plays what....!?
This is something that every new guitarist needs to know. There's always some blowhard who says you can't have "tone" without playing massive cables. Full disclosure: I play 10s because that's what I prefer. I end up grabbing 9s too hard and pulling chords sharp. That's actually a technique problem more than anything else. No sense in trying massive strings when you are just starting out. Once you've played a bunch and built up finger strength and callouses, try whatever you like! Premier Guitar had an article on this a few years back:
Obviously here I'm focusing on standard tuning or Eb. It's different if you're doing drop C or something crazy. Then 8s or 9s would be unplayably slack I would think.