So I’m reading that the wago system
(一つ，二つ，三つ，etc) is only used for 1-10, simple enough, but apparently it’s also used as a universal counter for pretty much everything? Which is it? Should I just learn 1-10 in wago then learn the specific counters for whatever objects I’m counting?
4 comments
this guide suggests which to learn
https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-counters-guide/
When you’re counting ‘universally’ with つ, once you’ve passed 10 you’d switch to 個. The nuances of つ and 個 are really poorly explained in learning resources so I’m not surprised at your confusion.
learn specifics
if you forget, use the generic
You can use つ when you don’t know the proper counter for something. So yes, your last sentence is correct.