Changing to heavier strings ... - Guitars101

Paper Bag · 07-13-2005, 07:24 AM

I'm getting my guitar set up over the weekend for heavier guage strings. At the moment I'm using .10s and am curious about people who have tried .11s and .12s ... what have you thought? Are .12s ridiculously hard to play? Is it a huge change from .10s? *shrug*

Any comments at all regarding this will be helpful. I'm not sure what to expect ... but I want to try heavier strings.

Also ... at what point will I not be able to tune to standard tuning anymore? (Will this happen?) It's not really a problem, would just like to know. (:

At the moment I'm going for the heavier .11s (there are two kinds?). Will it get me a fuller tone like I'm hoping for?!

Big shrug,
Paper Bag.

El_jalepeno · 07-13-2005, 07:32 AM

I played 09's for almost 20 years becuase of some early issues I had with 10's, then I switched to DR 10's on a fluke and never looked back.

As for higher guages, they are gonna be a bitch to play the higher you go. Stevie Ray Vaughan tuned his guitar down a half-step and uses GHS Nickel Rockers measuring .013, .015, .019, .028, .038, and .058.

He used to peel the fingernail from the finger bending strings and would have to superglue it back together

Paper Bag · 07-13-2005, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_jalepeno

He used to peel the fingernail from the finger bending strings and would have to superglue it back together

First time I've heard of that ... weird. I wonder if this is fact.

Oh well ... I've read sort of similar things ... and I know Stevie was creative with trying unusual things that he'd think up.

*ponders*

LesPaul870 · 07-13-2005, 08:13 AM

I was using D'addario .09's and then i decided to go up to .10's. After a while I decided to try the Ernie Ball power slinky (.11's) and those are currently my favorite strings. Although .10s are a little easier to bend I get a better tone out of the .11s. I also dont break as many strings with the ernie ball .11's.
Most strings dont cost that much so if you try them out and dont like them you could always switch back to .10's.

Rythameen · 07-13-2005, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paper Bag

First time I've heard of that ... weird. I wonder if this is fact.

Oh well ... I've read sort of similar things ... and I know Stevie was creative with trying unusual things that he'd think up.

*ponders*

It's a fact straight from his guitar tech, besides the fingernails, he would also cut callouses off the end of his fingers and superglue them back. As to strings, I flip flop between 10s and 11s. I found Ernie Ball Heavy Top Skinny Bottom to be a good compromise.

VB · 07-13-2005, 08:36 AM

Super glue on the fingertips while messy as hell. and annoying. works like a charm when your playing on strings that are a step from being barbed wire..
I've used it many a time when my fingertips were really too raw to play.
VB

Sampson1 · 07-13-2005, 09:54 AM

I'm a .10 man myself, if you were to change from a .09 to a .11, your neck would get messed up or if you have a floyd, that will get screwed up.

MusicIsNeat · 07-14-2005, 03:23 PM

I always settle on 10's for some reason.

DJ Snoo · 07-15-2005, 10:12 PM

I LOVE LOVE LOVE heavy strings. I never really thought of myself as having all that strong of hands, but I absolutely love heavy strings. I use as heavy as my guitar will physically allow. I've broken the nut on a few of my guitars a couple times by putting strings on that couldn't fit in the grooves. The only crappy part is, I play in standard 440 tuning, and I really don't like to detune, so my guitar definitely has limits. I have found the best thing for me to do is to alternate between different gauges if I can. It seems to let my guitar breath for a little bit. I was using 13's and I was loving them, then I stopped playing one of my guitars for a little bit and when I came back to it a couple weeks later the neck was all bent to shit. I was lucky that the truss rod wasn't bent or I'd have been fucked. I brought that guitar down to 11's or 12's from then on, but I still love to put 12's or 13's on some of my other guitars that can take the abuse. I really wanna try the GHS Zakk Wylde Strings because they are 11-70 or something like that. That would be awesome! The only reason I haven't is because I know I would bust a nut and probably fuck my neck up trying to play in standard. Oh well, I'm sure I'll try it sometime...

El_jalepeno · 07-16-2005, 04:16 AM

DJ, I bought a set of ZWs, but I couldn't use them because I would have to CUT the nut to fit the 6th string which was as thick as my friggin' thigh! If you are using heavier strings, buy a nut saw from Stewmac.com and just enlarge the nut of your guitar to keep it from breaking, and also keep the strings somewhat near the fretboard

Stiglar · 07-16-2005, 04:20 AM

I started off with .09's originally .. but i've just gradually moved up and i'm currently using 11's on one guitar and 12's on another for jazz .. i don't really bend all that much so it works out well i really like feel of the heavier strings and i find that i can get some real crazy attack out of them on occasion .. the thing i started using recently was getting strings with a wound third so it's kinda similar to the D string in feel .. i hated it at first but i'm lovin it now !

Paper Bag · 07-16-2005, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ Snoo

I LOVE LOVE LOVE heavy strings. I never really thought of myself as having all that strong of hands, but I absolutely love heavy strings. I use as heavy as my guitar will physically allow. I've broken the nut on a few of my guitars a couple times by putting strings on that couldn't fit in the grooves. The only crappy part is, I play in standard 440 tuning, and I really don't like to detune, so my guitar definitely has limits. I have found the best thing for me to do is to alternate between different gauges if I can. It seems to let my guitar breath for a little bit. I was using 13's and I was loving them, then I stopped playing one of my guitars for a little bit and when I came back to it a couple weeks later the neck was all bent to shit. I was lucky that the truss rod wasn't bent or I'd have been fucked. I brought that guitar down to 11's or 12's from then on, but I still love to put 12's or 13's on some of my other guitars that can take the abuse. I really wanna try the GHS Zakk Wylde Strings because they are 11-70 or something like that. That would be awesome! The only reason I haven't is because I know I would bust a nut and probably fuck my neck up trying to play in standard. Oh well, I'm sure I'll try it sometime...

You maniac! I love it!

Well I got 11s (11-49 or something?) put on today ... feels and sounds great from a quick fiddle on it ... I think I could have handled the 12s ... next time I guess. (:

Rythameen · 07-16-2005, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ Snoo

I LOVE LOVE LOVE heavy strings. I never really thought of myself as having all that strong of hands, but I absolutely love heavy strings. I use as heavy as my guitar will physically allow. I've broken the nut on a few of my guitars a couple times by putting strings on that couldn't fit in the grooves. The only crappy part is, I play in standard 440 tuning, and I really don't like to detune, so my guitar definitely has limits. I have found the best thing for me to do is to alternate between different gauges if I can. It seems to let my guitar breath for a little bit. I was using 13's and I was loving them, then I stopped playing one of my guitars for a little bit and when I came back to it a couple weeks later the neck was all bent to shit. I was lucky that the truss rod wasn't bent or I'd have been fucked. I brought that guitar down to 11's or 12's from then on, but I still love to put 12's or 13's on some of my other guitars that can take the abuse. I really wanna try the GHS Zakk Wylde Strings because they are 11-70 or something like that. That would be awesome! The only reason I haven't is because I know I would bust a nut and probably fuck my neck up trying to play in standard. Oh well, I'm sure I'll try it sometime...

Damn 13s????? I only use that gauge when I have to tow my car.

Elysian · 07-16-2005, 08:56 PM

i'm partial to the ZW 10-60's... great strings, last forever too, i run em on all my guitars...

El_jalepeno · 07-17-2005, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elysian

i'm partial to the ZW 10-60's... great strings, last forever too, i run em on all my guitars...

I just changed a set of DR 10's that have been on my Les Paul since November 2003 when VHFan and I got a few sets at the Dallas Guitar show