String Gauge question.

Pickups, pedals, amps, cabs, combos

Moderated By: mods

User avatar
ohyeahfuzzbear
.
.
Posts: 1848
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:06 am
Location: midlands

String Gauge question.

Post by ohyeahfuzzbear »

I don't have much knowledge of gauges and setting up guitars by myself so bare with me.

I currently use 11s and I'm thinking of going up to 13's (for extra manliness :) )

So, If I do this change will I have to any other adjustments apart from intonating? Like truss rod adjustments and stuff?

Sorry I'm still such a noob guys :)



BTW. I already did some googling but I just want to see if someone can give me a straight answer/advice.
Doog wrote:"And every day after high school, the young Kurt would sit down with his soldering iron and oscilloscope, to work on what come to be known as the Boss DS-1, the world's first guitar distortion pedal."
User avatar
endsjustifymeans
Grown Up Punk
Posts: 19442
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:02 pm
Location: Ball So Hard University

Post by endsjustifymeans »

There'll be more tension. A truss adjustment may be necessary I'd imagine.
dots wrote:society is crumbling because of asshoels like ends
brainfur wrote:I'm having difficulty reconciling my desire to smash the state & kill all white people with my desire for a new telecaster
User avatar
ohyeahfuzzbear
.
.
Posts: 1848
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:06 am
Location: midlands

Post by ohyeahfuzzbear »

endsjustifymeans wrote:There'll be more tension. A truss adjustment may be necessary I'd imagine.
I was afraid of this; I don't really want to touch the truss rod because I have very little idea what I'm doing. Maybe I'll just take it to the guitar shop, let them do it and get shafted out of £20.
Doog wrote:"And every day after high school, the young Kurt would sit down with his soldering iron and oscilloscope, to work on what come to be known as the Boss DS-1, the world's first guitar distortion pedal."
User avatar
James
Nutmeg
Posts: 10645
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:15 pm
Location: Boxingham Palace

Post by James »

Do you have a problem with 11s? Just try 12s and don't bother with the truss rod. You won't get any buzzing because all that will happen is that it will very very slightly pull the neck slight higher (increasing the action) but I doubt you'll even notice it. The difference in tension will be more obvious.

The one time I've had it be massively obvious was putting a very heavy set of flatwounds on a bass. With guitars it can definitely change the playability but one gauge won't do much.
Shabba.
User avatar
ohyeahfuzzbear
.
.
Posts: 1848
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:06 am
Location: midlands

Post by ohyeahfuzzbear »

James wrote:Do you have a problem with 11s? Just try 12s and don't bother with the truss rod. You won't get any buzzing because all that will happen is that it will very very slightly pull the neck slight higher (increasing the action) but I doubt you'll even notice it. The difference in tension will be more obvious.

The one time I've had it be massively obvious was putting a very heavy set of flatwounds on a bass. With guitars it can definitely change the playability but one gauge won't do much.
Thanks James. I think I may just go to 12's.

I just wanted something a bit heavier as I've started playing in lower tunings more.
Doog wrote:"And every day after high school, the young Kurt would sit down with his soldering iron and oscilloscope, to work on what come to be known as the Boss DS-1, the world's first guitar distortion pedal."
User avatar
Gabriel
.
.
Posts: 3178
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: NYC

Post by Gabriel »

I recently changed up to 12s from 11s, I wouldn't personally bother changing up to 13s if you ever want to bend again.

I did tweak the truss rod and the intonation though.
User avatar
endsjustifymeans
Grown Up Punk
Posts: 19442
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:02 pm
Location: Ball So Hard University

Post by endsjustifymeans »

ohyeahfuzzbear wrote:
James wrote:Do you have a problem with 11s? Just try 12s and don't bother with the truss rod. You won't get any buzzing because all that will happen is that it will very very slightly pull the neck slight higher (increasing the action) but I doubt you'll even notice it. The difference in tension will be more obvious.

The one time I've had it be massively obvious was putting a very heavy set of flatwounds on a bass. With guitars it can definitely change the playability but one gauge won't do much.
Thanks James. I think I may just go to 12's.

I just wanted something a bit heavier as I've started playing in lower tunings more.
Consider combo sets? I use earnie ball heavy bottom skinny tops. .10-.52. I get everything I need out of them deep mean bass notes and squiggly bendy highs. I know everyone hates EB but me, but plenty of other manufacturers make similar sized sets.
dots wrote:society is crumbling because of asshoels like ends
brainfur wrote:I'm having difficulty reconciling my desire to smash the state & kill all white people with my desire for a new telecaster
User avatar
ohyeahfuzzbear
.
.
Posts: 1848
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:06 am
Location: midlands

Post by ohyeahfuzzbear »

endsjustifymeans wrote:
ohyeahfuzzbear wrote:
James wrote:Do you have a problem with 11s? Just try 12s and don't bother with the truss rod. You won't get any buzzing because all that will happen is that it will very very slightly pull the neck slight higher (increasing the action) but I doubt you'll even notice it. The difference in tension will be more obvious.

The one time I've had it be massively obvious was putting a very heavy set of flatwounds on a bass. With guitars it can definitely change the playability but one gauge won't do much.
Thanks James. I think I may just go to 12's.

I just wanted something a bit heavier as I've started playing in lower tunings more.
Consider combo sets? I use earnie ball heavy bottom skinny tops. .10-.52. I get everything I need out of them deep mean bass notes and squiggly bendy highs. I know everyone hates EB but me, but plenty of other manufacturers make similar sized sets.
I like Ernie Ball. I don't see the problem with them at all.

I'm not too concerned with the squiggly highs, I'll either move up to 12's or just stick with mah BEEFY slinkys.
Doog wrote:"And every day after high school, the young Kurt would sit down with his soldering iron and oscilloscope, to work on what come to be known as the Boss DS-1, the world's first guitar distortion pedal."
User avatar
Gabriel
.
.
Posts: 3178
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: NYC

Post by Gabriel »

Go for 12s! Theyre man strings :lol:
User avatar
Will
Up on his Whore Lore
Posts: 5328
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:40 am
Location: MADTOWN RAT 2011

Post by Will »

I keep going down :oops:

I'm on 10s for everything now. Considering making a custom 9-46 set with a wound 3rd.

Is you're guitar old, cheap, or otherwise jacked somehow? If not, a truss rod adjustment is super easy.
User avatar
endsjustifymeans
Grown Up Punk
Posts: 19442
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:02 pm
Location: Ball So Hard University

Post by endsjustifymeans »

Will wrote:I keep going down :oops:

I'm on 10s for everything now. Considering making a custom 9-46 set with a wound 3rd.

Is you're guitar old, cheap, or otherwise jacked somehow? If not, a truss rod adjustment is super easy.
My wife's tele has .9's on it.

They're pretty much unusable to me. I bend everything accidentally.
dots wrote:society is crumbling because of asshoels like ends
brainfur wrote:I'm having difficulty reconciling my desire to smash the state & kill all white people with my desire for a new telecaster
User avatar
ohyeahfuzzbear
.
.
Posts: 1848
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:06 am
Location: midlands

Post by ohyeahfuzzbear »

endsjustifymeans wrote:
Will wrote:I keep going down :oops:

I'm on 10s for everything now. Considering making a custom 9-46 set with a wound 3rd.

Is you're guitar old, cheap, or otherwise jacked somehow? If not, a truss rod adjustment is super easy.
My wife's tele has .9's on it.

They're pretty much unusable to me. I bend everything accidentally.
9's are unusable to everyone surely?
Doog wrote:"And every day after high school, the young Kurt would sit down with his soldering iron and oscilloscope, to work on what come to be known as the Boss DS-1, the world's first guitar distortion pedal."
User avatar
Gabriel
.
.
Posts: 3178
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: NYC

Post by Gabriel »

9s work for 5 or 6 fret bend awesomeness which make me look immense until I break the string
User avatar
ohyeahfuzzbear
.
.
Posts: 1848
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:06 am
Location: midlands

Post by ohyeahfuzzbear »

mrperson wrote:9s work for 5 or 6 fret bend awesomeness which make me look immense until I break the string
Just tell everyone you rocked too hard and DON'T mention your pussy strings.
Doog wrote:"And every day after high school, the young Kurt would sit down with his soldering iron and oscilloscope, to work on what come to be known as the Boss DS-1, the world's first guitar distortion pedal."
User avatar
Gabriel
.
.
Posts: 3178
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: NYC

Post by Gabriel »

ohyeahfuzzbear wrote:
mrperson wrote:9s work for 5 or 6 fret bend awesomeness which make me look immense until I break the string
Just tell everyone you rocked too hard and DON'T mention your pussy strings.
Aha good excuse to claim I'm stronger than steel 8)
User avatar
Will
Up on his Whore Lore
Posts: 5328
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:40 am
Location: MADTOWN RAT 2011

Post by Will »

ohyeahfuzzbear wrote:
endsjustifymeans wrote:
Will wrote:I keep going down :oops:

I'm on 10s for everything now. Considering making a custom 9-46 set with a wound 3rd.

Is you're guitar old, cheap, or otherwise jacked somehow? If not, a truss rod adjustment is super easy.
My wife's tele has .9's on it.

They're pretty much unusable to me. I bend everything accidentally.
9's are unusable to everyone surely?
Unless you have a really light touch. I like the 10s, but the high E seems to stick out in the sound and is at a slightly higher tension. I'm thinking 9-13-18w-26-36-46.

Or I could say fuck it and get a set of 7s.
User avatar
Doog
mid-century modem
Posts: 23127
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:49 pm
Location: London

Post by Doog »

Or just take up mandolin.
User avatar
NickS
.
.
Posts: 13769
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:08 am
Location: Down at the end, round by a corner

Post by NickS »

Will wrote:Unless you have a really light touch. I like the 10s, but the high E seems to stick out in the sound and is at a slightly higher tension. I'm thinking 9-13-18w-26-36-46.

Or I could say fuck it and get a set of 7s.
I used to play 7s for years. Now I use 9s on the Strats, 10s on the V and the LP copy and IIRC 11s on the Swinger. If you're playing lower tunings e.g drop D down a full tone, the heavier strings probably need similar tension to lighter trings in a standard tuning (see an ancient post somewhere about tension, mass/unit length etc.) so you'll probably neeed no truss rod adjustment.
User avatar
Doog
mid-century modem
Posts: 23127
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:49 pm
Location: London

Post by Doog »

SEVENS?!

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?? WHY NOT JUST IMAGINE YOUR STRINGS?!
User avatar
NickS
.
.
Posts: 13769
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:08 am
Location: Down at the end, round by a corner

Post by NickS »

Doog wrote:SEVENS?!

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?? WHY NOT JUST IMAGINE YOUR STRINGS?!
In the late 60s and early 70s, Rotosound did 6s.