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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.

There'll be more tension. A truss adjustment may be necessary I'd imagine.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Go for 12s! Theyre man strings

I keep going down

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.

Will wrote:I keep going down

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.

endsjustifymeans wrote:

Will wrote:I keep going down

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?

9s work for 5 or 6 fret bend awesomeness which make me look immense until I break the string

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.

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

ohyeahfuzzbear wrote:

endsjustifymeans wrote:

Will wrote:I keep going down

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.

Or just take up mandolin.

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.

SEVENS?!

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?? WHY NOT JUST IMAGINE YOUR STRINGS?!

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.