Is it worth jumping to 11 gauge strings?

[rich2k4]

i currently use 9-46 on my fender guitars, recently played a friends wildwood 10 strat which had 11's on it. i liked the increase in tone, and they were easy to bend. however, that might have been due to the bigger frets.

my fenders have 9.5 radius and medium jumbo frets, and i have a feeling they won't be as easy to bend on my guitars. i bought a pack of 11's to try on the next string change, i know this would mess up my guitar going from 9-46 to 11's but i can always go back to the original gauge without changing anything right?

the thing i don't like about the 9-46 is that the 9's feel really skinny under my fingers, and i prefer to have more string there. i used to use 10-46, but it seemed like they weren't suited for fender guitars. 10-46 on my tele made the guitar really stiff, but when i changed to 9-46, the 9's on the GBE strings made it a lot easier to play. I'm afraid 11's would make the tele impossible to play.

i'd like to try 9.5's but i want to switch to using elixer's since i hate changing strings, and elixer doesn't do 9.5 so i'm left with 9-46, 10-46, or 11-49 if i end up liking them.

[Wheeler004]

I use 11-54 on my Strat and I have no problems. You might want to take it one step at a time and start with 10's before jumping to 11's and let your fingers get used to pushing more metal around. If you're playing a Strat and using 11's, you'll also have to make sure you have all five springs loaded in the back, otherwise it will pull the bridge down (as if if the whammy bar was being pulled all the way down).

[rich2k4]

my strat bridge is blocked off with wood.

i've played 10's for many years, and still have 1 strat that has 10's on it that i play a bunch.

[E Baxter Put]

I think it's worth the jump. I really don't like playing anything less than 11s. The sound is much better and it feels nicer to me. It feels easier to play as well (for me at least). Also... if you use them for a while you will get used to them.

[DamianL]

In fender town the limit is 10 all the way baby....:)

[TooManyHobbies]

i currently use 9-46 on my fender guitars, recently played a friends wildwood 10 strat which had 11's on it. i liked the increase in tone, and they were easy to bend. however, that might have been due to the bigger frets.

my fenders have 9.5 radius and medium jumbo frets, and i have a feeling they won't be as easy to bend on my guitars. i bought a pack of 11's to try on the next string change, i know this would mess up my guitar going from 9-46 to 11's but i can always go back to the original gauge without changing anything right?

the thing i don't like about the 9-46 is that the 9's feel really skinny under my fingers, and i prefer to have more string there. i used to use 10-46, but it seemed like they weren't suited for fender guitars. 10-46 on my tele made the guitar really stiff, but when i changed to 9-46, the 9's on the GBE strings made it a lot easier to play. I'm afraid 11's would make the tele impossible to play.

i'd like to try 9.5's but i want to switch to using elixer's since i hate changing strings, and elixer doesn't do 9.5 so i'm left with 9-46, 10-46, or 11-49 if i end up liking them.

I like 10-52's on my strat... the right overall balance.

[Alter]

on fenders i prefer 10's these days, and 11's on the gibsons. you can play 11s and get used to them after a while, but i think the 10s suit fenders better (specially teles)..

besides the finger and action thing, the music and what you play on the guitar tends to become a bit different when you change into a heavier gauge. i like 9s also, but i think the sound suffers too much, plus after an archtop or an acoustic, it is difficult for me to play tiny strings...

[elkym]

I like 12's

[JeffOlson]

Although I often use 10s on Strats and have tried 11s, some gods of tone use lighter strings:

Dr. Brian May: 8s on a 24-inch scale neck
The Rev. Billy F. Gibbons: 8s on short-scale necks
James Wilsey (formerly with Chris Isaak): 9s on Strats

If you play lead guitar and like doing subtle bends, with microtonal nuances, like Billy Gibbons, you will not like 11s on a Strat. (I am not talking about SRV Strat abuse or playing slide; I am talking about subtlety and nuance.) But if you just strum chords (or play slide) you will probably love 11s.

[jb1984]

Bigger strings = bigger tone. Esp. through a clean(er) amp like a Fender. I keep 11s on my 335, and have gotten pretty used to "fighting" the guitar to bend more than a whole step. My Anderson has 10s on it for easier playing and if I feel like pulling out some crazier runs. My hand tends to get "caught" on the 11s if I'm trying to play like Ty Tabor.

[Jahn]

I like 10's on my Tele, and 11s on my Artinger Blondie Jr. Semi. The Tele can get tossed around a bit more like that, and the Blondie stay smoother and round. Plus, the Tele has a longer scale (25.5), so it doesn't need as fat a gauge as the shorter scale Blondie (24.75).

[JeffOlson]

Also, a blocked or fixed bridge will make it easier to bend heavier strings. With a floating tremolo, you will need to exert more force to bend a string up to a given pitch than you would with a blocked or fixed bridge. (Physics.)

[aziltz]

Yes.

[CharAznable]

11's on my strat. Sounds great, no problems.

[mlavin00]

I use Thomastik-Infeld Power Brights 11 on all of my guitars including my strat. Great tone and in all honesty, after a few weeks the 11's feel just fine. Bending becomes a no brainer, but it does take time to develop the hand strength.

[TooManyHobbies]

Also, a blocked or fixed bridge will make it easier to bend heavier strings. With a floating tremolo, you will need to exert more force to bend a string up to a given pitch than you would with a blocked or fixed bridge. (Physics.)

Not exactly.. and definitely not force. What you're saying is that due to the tremolo coming off it's zero point, that you'll have to bend commensurately further (not harder, further) to offset the loss of string length when the trem comes forward until the springs are strong enough to offset any further movement.

If you think logically, it cannot be "harder" since you're fighting less force over a greater time.

[dosmun]

Use the gauge that FEELS right to you. Being comfortable is more important than the slight change in tone.

[johnspeck]

i normally use 11's, but got a bunch of free 10's last year. when i used up the supply, i went back to my 11's. i prefer an 11-48 set on fender scale-length guitars, i notice a little more volume and 'oomph' in general, acoustically and plugged in.

practice on a steel string acoustic, and 11's on your electric feel like nothing.

[plexistack]

Also, a blocked or fixed bridge will make it easier to bend heavier strings. With a floating tremolo, you will need to exert more force to bend a string up to a given pitch than you would with a blocked or fixed bridge. (Physics.)

The force required to bend a string is the same regardless of what the bridge does, since the tension of the string would be the same in both cases.

[majorledhead]

11's are my choice on strats. However, proper set up is required if your jumping up from 9's. A neck adjustment, tremolo spring tension, and maybe even some nut work might be needed. I like the tone, and the durability with my big bendy style.

[Flyin' Brian]

Try it and see if it's for you.

I use 9-46 on my Fenders and 10-52 on my Heritages except the Sweet 16 which has 13s on it.

[guitarguy9597]

[quote=majorledhead;5660137]A neck adjustment, tremolo spring tension, and maybe even some nut work might be needed.[quote]

Don't forget intonation. :)

[thesjkexperienc]

10's are best unless you detune or like tendonitis when your 40. I play strats with 7.25 and 9.5 and they are fabulous. My current favorite is plain old D'Addario xl 10s in the 3 pack.

[friend33]

I use 11s on my Tele and Gibson 135 and 12s on my acoustic. I'm 51, and don't have tendonitis.:) I love the sound of big strings and the feel of fat necks, but I also don't play shred, lots of power chords, or do a lot of crazy bending, so...

[jfromel]

The force required to bend a string is the same regardless of what the bridge does, since the tension of the string would be the same in both cases.

The force required would be the same but the string would need to be bent further on a floating bridge than a fixed bridge to bend to a whole note, so it would seem like more force is being applied but in reality the string is just moving farther.

Anyhow I am a huge fan of 10-52's. On a 10-46 set the bass strings don't have enough punch for me but I don't like 11's on the treble side. I use DR Pure Nickle 10-52's on all my guitars, strat, tele, les paul and an SG. I don't have my Strat blocked but I have 5 springs on the trem and the claw is clamped down pretty tight so it takes the trem arm to move the bridge, a bend won't take it off the body.

[paddyrock]

this post made me feel strange for playing 13-56 boomers. i like my g wound. and i tune down to C standard, using a capo to make my tunning changes.

strings size and brand just seems down to personal feel.

[wichita]

I use an 11-48 GHS burnished set.
They sound great and moving to them from 10's was an easy jump.

[Rossl]

I've been using D'addarrio exl-115 (.011's) on everything...... Strats, teles, SG, les paul, etc.... Once you get used to them they don't feel big anymore. Fenders are of course a little stiffer than Gibson.

After a couple of weeks you will not feel the difference.

I think they sound fuller and stay in tune better.

[Junior Stephens]

I've got 11's on my playing out guitars, and 12's with a wound G on my practice guitar. I think it's worth it, tone wise, for me at least.

[ThugLife]

In fender town the limit is 10 all the way baby....:)
WHAT?? I have .011s on all 3 of my FENDER teles and the tone is phenominal and they play fantastic. I usually get compliments on my guitars when others play them. They usually can't believe they're 11s. Hmmm . . . .that's weird:bong

[Polynitro]

I've been using 11s for years but recently switched to 10s on my Tele. The Tonez didn't drop off, and bending, especially first pos E is a lot more managable. I say try 10s first...Also I found that different strings have different tensions (even with the same size)

[paulydangerous]

I like 10-52's on my strat... the right overall balance.


Me too.

[hudpucker]

If you dig the tone and your hands can handle the increased tension then go for it.

What you shouldn't do is make the switch because of what string gauge nazis advise; I've seen and heard way too many guys with heavier strings and correspondingly weak-ass vibrato just so they can be braggarts about their 'tone.'

[never-enough]

i keep 10-46 on fenders and 11-48 on gibsons.
they feel "right" to me and i like the balanced sound tonally from those sets.

[welcometoashley]

if you like the tones of 11s, i think you should make the jump.... i tend to use 10s on fender guitars and 11s on shorter-scale gibsons.... you'll get used to the 11s.....

[mischultz]

Stratisfaction. YMMV.

M

[Raidermofojeff]

10s for A440......11 for 1/2 step down is my preference........To hard to play in standard tuning except on Gibson scale necks IMO.....

[Lolaviola]

...Also I found that different strings have different tensions (even with the same size...)

What you shouldn't do is make the switch because of what string gauge nazis advise...

Use the gauge that FEELS right to you. Being comfortable is more important than the slight change in tone...

Don't forget intonation...
+1 to all of these. I use 10-46. (52 on the bass never feels right to me.) on my Gibsons and Fenders. I like to bend it like Page/Hendrix. But if I had a style that dictated differnt strings, I would let that be my guide. You shouldn't have to "fight" for your sound.

[woodie]

i've used 11s for years. Can be tough on a strats and teles, but I play in standard and Eb on a regular basis, and found that 10s have no sustain or power in Eb. I don't have a light enough touch to not make everything bend out of tune on 10s. 11's can really do a number on my calluses if I have a lot of longer gigs and do a lot of bending... but without 11s, I just can't get what I need out of the guitar.

[starfish]

I wouldn't recommend jumping, but if you walk calmly I think 11's will work out just fine.

[Brion]

I prefer 10's on strats and 11's on Tele's. I find that I fight my strat too much with 11's. My Tele feels fine with 11's. I think it's a trem vs. non trem issue for my guitars, but it could just be the way I like it on these specific guitars.