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View Full Version : Qustions on going up a gauge.

nemp
11-10-2004, 12:24 PM
Aside from minor intonation and maybe a turn of the truss rod will I have to do anything more when going from 10s to 11s on a Strat? The 10s feel too much like thin 009s.
Taller
11-10-2004, 12:58 PM
You're probably going to have to turn your trem claw screws in a little bit to compensate for the increased tension the heavier strings will produce - your trem will rise up higher than it is now [If it's floating. If you have a 'hard-tail, it still may rise off the body somewhat.]
Other than that, you might have to increase the nut slot sizes to accomodate for heavier strings.
nemp
11-10-2004, 01:12 PM
I was hoping I didn't have to do any nut work as i'm not good at that. Would 10.5s be a better switch or will I have the same problem since they have the same wounds as the 11s?
nemp
11-11-2004, 08:05 AM
Is there a need for nut work when moving from 9s to 10s? I got the guitar with 9s and I just threw 10s on and did a little rod and saddle tweeking but did nothing to the nut. Should i have stayed with 9s or do I need to cut the nut for the 10s?
908SSP
11-11-2004, 08:35 AM
You have to check the nut. We can't know if it was cut for 9s or 11s only you can tell that. Do the strings sit in the bottom of the slots? Has the action gotten higher after you put on the heavier strings?
nemp
11-11-2004, 09:11 AM
I will check tonight thanks guys. If they are sitting on the nut how far down do i have to file the nut? The action is pretty low with some buzz already. The buzz is one of the reasons I want to go 11s. That and i need more tension for my R hand.
Clorenzo
11-11-2004, 11:00 AM
Originally posted by nemp
I will check tonight thanks guys. If they are sitting on the nut how far down do i have to file the nut?Assuming the nut was well cut in the first place, you don't have to file it down, just widen the slots and stop as soon as you hit the bottom of the current ones.

When you do this be careful with the angle between the file and the neck. It should be halfway between parallel to the fingerboard and parallel to the portion of the string between the nut and the tuner. Here's a picture worth a thousand words:


http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Setup/NewNut/NewNutViews/newnut18.jpg