String advice please

[Wayne8]

I need help. I've been playing bass for a year and now when I play acoustic guitar my attack is heavier than it used to be (which has always been light compared to any other player I know around here, but then I was playing with nails, now I'm playing with flesh). I'm talking mostly about fingerstyle, not with a pick. Anyway, I've been playing my acoustics the last few weeks and I'm not satisfied with the way the strings are responding to my heavier attack. The high E is distorting somehow. I don't know any other way to put it. It's not fret buzz, it's more like I'm overpowering the string. Anyway, I'm thinking it may be time to move up from 11's to 12's. I also have been down tuning a half step recently and maybe that's part of the problem, less tension. This is on a Gibson J100E (10 or 12 year old guitar, not made anymore, body shape like a J200, maybe hair smaller, but still what I call a jumbo) and a Guild dead with a western cedar top, mahogany back and sides. Oh yeah, the Gibby is maple/spruce. I've been doing searches on acoustic strings all morning and I have the following questions:

I've read that 12's are a 'must' for dreads and that the bracing on dreads is stout enough to handle 12's. Okay, so what about my Gibson, which is not a dread (don't know what that body style is called)? Will it handle 12's without risking long term damage to the top or bridge?

Also, since the Gibson is maple I'm thinking PB (maybe D'Addario EJ16) and for the Guild, possibly 80/20? The Guild is not as loud as the Gibson and not even as loud as my friend's old Guild. I've noticed his body is deeper than mine. If you folks think 80/20 would be a good choice, would D'Addario be a good string to go with?

I finger pick more than I use a pick and I tend to dig in, especially when I play blues.

Also, I can't find a setup guide for acoustic. I'm thinking with heavier strings I'd probably want to lower the action and I don't know what the recommended relief is for an acoustic.

Thanks in advance for any help y'all can give me.

[Wayne8]

Anybody?

[nmiller]

Any modern acoustic guitar should be structurally fit to handle 12s, regardless of body size. They're not necessary for any guitar, though different guitars and players do sound better with different gagues. The distortion on the high E string is probably due to the lower tension from tuning down. I agree with your choices of string materials; as for brands, I don't have ears good enough to tell the difference.

[Wayne8]

Thanks!