Author Topic: 12 Ga strings on a strat (Read 270 times)

59bassman · « **on:** March 04, 2004, 02:10:05 PM »

Anyone using 12 quage strings on there strat?
I am thinking of moving up to them and was wondering if it would be worth it.

Cougar68 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 04, 2004, 02:39:33 PM »

Don't do it. The pain in your fingers isn't worth that extra bit of tone you'll get from going up in guage. 11's are plenty big enough to get really good tone.

IMO 12's are for people that are either trying to be just like SRV or they're high on something and can't feel the pain after playing them for 5 hours straight.

Cougar

59bassman · « **Reply #2 on:** March 04, 2004, 02:45:06 PM »

Yeah I was looking for alittle more tone.
But I think SRV was using the following string set.
0.13 0.16 0.19 0.12 0.38 0.58

I am using 10s now and have no problems
But you think 12s would be much harder on my finger huh ?

Cougar68 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 04, 2004, 03:12:08 PM »

At the end of his career Stevie was using 10's and 11's. Up until then he had trouble keeping the callouses on his fingers. He would put superglue on his finger tips and stick them to his guitar tech's arm. Then he'd rip them off so he could have some extra skin on his fingers. Yech!!!

The jump from 10's to 12's is REALLY noticeable. Even the jump to 11's is noticeable. I use two strats on stage. One of them is strung with 10's and is my main guitar. The other one is my "tone rig" and it's strung with 11's. I'll pull that one out for special songs or if I'm just in a really good mood.

Cougar

59bassman · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2004, 03:45:29 PM »

Geez I feel sorry for his guita tech:(
Yeah I have really strong fingers but maybe I should stay with 10s.
although I may try some 11s just for fun.
I got a ibanez reissuse TS-9 tube screamer having good fun with it.
But I saw in Ibanez web site that they are re releasing the TS-808

Wlfgng · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2004, 05:14:45 PM »

fwiw I broke my strat using 12's.
I have a jeff-beck strat with a double pickup in the bridge position... the wood between the pickup hole and the bridge screw is too thin and I'd whammy away and suddenly 'boink'.. broke the damned wood.. took forever to get it repaired.

the tone was only marginally better.
everyone says my strat is fat and it is.. sounds much fatter than most strats but it's due to pickups and electronics.. not just strings.
that being said I think most tone comes from the fingers anyway. My guitar always sounds different when other people play it.

59bassman · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2004, 05:18:16 PM »

Yeah I dont think I will ever go over 11s.
Im using double humbuckers anyway so Its pretty fat.

Wlfgng · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2004, 05:30:44 PM »

wood, hardware, neck etc all contribute to tone.
mine is alderwood with ebony neck and gun-metal bridges, saddles and nut.

changes the tone significantly.. as well as the sustain