Manned up and went fat

Bridgehouse

I've just stuck some 11s on my LP Special. 

I'm usually a 9-46 or 10-46 at a push sort of chap.

It's bloody easier to play and sounds better. Oh and it was more grateful afterwards.

I'm still in shock.

Megii

I've been an 11's chap for about ten years, and find it impossible to go to a lower gauge now. I was always 9-46 for ages in the 80s, and struggled to get on with 10s. But now even 10s seem a bit thin and clangy somehow. I find I can also set the action a tad lower using 11s, I think due to the extra tension.

IvisonGuitars

11's is THE gauge for a Junior/Special IMO, sounds SO much better. Don't ask me why, they just do :-)

Bridgehouse

miserneil said:

11's is THE gauge for a Junior/Special IMO, sounds SO much better. Don't ask me why, they just do :-)

I am now convinced. I have grown up and put away those childish things. Despite all the hype, I can even bend some of them more than 1/4 of a tone. I think the callouses are going to affect my ability to do delicate needlework tho. 

bingefeller

Heavier strings definitely stay in tune better too.

blueskunk

Iv been advising @meltedbuzzbox to get some 11s on his Jaguar for ages. 

Bridgehouse

blueskunk said:

Iv been advising @meltedbuzzbox to get some 11s on his Jaguar for ages. 

To be fair, and for the purposes of complete openness, I've had 11's on my '72 Jaguar for quite a while - it's the only reason I had a pack of 11's in the house. Jags are different beasts and need 11's due to that scale length and bridge.. 

But now I've put them on the LP Special... goodness me.

merlin

I've been thinking about "going fat" or at least fatter on my Gibson scale length instruments. I am very tempted...

Bridgehouse

merlin said:

I've been thinking about "going fat" or at least fatter on my Gibson scale length instruments. I am very tempted...

Do it. 

Bit of Savlon for your fingers and you're sorted. 

guitarfishbay

bingefeller said:

Heavier strings definitely stay in tune better too.

In what sense? In note attack yes they'd go less sharp. In general? I'm not convinced they detune at a different rate

AndyR

I switched to 11s years ago for both Gibson and Fender scale-lengths. I used to do 10s on Fenders, but one day I was out of 10s and a strat needed restringing... never looked back since.

Funnily enough, I could imagine switching most Gibsons down to 10s, but the single coil guitars (including a P90 LP Special I got a while back) - I just don't fancy the lighter strings on those.

DrJazzTap

11's are the way to go. Although I havent gigged in a few years, I'm a bit worried about what it would be like now for my hands. Fingers crossed just a few weeks of pain.

JD50

I have 11 flatwounds on my Jag and Mustang, I am thinking going up to 12/13's next.

Voxman

If 009 - 042 is good enough for the Rev Billy Gibbons, they're good enough for me.  Me and Billy...separated at birth and wimps together. 

BloodEagle

I use 68-14s on my Travis Bean....tuned to B

Bridgehouse

BloodEagle said:

I use 68-14s on my Travis Bean....tuned to B

Is that cos you are left handed?

equalsql

I have been converted to 11's after buying a rather lovely Peerless Songbird from @menamestom  that he'd strung with that gauge. it was like having a blindfold removed. I an now a complete 11s fanboy

usedtobe

Bridgehouse said:

miserneil said:

11's is THE gauge for a Junior/Special IMO, sounds SO much better. Don't ask me why, they just do :-)

I am now convinced. I have grown up and put away those childish things. Despite all the hype, I can even bend some of them more than 1/4 of a tone. I think the callouses are going to affect my ability to do delicate needlework tho. 

You'll save on thimbles though!

Plectrum

Voxman said:

If 009 - 042 is good enough for the Rev Billy Gibbons, they're good enough for me.  Me and Billy...separated at birth and wimps together. 

I though he uses 7s?

Philly_Q

Voxman said:

If 009 - 042 is good enough for the Rev Billy Gibbons, they're good enough for me.  Me and Billy...separated at birth and wimps together. 

I thought he went even lighter, .008 to .040?  His "signature" Dunlop strings are even available in .007 to .038.

I tried 11s once, didn't like 'em.  The high strings were too hard to bend and the low strings didn't seem significantly tighter or twangier than usual - it really didn't seem to produce the "bigger" sound everyone always claims.  I stick to 10s.  I might even go back down to 9s as I get older and feebler.

richardhomer

miserneil said:

11's is THE gauge for a Junior/Special IMO, sounds SO much better. Don't ask me why, they just do :-)

Wrap over bridges and Gibson scale length probably play a part.

I'm a hideous wimp - 10s on my 335 and 9s on my Strat.

13-56 on my acoustic though....