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You'll probably need to re-cut the top nut for 11's and tweak the truss rod - I'd tend to go 5 springs and trem flat to the belly of the guitar for more resonance as well to optimise the guitars tone
If they look and feel that similar I'd sell one and get something different.
To be honest I don't really feel there's enough difference between two very similar models of the same guitar unless you're going to use completely different pickups.
I'm not familiar with that album, so can't make specific suggestions. But if you wanted 2x singlecoil strats I'd go one hotter set of pickups and one much more vintage/low output. I'm assuming you're not interested in humbuckers as that'd probably be what I'd do (one singles, one with at least a bridge HB).
If you don't want two the same then sell one and buy a Tele.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Otherwise, do you actually need 2 strats?
10s are a good compromise on a Fender though.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
One option is a wiring mod or blend control, so you can get neck and bridge pickups together.
You could go HH and have coil splitting controls, or HB sized P90s.
Or if you want to keep the sss look, try some single coil sized alternative pickups, like HBs or these - http://www.creamery-pickups.co.uk/p90-stratocaster-pickup-set.html.
You could even try lipstick pickups.
However if both Strats sound very similar, I don't think changing string gauge is going to do very much. The best example I can think of is Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top who for years assumed that he needed heavier gauge strings to sound better. BB King asked him why work so hard with thicker stings? Billy now plays .008's and sounds the same as he did with heavy strings!
I'm wondering if changing p/up selection options might be a better way to go to give you greater tonal variety on one of your guitars - what about putting in an S1 switching system, which will give you 10 options instead of 5? Or even adding a couple of options eg all 3 p/ups on and bridge/neck on together? You might also want to see if a no-load tone control mod can be done, so that you can adjust tone on your bridge p/up.
These mods will do far more for differentiating your Strats tonal options than changing your string gauge!
If I play anything with less than 11 it feels wrong and I end up overbending and breaking strings. 9s in particular are as unplayable for me as 11s would be for someone with a light touch. And in terms of sound, I really can't hear much difference at all.
I have LP, Tele, Gretsch etc bases covered, and I'm keeping both guitars because a) the bitsa is an amazing player but worth very little ££££ so I might as well be the person that owns it and b) the MIJ will always stay with me for sentimental reasons.
They're both home guitars rather than work guitars, I suppose I'm after a different EXPERIENCE from each. A reason why I'm pulling this one off the wall rather than that one.