.012 strings on Strat

T

Thomas_Desch

New member
Hi folks

Has anyone any experience with using .012 strings on a Strat? Is it much different than using .011s in terms of tone and playability? I currently use D'Addario EXL115 Blues/Jazz Rock 11-49, but since I play a bit of slide these days, I consider moving up a step (I don't want to make it an all-slide guitar though!).
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

i haven't gone down to 12s, but i do use an 11-52 set on my strat at the moment (tuned to D standard ie full step down from standard). i have to dig in a bit harder, but it's not terrible. just had to setup the trem and truss rod to work with those strings in that tuning.

tone will probably get a bit richer, i can't remember why...thicker strings resonate better or something...to a point, but playability, like i mentioned, you'll have to dig in harder with your fretting hand when you're not using your slide.

really though, 11s should be fine for slide.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

Well I used to have 13-58....then the tuningpegs could almost not handle any bigger strings on the bassside.
Well other than that, it gets stiffer and will kill your wrist if you do not work up strenght slowly...but if you are used to acoustic steelstring then the 12's should not be too much of a challenge.
The sound will be more in your face, and fatter, maybe a tad more one dimensional?!
But if you are chugging out fat rhythmlines, then this will be nice fat and big.
Plus it is always fun to go back after awhile, the guitar seems to breather more after a stint with big strings, changes the vibrations after all....not much, but some...not voodoo talk, wood works all the time:)
Enjoy!
^Yeah the neck would need a slight adjustment, same with the vibrato, maybe tighten the springs alittle more.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

ConvoysToNothingness said:
i haven't gone down to 12s, but i do use an 11-52 set on my strat at the moment (tuned to D standard ie full step down from standard). i have to dig in a bit harder, but it's not terrible. just had to setup the trem and truss rod to work with those strings in that tuning.

tone will probably get a bit richer, i can't remember why...thicker strings resonate better or something...to a point, but playability, like i mentioned, you'll have to dig in harder with your fretting hand when you're not using your slide.

really though, 11s should be fine for slide.
Click to expand...

Think you read my post a little too quickly :-) I already use .011s, and like it a lot. But I was wondering if .012s would be much different? I'm not into shredding and supersonic playing anyway, so super playability is not that much of an issue (besides if bluegrass players can flatpick at those speeds with .014s on acoustic guitars, I should be able to play fast with .012s on a well set-up electric).
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

Thomas_Desch said:
Think you read my post a little too quickly :-) I already use .011s, and like it a lot. But I was wondering if .012s would be much different? I'm not into shredding and supersonic playing anyway, so super playability is not that much of an issue (besides if bluegrass players can flatpick at those speeds with .014s on acoustic guitars, I should be able to play fast with .012s on a well set-up electric).
Click to expand...


I read it several times actually :)

the theory of switching to heavier gauge strings still applies. I used to play 9-42s in standard, then went to 10-46 cuz it sounded and felt better. eventually moved to 11-48 for half step down and and then 11-52 for full step down (i like the flexibility on the higher strings for bends, and the tighter bottom strings for riffage punchiness). Each time i switched gauges, i had to completely readjust my spring tension, truss rod, action and intonation. once everything is in harmony, it doesn't really matter what gauge you're using, because everything's working together and is adjusted to reflect that change in gauge.

but back to your strat! lol first of all, you have a great sounding strat and great technique, so that'll be a huge bonus, but 12s will definitely not hurt anything, as long as you set up your strat properly for them.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

ConvoysToNothingness said:
I read it several times actually :)

the theory of switching to heavier gauge strings still applies. I used to play 9-42s in standard, then went to 10-46 cuz it sounded and felt better. eventually moved to 11-48 for half step down and and then 11-52 for full step down (i like the flexibility on the higher strings for bends, and the tighter bottom strings for riffage punchiness). Each time i switched gauges, i had to completely readjust my spring tension, truss rod, action and intonation. once everything is in harmony, it doesn't really matter what gauge you're using, because everything's working together and is adjusted to reflect that change in gauge.

but back to your strat! lol first of all, you have a great sounding strat and great technique, so that'll be a huge bonus, but 12s will definitely not hurt anything, as long as you set up your strat properly for them.
Click to expand...

Lol I guess I didn't read your post properly :-)

Thanks for your input and compliments. Yeah, I realize I'll have to adjust it properly, and like you said, I think it will still be very playable when the setup is good.

One thing I really like with the .011s is that strumming sounds great. Would imagine it to sound even better with .012s!
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

I tried 12's on one of my mim's, and promptly went back to 11's. The 12 were just too fat sounding, almost to the point of being muddy, and lost that stratty chime. (to be fair, I bought a set with a wound g string by mistake, and hated it.)
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

One thing you can do is swap out the two high strings in a set of .048-.011 to .012 (E) and .015 (B); that will fatten up the higher strings without going to the heavier bass strings...
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

well what's the problem with making it all slide? Haven't you heard Sonny Landreth???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf2k7WpkIxQ
All heavy strings.

On a normal strat, and I have used 12s a couple times before, the tone gets a but thicker. If you have a bare G/3rd string, it might sound bad to your ears. There's not as much bite on the strings. It's got a thicker, rounder sound, like you dropped a strat with a set of 10s in a vat of milkshake.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

El CHupacabra said:
well what's the problem with making it all slide? Haven't you heard Sonny Landreth???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf2k7WpkIxQ
All heavy strings.

On a normal strat, and I have used 12s a couple times before, the tone gets a but thicker. If you have a bare G/3rd string, it might sound bad to your ears. There's not as much bite on the strings. It's got a thicker, rounder sound, like you dropped a strat with a set of 10s in a vat of milkshake.
Click to expand...

:-) No problem per se, but I have only one electric, so I want it to be versatile. If I wanted an all-slide guitar, I'd stick .016s on it and raise the action to 1/4" hehe.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

the only problem with heavy strings is bending. if you do step + bends then the extra tension can make it hard to get up to pitch. if you have strong enough hands or dont bend much then it isnt really an issue
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

As Jeremy said. The bending is an issue. Be careful not to go to heavy and wind up damaging your hands. What I would recommend is try the 12/s, but start by tuning down a half step. If that feels good and playable for you, then go up to pitch.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

I agree, the 12's would be super hard to bend on a strat. But if ALL you're doing is slide, you're good. And also I feel that heavy strings don't necessarily mean better tone, Billy Gibbons and BB king (to my knowledge) use light strings. But with slide I can see the heavier strings sustaining more.
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

12's down a half step are about the same tension as your 11's in std.

i run a 11/15/19/28/38/52 set that i like alot and feel is more balanced than a typical 11/14/18/28/38/48 set
 
Re: .012 strings on Strat

Thanks for all the input, folks. Went to the guitar store today and decided to go for a 11-15-22-30-42-52 set from Ernie Ball. That sounds like a "half step up" from the 11s I use now. Will try how that sounds first.
 
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