Strings and Pickups

[skimmer]

I'm not sure if this topic has been discussed here before...

I recently moved a set of Antiquity II "surfer" from one Strat (set up with 10-46 strings) to another that's been set up with heavier strings (12-52, tuned 1/2 step down) and I noticed the sound doesn't sparkle as much. When I say "sparkle", I mean that classic Strat shimmering bell tone. I'm not sure if it's the guitar or the heavier gauge string that's causing it. What do you consider the "optimal" string gauge with single coils for achieving that classic Strat tone?

Thanks for your input!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Strings and Pickups

Bigger strings will give you a beefier tone. 11 is the biggest high E you can use and still have that distinct tonal difference between the B and high E, so if you want classic tone but also want big strings, 11 is as high as you can go. Otherwise your 10-46 is probably just fine for that classic tone.

I have my Strat strung 11.5-52 and the 11.5 is tonally almost impossible to tell apart from the B, so I think it would be even more so with a 12. I may have to got to 12's because 11.5's are hard to get a hold of sometimes.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Strings and Pickups

Also could be in the height of the pickups, unless you have them at the same height as you did in your other strat. I supposed you could try to use a set of 10s on there and see if they give you the same bell chime that they used to. If they don't, you may have to mess with the height on the pickups.

But, as Zhang said, it's probably the heavier strings.

 

[skimmer]

Re: Strings and Pickups

Thanks for the response, guys. In terms of pickup height, it's the same as before (swapped out the entire pickguard assembly). Perhaps, I'll put on a set of thinner strings to test out the difference. If all else fails, I'm thinking about moving the surfers back to the original guitar.

 

[James Rock]

Re: Strings and Pickups

light nickel plated strings (like ernie ball slinkys) will give u a more vintage tone
then huge gauge modern strings

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Strings and Pickups

I think that the heavier the strings get, the more "massive", and thick they will sound. I prefer heavier bass strings, since that gives me more of a "piano bottom", and thinner treble strings, since they are easier to bend\manipulate, and also cut better IMO.