What's The Heaviest Gauge String You Can Put On A Faded Special?

[chilipeppermaniac]

Do you know of a vid or on-line article showing the most stable method of anchoring a string around the post for maximum stability?

Here's just one I thought made restringing so simple looking of a process.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGLMy6DbpBc]The proper way to restring a guitar by Bill Baker - YouTube[/ame]

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

one more on a strat

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHgSSzpsxuw"]How to restring your Stratocaster with John Carruthers - YouTube[/ame]

and one with tunomatic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=EvTFtHLOQvk

 

[dbb]

Biddlin's pics are exactly how Gene Foster did it. Nothing fancy, just a simple clean tight wrap.

 

[Gemini75]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Just laced up a new set of 11s and the feel and sound great. Holding tune just fine as well.

Tension feels like a set of 9s-10s at about C#.

 

[dbb]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Just laced up a new set of 11s and the feel and sound great. Holding tune just fine as well.

Tension feels like a set of 9s-10s at about C#.

Oh - we were talking about down-tuned guitars! I was referring to standard pitch.

 

[oldrockfan]

I think 9s-11s are the ones that are most likely to fit with no to minimal tweaking. I know my gibson sg faded special and SG classic can both handle 9s to 11s without any problems.

 

[Col Mustard]

I use 11s on both my sgs and also on my Epiphone Wilshire. i have them on my Telecaster too because it's usually in open D or D7 and the 11s work great. If I was going to play the Tele a lot in standard tuning, I might be tempted to switch back to 10s. Fender guitars might like lighter strings more.

To answer your question about using a wound string as a nut file, YES. it works. It's a slow way to remove a very small amount of material, so I like it. Using the guage of string you intend to play can make your nut slots fit perfectly, though it ruins the guitar for lighter strings. This is not necessary with 11s. I just bought a new SG about a month ago, and it came with 10s from the factory. I used a .018 wound G string to lower the G nut slot a very small amount, because I was throwing the G string sharp more than was acceptable or normal. Only a few strokes did what I needed. make sure you don't round off the nut slot edge at the fingerboard side, you want a nice sharp edge there for correct intonation.

Stevie Ray used 13s on his strats, but he tuned down a half step, so that's not as radical as it sounds.

I'd recommend 11s, because I've had good experience with them, and I can bend them in the limited way my style allows.

I've recently changed my string wrapping technique. For years I did it just like Biddlin and Dave Brown recommend: poke each string through, pull almost tight, then tune to pitch making neat descending wraps. Three is enough, more leads to instability.

But recently I've been poking the string through, then bending it back around a half turn and looping under itself, then tune to pitch. That makes a D.I.Y. locking tuner and works brilliantly. one or two wraps is enough, because it's clamped by its own tension. It doesn't budge. I've enjoyed better tuning stability with all my guitars, acoustic and electric, and would never go back. Highly recommended.

This method is explained better in Dan Earlwine's book, "How to Make your Electric Guitar Play Great." with good pictures. Every guitarist should own this book. it explains really well many of the questions guys approach this forum with. Very highly recommended. good luck.

I think heavier strings than 11s would be shooting yourself in the foot. Unless you're tuning down a step.

 

[Gemini75]

I'm playing in A standard, so a heavier gauge string is sort of a must, for me at least.

I'm a little surprised with the 11s though. I thought I'd have to use at least a set of 12s, or possibly 13s, to get some decent string tension going, but such was not the case in this instance.

I'll check out Earlwine's book as well.

 

[shreddy bender]

i figure 11's are the best (with a wound G ) as when the sg and for that matter the strat and tele was invented when light gauge strings didn't exist! go with VOS!

 

[3 Headed Moses]

You can use any string on any guitar as long as you accommodate the setup/hardware to match. I used 12's and 13's some many years ago. As long as you make the right adjustments, any decent guitar should be capable of it.

 

[Angry Tele]

should be fine with 12s. flatwounds have a bit less diameter if roundies are too big. most nuts are cut too wide anyhow so it shouldnt be a problem, if it is get a new nut for $50 or whatever your local charges. (mine is $40 for a bone nutter)

problem with higher than 12s is youd have to mail order all your strings, you cant just drop by your local to get new strings as most dont stock over 12s. hell even 12s are hard to find compared to 9-10-and 11s.

and what is the benefit? heavy strings do sound a bit more full or round but only nominally so in my experience.

I play 9s on my Teles and 10s on my SG and they sound fine.

heck didnt Toni Iommi use 8s and downtune a whole step? thats kind of crazy lol but whatever floats yer boat

i shoot for 3 wraps on the wound and 4 on the unwound. but it doesnt have to be perfect, as long as you have at least 2 wraps and they arent all on top of each other, even if they were its still not a problem, but it sure looks a lot better when the wraps are all nicely on top of each other and the same number.

 

[Gemini75]

The benefit of heavier gauge strings being increased string tension when tuning to B standard and below.

Also, I like the feel of heavier gauge strings.

As for 12s+ being hard to find, Sweetwater has them cheap.

 

[Zeppelin Rules]

I used to have .012s on mine. Now granted, I usually kept it tuned down a whole step, but not all the time.