0.12s in Standard

kswilson89

Has anyone ever experimented with a set of 0.12s in standard tuning? I've been playing 0.11s in standard on my tele for a few months now and have grown some meaty calluses to the point where full tone and tone and a half bends are no problem. Do you think 0.12s may be a step too far? Would there be any issues with the guitar's set up?

sweepy

I use 12's on my Epiphone Broadway, they work fine 

Schnozz

We've discussed this macho attitude before Kev, just put your money towards a dick pump and have done with it

bbill335

I think if you're on 11s and they're fine, I wouldn't bother going up unless you're chasing something the 11s aren't giving you. 

the_mechanic

I use .12 on a dropC guitar, in standard tuning I would just die, too much tension.
But hey, SRV used .13 half step down, so...

JDE

Only downside is finding a 12 set with a plain G. Or obviously just buy individual strings. I've used 12's and 13's on Teles, needed some truss and saddle adjustment and some nut adjustments, but nothing awful. 
I have used a set of 14's on archtops in the past, again no ill effects, other than the experience of diminishing returns. 

Lestratcaster

Not in standard, the highest I've used in standard's is 11's, I don't notice a huge difference from 10's so can't imagine 12's would be much either.

ICBM

12s are really quite a lot stiffer than 11s, much more so than the difference between 10s and 11s in my experience.

I did put some on a Les Paul once, I'm not sure why now! But it made it play basically like an acoustic - it sounded immense, but bending was very difficult.

I also used them on a Musicmaster I gigged with for a while, but that's cheating because it's only a 22.5" scale .

jellybelly

I quite liked it on a Gibson scale length especially finger style but also for thick rhythm and lead tones. A wound G really makes things beefier AND mellower at the same time and the overall sound is a bit 'tighter' when playing rhythm. Bending isn't going to be a big thing though!

If you're interested, I've got 4 packs of foil-packed Roto 12s I'd do you a deal on... nod nod, wink wink, say no more etc.

BoopDeWoop

I've used 11s since I was a poor kid that kept snapping 10s and such like. As a big grown up I've upped things to an 11-52 set on all of my guitars. Feels better than the 11-48s I used to use but not quite as nutty as the 13s I tried on a telecaster.

guitars4you

generally you'd have a wd 3rd and not sure if you want that - acceptable amongst jazz players

if you have a 12 E, then chances are it will be a 16 B, so to find a set with a plain G, approaching 18 or 20 is rare - D'addario do a EXL145 set but that thick plain 3rd feels weird IMO

you will have to adjust the G intonation between plain or wound string

You might have to re-cut the nut to go to 12's as well - truss rod will probably need  a tweak but subject to the guitar, depth of neck and often it will be a few days before you'll notice any neck movement so hence a truss rod tweak will be need

ICBM

I like a wound 3rd and I don't play jazz - depending on the guitar to some extent. I prefer typical solidbodies like a Strat or Les Paul with a plain 3rd, but anything semi-acoustic or even a more 'vintage style' solid like a Rickenbacker 600 series sounds better with a wound one.

Anything thicker than about a .018 or .019 plain string feels and sounds terrible on any guitar, to me. It may be different if you're tuning down a long way though, which I don't.

guitarmangler

That's what everyone used, back in the day. It's why fender pickups have that magnet stagger.

Flatwound 12's on an electric for jazz, with a really straight neck, are a thing of beauty. The extra tension on the truss rod and the ability to whack the strings hard and soft without it changing pitch is amazing.  
12's on an acoustic, yes please.
12's for lead playing, my hands would fall apart! 
I think Josh Smith plays with 12's, so it is possible. 

bbill335

the_mechanic said:

I use .12 on a dropC guitar, in standard tuning I would just die, too much tension.
But hey, SRV used .13 half step down, so...

The Es were 13/58 but the other strings were like a regular 11s set, tuned down. I doubt it would be quite as hard to pick up and play one of SRVs guitars as the internet likes to imagine.

yeahdisk

I used to play 12, 15, 20p, 30, 40, 50 on my strats.  I think it was a roto set, but had to buy the 20p as a single.

Sounded great but could only really manage strength-wise when I was playing very regularly!  Now I just use roto reds (11s).

Funkfingers

kswilson89 said:

Has anyone ever experimented with a set of 0.12s in standard tuning?

Yes. On my grand auditorium acoustic - which was constructed with 012-053 gauges in mind.

ICBM said:

I did put some on a Les Paul once ... made it play like an acoustic ... bending was very difficult.

I wonder why?

ICBM said:

12s are really quite a lot stiffer than 11s, much more so than the difference between 10s and 11s in my experience.

I used them on a Musicmaster ... but that's cheating because it's only a 22.5" scale.

IMO, Fender short scale offset guitars are what 12s suit best.

earwighoney

On my Tele I'd forgotten I had put on 12's (opposed to the regular 11's) and I did once tune up to standard and it wasn't very comfortable to play!  I generally had the guitar tuned to Open D tuned down a semitone and it was good for playing fingerstyle with a slide (which is generally how I play), but there's no way I'd use that to strum hard or to bend strings.  

I found switching back to 11's required a fair amount of readjustment and for my needs I can't see myself bothering with 12's again, 11's with a wound G are a much more enjoyable set to use. 

skunkwerx

Whats your reason for wanting to go up?

I use hybrids, .09 treble and 46 bass. Gives me enough tension for metallic type alternate fast chugging but makes my sliding and bending a breeze on the treble sides. 

Through my equipment I doubt I’d hear any difference, and to me I just found it more of a struggle upping the trebles.. figured why bother.

Danielsguitars

pah 12's are nothing lol,  marc at mojo pickups uses 13's now that's too manly for me but they did sound great on a lp with bigsby,  I've got to put a tele together for him with 13's and standard bloody tuning, use whatever your comfortable with as that's what matters

kswilson89

customkits said:

pah 12's are nothing lol,  marc at mojo pickups uses 13's now that's too manly for me but they did sound great on a lp with bigsby,  I've got to put a tele together for him with 13's and standard bloody tuning, use whatever your comfortable with as that's what matters

Do 13s cause a lot more pressure on the neck? I'm tempted to move up to them in standard but not sure whether it's wise.

JerkMoans

customkits said:

pah 12's are nothing lol,  marc at mojo pickups uses 13's now that's too manly for me but they did sound great on a lp with bigsby,  I've got to put a tele together for him with 13's and standard bloody tuning, use whatever your comfortable with as that's what matters

Real men use steel hawsers.  Available from all good naval dockyards