Wow, Thanks Sceamin Armidillo!! So good to read. Thank you. I strung the srv up with 10's after so much experienced advice, Me being a novice, I put 11-49 back on and the "ring" i like is still there...So maybe if i go 11-51???? Thx.

After thought.....Play better......

I am the consummate tone chaser and love to recreate the "tones" of players I admire. That is I try to get the tone they got from their gear not to play like them but to get the same tone out of my gear.The first time I heard Jimi Hendrix I knew that I had to at least to get a Strat to get the same "tone" that he did and of course the Marshall came later. Of course I did come to play a lot of Hendrix covers later and his influence is very apparent in my style of playing but that also could be down by being influenced largely by the same heros that he was.Albert King was a huge influence on my playing as he was on Jimi's.
I think that some people get "tone" mixed up with "playing style" you can have the same tone as Jimi or Pete or Eric and still keep your own individual playing style just as you may have the same playing style as someone else and that style would remain the same no matter what gear you used.

I didn't mean to insult you, if you were insulted. I never assumed you were a novice by any means. If 11's work for you, go for it. Go for 16's like Dick Dale, if you want.

I was just showing that there's more than one way to skin a cat. As another post-er put it, Gibbons, Hendrix, Iommi and others show that you can get heavy tones with light strings.

GOD NO, I was being sincere!!!, I consider myself a novice!!! Thank you for taking time out of your day to converse with me!!!! It was incredible to read!!!. I was just stating that i if i was better i could source my tone from as suggested eq'ing or fingers. I just mainly jam alone and with my rig i just get so much more ring and warmth with heavier guage strings, Sounds and feels so good i dont listen to all my mistakes maybe ..... God no you did not insult me i bow to your knowlage. Thanks again.

Right after two posts ago, the thought came, if we had DaVinci's paintbox, could we do Mona Lisa?

If we had Michaelangelo's hammer and chisels, could we sculpt David?

If we had Hemingway's typewriter, could we write The Old Man And The Sea?

Fred Astaire's hat and umbrella, Singing In The Rain?

Bogart's coveralls, The African Queen?

Maybe gear is a lot less than the previously estimated 25% and more like 5%...? Less?

Just like a post ago, it's the music.

good story Bro. I thought, make it go faster in sort of "the same way" thing.

Gene what's his name did "singing in the rain"-- not Fred Astair. HA! I'm not pickey.

Gene Kelly

I guess I saw "sarcasm font" where there was none ...

You can get more out of your rig with eq tweaking and changing your picking style--I am honestly not that great of a guitarist (better as singer/songwriter/harp player) but my tone has gotten better (almost good) by being a bit fearless about tweaking amps, effects, guitars, etc...and strings, too, so if heavy strings work for you and you're comfortable, keep on keepin' on.

I really didn't (and don't) think you're a novice--your choice of instruments (in your signature) reflects someone who has done quite a bit of tone-searching and willing to take a few risks. Honestly, anyone who goes from the SRV Strat end of the spectrum to the 50s Les Paul end of the spectrum has to have some tales to tell in their "Tone Chase"...

I Think If People Spent A Little Less Time Trying To Sound Like Someone Else We Might Hear Them On The Radio.

That's a true statement. All these SRV wannabees is all they bees!!!! Ex cetera