I am a relative beginner and have recently purchased a Fender Strat (Mexican) 60's model and of course I love it. However I am having a lot of trouble performing string bends and my guitar teacher says the strings are too tight and I should change them, or at least change strings 1 to 3.

It is a new guitar so the strings are the factory fit Super 250's, part number 005-6297-000. I would like to find out what gauge they are so that I can get some lighter ones.

So, does anyone know what guage they are likely to be please?

JT, curious-how old are you? If you are very young I can see the problem but if not I dont see why you should have trouble bending 9's.

Hi Monty, JT here.

I know, I am 45 so I should not have any trouble!

My guitar teacher also had trouble when compared to his Squire Strat and my Epiphone Les Paul starts at a 9 gauge and both of those were much easier to bend than my Super 250's - which is why I was wondering if they were really 9's or if it is a peculiarity of the factory-fit tension of a Mexican?

That is really wierd. I would try another set on 9's before going to 8's.

I found some strats do feel more tense than others. My knockup strat feels quite looser than my american strats. I'd try a different brand of strings as stated above. I think i read somewhere that DR strings have less tension than most other brands. Its worth researching. Diaddario used to put the string tensions on the back of the packet.

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No no and no

They still do on the strings i buy......

but maybe this is not a problem with the strings but the bridge that is too loose and lifts upwards as you're bending, the more the bridge lifts the harder it is to bend is my experience....

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It's a mix between Jazz and Funk, it's called "Junk"

I would have the guitar checked out by an Authorized Fender guitar tech. This is possibly a setup issue.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I have also recently purchased a MIM classic player 50s strat and that definatly had 10s on it. I also still have the sticker and just got it out to check that part number you gave and mines the same...005-6297-000

I usually play Ernie Ball Super Slinky .9s and thats what I now have on.

in fact just checked the specs and strings are listed as .10s http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0141102344

Even with the strings being 10's a guitar player experienced enough to be qualified to teach guitar should not have that much of a problem bending 10's. I stick with my original recommendation to have the guitar checked out by a tech.

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Chet Feathers

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F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

JT,
Try Ernie Ball super slinkys 9-42. You most likely will have to do a setup if your Strat was setup with 10s. (guitar tech) If you don' want to change your string gauges experiment with other brands like Diaddiaro or Ernie Ball Slinkys I believe they are 10s.

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

maybe I am reading this wrong but I am sure by the following from the OPs first post that he is just a beginner?

.... "I am a relative beginner and have recently purchased"......." and my guitar teacher says the strings".......

Yes if you are a begginer then its understandable that you feel it a little hard to bend strings specially if they are 10's or probably 11's who knows... I would suggest to use a lighter gauge ...a set of 8's would be really comfortable for ya and also if you dont want to change the gauge right now you can tune a little lower like instead of tunning in E you can go down to D or C and that would also make it feel really comfortable for your fingers... let us know what you end up doing!

He's sying his teacher also felt there was an issue.

i would get this guitar looked at , like Chet says. if its new your store may do this for you for free, Some stores give you a couple free setups.
Do what Chet says first. See a licensed Fender tech, and get him to check it out/set it up.
To Quote Hank Marvin:"Speaking from experience, a badly set up guitar can suck all the joy out of your playing, so to get the best out of your Strat and enjoyment to the max, you need to have it set up correctly"

He wrote this in the forward to Paul Balmer's "The Fender Stratocaster Handbook" and it is gospel truth.

If you read the original post he stated that even his guitar teacher had problems with it.

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Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.