It is not unusual, a lot of people find they play better with higher action. It all depends on your finger strength, mechanics, natural touch, etc.

Strats are mostly setup to take .10 strings. I use .11 with blocked tremolo and a lot of graphite. I think i it was floating nut work would be required due to the string to nut groove binding.

You can definately hit heavier strings harder. I got used to .12s on my Strat and I started breaking strings on all my other guitars which had .10s. Now I use .11s for standard tuning and .12s for drop tuning (Eb or D) and I don't break strings as much.


When I went from .10s to .12s I definately thought there was an improvement in tone. Unfortunately I really need both of my Strats, and most of the songs I play aren't in drop tunings so I have both of my Strat set up with .11s in standard tuning now. I love the heavy strings, but I can't deal with .12s in standard tuning. It probably feels like nothing for some people, but I can't do it.


I did notice that using heavy strings wears on frets faster than normal, but that's just the price you have to pay. I wonder if flatwounds would be easier on the frets?

And I like high action better too. I don't really know why either, but it feels better to me.

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Most of the Stratocasters offered by Fender today are equipped with 9-42s. There are exceptions.

The product information at this web site provides such info.

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This is the crucial sentence in your post, for me. What you are saying is what most guitar players say, repeatedly:

"I'm not happy with a major aspect of my playing. Is there something I can buy or bolt on or swap to improve that?"

The most proper answer is, no there isn't. If you think your picking sucks, then practice.

Now, that doens' tmean you won't find a guitar with heavier strings and higher action more satisfying to play. Maybe you will. But don't expect a gear change to fix deficiencies in your playing.

Slapchop is right on.You can do al kinds of things , bigger strings , lower action, higher action, smaller strings , and the list goes on and on.If your technique is bad , all those things wont make you play better.Picking technique is related to tone.I used to have bad picking technique until I just sat down and watched with my own eyes how my pick was hitting the strings.I actually had a friend who was a great teacher at the time observe and helped me alot.If you improve your technique, everything else will fall into place.Your tone will improve, your playing will improve and you will enjoy playing alot more.Its time well spent.

Ofcourse you can and it will sound equally as bad on 9's as it does on 11's, 12's and 13's.

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No no and no

I will kinda disagree with Slapchop here, but just a little bit.

The one change i find you can actually do equipment wise to help with picking technique is to switch to a thinner more flexible pick. The change in itself will not magically or automatically make you better. But it will force you to develop a lighter and more controlled touch. I liken it to those trainer golf clubs that have a break point on the shaft. you have to work on making your swing perfect or it collapses. Now the equipment itself isn't making you better, but it makes you focus on the weak point of your playing.

I think one problem a lot of people have, is when they practice they focus on what they do well, because it's more fun. but that is only a good strategy when you are starting out, and everything needs to be worked on. Once you reach a certain level of proficiency the only way to get better is to focus on things you are weaker at, and work on those.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I think that heavier strings is not necessary for everyone. For instance, metal players using heavy gain will not benefit tonewise from heavier strings. The sound of the guitar is so colored by the gain, that any difference would be unnoticable. Plus the need for more intricate fast passages and radical bends is easier on light guage strings.

Now for the blues, country or Jazz musicain playing cleaner, it will be more noticable.

The reason that heavy guage strings will wear out frets faster is not because of the string itself, but the need to push the string harder to fret the notes. The strings are made of the same materials of similar hardness, so if anything a thin string would be like a sharper file and wear the fret faster.

Why don't they make frets out of material that is harder than strings so frets would wear the strings instead of the strings wearing the frets?

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Well of coarse they do, but I use titanium strings

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Not sure that larger strings make any difference to my playing, but going from 9's to 10's I do notice that the frets show wear a little faster.

Nevin it shouldnt make the blindest bit of dfference is the main point. As for chugging riffs note that every metal player worth anything uses 9's also. The point slapchop made that you should focus on your technique rather than string size is bang on. If you address your faults as we all have to do at some point, it will only make you better. My initial reply (above) was worded badly and for that i'm sorry.

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No no and no

I say go for it, you can always change back if you don't like it. I wouldn't suggest going straight from 9's to 12's that'd be too much of a jump and your playing might hurt, take the time and go to 10's for a few months then 11's etc. Give your hands time to adjust.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!