Which guitars come from Fender naturally with 11s?
Some?
All?
Certain Strat or Tele models?
Does Fender have a default string size for each brand of guitar?
Is it announced within the Fender specs or user manuals?

I am going to test all of my guitars to down size or leave the same.

Now, I am finding that changing form 10s to 9s will cause some
issues with tension, harmonics and other changing possibilities.

What happens to guitars if the string sizes are changed?
What needs to be done:
tune up?
set-up?
adjust the bridge?
adjust the saddles?
adjust the neck truss rod settings?

PLMK. Thanks. Toppscore

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How long have you been playin guitar?

Some people can cause catastrophic damage by blowing their nose. But, I wouldn't worry about it.
I go between 10's and 9's regularly without doing a setup and no bad effects from it. If I was going from 11's to 9's, I'd probably do a setup.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

I agree, changing string sizes will not cause any major changes that I know of. Certainly nothing 'catastrophic'. Just put on what you like or wanna try and give it shot.

Bomb

Glad you asked.
Never ever ever gave strings a thought, before the many threads read within this forum.
I popped on whatever I had and tried to keep to the six "E-E" sizes suggested.
Just mostly bought sets. Maybe some extra unwound higher strings.
After a while, I'd have tons of the three wound strings.
After a while, I'd have cajillions of mixed 8s-17s.
after a while, I'd pop on whatever I had. Never made a difference to me,
but I'm sure purists would say it all makes a difference.

So, before this fourm, I never thought to be perfect. Pop on a string and get it in tune.
Keep em' clean. Let pedals, tone controls and amp controls adjust if strings
were brighter or whatever, or sounded different, simply adjust the controls.

I figured if athletes can adjust to night/day indoors/outdoors wet/dry hot/cold
no wind/windy left-handed/right-handed, etc. then I can play with anything.
Enjoy the guitar when it's perfectly setup, intonation correct with matching strings;
but also enjoy just playing and being happy with six working strings.
Ever have the "A" string break, not more strings and you have to play the rest
of the day on five strings? You just adjust. Right.

Many forum threads & discussions are about nickle plated, steel,
wound D-G. unwound D-G, flat wound, vintage strings, whatever.

Wide nuts, reverse flipped straps Jimi Hendrix style, slanted pickups,
floating necks, hardtails, tremolo bridges of different orders . . . .

Then you have baritone guitars, 24.75" & 25.5" guitars, etc

What about locking tuners, locking nuts, roller nuts, locking bridges, etc.

THINK ABOUT IT. EVERYTHING MENTIONED ABOVE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED
WITH REGARDS TO STRINGS. EXTRA TENSION OR LESS TENSION GENERATED
FROM DIFFERENT STRINGS & STRING SIZES THAT DO AFFECT THE BRIDGE,
TONE, MAGNETS, VOLUME, NUT, TUNING, ETC.
I'VE YET TO EVER EVER READ THAT STRINGS DO NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

All this from the forum links threads comments, etc.

Does following all of the above make a difference? Probably.
Have I ever followed any of the above rules, theories or ideas BEFORE I read them? No!
Does putting on a matched set of Ernie Balls do the job for any guitar? Yes.

"Another thing to keep in mind is the scale length of your guitar. Fender Stratocasters, which are 25 ½ inch scale, come from the factory set up with extra light strings (.009 - .042). Many players prefer this set up because the .009 gauge strings are still easy to bend despite Fenders having a longer scale length. Gibson Les Pauls, on the other hand, are 24 ¾ inch scale, and come from the factory set up with light gauge strings (.010 - .046). Many players prefer this set up because the .009 gauge can be a bit too easy to bend on the shorter scale length. Using .010 gauge strings makes the guitar a bit more balanced. Of course, you can use whatever gauge of electric guitar strings you like. Players with a heavy hand may find that a medium gauge (.011 - .048) electric guitar string will break less and stay in tune better than a lighter string."



Therefore, my questions and this thread's focus:
Some will respond: "just play".
String size does not matter.
String length or tension does not matter.
String materials do not matter.
If the above simply "do not matter", why the hype?

Toppscore 8)

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The bottom line to all that Toppscore, I guess is there are tonal differences, & it all boils down to personal preference regarding that + feel. If you can put any gauge string & be happy w/whatever, then I guess that just makes it easy for you. Probably saves you $$ as well. cheers

Well, now my OCD kicks in because of all the "String Mfg" sponsored remarks that
strings do make a difference between a Hollywood Walk-of-Fame/Hall of Fame career
and a local pub wanna be

I do know & believe that if done perfectly correct & calibrated precisely,
strings will last longer, stay in tune longer and sound better.
Going from a past of no real deep technical knowledge . . .
to now knowing that "getting strings right" will make a difference.

I've been held back!!!

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All Fender Strats used to come from the Fender Elves with 11's, then 10's.
When Leo designed the Strat and Tele the predominant gauge was 11's so I would not worry about catatonic results from a catastrophic failure.

You'd be surprised at how much abuse these guitars will take....
But if you are going from 009's to 11's then... Yes... a readjustment is needed.
If you want to be precise any time you change string gauges you should at the very least check the intonation and playability settings.

BTW....mixing string types, flats with round wounds and mismatched strings will alter the responses but if you are playing buzz saw distortion than carry on...
Its just that pole piece settings are different for different strings...

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

I have no plans to increase any guitar's string size. Either I will like the
strings already on them, or will be down sizing to 8's or 9's.
Just that my guitar repair tech told me in a stern warning
that changing strings inproperly will affect the neck's tension
towards the body, the nut's ability to do it's job correctly,
the tremolo bridge & block will be differnt, etc.

But, EVERYBODY in this forum says no big deal.
And, in my past it was never any big deal.
So, "From This Moment" (Shania Twain) forward,
I really do not care about downsizing strings.

But, I did take a Strat in to get tuned up and adjusted,
and it had the E & D strings pop out of the nut and the E & A strings
seemed to fuzz/buzz??? around the 20th fret. So, I feel the strings
were too small for that axe's nut. Gotta be aware.
Toppscore

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No. Changing strings causes catastrophic damage. You should never change them. Pretty sure that's where the hole in the Ozone layer came from. Now changing SIZES is fine - once you make your setup adjustments - but you may experience insomnia, constipation, or dry mouth.

I'm not sure a thread resembling a thesis on metallurgy was/is necessary....

With all the brands, various gauges, varied gauges from heavier bottoms to lighter top strings available from string manufacturers, just buy a few different sets from various manufacturers, try them out then decide......

It's a simple process, pick what works, feels right and sounds to your liking...
if you are switching between 009's and 010's then the nut's string slots should be set to allow the 10's to move thru the nut without binding...
Regardless of gauge size, the string slot and it's correct shape is what determines a strings movement or binding at the nut.

The slot should be angled downwards towards the tuners from the contact edge of the fingerboard..The bottom of the string slots should be round, not square or beveled. strings are round and require proper bedding.....After a nice cup of Sleepy Time Tea...

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Do you get constipation first, then dry mouth?
Or the other way around?

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Thank you, MagnaTone. Yes. Past worrying 'bout string sizes.
Gotta chat with my guitar tech. Good to know about the nut filing & edges.
Take care. Toppscore

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Agreed indeed.

When I went from 9s to 11s, it pulled my bridge up,
so I had to add more tension springs and adjust the claw,
which changed my string height,
so I had to adjust the saddles,
which didn't set well with the neck bow,
so I had to adjust the truss rod, (and consequently the saddles again),
which changed the pick-up/string spacing,
so I had to adjust the pick-up height,...
...and in the end, the Fat E (as I like to call it) didn't sit in the nut like it should and it broke,
so I had to replace the nut.
which mucked up the intonation because it was carved out a little too high.
so I had to file it down.

So I put 9s back on it, dialed it back in to original factory spec, and quietly tip-toed away.