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Post subject: Highway One: jumbo frets and light strings?
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:53 am
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I just picked up a 2007 Highway One Telecaster and love it. Beautifully finished and nice feel.

One thing I noticed immediately about the guitar was the jumbo frets and the .009 gauge strings that come with it need *very* delicate touch in that the fret height is enough to allow for moderate pitch changes with too much downward pressure. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to refine my touch, but also setting the guitar up with 11s to minimize this pitch effect while I improve this aspect of my playing.

Is anyone else having luck with 11s on the Highway One (or any Tele with Jumbo frets)?


Last edited by hamsong on Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:52 am, edited 4 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: pitch issues with jumbo frets and light strings?
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:16 pm
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hamsong wrote:
I just picked up a 2007 Highway One Telecaster and love it. Beautifully finished and very nice feel.

One thing I noticed immediately about the guitar was the jumbo frets and the .009 gauge strings that come with it need *very* delicate touch in that the fret height is enough to allow for moderate pitch changes with too much downward pressure. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to refine my touch, but also setting the guitar up with 11s to minimize this pitch effect while I improve.

Is anyone else having luck with 11s on the Highway One (or any Tele with Jumbo frets)?


Try .010''s first. You'll need a total new setup with .011''s.
Widening nutslots,setting neckrelief, action and intonation.


Last edited by lostindesert on Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:13 am
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Take the guitar to a luthier...let him check the frets first. Out of the box doesn't mean it's perfect.

Unless you purchase the ax from a luthier, they generally need to be set up professionally.

A 'pitch change' may be a neck adjustment, bridge adjustments or freat rework (planning/sanding)...maybe even a shim was not put in...never know. They are mass produced and even given the exceptional quality, changes in tempature during storage and shipping can alter the neck adjustment...and if you don't know what your doing, you'll end up makeing is worse.

Get it set up by a luthier who knows Fenders and you'll be happy.


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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:08 pm
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The frets are perfect and the guitar is flawless. No complaints at all, just noticed that the jumbo frets feel nice, but care must be taken with one's pitch in that there is more potential "travel" from string to fingerboard surface because the strings are up further because of the larger frets. It's actually a positive thing because it forces you to play with a lighter touch, and then you have the option to bend notes with more downward pressure on the strings. I prefer the feel of 11s on other guitars also as the tone is fuller and the sustain is increased slightly, but on the Highway One there is another advantage in that it should minimize inadvertent pitch issues with *too much* pressure on the strings while playing. Had I not stumbled across this great guitar, I might have gone on playing with too hard of a touch, which is much more stress on the fingers, tendons and joints...


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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:44 pm
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I have the same guitar and noticed the same pitch change when I first bought it, actually I still experience the change in pitch if I haven't played it in awhile. I tried replacing the 9's that came on guitar with 10's but it/they didn't sound good at all, went back to the 9's and the sweet sound returned. I find that the combination of the strings, fret board and neck causes me to be careful and aware of fretting strings, not a problem if I'm playing it often. Guess I've thought of it as improving my playing due to eliminating sloppy finger positioning.


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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:51 am
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Hi Sabre-

One of the great things about the Tele is how it appeals to a wide range of styles and sounds. I found the 9s a little thin had it set up with 11s and LOVE the feel and tone, which is now much fuller. The Alnico III pickups really purr now, and the heavier strings are a great fit with the jumbo frets!

-Brad


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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:32 pm
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Thanks Brad,

I've been trying to find the time to stop by the shop where I bought my HW1 and talk to them about changing to 10's, or now, mabye 11's and have them adjust string height, intonation, etc., as needed.


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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:05 pm
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Hi Sabre-

I got used to the feel of 11s on my Epiphone Casino (the Gibson 24.75" scale), and really love the feel and tonality. I play acoustic guitar too, so I am used to larger strings. It seems like people think 9s/10s/11s are so different from each other, but it's very easy to get used to the thicker strings and since they aren't as flexible they are easy to play in perfect pitch, and you can still bend them as needed. The thicker strings definitely carry more tone, too.

I had Parsons Guitars in Seattle do the setup/intonation on the move to 11s. (He's a great guy who has done everything including building custom guitars for Jack White, etc). While I was in there, he recommended upgrading the 3-piece steel saddles to the 3-piece brass ones from a 3rd party manufacturer, which were tilted rather than flat so the string intonation could be set per string rather than per pair of strings as they must be with the stock saddles. Not a big deal, but only $35 and there is definitely a little more sustain with the brass saddles than with the stock ones.

I didn't have any complaints with the existing ones, but a minor and inexpensive upgrade that worked out nicely. Another thing to consider...

-Brad


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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:51 pm
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Thanks again for the information Brad, I usually divide my playing between the HW1 and an acoustic guitar, in fact when I bought the Tele the shop owner suggested trying 10's as the strings would be closer to the 12's of the acoustic guitar. I read about replacing the saddles and bridge plate, and am planning to drop my Tele off at the shop to at least have the 10's or now maybe the 11's put on with any adjustments necessary. I'll ask them about replacing the saddles and bridge at the same time.

Thanks again, even though this wasn't my original post....Steve


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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:25 am
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Hi Sabre-

Once I played 11s (which is infinitely easier than one would deduce from the strong opinions of one gauge vs another the seem to flourish in online forums), it was hard for me to imagine going back to a smaller gauge, especially with those big frets on the HWY1. The big frets and bigger strings make it very easy to play, and since the single-coil pickups are not the fattest sounding pickups in the world, a heavier string adds a little moxie to the mix, IMHO.

Worth a try, at least. If you don't take to them, you can always go back to 10 or 9.

I just read in Guitar Player that lefty surf guitar legend Dick Dale (who is amazing if you ever get a chance to see him) plays with 16s! Now THAT is a big string! 11s are nothing! :D

-Brad


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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:15 am
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Well I dropped my HW1 off at the shop last night to have new strings (11's) and the overall set up, including intonation, string height, etc., checked. I talked to them about replacement saddles/bridge and they suggested I do one thing at a time and try playing it after the string change and setup adjustments. I'll give an updated when I get it back.


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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:55 am
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Wanted to update anyone reading this post that I finally picked up my HW1 from the shop over the weekend (I was away, traveling for business the last two weeks), and wanted to say that what a huge difference!

As an update, I had 11 -49's, D'Addario XL strings, with a wound 3rd string installed, and the overall set up checked for string height and intonation. Brian, you were right about using the 11's, I played the guitar the entire weekend, no more indiscriminately bending the strings, and the sound is great, thanks for the tip.

Steve


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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:28 pm
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Hi Steve-

Great to hear. Once you get used to 11s, it's hard to imagine anything smaller, isn't it? A perfect combo with the big frets, IMHO.

Someday I'll try 12s!

I like a wound G string too, but had to go with an unwound as the compensated 3 brass saddles only work with the unwound G as the direction of the tilt is opposite what it needs to be. I guess with the flat (parallel) stock saddles it's close enough.

Enjoy,
Brad


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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:04 pm
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Had the same trouble with my guitar...took it to a luthier...he said it had the tallest frets he'd ever seen. taller than the new ones
I'm not super heavy handed but not a feather touch either. The guitar stayed in tune on open strings but not on leads or chords an open D chord was terrible.

Had the frets shaved and reshaped, it felt funny because the frets were so much wider than tall, so I had it refreted with fretwire similar in size to my old MIM Tele

After that I liked it a lot better. Right now it's on loan to our other guitarist in our band




hamsong wrote:
The frets are perfect and the guitar is flawless. No complaints at all, just noticed that the jumbo frets feel nice, but care must be taken with one's pitch in that there is more potential "travel" from string to fingerboard surface because the strings are up further because of the larger frets. It's actually a positive thing because it forces you to play with a lighter touch, and then you have the option to bend notes with more downward pressure on the strings. I prefer the feel of 11s on other guitars also as the tone is fuller and the sustain is increased slightly, but on the Highway One there is another advantage in that it should minimize inadvertent pitch issues with *too much* pressure on the strings while playing. Had I not stumbled across this great guitar, I might have gone on playing with too hard of a touch, which is much more stress on the fingers, tendons and joints...


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