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Post subject: How strong is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:51 am
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Question:
How heavy a gauge string can I use on my tele (standard tuning)?
How much tension is this guitar expected to handle?

American made Telecaster; Highway 1; 2003 or 2004.

Does anyone use 13 to 56 sets... (standard tuning: E to E)?
Or... 12 - 52 gauge sets??

Don't want to wreck this guitar... but really want to stiffen it up... more like an acoustic feel and intonation.


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Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:08 pm
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Back in the 50's and 60's Fender shipped guitars I believe with 12-52 from the factory. So you should be OK. 13's are kind pushing it on the thin Highway 1 neck, but it might work. Yeah we all know Stevie Ray Vaughan used 13-56 but he tuned down 1/2 a step, had a big beefy guitar neck, and sometimes used an 11 for the high E if he was getting sore.

I cannot comment on personal experience though because I only use 10's. Anything above and I can't bend the strings.

Whatever you choose I'me sure you're prepared to adjust the truss rod and intonation. Let us know how it goes.

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Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:19 pm
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p.s. Fender necks are very strong. If I recall correctly, there is a vintage Fender advertisement shown in the new book 'Fender the Golden Years' that has a 300 lb man standing in the middle of a Fender neck propped up off the ground by two crates or chairs on each end. The neck looks like it's supporting him just fine without snapping. I wouldn't want to play that neck after he stood on it though :P
I wish I could find a scan of that ad online.

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Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:14 pm
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Yeah I play w 10's usually. But I also play some acoustic... Am hoping to get that kind of solid ringing intonation with a tele sound!

I hate it when people step on my neck':!:'

Wondering what Fender would advise. Will I damage the truss rod w 13's? Or Could I go even heavier?

Anyone know first hand?


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Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 7:14 pm
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.11s or .12s should be enough, .13 is huge and might be overkill o_O
I play .11s, it had a slight bow in the neck after a few months but after a truss adjustment it has been fine for a long time ^^ I play with a slightly higher action and I get a pretty good ringing sound. I play medium .12-.56s on acoustic for a point of reference <_<

I'd move up in steps, start with .11s than move up to .12s if that is insufficient and so on and so forth. That way your guitar will gradually adjust to the increase in tension instead of just one big jump.

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Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 8:56 pm
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That is a big fat guy.

...Makes sense to increase incrementally. But that means setting it up for each new gauge. Not a huge deal; this guitar has an access hole for the truss rod adjustment. And I put on the Stu Mac swivel saddles. It's just trial and error for me. Once I settle on the strings and get it as good as I can... I'll let a pro set it up.

I do love the sound of this guitar.

Anybody else out there using 12's or heavier?

Does anyone know if there's a maximum recommended pounds per square inch Fender guideline... or something?

Great photo.


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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:07 am
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This guitar will be for specific use... So I can dig in, strumming right through those first position chords. I want to really bang out these chords without having them go all out of control... more like an acoustic, only with this amazing Tele shimmer.

I have 10's on my other guitars.

So, my quest is to find out: what's the heaviest gauge possible...
Does everyone agree that 13's are for tuning down?

If someone primarily plays acoustic guitar... and wants to pick up an electric once in a while, have it feel and play like a Martin Dreadnought... but sound like a tele or a strat or les paul... Know what I mean?
That's what I'm trying to do. I want strings on this Highway 1 Telecaster that hardly bend. And I want to tune up (E to E).

There does seem to be a consensus out there. Anyone else?
Who uses 12's?

And again, who knows if Fender has an established measurement on this? Whats the max?


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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:56 am
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Well, I did some research using this string tension calculator: http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html

Medium gauge strings (.10s) strung on a 25.5 scale length guitar will pull with 132.58 lbs of tension on the neck. .13s on the same neck will pull 176.19 lbs, a difference of 44.39 lbs. Granted, these figures are approximate, but the change would be something along those lines. If anything that difference would be greater because you're tuning up and the calculator thinks 10 gauges come with a wound g string (must be thinking acoustic <_<). As far as the largest gauge, Dick Dale used .15s, but I know he uses a weird tuning and string it upside down and all kinds of weird stuff o_O So basically you'd be dropping a 45 lb weight on your guitar neck >_>

Personally, I don't think it will ever play like a Martin, it will just play like a tele with heavy gauge strings (I've tried it before, nothing feels like a Martin except a Martin >_>). IMHO .11s or .12s with the proper setup should give you all the tension you need since you're tuning up (Especially if you buy a set that has a wound g string, that would definitely make it feel more akin to the acoustic). The change from .10s to .11s is very noticeable, more noticeable than going from .09s to .10s. ^^

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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:35 am
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Love it when people post thoughtful intelligent stuff. And funny pictures are awesome too.

I'll have a look at those weights and measures... and math.
Don't know if 45 lbs more will do damage... or 20 pounds more?? Guess that's what I'm looking to find out.

Haven't heard of anyone actually using 12's (tuned up) on an electric guitar. So maybe 11's are it.

Anyone differ?


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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 2:33 pm
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Damage wise the worse that could happen is a serious upbow, where it would bend so far that the truss rod couldn't fix it. Normally that happens when you make a drastic shift in tension or somebody didn't take very good care of their instrument. If you switch to .13s, this may happen, or it might not, all depends on the neck itself. After the initial shock, over time the neck gradually acclimates itself to the tension and settles down. Anyhows, the best thing you could do to make it acoustic-esque is the wound G string, which is available in some .11 gauge packs and pretty much all .12 gauges. If you need something beyond .12s then you must have fingers made of steel o_O

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 5:36 pm
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I'll start w 11's (w wound g string)... set it up myself, best I can. If it seems cool, I'll have it set up by a pro.
Maybe I'll even tune down at first... heed your warnings about shock and awe to the guitar; not to mention my fingers...

The DAddario site is great for comparing string tensions. Thanks for all the input.

Still haven't heard from anyone who plays w 12's or 13's... Probably to macho to go reading or posting blogs.


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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 5:47 pm
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Nevin1985 wrote:
You can put on the strings you want, but don't expect to UP TUNE. I used to be into big strings, and now I am going the opposite direction.

I think I'll always use 10's most of the time... But this new (used) Tele is for specific rhythm parts.
What are you playing w now? Why are you going lighter?
Also what's the coolest old guitar promo you've got?


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:38 am
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Nevin1985 wrote:
I use mainly 10 - 46 but I want to go thinner. I used to use SRV gauges... but I never played SRV tunes.

This is my favorite vintage Fender ad.

Image

2010 and still going.....


Sorry for going off topic, but thanks for posting the ad of the guy standing on the neck. And the above ad is MY favorite vintage Fender one too simply for the fact that it is sooooo wrong. The first prototype wasn't made until 1949 and the Telecaster name wasn't used until 1951 to replace "Broadcaster". It seems in 1972 that CBS ad executives had no idea of the history of Fender.

In 1948 this was still on Leo Fender's drawing board:
Image

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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:46 am
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Nice.
24 years was longer back then :-)


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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:34 pm
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Well, guess what...

The tone really changes w heavy strings. I'll be messing w the set-up and just playing this thing for a while. The wound G makes a huge difference. I need to get used to it.

Not sure how I really feel about this sound.
It might be cool for what I'm trying to do... or maybe not.

And that is a totally different topic... So I'll just say thanks for your input, ideas, history and such.


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