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Does Anyone Use 11's?

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martinez
Posted 2012-05-04 1:09 PM (#454131)
Subject: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260

Location: Spain		Hi All

So I have my amazing Elite, neck reset, new frets, the whole works, and it os one beautiful guitar. The luthier put 12's on it, saying it's the Ovation gauge, which seems to be correct by searching on here...

Way too heavy for my pathetic fingers, I put 11's on and I dunno...it just doesn't sound as good

It's looking like I just have to put the 12's on and hurt....is that just about right?
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ProfessorBB
Posted 2012-05-04 1:24 PM (#454132 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881

Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains		Yep. The hurt is temporary as long as you play regularly.
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martinez
Posted 2012-05-04 1:28 PM (#454133 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260

Location: Spain		Fair enough, thanks mate.
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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2012-05-04 1:31 PM (#454134 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR		D'Addario EJ26 are "Custom Light" 11-52


I use them on my broken-neck 1612 for a little less tension, and they do sound good on that guitar.

The EJ26's just a thousandth of an inch thinner that 12's.

But, yeah... I usually use 12's (EJ16) on my other guitars and they sound fuller.

It will only hurt for a little while, then you get used to it.
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martinez
Posted 2012-05-04 1:52 PM (#454136 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260

Location: Spain		Thanks OMA. Plus I suppose with it being SSB it will need the 12's to "fill it out" a bit..?
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AdamasW597
Posted 2012-05-05 9:17 AM (#454174 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 400

Location: Northwest Arkansas		I play 3 and 4 hours at a time. I use 11's and will continue to do so. It doesn't make any difference plugged in. A little eq adjustment, maybe. Unless you play 4-45 minute sets I think 12's are great. But after a couple of hours they start to hurt. I'll stick with 11's. Till I play it acoustic.
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bburg
Posted 2012-05-05 10:50 AM (#454177 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
August 2009
Posts: 1137

Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh)		I also use 11's, I use Elixir Phosphor Bronze and love that tone and playability.

Bernie
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muzza
Posted 2012-05-06 7:26 AM (#454216 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736

Location: Sunshine State, Australia		I've been using 12s for the last few years but am changing to 11s at my next string change. Mainly because I don't play anywhere near as much as I should and 11s are just that little bit easier on the fingers. My audience is me, so no one will notice.

Edited by muzza 2012-05-06 7:28 AM
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alpep
Posted 2012-05-06 3:35 PM (#454226 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581

Location: NJ		LOL I use .011 on my electric guitars
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dobro
Posted 2012-05-06 5:25 PM (#454228 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120

Location: Chicago		I sorta compromise: I buy 12-53s (Elixir) but put 13 and 17 on the top two for a little extra beef. I buy bulk packs of these from Elixir and donate my lighter strings to Jeff.... Sounds good to me!
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richardd
Posted 2012-05-07 12:10 AM (#454243 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651

Location: Australia		Try Martin FX Flexible Core strings. A set of 12's feels like 11's. The flexible core gives the strings a looser feel
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Ammons
Posted 2012-05-07 4:52 AM (#454250 - in reply to #454177)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
August 2010
Posts: 63

bburg - 2012-05-05 10:50 AM

I also use 11's, I use Elixir Phosphor Bronze and love that tone and playability.

Bernie


Same here. I sometimes use 12's for drop tunings though. (Elixirs rule!)
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Geostorm98
Posted 2012-05-07 6:17 AM (#454254 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 402

Location: New Hartford CT		I keep a guitar in the living room with 11's on it for quiet picking after everyone turns in for the night. Being lighter they sound better at low volumes, not as much effort to get them moving.
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Todd G.
Posted 2012-05-07 8:33 PM (#454297 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 815

Location: Colorado		DR Sunbeam 0.12s on my 1881--love them.
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twistedlim
Posted 2012-05-11 1:54 PM (#454473 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119

Location: Michigan		DR Sunbeams 11's or Martin silk steel on my UTE. Different sounds but both are 11s, well I guess the Martin SS are 11.5 but the bass are a silky 47 or something like that. The UTE certainly need nothing to bring out the bass and plugged in I can make it sound how I want anyway.

Edited by twistedlim 2012-05-11 1:55 PM
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martinez
Posted 2012-05-11 5:47 PM (#454484 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
September 2011
Posts: 260

Location: Spain		Thanks for all the replies people!
When I got my guitar back the luthier told me he'd put 12's because it's what Ovation put on, which seems to be correct. He also told me if I insisted on putting 11's or even 10's (at my suggestion), both of which he thought terrible ideas as it would "lose that beautiful Ovation sound", then I should add a shim or two otherwise it would sound too "loose".

I absolutely cannot use 12's, they are like rope, total respect to anyone here who uses them! I have 11's now and added a shim, all feels great, sounds amazing, job sorted!

As a side note, a comment I have seen a few times, on many threads, is that once plugged in it all makes no difference, string gauge, body shape etc, that it can all be tweaked to sound the same.....if this is true, I have absolutely no idea how to do it, I really don't think it's possible to tweak a SSB to sound like a big dreadnought...

Thanks again for the advice on the strings!
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AdamasW597
Posted 2012-05-12 7:08 PM (#454534 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?



Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 400

Location: Northwest Arkansas		It all depends on the preamp. The pickup doesn't know how deep the bowl is.
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rick endres
Posted 2012-05-14 10:15 PM (#454621 - in reply to #454131)
Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use 11's?


Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616

Location: cincinnati, ohio		Something to consider - if you're having a lot of trouble with the 12's, especially on the first few frets (and especially with barre chords), have your luthier look at the action at the nut. The string slots might need to be filed down, which will make the guitar a lot easier to play; almost as important as lowering the action at the saddle. Let a pro do this; he/she should have a set of special saws (usually the Stew Mac set) designed for this job.

That being said, I had the string slots cut on all my guitars and still use the 11's (the EJ-26 set Old Man Arthur mentioned). The guitars play like electrics, and they sound great with a little EQ. My Ovations have an OP-30 on my acoustic electric, and Fishman Supernatural pickups (aftermarket install) on my acoustic Balladeer and Pacemaker 12 string. I play amplified 99% of the time, so it doesn't matter what gauge is on there...

Edited by rick endres 2012-05-14 10:19 PM
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