Using a 12 ga. String Instead Of An 11 ga.

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

Maybe I can get some input. Tonight at the house while practicing I broke my third string which is my 11 gauge. Now here's what I got saw Paul Franklin the other day talk he uses a 12 gauge.
Did Paul change the gauge of the first string even though the gauge is the same as the third?

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I wouldn't think so. The .012 third makes a fuller sound, and a shorter pull with a little stiffer pedal because the tension is higher.

And, oh yeah...it hurts like hell if it ever snaps when you're playing! Whoa!

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Been using an .012 for the 3rd string for over 2 decades. Never had one break,(thank God!!) and the tone is far better than any .011, or .0115 I've ever tried.
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Ken Pippus · From: Langford, BC, Canada

And you can get â€˜em cheap when you toss away the .012 from your C6 high G to put on a D!

James Flaherty · From: California, USA

.012's are the best. They have more guts, more sustain and better tone.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Been using a .012 for a long, long time since I heard Jeff Newman talkin' about it. Here's what I use: .013,.015,.012,.014,.018P,.022W,.026W,.030W,.034W &.038W. Only use Live Steel Strings, Nickel Wound. Ray Thomas, Goldsboro, NC is my string source also. No tuning issues or breakage. Best I've ever used. Thanks.

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Billy I also love the live strings!!!!!

Bo Legg · Posted 13 Aug 2018 6:32 am

Seems to me the problem is with that 15 on the 2nd string!
When I was using a 10 on the third string I noticed I had to exert a great deal of bar pressure to get a good tone out of the the third string.
I changed the first string to a 12 and the 2nd string to a 14 and the third string to an 11. Helped tremendously.
I tried a 12 on the 3rd and the standard 15 on the 2nd and 13 on the 1st.
It was just too scary tuning that 12 up to G# and I didn't think it sounded much better than going to the 11 on 3rd, 14 on 2nd and 12 on 1st

Tom Spaulding · From: Tennessee, USA

Paul's gauges: NYXL1238PS

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

It's hard to beat the tone you get with a Live Steel sting on the 3rd by using a 12. Very Happy

Erv

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I get a good tone from my Jagwire .012" 3rd, too, Erv. I think it's entirely due to the gauge rather than who packaged and sold it. Smile

I always thought the .011" sounded thin compared to the other strings in the pack. Going to an .012" has alleviated that for me.
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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Roger,
I have used a 12 for several years and bought from quite a few different vendors.
However, I get the best tone from that string by using one from Live Steel Strings. Very Happy

Erv

James Flaherty · From: California, USA

Tuning a .012 to pitch can be a bit scary but even if it snaps and whips your knuckle it's worth the sound.

It don't hurt nearly as much as having your knuckles slapped with a wooden ruler. lol

Jonathan Cullifer · From: Gallatin, TN

I like them and use them, never had one break, and they stay in tune well. I use a .0115 on my Carter because the lower return springs can't handle the tension.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

When I first started playing in 1978 I used .011's ... they broke all the time and sounded thin, so I changed to .012's and they stopped breaking, sounded a lot fuller, and just made the guitar sound so much better ! I have used them on everything ever since - and I can't remember the last time I broke a string. Mind you I change them every month regardless :-}
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Bobby Nelson · From: North Carolina, USA

OK, here's a newbie stupid question: I bought a set of Franklins with the 12 on the 3rd. I'm almost sure the strings that came on it have an 11. So, am I going to have to readjust some thing with a heavier string? As a 6-string player, I always liked heavy strings (I used a 13 on my E) since Stevie Vaughn hepped me up on them in 78 - the tone is superior.

Tyler Hall · From: Mt. Juliet, TN

The only time I ever break a 0.12 is when I first put them on. I might break 1 or 2 whey they first pull to pitch but I haven't broken one while playing in so long I can't remember. Of course now that I say that it'll happen tonight...

Actually I can't remember the last time I broke anything while playing. And I'm usually ashamed of how long I play my guitars before I string them. I've yet to find another string that'll last as long as a set of Boomers.
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

It should be fine.
Two things change string reaction.
At the same gauge, higher tension means the string will need a longer pull (or react slower, depending on your viewpoint)/lower tension reacts faster (or takes a shorter pull
At the same tension, thicker gauges need a shorter throw (react more quickly)/lighter gauges react slower.

So changing from an 11 to 12 means it'll go both ways at the same time, and need almost no changing.
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Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

That 012 string ripped me open a few times, and I personally don't like the pedal feel. too much tension for my taste. I prefer the 0115 as its a good compromise.. Better sound than an 011, but not as tight as a 012,,,,bob
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Mick Kollins · From: Virgin Islands, USA

After using an .011 on my 3rd string (ZB S-10) for 14 years today I put on a .012 instead..WOW!!! never going back.[img]

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Casey Saulpaugh · From: Asheville, NC

I also use a .012 - used to break .011s all the time, and rarely break the .012s…I’ve stuck with the .012s more for the tone though, a much fuller sound. I think the pedal tension just takes a little adjustment in muscle memory to get used to, but doesn’t really compromise playing in any way.

I always keep a pack of bulk single strings for .012, .018, and .022 in my steel seat in case any of these break - used to dig through unopened full packs to replace strings during a set, but just became a pain to have to sort through them for the next stringing. These bulk plain single strings are cheap to buy (I believe I get them from JustStrings.com) and are super handy to have for shows and on the road.
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Joel Jackson · From: Detroit

Jay Coover · From: Nashville, TN, USA

I was trying to be brave a while back when I upgraded from my GHS Boomers 11 to a Jagwire 11.5 on that 3rd string.

In the next few days I'm going to get even more brave and try a 12. Don't try and hold me back. It's all y'all's dang fault that I'm considering this anyway.
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Rich Cottle · From: Sacramento California

There's alot of players in my neiborhood that have had that problem , for 20 years I kept breaking the third string , finally a guy named Hugh browie told me that he tunes his guitar to D9th and hardly breaks any strings , well I took his advice , it was kinda hard at first but I got used to it and I like it as much as the E9th and it has a little deeper tone & the pedals and knee levers are easier to push and I only break a string may-be once in two years , and I also don't have alot of wanna be steel guitar players wanting to play it "cause they cant", I play the u-12 D9th-A6th , I have the high G , high D and an extra high A on the sixth side (all Emmons setup) with 8 pedals and 8 knees just like the D10 & I can read any tablature, problem solved, oh yeah guitar strings are named by thousandths
not by gauge .011 .014 etc.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

I got the same advice on D9 tuning from the great Speedy West at the St Louis ISGC Convention. I never did the tuning change but it was sound advice.

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