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11 Gauge Strings and "thin neck" guitars (cough cough --> SG)

DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
edited February 2005 in Musicians and Gearheads
One more question for the week.
And yes, it's ... cough cough ... about my SG again.

Well dagblast if i didn't take it back to the same stupid freaking music shop that has screwed up my crap in the past (because they half know what they're doing, and they have a monopoly on the local -read - less than 25miles away- music store scene).

My SG is unstrung, well, rather, it is strung but detuned.
As i have a kahler floating bridge that had 10gauges on it until recently.
I put 11s on, but totaly lunched on the realization that it would yank my bridge to high hell. ( i guess it was more of a hopeful repression of the obvious truth)

So i took it to the shop to have them professionaly setup the bridge\intonation\action to work with the 11s instead of 10s.

Well the yankarse guitar tech tells me this:
I CANT PUT 11s ON THIS GUITAR. i'm sorry. i'd have to charge you an arm and a leg to monkey with this. it still might not work. i might break your guitar. this is a general problem with thin neck guitars. they are really made for 9 gauge strings. you can use 10s, but not 11s. 11s will stress the neck so hard that you risk breaking it off or warping it permanently. You also may end up with a broken bridge.

IS THIS FOR REAL?
i mean, i wont run contrary to the advice of a ... ahem ... "professional" ... but i know for a fact that SRV AND Iommi used 11s on their sgs ... but whatever the hell goddamnit ... i just wanted big thick strings to rock out on.

i have strong hands and a tendency to OVERBEND on my solo runs, and was hoping to compensate with thicker strings to get more resistance. and also just a beefier sound in general.

Am i being way to concerned with the size of my strings?
do i have string gauge envy?
Jealous that my strings aren't as thick as some of my favorite rockers?

u tell me.
should i get a second opinion?

I am partly just pissed that i am now paying for a setup i don't need.
i mean it already had 10s on there. but what the hell. its worth it not to have to string the fucking kahler and tune it. i hate that crap.
-nick-
If I was to smile and I held out my hand
If I opened it now would you not understand?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Funny you ask!

    I just posted a pic of my SG on the Eddie's golden mist thread a couple of threads down.

    When I saw that post, I decided to grab it and replace the strings. They're 11's

    You DO run the risk of bowing some necks out on them,,and I have seen some SG's not be able to take them. It won't snap anything though. It will make the neck bow out,,, but if the truss rod is working, you can crank it back a bit and if the neck doesn't take to them,,,, you go back to 10's.

    The other thing that can, and DID happen, was it bent the screw posts for the bridge forward over time, so I had to replace them, But I have the vibrola on it, which is different than the Kahler. I've been using 11's for years, though

    You have to make sure the truss rod nut turns before you put 11's on. On older guitars,,, sometimes you find out that the screw's rusted on,,, and that is where it starts to suck!.

    SG necks are a bit quirkier than a lot of guitars. But I like quirky things:D
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    who's_pearljam? wrote:
    SG necks are a bit quirkier than a lot of guitars. But I like quirky things:D


    I like my gear to be reliable, and to take a beating... as much as I like the sound and playability of an SG, I doubt I'll ever own one (at least, until I can afford to own one of EVERYTHING). That's why I have a Tele that sounds like an SG... and am getting another...

    I wish I could help you out with your SG, but I'm really frightened of the necks on those things. Too many horror stories out there. Good luck, and trust Bob... he knows better than I do about those things...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i just bumped my SG up to 11s and it's fine. (huge sigh of relief). mine's got a thicker neck on it though.

    http://minorlith.netfirms.com/picturepro/nfpicturepro/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=10004&pos=2
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    exhausted wrote:
    i just bumped my SG up to 11s and it's fine. (huge sigh of relief). mine's got a thicker neck on it though.


    Considering the panic you were in a couple weeks ago... good deal...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    Considering the panic you were in a couple weeks ago... good deal...


    yeah, it's been fine. the thing will outlive me.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    exhausted wrote:
    yeah, it's been fine. the thing will outlive me.


    As my Tele will live long past my years...

    How's it treating you, now that the honeymoon is over?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    it's been great. more bite than my les paul and a hell of a lot more comfortable to play. if i had to pick two guitars for a desert island it would be this and a telecaster.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    exhausted wrote:
    it's been great. more bite than my les paul and a hell of a lot more comfortable to play. if i had to pick two guitars for a desert island it would be this and a telecaster.


    Ooo, bold move... no acoustic? How're ya gonna play Buffet songs on the beach?

    Glad you like the SG... if I could learn to live with that neck, I'd probably own one myself. For now, I'll just keep turning Tele's into closet SG's.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    not being able to play buffet songs is a good thing.

    but yeah, i'd need an acoustic i guess. i can't write on electric.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    exhausted wrote:
    not being able to play buffet songs is a good thing.

    but yeah, i'd need an acoustic i guess. i can't write on electric.


    I can't stand Buffet, either...

    But I'd need an acoustic by the beach. A little cedar-top Martin, preferably.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    exhausted wrote:
    not being able to play buffet songs is a good thing.

    .



    :D Quote of the day!








    Glad your SG's working out! The crack was superficial in the lacquer?
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    who's_pearljam wrote:
    The crack was superficial in the lacquer?


    Careful... you don't want to offend the crack...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    Careful... you don't want to offend the crack...

    The crack was a feature,,, not a problem?

    Is that better?
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    who's_pearljam? wrote:
    The crack was a feature,,, not a problem?

    Is that better?


    I can just see the crack sitting there, muttering, "Call ME superficial, will ya? I'll show YOU superficial!" And next thing you know, Ex. is asking us about different types of wood glue...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    i use 10's on my low e through G strings, and 9's on my B and high E. i love it, never saw the need for 11's, they actually seema bit to thick for my taste.
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    it appears to be superficial. i'm just going about my business and whatever happens, happens.
  • WiLL75WiLL75 Posts: 415
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    I can just see the crack sitting there, muttering, "Call ME superficial, will ya? I'll show YOU superficial!" And next thing you know, Ex. is asking us about different types of wood glue...

    *sniff*...*scratches neck*...did somebody say CRACK?!?!?! *sniff*...who's got some??! You tell anybody and I'll kill ya!...I'll kill ya!

    and...end scene.

    Reading the earlier posts about 11's and SG's is making me reconsider my next purchase...the SG Special. In that yummy teal blue flip flop flip. Of course the only thing I'd add to it would be Fralin p-90's. But I dunno if I could handle playing on 10's. : (
    7-9-03 New York(MSG II baby!)
    9-4-05 Calgary (10c Tix!)
    8-8-09 Calgary
    9-21-12 Calgary (10c Tix! Row 12!!)
    My URL
    http://www.myspace.com/thehuskytruckers

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  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    WiLL75 wrote:
    *sniff*...*scratches neck*...did somebody say CRACK?!?!?! *sniff*...who's got some??! You tell anybody and I'll kill ya!...I'll kill ya!

    and...end scene.

    Reading the earlier posts about 11's and SG's is making me reconsider my next purchase...the SG Special. In that yummy teal blue flip flop flip. Of course the only thing I'd add to it would be Fralin p-90's. But I dunno if I could handle playing on 10's. : (


    just get the new SG classic and swap the pickups to fralins, every thing else should be the same, no need to carve up your new guitar if you don't have to, but I guess if you want the blue teal flip flop that's the only way to go, nevermind
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • WiLL75WiLL75 Posts: 415
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    just get the new SG classic and swap the pickups to fralins, every thing else should be the same, no need to carve up your new guitar if you don't have to, but I guess if you want the blue teal flip flop that's the only way to go, nevermind

    Yeah, if the classic came in that colour it would be way easier. No having to trace the pickguard and all that. But, that colour is tasty.
    7-9-03 New York(MSG II baby!)
    9-4-05 Calgary (10c Tix!)
    8-8-09 Calgary
    9-21-12 Calgary (10c Tix! Row 12!!)
    My URL
    http://www.myspace.com/thehuskytruckers

    http://www.facebook.com
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