Going up in string gauge


Deanhorneck
Registered User
Joined: 09/28/17
Posts: 25
Deanhorneck
Registered User
Joined: 09/28/17
Posts: 25
09/04/2018 3:22 pm

Hey everyone

I currently have 9's on my guitar but was thinking of going up to 10's or 11's. Is there anything special I have to do to my guitar or the nut first? and will I have to re-intonate the strings?


# 1
Guitar Tricks Admin
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Guitar Tricks Admin
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Joined: 09/28/05
Posts: 3,476
09/04/2018 6:13 pm

Hi Deanhorneck,

There's nothing you have to do with the nut, it should be fine for the most part. But if you want to be super sure, you can tell us what type of guitar you have?

If you switch to a new string gauge, it's always best to have it set up again by a professional or someone you know that can do it, or you can learn how to do it yourself, as well!


If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact us.
# 2
manXcat
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Joined: 02/17/18
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manXcat
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Joined: 02/17/18
Posts: 1,476
09/04/2018 6:14 pm

Assuming 9s were standard fitment, with 10s, my experience suggests you'll probably get away with the nut as is. On most mainstream affordable guitars, they are just precuts anyway. Try it and see. With 11s, you'd more than likely need to file the slots to set up properly.

I've done it. 9s to 10's on one of my Pacificas. You will have to resetup the action and check intonation, and possibly make a marginal adjustment to relief. Trem may need a minor tweek as well if you've got one. Block it off until you've finished the rest.

Try going up one gauge at a time if you haven't played other than 9s before. 10s do give better tone and sustain, but my experience has been that the B & high E strings in particular can be slower to fret down near the nut, noticeably more so if fretted with pinky and/or they coincidentially seat higher in their nut slot or action is too high. Careful attention to setting up the action as low as possible including the string radius conformance with the fingerboard radius without inducing fret buzz will reward playability (speed). I found it play, tweak, play, retweak rinse 'n repeate fiddly until you get it just how you want it to feel and play. But part of changing gauge if you want it to feel and play just right I guess. A gauge rule and radius template is handy for quantitative accuracy, but finessed adjustment will be ear and feel. You can DL a template and make your own radius gauge from cardboard.

My other Pacifica has a TUSQ nut. I'm probably going to get another TUSQ nut for the 112V too sometime in future once I decide which gauge I'll stick with. Pretty happy with 10s. Don't think I'll go to 11s on any of the electrics. The LP Custom and Teles came fitted with 10s OOTB.


# 3

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