Do heavier strings more/less frequently than lighter?

[arcadesonfire]

Yo yo,

I play a strat with single coils, and i'm now the sole guitarist in my band. I play with .10s now, but we just switched from four-piece to trio and i need to fill some more sonic space. I'm thinking thicker strings will help, and i never play bends with this group, so i'm not concerned about that. So i'm wondering if there are any disadvantages to using thicker strings.

 

Do they break more frequently than lighter strings? My worst fear is breaking a string on stage.

[caveman]

Lighter strings break way more. When I had my trio I used 10/52s and only broke one or two in 5 years.

[jrbirdman]

You could try playing through 2 different amps. This will create not only a fuller sound but also 2 different sound. Use an a/b box and you could then switch up your sound -either amps or both.

[caveman]

Or mic your amp to the PA

[sleewell]

i have 11s on both my strats and have never had any issues with breaking strings. i prefer them but when you get back to a guitar with 10s or 9s you will be so amazed at how easy bends and vibratos are.

 

if you want more beefiness i would add an ext cab too, more speakers = more

[Armitage]

I play 9s and haven't broken a string (that wasn't ages old) in 20 years.

[arcadesonfire]

 

You could try playing through 2 different amps. This will create not only a fuller sound but also 2 different sound. Use an a/b box and you could then switch up your sound -either amps or both.

 

 

Covered... I'm runnin through a Traynor Bassmaster and a modded Fender HRD usin the stereo outs of my TimeFactor. It's pretty thick... but could be better.

[LesPaulFetish]

I like light strings for the bending and such, but if you're not gonna be doing that go ahead with the heavier strings. They'll break less, but you shouldn't really break strings if you aren't bending.

[Willyguitar]

Here's what you have to do if you break a string on stage. Piece of piss. Watch from about 3.35 onwards

 

[video=youtube;q10cgqz7GeI]

 

Now THAT takes guts.

 

Of course, it helps that he is able to stand sideways on the wall without falling over.

[kayd_mon]

Heavier strings will break less. They will not necessarily help you fill more sonic space. Yes, they'll sound a little bigger, but you might be the only one in the room who notices. Two different amp types - even if you're mic'ing your amp through the PA - will sound bigger. Be sure to EQ them differently. If all three of you fit your roles well, there's no reason a trio won't sound great. My band is a trio, and we get on just fine.

[kayd_mon]

 

Now THAT takes guts. Of course, it helps that he is able to stand sideways on the wall without falling over.

 

 

Wow. That's totally hysterical, and totally awesome!

[sleewell]

add that HRD to your sig, thats a sweet amp. must be a really nice sounding 2 amp setup.

[mhuxtable]

String it up with 11s with a wound 3rd and you'll never go beck.

[R00PE]

i break a lot more heavier string 13-56 than i do on my soloist with 9-42

[cephus]

I think it depends on the style of music. I play roots/rockabilly with plenty of right-hand-driven rhythm. 11s just take better to heavy rhythm. Although my action is pretty high, too. You have to let big strings have room to vibrate, too. I started with 11s on my gibby-scale hollowbody and now I only have 10s on one strat. I plan to go up to 11s on that as soon as it needs set up again. I paid for a top notch setup a few years ago when it was strung with 10s. It's plays really sweet and I hate for it to go to waste.