660-12 string gauge question

[e-rick]

Hello everyone,

I just got a 660-12 a couple weeks back. (For those of you who are curious, it's my 3rd rick - I also have a 330-6 and a 700C.) I love the look, sound and feel of the 660. The wider neck is very comfortable!

My one issue is that I would like to put a slightly heavier gauge of strings on the guitar. I tend to fret notes pretty hard, and if my strings are too light, they tend to bend out of tune when I play. I also just like the feel and sound of slightly heavier strings.

I've had the 330 for about 15 years, and I string it with a .11-.49 set. The Rickenbacker owner's manual suggests .10-.42. I've been using the heavier strings on the 330 for years and have had no neck issues...

My question is: How heavy can you go without running the risk of damaging the neck? I want to play it safe, but I also want to experiment w/different gauges to find out what best suits me.

Right now, the 660 has Rick strings on it -
10-13-20-26-34-42, 10-13-10-13-20-26

My guitar tech said I could probably use the following D'Addario set w/no problems:
10-13-17-26-36-46, 10-13-08-12-18-26

Do you agree with him? I know there is a lot of talk about TI string on the forum - I'd like to try those at some point, too. Thanks in advance for any advice! This is my 1st post, but have been reading the forums for quite a while, and it's been a very helpful resource.

Thanks again,
Eric

[beatlefreak]

Welcome to the forum, Eric. You would be fine with the D'Addario set, although they are no heavier than the RIC set (in fact, a couple of the gauges are lighter - with the exception of the low E and A). TI's are a lower tension string. If you tend to bend strings out of true when fretting, the TI's may accentuate the problem. You might want to try Pyramids, a higher tension string.

[e-rick]

You would be fine with the D'Addario set, although they are no heavier than the RIC set (in fact, a couple of the gauges are lighter - with the exception of the low E and A)

Thanks for the reply! It's actually the low A and E that I'm most interested in using a heavier gauge.

Follow up question: Is the difference - in terms of tension - the same between a .08 vs a .10 string and a .34 vs .36? in other words, there is a .02 difference in thickness between the 2 examples, but does that .02 difference mean an equal difference on the amount the strings pull on the neck? (I hope I'm making sense here.)

Also, I referenced the d'addario set because it was pretty similar to the set currently on the guitar, but with a heavier E and A. How much heavier do you think I could go?

thanks!

[beatlefreak]

There would be an increas in tension with a heavier gauge string, but it's probably not linear (a string twice the gauge would not necessarily have twice the tension).

[e-rick]

Update - tried the d'addarios and I think I'll be going back to the Rick strings or trying out the pyramids next time. I'm not quite happy with the tone - the Rick strings sound better to my ears. Maybe I'll just have to learn to have a lighter touch on the E and A.

[beatlefreak]

Keep us posted in your search, Eric.

[grazioso]

the d'addarios would sound ok if you'd switch both Gs for 20w and 10. it is all about G string

[buchrob]

The other string set suggested (D'Ad) really does nothing to get you up a notch in thickess at all.

Nobody seems to make a much thicker set of electric ground 12's. The best I have come up with is to buy one set GHS Brite Flats GHS_730 6-string set which are similar in concept to the Ric strings (wound, then ground to size):

.12 - .16 - .24w - 32w - .42w - .54 w will get you the base thickness you want.

Buying a second set gives you most of the double high/octave strings, and the harder to find thicker wounds as spares:

.12 - .16 - x - x - .24w - 32w (42 & 54 are spares)

Now you just buy any plain .10 and .14 as a single string to octave the .24 & .32.

You could skip all of the above and just go for Ernie Ball .11-.052 (EBL-2236) but I find the Ball strings (or any other than ground or flat) very squeaky.

Check out juststrings.com for tension info.

Once you are done, you may have to adjust the nut height for the thicker strings: if the string rides a little higher in the slot, the guitar will sound perfectly in tune on open strings, but a little sharp any time you finger a fret because you are actually depressing the string plus the length of the fret(s) PLUS the amount that the string is riding high in the nut. It's a very common complaint on 12-strings: don't blame the strings, tuners or intonation at the bridge. You must get the nut height right first.