12s vs 13s

[zuzu]

Considering going to mediums. I play the 12 sets, but little e I replace with a 13. Any tendencies or characteristic differences between them that may be described with words? Or you just gotta put them on and see?

[AcousticDreams]

It depends on the player's style, strength that he plucks, and of course the guitar shape.

For softer players, (say fingerstyle) the lighter touch allows the lighter gauge strings to still vibrate.

For harder players( like myself) 13's teens will still vibrate generously.
For instance a Blue grass or rock heavy strummer, 13's may give you more sparkle/ edge/attack on each note. And of course..usually louder.

Yet some of us...can still use 13's for Fingerstyle. I do a combo of fingerstyle and heavy strumming. But again..I pluck harder.

Dreadnoughts tend to perform well with 13teens.
You should also check with your manufacturer. Some guitars are only built to take 12's. The guitar is designed lightly.
Most standard companies, Larrivee, Martin, Taylor, Guild will take 13's.

The best of both worlds:
Medium Round core strings give you nearly the tension of medium Hexcore strings ( about 3% less) So you get all of the edge/attack/sparkle of Hexcores, yet the depress easier. So they feel easier to finger. Roundcores also keep the level of sustain up longer. The length of time they sustain is the same as Hexcores...but the Level of the sustain stays at a higher level during the duration.

Some Roundcore brands to try:
Sunbeams by Dr Strings are usually the first choice to try. Very inexpensive and available throughout the US. They sound very good on rosewood guitars...for some reason not as good on mahogany.
My choice is Newtone Roundcore masterclass. However..you have to order direct from England..and takes 2 to 4 weeks to get.
Curt Mangan roundcore...USA made strings..so you can order direct.

[J Patrick]

It’s pretty guitar dependent for me. I always prefer the lighter tension of 12’s for ease of play but I find the higher tension of 13’s brings the best out of some guitars….usually larger guitars like Dreadnoughts and such.

[sinistral]

I find that builders and manufacturers are pretty good at spec’ing the string gauges that work best for a particular instrument. The only guitars I own that have medium gauge strings on them are dreadnoughts. Even guitars with standard scales but smaller bodies (OMs, Grand Auditoriums, etc.) have light gauge strings. The only exception I can think of with guitars I own is the GS Mini, but the super short scale compensates for the heavier gauge strings.

With guitars with a big soundboards like dreadnoughts or super jumbos, In my experience, the tension of medium strings helps to drive the top. To me, those guitars sounds fuller, louder and more responsive with medium gauge strings. Some companies such as the Pre-War Guitars Co. put medium strings on their 000s. While the 5/16” braces can handle them, I find a 000 to be plenty responsive with light strings, and prefer the combination of light strings and short-scale for string bends, etc.

As you point out, it an inexpensive experiment to try different gauges of strings. Of course, there are lots of variations—medium lights, low-tension strings, round-core strings, etc., so you might find a heavier gauge set of strings that you like the sound of but which don’t necessarily have the taut feel of medium gauge strings.

[Robin, Wales]

This really is something that you have to work out for yourself.

Personally, I use medium gauge strings an all my guitars. I like the right hand "resistance" against the flatpick or thumb pick and finger picks. I like the string separation and "pop" I can get on bass runs, licks and fills. I like the added punch and volume. And they just suit the way I like to play.

They are not really that heavy. After all, they are just the "medium" gauge. As late as the 1957 catalogue Martin only sold two types of strings for their flattop guitars (from 0 to dread) and that was 80/20s in heavy gauge and monels in medium gauge. https://acousticmusic.org/wp-content...Price-List.pdf

In fact the smaller Martin 0, 00 and 000 as well as the dreads were still coming out the factory with medium strings fitted in 1979 - I've not looked later than that.

[fwellers]

I'm curious about the same. I've been checking into the Larivee p-03 parlor sized guitar.
It has a short 24" scale but is strung with mediums. Larivee says it just works well for it and the guitar is setup for the mediums.
But I'm worried those might be too hard for me to enjoy playing on.
Maybe the short scale helps because of the lower tension??

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by fwellers

I'm curious about the same. I've been checking into the Larivee p-03 parlor sized guitar.
It has a short 24" scale but is strung with mediums. Larivee says it just works well for it and the guitar is setup for the mediums.
But I'm worried those might be too hard for me to enjoy playing on.
Maybe the short scale helps because of the lower tension??

Taylor does the same thing on the GS Mini, although the scale length of the Mini is even shorter (23.5” iirc). Other than the thickness, the strings feel similar to lights on a short scale guitar (25”). While you can put light strings on a Mini, to me at least they feel a little floppy, and they don’t drive the top as well. I’m sure you could put light strings on the Larrivée parlor—maybe you’ll notice a difference and maybe you won’t. I suspect that the mediums don’t feel so taut or heavy given the short scale length.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by zuzu

…Or you just gotta put them on and see?

Hi zuzu…
You are onto something with this…

Your guitar, your style, your hands…just give them a try. And there is every chance that just switching set without correcting the action will give inaccurate results. Do you plan to bump the 1st string to a .014?

Even when I was younger (I'm 74½ yrs old), the only time I'd put .013 on my guitar (at that time a Martin D-28) was when the store was out of .012 in my preferred brand/formula.

And if they didn't get my weight back in stock, I shopped elsewhere (I was changing strings every other week back then).

I still bump the weight of the 1st string with my guitars, because my ring finger on the picking hand is stronger than my middle finger, and with a lighter first string, the same note played on both is somewhat wimpy on the 1st till I bump it up a weight.

String choice is personal because of our unique styles, and our guitars.

Have fun deciding…

[fwellers]

Originally Posted by sinistral

Taylor does the same thing on the GS Mini, although the scale length of the Mini is even shorter (23.5” iirc). Other than the thickness, the strings feel similar to lights on a short scale guitar (25”). While you can put light strings on a Mini, to me at least they feel a little floppy, and they don’t drive the top as well. I’m sure you could put light strings on the Larrivée parlor—maybe you’ll notice a difference and maybe you won’t. I suspect that the mediums don’t feel so taut or heavy given the short scale length.

That is exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you.
Of course I'll need to try them myself, but funny thing about trying guitars out.
I think adrenaline comes into play and things that may bother me later don't bother me at all.

My sense is that Larivee knows how to make an easy plucking parlor.

[Br1ck]

It was a revelation when my D 35 Custom came to me from Bryan Kimsey strung with .013s. It was very easy to play. The neck relief was .004. This needs very good fretwork. A fret level won't hurt. Ever. Take you my guitar plays great in for a Luther or Plek job and see just how much it can be improved.

[bobbyg67]

Stills,Clapton and Neil young all use 12's-53 or 54 which translate to light. They all get pretty good tone. Seems like 13' are more common with bluegrass but everybody's different. Some even use hybrid sets.

[musicman1951]

I used 13s on my dread (back when I had a younger shoulder) and I usually used a pick. I did finger pick the dread, but never happily as it required more right hand pressure than I was comfortable offering.

I never use them on my 000s.

[Jim Comeaux]

I am pretty new to guitar and I’m at a stage where I am experimenting with strings. I am doing a very non scientific test/trial trying out some Elixer PB’s and 80/20’s. The only problem is that these Elixers last forever or are reported to do. I am basing that on what I have been told about these strings and a number of postings here and elsewhere. I guess that I am used to the cheap non coated kinds that mabe, just maybe will last a month, and if these Elixers last twice as long it will take me eight months to go through all 4 permutations of gauge and composition.

[Silly Moustache]

Strings, like picks are a personal choice. Really personal .... like underpants.

I put mediums on dreads, archtops and my reso, and lights on 000,00,0 etc.

As my dreads are all Collings, and thought to be brighter than, say, Martins, I used to swaqp out the 1st and 2nd with lights.
Then one day I didn't bother, Anyone want a box of 12s and 16s?

I only flatpick on my dreads, and can use a pick on my 000 and my WL12 (but don't much).

My 00 and 0 - fingernails only.

Them's my underpants, er, I mean my personal choice.