13's vs 12's? Significant sound difference?

[vindibona1]

I've pretty much been using 12's across the board and overall pretty happy. But then there's my Taylor 614ce. I'm getting pretty close to the sound I want with some DR Veritas strings. Overall sound quality is very good, but I want just that bit more projection and a little more bass.

In your experience, do you think just up-sizing the string gauge one notch will bring me closer to the above stated goals?

[kydave]

I can come at it from the opposite direction, in that I've always used mediums...

Using .012 strings diminished sound across the board. I also don't like the way they feel under my fingers.

This is from a couple times I have had hand injuries (unrelated to guitar playing) which kept me from playing for long enough to have to build back up... 2-3 months in each case. So I used lights briefly, but very briefly.

Hope that helps some.

[SFCRetired]

To me there is not that much difference but I do suggest trying some out, strings are cheap and you may find you like them and they give you what you're looking for.

[Earl49]

Agree with Dave. I used lights (12's) for many years because that is what my guitars came with, and was "the norm". At some point, I put on a few trial sets of mediums (13's) and noticed more tone and more bass. The added tension just drives the tops harder, and benefits *most* guitars. Some guitars will get choked tonally by the extra tension, and some older guitars cannot handle the extra tension, so it varies.

You can split the difference and use medium-lights, which have medium gauges on the bass three and light gauge on the treble side. When I started using altered tunings that lowered strings 5 and 6, that was my intermediate step. But eventually, I switched over almost entirely to medium sets. I'm slowly using up the light sets that have accumulated.

[sdelsolray]

Going up a gauge (e.g., a light gauge set to a medium gauge set) will usually increase amplitude, will likely adjust the ratio of amplitudes among the fundamental and some of the overtones and will likely shorten or modify the decay envelope. None of these change will be large, but they are discernible.

[kydave]

Originally Posted by Earl49

Agree with Dave. I used lights (12's) for many years because that is what my guitars came with, and was "the norm". At some point, I put on a few trial sets of mediums (13's) and noticed more tone and more bass. The added tension just drives the tops harder, and benefits *most* guitars. Some guitars will get choked tonally by the extra tension, and some older guitars cannot handle the extra tension, so it varies.

You can split the difference and use medium-lights, which have medium gauges on the bass three and light gauge on the treble side. When I started using altered tunings that lowered strings 5 and 6, that was my intermediate step. But eventually, I switched over almost entirely to medium sets. I'm slowly using up the light sets that have accumulated.

I guess part of this mix is what guitars one plays and what is the "norm" in one's circles.

For me, Martins always came with mediums and that was the norm among all the pickers I ran with.

Also, just to throw into the mix, Martin makes a true medium/light set. It is not the type that Earl describes above, but an actual split on all six strings.

Instead of a .012" or .013 for the high E, it is .0125. The low E is a .055" instead of a .054" or .056". The other strings likewise split the dif.

[Legolas1971]

I played .12's for quite some time and thought they were fine until I put
.13's on. For my ears the change was dramatic. I won't ever use anything
lighter; especially on Martins.

[dcmey]

I don't like mediums. I can use them but I prefer the .12's to them. There isn't much difference in volume and you get better overtones, and will probably slow down the need for a neck reset.

[zmf]

Depends on what strings the guitar was designed for.

[Robert1950]

Not for me. My aging fingertips do NOT like 13s. 13s, never again. Actually I prefer 11s. So much more playable. The difference in sound is NOT worth the trade off in playability.

[vindibona1]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose I'm going to have to try a set of 13's to find out.

I'm finding it very interesting that while my Martin D-35 is *very* sensitive to string changes, it is much harder to change up the sound on my Taylor 614ce. I'm trying to get a bit closer to the 814ce sound by increasing the bass and projection and yet retaining some extra crispness. The DR Veritas 12's get me closer than Elixir, Martin or the DR Sunbeams or Rares. I'm thinking that 13's will just provide that extra something I've been looking for on this guitar. The original owner used 13's, but I went to 12's... but subsequently had the neck shimmed for lowered string height.I know that the Elixir HD lights did absolutely nothing for the sound that 12's didn't do. Thinking it's time to move up to Veritas 13's for a cycle.

Thanks for helping me think this through. Gonna go order a set and see if it makes a difference.

[5th Element]

Coming from electric, lights were a challenge for a while and I figured mediums were out of reach. I put some Pearse New Mediums on my E10OM last week and am acclimating fine. The main thing is the sound, more authority, tighter bass on low E, better balanced trebles, and perhaps other things. It could be confirmation bias, but I'd describe it as an upgraded version of the same guitar. Too bad there aren't more varieties of true/new mediums, but I have a couple other flavors on-hand to try out.

Not ready to go there yet with the dread. It has a longer scale/higher tension, and its size alone is a bit of a struggle. I've tried bluegrass sets on it and the Eastman and it seemed like 'all pain, no gain.'

[SFCRetired]

One thing I have found is that you can't make a guitar sound like one up the food chain by changing strings. But your experience may be different so I still suggest trying some out.

I put 12's on my HD28 to tone it down some, and while it did tone it down some the change in volume or tone wasn't dramatic. YMMV

[Silly Moustache]

Ej17s for dreads, my National and archtops.
Ej16s for anything smaller.
but- as my Collings 12fret dreads don't "need" medium trebles - I swap out for Elixir 12 & 16s, whilst retaining a good strong 26 G etc.

[Brucebubs]

It's a guitar thing.
I have one guitar that likes ANY strings .... as long as they're 12's.
I have another guitar that's very fussy, sounds unbalanced with 12's but great with 11's.

Haven't tried 13's on anything.