TI Benson 14s on a Telecaster?

[Rob MacKillop]

I gave it a try this morning, putting a set of Thomastik George Benson 14s on my Fender 1951 AVII, but tuned a tone lower.

The fattest sound I’ve ever played! Yet clear enough through the Henriksen Blu.

The truss rod required no adjustment, thankfully, and the nut grooves seem happy.

I did have to cut the threaded part of the strings to save having too many turns on the tuners, but so far no worries. The strings settled into pitch quite quickly.

Sounds great for both single-note runs and chords. Yes, everything is down a tone, requiring a simple mind change, or changing the iReal Pro key.

So far so good. Anyone else given this a try?

[Jthompson48]

Interesting... did you tune lower over concern for tension on the neck or your fingers?

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Yes, everything is down a tone, requiring a simple mind change, or changing the iReal Pro key…So far so good. Anyone else given this a try?

It’s a great and time honored trick, Rob. Stevie Ray Vaughan used 13-58 GHS on his Strat and dropped half a step, both for the bigger tone and for easier bending. A lot of our icons dropped at least the E6, eg Ted Greene, Jim Hall, Johnny Smith.

I’ve always used heavy flats on solids at standard tune. When I played 6s, I often drooped E6 to D. Because I used the same guitar for most gigs, I put the E1 from the set in the B slot and an 11 in the E1 for easier bending and deeper finger vibrato.

You’ve said that finger strength has been a recent issue for you, so I assume this is part of the reason you’re trying it. But if you’re concerned about the tension of standard tune with heavy strings, don’t be. Standard strings when we were kids were 13-56 or 14-58, and Fenders handled them with no difficulty. Heavy Bensons are softer to the touch and less tense than any flats we used back in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

[GuyBoden]

Rob, I have 14-17-20-28-38-48 on my Tele copy, heavy treble and low bass gauge, I bought single strings.

Not standard tuning, because I always tune in 4ths using E-A-D-G-C-F.

No neck problems using these gauge strings on my cheap Tele copy.

[kris]

I use on my Tele GHS Custom Pat Martino 16s.

[Freddels]

Tim Lurch uses heavy strings on his tele's and tunes down a whole step.

[Rob MacKillop]

Lots of interesting comments there. Queue up, gentlemen, and await your reply…

jthompson48 - I have four ‘jazz’ guitars currently, and like them all to be different, and I include the tele as a jazz guitar. I did play slide and blues on it, but soon realised I was better at that when I was 14 and really ‘going for it’. That was 52 years ago. But for much of my adult life I was a lute player who had a preference from French Baroque pitch - 392 - which is a tone below standard, and I also preferred lower-tension strings there too. So, tuning regular strings down a tone would necessitate raising the action, which I’d already set a little higher than the guitar came with, so I thought the Benson 14s, which are my favourite strings, would suit for tuning down and giving me a tension I could work with.

NeverDavie - include Tim Learch in that list of 392-ers. This ’51 Tele has a good thick solid maple neck, so I think it can handle high tension.

Guy - I didn’t know you were an All-4ths player. Good for you. I know it makes sense, but I am trying to simplify my life these days. So you use a 14 for your first string, and then tune it UP to F? Hard core! Respect

Kris - Respect too. 16s! I knew Pat used them, but thought no one else but he and Muddy Waters would be so crazy as to use them. Only joking! How are they to play? BTW, they sound great, as do you!

[Rob MacKillop]

PS Fred - you made your comment while I was writing the above. Yes, Tim too. Wise man!

[GuyBoden]

I use on my Tele GHS Custom Pat Martino 16s.

Kris, that sounds great and fantastic playing.

A big tone with those big strings.

[Rob MacKillop]

IIRC, our own Jim Soloway plays down a tone too.

[jads57]

Tried it back in the early 1970’s on an early 60’s Tele. Man did that ever hurt my fingers,Lol!
At my older age of 68, I’m lucky to be able to play 11-50 on a longer scale solid body.

Does seem to sound great!