Thomastik 0.14-55 on Ibanen Pm100 ??? Too much tension ?

**jkstigma** · 01-01-2015, 12:55 AM

Hello my friends,
Wish you a happy new year !!!

I am playing with thomastik bebob 013.
My guitar is an Ibanez Pm 100 (pat metheny)

Do you think that is safe to replace them with 0.14 -.55 set or maybe is too much tension for the neck ?

**Para** · 01-01-2015, 05:13 AM

The neck should probably take the tension with the truss rod adjusted but the nut slots will need recutting and one thing to consider is if you decide to go back to lighter strings the nut slots will probably be to loose, you must have stronger hands than me 13's is my limit.

**oldane** · 01-01-2015, 07:18 AM

The guitar should take those strings just fine if the guitar is structurally healthy. Just adjust the truss rod.

As for the nut slots, they may well be wide enough as is. FWIW, I use 15-56 on two guitars and haven't needed widening the slots.

The heavier strings need not be harder to play because the action can be set lower. Besides, one will quickly adapt to the heavier strings provided one doesn't have problems with arthritis, tendinitis etc.

**Para** · 01-01-2015, 12:30 PM

A PM100 from new would probably have had 11's so unless the nut was recut for the 13's it's unlikely 14's will fit without some work, unless the strings sit properly in the slot it will cause problems.

**jkstigma** · 01-02-2015, 03:06 AM

i think that the nut slots are wide enough for 0.14

but i am not sure if the neck tension is enough for 0.14 strings, cause i feel like it's all ready get harder to adjust the truss rod for the 0.13. It's not on the limit but its getting harder.

With 0.12 strings was much softer and easier to adjust the neck

ps: i am in love with thomastik

**Jabberwocky** · 01-02-2015, 02:34 PM

Do you really want an overall higher gauge set or do you want heavier E4 and B3 strings?

Some players keep the bottom 4 from a 12 gauge set and replace the top 2 with a 14 and 18 respectively. Perhaps try keeping the bottom 4 from your current 13 gauge set and replace the top 2?

**jkstigma** · 01-03-2015, 01:08 AM

you are right
this is what i really want

i would like to have the E.B.G strings from the 0.14 set
But the problem is the money...
As i said, i am playing with thomastik, and they cost to me almost 15euro.

So,,,if i need 2sets of thomastik every time that i have to replace them ... it's 30e, and that is too much money for me

**oldane** · 01-03-2015, 02:35 AM

You can buy those two unwound top strings separately. It will make no difference if they are from another brand.

**Para** · 01-03-2015, 07:11 AM

Thomastik do individual strings the 14 is £1.50/1.9 Euros and the 18 is £2.30/2.9 Euros but as oldane said the brand doesn't really matter. I'm curious why you want the heavier top strings.

**oldane** · 01-03-2015, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Para

I'm curious why you want the heavier top strings.

I can't speak for the OP, but I use heavy top strings to cut some of the twanginess of those two unwound strings so they balance better sound wise with the (flat)wound strings. It works well with the LaBella 15-56 set.

And to the OP:

...but i am not sure if the neck tension is enough for 0.14 strings, cause i feel like it's all ready get harder to adjust the truss rod for the 0.13. It's not on the limit but its getting harder.

It will always be hard to tighten a truss rod on a guitar with heavy strings tuned up to pitch. Just slacken the strings somewhat, adjust the truss rod (go only 1/8 turn a time) and tune up again.

**Flyin' Brian** · 01-03-2015, 04:05 PM

I see no issue with 14s on a well built guitar....which the Ibanez certainly is.

It seems to be one of those internet driven fallacies like the one that says it's bad to remove all of your strings at once when you replace them because the neck is somehow going to fall apart. If that's true for anyone's guitar then the guitar is probably pretty crappy. Of course the nut may have to be tweaked for the heavier strings but that's not a fault.

I always go back to Howard Roberts as an example... his string gauges were .016, .018, .028, .038, .048, .058 Gibson Mona Steel, Set No. 240 and he had to get heavier gauge B & E strings.

**Jabberwocky** · 01-03-2015, 05:23 PM

www.schneidermusik.de . Single TI strings for sale.

OP, doncha love this forum?

**jkstigma** · 01-04-2015, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by Para

Thomastik do individual strings the 14 is £1.50/1.9 Euros and the 18 is £2.30/2.9 Euros but as oldane said the brand doesn't really matter. I'm curious why you want the heavier top strings.

i really like the fat tone of heavy stings
Thomastik are great strings.. but i would like to have a heavier G string that now its only 021!

However maybe its better to stick with that set, or maybe try to play with flatwound Thomastik

ps: of course i love this forum

**Para** · 01-04-2015, 06:41 AM

A string set is normally balanced, if you change the guage of some of the strings you may have to adjust the pole pieces to balance the string volumes or you may find 1 or 2 strings are much louder than the others.

**jkstigma** · 02-09-2015, 02:23 AM

hey guys i did it

roundwound 0.14-0.55 by thomastik,,,,

They sound GREAT !!

I had to adjust the truss rod just a little(clockwise about 5m).. and the pickup. I had to set the pickup about..1/64 lower

Now the guitar ......its a bit little harder (its harder to make vibrato or playing chord solos) but thats ok ,,,i think i gone use it...because of THAT sound !!!

The sound its great !! I really love it

god bless Thomastik

**Danno1985** · 02-09-2015, 02:43 AM

Originally Posted by jkstigma

hey guys i did it

roundwound 0.14-0.55 by thomastik,,,,

They sound GREAT !!

I had to adjust the truss rod just a little(clockwise about 5m).. and the pickup. I had to set the pickup about..1/64 lower

Now the guitar ......its a bit little harder (its harder to make vibrato or playing chord solos) but thats ok ,,,i think i gone use it...because of THAT sound !!!

The sound its great !! I really love it

god bless Thomastik

Good to hear! I use 14s on my archtop and 12s on my Tele. There are a lot of misconceptions about heavier strings out there, but the reality is that, unless you're playing post-hendrixian, heavy blues stuff with lot of wide-interval bending, you can set heavy strings up very, very low so that you can play with a light touch without buzzing or fretting out, provided the guitar is built well and has a healthy truss rod.

**s1track3d** · 02-09-2015, 03:24 AM

I use Flatwound Thomastik GB114, before I put them on my Peerless I sent them an email and asked if that would be ok, they said 'yes (though, have it set up)' - which I assumed meant adjust the truss rod. No nut work was required, they fit fine. I really like the balance of this set. I wish more string makers would make a set like this...