String Guage Question for a newb!

[Trill]

I am pretty new to guitar. I bought this guitar

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Showmaster-Quilt-HH-Electric-Guitar-?sku=511329

It came with .09 guage strings. The guitar has a set neck. I was wanting to know if I put .10 or .11 guage strings on it, if it would hurt my neck. I like to tune to Eb. I would like to get a little more depth in my tone with some heavier strings but I don't want to ruin my guitar. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for such a newbie question.

Trill

[ez-one]

I don't see why it would, but I would suggest taking to a shop and let them do the change over and setup, when you change the gage of strings, you need to have the guitar recalabrated and adj. heavier gaged strings sit a little higher on the bridge and nut, and apply more tension to a truss rod. So some ajustments are sometimes necessary. SOme people do their own setups and stuff, but for me I figure the 30 or 40 bucks that it cost to have a tech do it and put it on a scope is worth it.

[marshallTSL]

let the tech do it the first time, then when you need to change strings, you can do it, with the same ones he used. Last think you wanna do is mess up that gourgous new guitar you got, practice setting up a guitar on a peice of junk if you have one first.

[Trill]

Thanks a lot for your help. I will take your advice and let a tech set it up. I really like this guitar. (Well, it's my first). It's has really nice action and I bought it for $100 less than what that site has it. I just hope I can learn to play it!

Any suggestion on .10 or .11 guage? I really like rock to hard rock to blues. I would like a little more grit out of the heavier guage but don't want to make it too hard for me to play.

Thanks again for the help,

Trill

[jb007]

All you have to change is the action and truss rod tension right?

[Trill]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what guage I should try. Do you think .11's would be too hard to bend? I am thinking of going with the .10's but would like to know what some of the more experienced players think.

Thanks to all,

Trill

[ez-one]

I personally use 10's on my guitars. You can still bend them fairly easily, I have 12's on a guitar that I have set up for accoustic slide, and people like David can probably bend them pretty easy, but they are way to stiff for me.

[Bounty]

Nice guitar. I like the colors. I usually use .11's on my ibanez (simular to yours) with an .11 gauge you will most likely get a wound G string. I for one really like the sound of a wound G. I did just put .10's on this guitar and love it. The heavery the gauge the harder to push the strings around. It is like when you first start playing you have a hard time. This is simular but much easyer to over come. You shouldn't need much set up if your guitar is already set up. I had to do some minor stuff. I've also been playing with my guitars for a while now. Try the heavyer strings. Your neck will be able to take it. You shouldn't have to have your truss adjusted. You might get some fret buzz. If so either post a help in the tech section of the forum or PM me and I'll give you some links on step by step how to do this. It is really a fairly minor thing to adjust your action a tad and fix your intonation if its out. I would check the intonation before changing the strings. It should stay the same when you put the .11s on. Here is a link for intonation and well a bunch of other stuff. :D somebody on this forum (I can't remember who) sent it to me and it was very helpful.

http://projectguitar.com/tut/intonate.htm

[Trill]

Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me. I'm glad I found this site with so many nice and helpful people.

Thanks again,

Trill