Question about Springs

[ubik55]

Hey guys I got a Parker that came installed with an 11 gauge spring. Also I think it has 10-46 gauge strings currently on it. As far as I know an 11 gauge spring is perfectly fine to use with both 10 and 11 gauge strings. Am I right on this? Just wanted to double check with you guys.

[Patzag]

Hey guys I got a Parker that came installed with an 11 gauge spring. Also I think it has 10-46 gauge strings currently on it. As far as I know an 11 gauge spring is perfectly fine to use with both 10 and 11 gauge strings. Am I right on this? Just wanted to double check with you guys.

Should be fine. The spring tension is "approximate" and "optimal" but your 11 should definitely be usable with 10 strings.

[Patzag]

I would also check with the seller as he may have the extra spring and hope to sell it separately. Unfortunately a maybe-common practice these days!

[mmmguitar]

+1 to everything Pat said.

Anecdotally, I've used a 9 spring for 8s, 10 for 9s, 11 for 10s, etc. without issue. The action of the 11 spring feeling "stiffer" than the 10 it temporarily replaced was the only quirk I noticed, and that may well have been my imagination or somehow specific to that guitar. The spring rating system was not only imprecise, but ignores the inevitable degradation of the spring itself. That's why I'd personally prefer to avoid buying any Fly springs until VJ's labor of love can put an improved design in my guitars.

I'm actually using 11s on three of my non-Parkers, now (My four Flys are all still 10-46); and am not really looking forward to the prospect of hunting for 11-rated springs, should my preferences continue to lean that way. I'll let you all know.

[Voice Of Reason]

Anecdotally, I've used a 9 spring for 8s, 10 for 9s, 11 for 10s, etc. without issue. The action of the 11 spring feeling "stiffer" than the 10 it temporarily replaced was the only quirk I noticed, and that may well have been my imagination or somehow specific to that guitar. The spring rating system was not only imprecise, but ignores the inevitable degradation of the spring itself.

Hiya there.

I’m thinking of finally ditching the 10-52s I’ve had since forever… for a custom set.

I was thinking of something like this:
09 - 13 - 17 - 26 - 36 - 50
(Which is about 103-104 lbs of tension)

Do you guys think I could get by without have another nut recut?* I do use the whammy quite a bit (down only).
* (main issues are the A and D strings - from 0.030 to 0.026 and 0.042 to 0.036)

[mmmguitar]

@Voice Of Reason, I think going to a lighter gauge would prove a nut issue only in the case of the slots having worn lower in the meantime (which will eventually happen through trem use, regardless of gauge). It's one of those things you'd need to just test to see what you can get away with (unless it's so visually obvious that you just go "nope" when you look at it).