Moving up to 12's on a HBii?

[22Top]

So for my solo stuff, it works out better for me to detune to D standard. I believe my voice is a bass. Someone said profundo or something like that once.

Anyway I detuned my HBii, but it's a bit floppy.

Can I go up to 12s without changing the nut?

Also: anyone play flats on a HBii? I've got a set of chromes I might try before bumping up to 12s

 

[bodia]

So for my solo stuff, it works out better for me to detune to D standard. I believe my voice is a bass. Someone said profundo or something like that once.

Anyway I detuned my HBii, but it's a bit floppy.

Can I go up to 12s without changing the nut?

Also: anyone play flats on a HBii? I've got a set of chromes I might try before bumping up to 12s

At 12s I'd think you may need to file the slots. That's a pretty hefty gauge. My poor old fingers hate anything past 9s...

 

[shinksma]

I have found moving up a single gauge doesn't often need any tweaks to nut or truss rod, except maybe some lubrication for the nut. YMMV of course.

But if you do have to widen the slots, it is only to stop pinging etc - it isn't a thing that will cause cats to live with dogs, mass hysteria, etc. Just an annoyance that you can correct later if you want to stay with 12s.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Can I go up to 12s without changing the nut?

Yes, absolutely. You may need to file it down, but I'd do it, in fact...

Also: anyone play flats on a HBii?

Ooh, there's a thought. I've been playing flatwounds on my archtops lately, and quite liking the feel of it, I will definitely have to give that a go. I've got a couple different sets I can try.

In fact, I'll have to try it on my SC-J, for that matter.

 

[Huggy Love]

I've done the flat wound thing on my HB II and it didn't really translate that well IMO. It did smooth out the attack of the lower strings but it didn't do that much for pronounced mids or that "jazz box" sound I was trying to achieve, your results may vary doing a detuned thing, but I just went back to round wounds.

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

I agree with Huggy above and I will add this. I found the Thomastik Infeld Jazz strings to be all that and a bag of chips. I use them exclusively on my HBII and there Spectrums on my acoustics. You pay more for them, but they work.

 

[bodia]

I'll let you in on a little secret....check out Sono-Tone strings. The real deal! Period. End of sentence.

http://www.sono-tone.com

 

[dogrocketp]

For my 2 pence- try D`Addario half round 12`s. I use them on my thinner hollow bodies.