Heaviest practical string gauge for a bender?

[kctelegas]

I assume most bender players desire lighter strings, so this probably seems like a dumb question.

I bought my first solid body guitar a couple of years ago--a Fender DuoSonic that came with .010 -.046 strings.
A while later I got a Telecaster (with the intent of installing a B bender, which has been done). The Tele came with a .090 - .042 set.
The 9s were too light--I was pulling notes out of tune too easily, and had hardly any sensation of the string under my finger. I put a set of .010 - .046 half rounds on the Tele which was a marked improvement.

I should add here that I have an old fingertip injury on the index finger of my left hand, which makes it difficult to fret cowboy chords without touching and muting the adjacent strings. This has never caused me any problems before when playing bass because of the wider string spacing and heavier strings. I use flats on all my basses. (I am forging ahead regardless of the deformity, determined to find a way.)

The other day I put a set of .011 - .050 flatwounds on the DuoSonic and the improvement in tactility has me wondering about the Telecaster now.
The flatwounds set : .011, .015, .022w, .030, .040, .050. (D'Addario). I can buy single plains up to .018, which I could use for the G if the wound string is too stiff. On the DuoSonic I can only bend the wound G about a half step.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

 

[brookdalebill]

I have used D’Addarrio XL Heavy (12,16,20,32,42,54) with both of my Hipshot-equipped guitars for about 20 years.
They work perfectly for me.

I don’t have tuning issues, and I get about three gigs out of a fresh set.
The unwound strings never break, or sound dull, though I seem to kill the wound strings with about 12 hours of playing (three gigs) time.
I have used the same gauges with Fender/Parsons-Green benders, with good results, too.

 

[kuch]

10's on all my electrics. I put that s*** on everything....

 

[NoTeleBob]

I don't think you'll be doing any BB King "four frets worth" bends with anything larger than 10's. Even with big hands and fingers there are just physical limits. But if your bending is just steps and half steps, you could push 11's up there.

 

[kctelegas]

I have used D’Addarrio XL Heavy (12,16,20,32,42,54) with both of my Hipshot-equipped guitars for about 20 years.
They work perfectly for me.

I don’t have tuning issues, and I get about three gigs out of a fresh set.
The unwound strings never break, or sound dull, though I seem to kill the wound strings with about 12 hours of playing (three gigs) time.
I have used the same gauges with Fender/Parsons-Green benders, with good results, too.

Well that certainly challenges my assumptions. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Rick Towne]

10-12-15-34-32-42 with Glaser and Parsons benders.

I need the 15 for whole tone bends that I can hold within the chord and then bend the b separately.