Thanks to everyone for your replies, your advice is most welcome!
I switched to 11's, mostly because my teacher said that semis really like heavy gauge strings, and here are my impressions.
-Once again I realise that gauge does make a difference, a slight one but still can be noticable. First time I had realised it with my Ibanez (HSH) years ago when I went from 9's to 10's because the 1st (9) sound too thin, and it helped a little.
-Semis indeed like heavier strings especially for those clean or crunchier tones! Although the Asat's scale causes great tension on the strings and makes me try harder when I bend. But then again my fingers soon came to get used to string tension and in time they grow stronger.
-What impressed me most is that I noticed great difference on my Strat. It's a '72 RI MIJ (I guess it's a '90-'91 model from the SN), it has the stock pcups which are low output I believe, low profile frets, and it was set up with EB 10s. I set it up with a set of EB Power Slinky (11's) and I immediately noticed quite a difference, made it sound fuller. Later on I switched to EB Beefy Slinky (the 1st and 2nd are from 11s set while the rest, 4th to 6th, go even heavier) and really struck me. But my fingers can only handle up to standard 11's so I had to compromise. Maybe the bigger difference was emphasized because of the low ouput pcups? (I'm no expert I just make assumptions)
My conclusion: Although 11s need more effort I prefer to have that little improvement in tone coz I play mostly crunch and clean, and it also forces me to try even harder and feel the instrument.
Some questions:
JonL
On my vintage Strat, the frets are worn way down and I don't like to play that guitar with as heavy a touch,
My Strat also has low profile frets does this make it even harder to play and bend on a heavy set of strings?
Johnny Guest
I played an ASAT standard for years (3 fret jobs)
Does your ASAT have a maple or rosewood fingerboard?
Someone once told me that it is more difficult to change frets on a maple than on a rosewood.
Mine has a birdseye maple fretboard. Will it be difficult or "harsh" for the fingerboard to change frets once the need comes up?
Sorry if I wrote too much