Les, I've installed medium Dean Markley Vintage Bronzes on mine ("MED" set) and it seems happy, although I may try out other medium-gauge sets to experiment. It's even happier detuned (all strings down 2 steps, drop-D, DADGAD, etc) when it gets a nice deep sound, and the thicker strings stop the string-slap from the lower tension.

I believe most guitar shops use lightish strings as a matter of course - 11's seem to be fairly standard.

Re guest's post, the new strings will certainly sound different - all new strings do. I've not noticed that steel strings have much of a "settling-in" time; I've had some nylon strings though which sounded way too jangly to start with but mellowed out nicely after a month or two. Not an issue here, just as an aside.

Graham.