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If I change String Gauge.....

 
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62strat



Joined: 28 Mar 2005
Posts: 115
Location: Flint, Michigan

PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2005 12:57 am    Post subject: If I change String Gauge..... Reply with quote

If my guitar was set up with 11-50 gauge strings and tuned to 440 (E) and I wanted to change my guage string to 12-56 and tune it to Eb, do you think I would need to adjust my neck before I make the change? Because Yes the heavier guage string will add tension but the dropped tuning will relieve that extra tension RIGHT?

I just hate to adjust the neck on my guitar because you have to take the neck off and it's kinda a pain in the ass to put it on, then it not be right then you have to take it off again and back and forth. This wouldn't be a problem if my guy that normally does my tech work was in town...TURD
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Vaughanabe13



Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 161

PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2005 2:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It really depends on your guitar, but most likely you will need to make truss rod adjustments on the neck and raise/lower the action. Also make sure your nut is cut to fit the 12 gauge strings. I ran into a problem before with the fat strings not being able to fit in the nut slots and I had to learn the hard way that it is NOT good to do that. lol.

But yeah, you'll just have to accept the fact that it will be annoying to adjust the rod. You shouldn't have to take the neck off though... Unscrew the pickguard and put it to the side when you are making adjustments... you should have access to the truss rod without the pickguard on there, and it will make things go much smoother, hopefully. Just remember to make the strings really loose before adjusting the rod. Also make sure you KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING before you adjust the truss rod. An improper adjustment could cause serious warping and snapping problems in the neck.
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62strat



Joined: 28 Mar 2005
Posts: 115
Location: Flint, Michigan

PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2005 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

V-13

What is the exact size of your set of 13's? by that I mean what is each string gauge? cuz my 12's are the ernie ball "NOT EVEN SLINKKY" and those bitched have a pretty big jump from one string to the next, greater then most any other string I have checked out, even Stevies 13's didn't have such a large gauge through the 2-5 strings.

they are 12-16-24p-32-44-56......
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Adam H



Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2005 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Vaughnabe, it really depends on the guitar. If you go to heavier strings, you have to commit to getting the nut slots filed out, and it may not work too well if you have to go back down to a smaller guage. If you've never done it before, get a professional to do it on an instrument that you care about - if you have to get the nut replaced, it could change the feel of the entire guitar. I found this out on my Les Paul, which had a brass nut (ugh) - sounded great, but didn't stay in tune for crap. The Tusq nut I had put in it stays in tune perfectly, but I'll admit, it lost a little of the tone - not much, but I could hear it. If you want to learn how to do it yourself, get a cheap guitar so that if you mess up, you won't cry yourself to sleep at night. I've messed up some beautiful guitars over the last several years... (sigh)

I don't know how you guys feel, but I hate making truss rod adjustments for action - I prefer to get it set with just the slightest relief, and then make action adjustments with the bridge height.

I also found out that when you have to make a truss rod adjustment, just do about an eighth of a turn at a time. A little goes a long way.
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Vaughanabe13



Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 161

PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2005 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, don't ever make truss rod adjustments for the purpose of raising or lowering the action. That is done with each individual bridge saddle.

My string gauges are as follows (but I'm debating on moving down a size so I don't hurt my fingers as much):

D'addario EJ22 (medium)

.13
.17
.22 (this one does not come with the set - I buy seperate unwound G strings because the wound strings are too hard to bend... 22 gauge is the highest I have found in town)
.36
.46
.56

I hope that helps. I think probably the best "SRV style" set of strings are the GHS 12 gauges
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Blind Melon Chitlin



Joined: 01 Feb 2005
Posts: 56
Location: Austin Texas, Earth!

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't be concerned about string guage right now. Fighting with your guitar is just going to be an unwanted distraction from honing your playing skills. Additionally, there's a real good chance you'll get tendonitis from squeezing the neck too hard etc. There are no prizes awarded for trashing your hands with macho string guages. And if your hands aren't sturdy enough you're gonna have problems later. Count on it.

Right now heavier strings are just going to make your guitar harder to play. I know that's a point of pride for some people but when you screw your hands up, you'll be shaking your head wondering why you did it. I'd go with a set of .010s--at concert pitch--or .011s detuned a half step. Medium guage strings can produce some pretty fat tones, and, the less you have to fight the instrument the easier it will be to get better at playing it.

You've got a solid rig. Any pro could gig with it and get some happening tones to boot. As your playing improves so will your tone. Forget about strings and pickups (for the next year at least) and just play. All that other shit is just a distraction right now. Put your energy into getting better. If six weeks go by without seeing any progress, go take some guitar lessons.
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62strat



Joined: 28 Mar 2005
Posts: 115
Location: Flint, Michigan

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blind Melon Chitlin check your private messages.......
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