Neck Adjustment For Different Strings

[robertscott]

Hi all,

 

I'm fairly certain my LP DC has 9s on it, and I'd like to change them to 10s.

 

Will I need to get the neck adjusted if I do? Also, any recommendation on brands?

 

Thanks

[capmaster]

The stock strings usually are "mixed" extra light top/light bottom strings .009" - .046" with treble strings matching a .009" set amd bass strings from a .010" set.

 

Switching to .010" - .046" may perhaps take a regrooving of the treble strings' nut grooves and call for a moderate tightening (clockwise) of the truss-rod nut. Stabilizing may take several days. My guess for a 60's Slim Taper neck would be around 30...40 degrees of tightening if the neck relief is fine now.

 

It's not easy to recommend a string brand without knowing your likes of feel and tone. I think the talk is about roundwounds here. For instance, nickel wounds sound darker and feel softer than nickel-plated steel wounds. In case the plain strings of them both are of same make what unfortunately is often the case, this will also affect the overall sonic balance.

 

I love very bright strings since they bring most out of any guitar and attenuating abundances is easier than boosting deficiencies. They also deliver most sustain due to less loss from inner friction. I would try Gibson Brite Wires. They are by the way very nice on Fenders, too!

[L5Larry]

I doubt a change from 9's to 10's on your LP DC will take any adjustments of any kind. Put a set on and see how it plays, intonates, holds in tune, etc.

 

If you notice any problems after the string gauge change... then have the adjustments made. If not... Rock On!

[RockyA]

Yeah, agree with L5, you might want to try Gibson Brite Wire .10-.46.....They are factory strings and I get them in 5 pack from Sweetwater, they also include 2 sets of extra E and B strings. String them up and intonate them, stretch the strings good. Wait a couple of days, then place the guitar in playing position, hold down the Low E at 1st Fret and with little finger hold down low E at 15th fret. tap low E at 7th Fret and if it bounces the relief is fine. Then do the same thing for the High E, if it bounces at the 7th fret, the relief is fine. Like L5 said I doubt very seriously there would be any change if relief with that light of strings. 11 thru 13 then definitely you would need to adjust the neck. You can also use a set of feeler gages and capo the low E at 1st Fret while holding down the last fret and with a .012 feeler gage check the gap between 7th fret and bottom of the string.

[robertscott]

that's great, guys. Thank you so much

[capmaster]

I doubt a change from 9's to 10's on your LP DC will take any adjustments of any kind. Put a set on and see how it plays, intonates, holds in tune, etc.

 

If you notice any problems after the string gauge change... then have the adjustments made. If not... Rock On!

I don't think you would await if problems may occur. They will. Seriously. I'm sure you know!

 

 

Yeah, agree with L5, you might want to try Gibson Brite Wire .10-.46.....They are factory strings and I get them in 5 pack from Sweetwater, they also include 2 sets of extra E and B strings. String them up and intonate them, stretch the strings good. Wait a couple of days, then place the guitar in playing position, hold down the Low E at 1st Fret and with little finger hold down low E at 15th fret. tap low E at 7th Fret and if it bounces the relief is fine. Then do the same thing for the High E, if it bounces at the 7th fret, the relief is fine. Like L5 said I doubt very seriously there would be any change if relief with that light of strings. 11 thru 13 then definitely you would need to adjust the neck. You can also use a set of feeler gages and capo the low E at 1st Fret while holding down the last fret and with a .012 feeler gage check the gap between 7th fret and bottom of the string.

Increasing string tension by about 11.7% via changing .009" - .046" to .010" - .046" or about 23.4% via going from .009" - .042" to .010" - .046" will change relief of next to all necks. It is about adding a force of 45 N respectively 90 N to the neck. No mahogany Les Paul neck will take that without curving forward.

 

The longer you wait, the longer it will take until the neck has settled. Immediate action after changing strings one by one may achieve it within seven to ten days, waiting may take a multiple of its time until stability. Some subtle corrections may be required during the following months. You can never perdict exactly how a correction will take effect in the long run.

 

I changed strings to heavier gauges on 21 guitars and six basses between 2012 and 2014. Mahogany/rosewood is fastest in settling, maple/maple takes about twice the time - three weeks -, regardless if one-piece and flatsawn (e. g. Fender) or quarter-sawn (Gibson L6S).

 

Finally, when seen the other way round, none of my guitars is reasonably playable without readjustment when tuned one semitone flat meaning 12.2% less string tension. They all have fret buzz like hell.

 

On the other hand, relief is stable for years within +/- .001" or .0254 mm, slightly more than the width of a human hair, including changes of season. Perhaps I should add I always keep all of my guitars and basses precisely tuned.

[Roach]

once you do decide on a brand, it is good to stay with that brand as manufacturers have differences and the thickness of the "core" wire can have an effect on how much magnetic pull the pickups have especially with a very low action set up. a pick up height adjustment may have to be made if you get a brand with a thick core wire and depending on how it is wrapped, or wound. so changing brands can affect your set up and going to 10's if your action is low now could require raising action to avoid buzzing.

[capmaster]

once you do decide on a brand, it is good to stay with that brand as manufacturers have differences and the thickness of the "core" wire can have an effect on how much magnetic pull the pickups have especially with a very low action set up. a pick up height adjustment may have to be made if you get a brand with a thick core wire and depending on how it is wrapped, or wound. so changing brands can affect your set up and going to 10's if your action is low now could require raising action to avoid buzzing.

My general experience says that variations in the make of wound strings, even subtle ones not even affecting intonation, may rather cause a different buzz behaviour than different gauges. As you pointed out, wound wire will affect tone and volume, as well due to material as to wrap/core diameter ratio. This is why finding strings where wounds and plains match is not easy.

 

The differences between plains are in a possible, very thin coat only. The main mass of plains and the core wires of wounds are virtually the same since about 170 years. In 1844 they started refining piano wire in Vienna, Austria, since composers demanded louder grand pianos. The basic string wire recipe developed in 1391 in Augsburg, Germany, had not been altered for over 450 years. Further improvements were done in Manchester, England, during the late 1840's. The alloys delivering the required tensile strength are strikingly close, and they are strictly standardized all around the world. I think the latest changes about some hundredth percent of some elements have been added about thirty years ago.

 

Making plain strings already is an art, making wound strings even more. I think string makers deserve a high level of esteem. I witnessed workers making wound strings in a factory nearby during the 1980's. What an admirable task, and I just beat the hell out of their products since decades! ;)

[Roach]

im good friends with this guy, http://scalardesigns.com/ There some string info there...

[Pesh]

I'm overly-cautious with these things, so whenever I've changed a gauge I've gone through a set-up; even when switching a G 17 steel to an 18 wound string. It all affects it; more tension can't have no effect, even if it can't be seen, or isn't obvious.

[capmaster]

I'm overly-cautious with these things, so whenever I've changed a gauge I've gone through a set-up; even when switching a G 17 steel to an 18 wound string. It all affects it; more tension can't have no effect, even if it can't be seen, or isn't obvious.

There's only one thing I disagree. I wouldn't call that overly-cautios but just appropriate.

[Roach]

I'm overly-cautious with these things, so whenever I've changed a gauge I've gone through a set-up; even when switching a G 17 steel to an 18 wound string. It all affects it; more tension can't have no effect, even if it can't be seen, or isn't obvious.

 

Even changing brands with same gauge but definitely when changing gauges.

I been using d'addario nickel 10-42's, (i think exl110's) on my les pauls and DR phos bronze medium on my acoustic.

If only i could finally learn to play the instrument....

[stein]

I think really it depends on the guitar. Sure, a thin hog neck is going to be softer and weaker than a maple neck, or even a fat maple neck.

 

I wouldn't change or adjust the truss rod because of what strings or gauge I put on it, I would adjust the truss rod if it NEEDS it, regardless of a string change.

 

In other words, when I change strings, I just change strings. For all I know, if trying a different gauge, I might change them back. Who knows?

 

That isn't to say I don't expect that a change of gauge or tension won't require a truss rod adjustment. Just sayin.

[capmaster]

I think really it depends on the guitar. Sure, a thin hog neck is going to be softer and weaker than a maple neck, or even a fat maple neck.

 

I wouldn't change or adjust the truss rod because of what strings or gauge I put on it, I would adjust the truss rod if it NEEDS it, regardless of a string change.

 

In other words, when I change strings, I just change strings. For all I know, if trying a different gauge, I might change them back. Who knows?

 

That isn't to say I don't expect that a change of gauge or tension won't require a truss rod adjustment. Just sayin.

Valid evaluation of different string sets will take proper setups for either. I don't want to judge different setups when it's about string gauges. Depending on the gauge leap it could easily be about right and wrong adjustments, not just taste, regardless if neck relief or intonation. Lighter strings are not bad because they lie flat on the frets, and heavier strings are not bad because of higher action. They just call for adjustment. Similar is valid for intonation. Everything else but a proper adjustment would be a compromise I don't like as a player, for tone as well as for playability.

 

When about neck timbers, to my experience maple necks react more delayed than mahogany and thus need foresightful adjustments. A heuristic approach can help to avoid months of struggle, even if it's just about one gauge step, let alone two. I guess myself lucky that four of my Fender necks were fine with leaps from .009" - .042" to .011" - .050" within less than three weeks.

[Roach]

Valid evaluation of different string sets will take proper setups for either.

 

 

+1 cap

[Will I]

I love setting up guitars, the only thing I change on my 78 LPD is the string height and tone. Once the neck and nut are set, I tend to leave them alone. I like 9s

[Roach]

I love setting up guitars, the only thing I change on my 78 LPD is the string height and tone. Once the neck and nut are set, I tend to leave them alone. I like 9s

 

do you need to adjust intonation when changing string height?

[Mr. C.O. Jones]

Well I don't know how or why but I'll tell you something.

Yesterday a long and hard journey came to an end.

I could finally finish the Epi Studio Goth I picked up some time ago.

 

If I would name her it would be:

 

The B**CH!!

 

Everything that can go wrong did go wrong. It rejected all Gibson organs I wanted to implant.

 

I wanted to do it last weekend but it was so much a PITA that I had to let her wait without strings for the entire week.

If thats not enough, the weather last week was crazy!

 

The guy I bought it from was a metalhead, and I don't know if he had it set up for drop tunongs or if it was simply set up like crap.

Also did he use some weird custom string gauge.

 

Well to my surprise after restringing it with D'addario 10's, and setting it up, it only took a few hours of banging on it (torturing that poor thing in other words) to have it back in playable shape.

 

I only hope that when I get home after work it still does play good.

[Eracer_Team]

As I read this thread,, I wonder why after Cap said in Post #2 that this thread is continuing including that someone is stating to be cautious??

 

The OP was basically changing the High E string from 9 back to 10 where LP"s were strung for years..

 

I don't see what there is to be cautious about and I don't see a need for a 'full setup' that would include neck adjustment since only 1 string will be different,, that wouldn't effect overall adjustment of functionality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[capmaster]

Hi all,

 

I'm fairly certain my LP DC has 9s on it, and I'd like to change them to 10s.

 

Will I need to get the neck adjusted if I do? Also, any recommendation on brands?

 

Thanks

As I read this thread,, I wonder why after Cap said in Post #2 that this thread is continuing including that someone is stating to be cautious??

 

The OP was basically changing the High E string from 9 back to 10 where LP"s were strung for years..

 

I don't see what there is to be cautious about and I don't see a need for a 'full setup' that would include neck adjustment since only 1 string will be different,, that wouldn't effect overall adjustment of functionality.

It was about an entire string set, and setup depends on a change on this particular guitar, not on what others migth have been strung with for years.

[charlie brown]

I've never adjusted the neck relief, for a single gauge change (in either direction). A lot

of Gibson's come with nut slots for 10's, anyway. So, going back up to that shouldn't be any

problem. But, of course, there's always those "exceptions." Most TR adjustments, are more

humidity related, or for personal preference, than string gauge, UNLESS the change is a lot

more drastic. Like going from 9's, to 13's, etc. But, guitars are all "individuals," and as

such, they often don't follow the rules/expectations.

 

Whatever you might need to do, regarding the truss rod, do so in 1/8, to 1/4 turns (at one time),

and adjust further, in the same way, only as necessary.

 

CB

[Roach]

if the neck needs adjusting, it would likely need it regardless of string gauges. It never hurts to inspect it and see. changing from 9's to 10's is likely to require other adjustments such as action could be too low with 10's and that could require more adjustments, depending on various brands as i mentioned earlier, could have a negative effect on the pull of each magnetic pole of the pickups. the overall pickup height should take care of it but each string brand is made differently. Going to 10's is a great choice and worth any adjusting needed to compensate. I PUT 9'S on once and the sound made me wanna puke, better for a tele or a strat, imho

 

I think my relief is too great but ill let my tech look at that, the action at the 12th fret is noticibly much higher, maybe too high, and it wasnt from changing strings...we are still dialing in my preference on this guitar, was waiting for my titanium nut from gibson i got today.

[Will I]

do you need to adjust intonation when changing string height?

I always check it when ever I change strings. I just love messing with guitars. It is easy to check.