Re-set up after changing from '12 to '13 strings?

[enso]

Hi!

I got great J-45 Standard - been playing it for about 8 months. It was also set up exceptionally well by a professional (was very hard to play in the beginning, now is smooth). The set-up was done for '12 strings, but I want to try changing for '13 - I need a bit beefier sound for a song.

Should I be worried about the tension of the neck, or J-45 should handle it well?

What do you guys thinks?

[kidblast]

I wouldn't expect it would need a lot, but, is it really that you're going to change (go up) a string gauge for one song?

 

personally, I'd leave it since the setup is now just right.. why change things for 1 song?

[enso]

I wouldn't expect it would need a lot, but, is it really that you're going to change (go up) a string gauge for one song?

 

personally, I'd leave it since the setup is now just right.. why change things for 1 song?

Actually I thought about generally trying out 13s, because from what I heard they can work better for J-45 than 12s.

[58 Relic]

Personally I wouldn't change the setup by putting on 13s , it maybe me but I think Gibson put on 12s in the factory for a reason . Yes you will get a beefier sound but a totally different feel and the truss rod will properly need a slight adjustment , also if the nut has been cut by a Pleck machine set up you might find that the nut slots might need slightly enlarging as they are machined to the 12-52 string size . It's an expensive option but I would have set up a spare guitar with 13s for use when required .Good luck

[62burst]

You shouldn't have a problem. However, if you were going from a guitar set up for 13's -> 12, you might have some fret buzz.

[SC_Wannabe]

I've tried 13s on my J50 from time to time. They definitely feel stiffer than 12s and you have to play harder to get a good tone (I have a light touch though). My J50 always requires a truss rod tweak when going from 12s to 13s, or vice versa. I've never had to make any adjustments to the nut, but I don't know if they were plek-ing them in 2007. A nice in-between string gauge to beef up your sound a bit are med/light strings, where they are heavier than lights on the bottom, but light on the top. I like those better than regular mediums.

[jvi]

they are built for 13s and down,put them on and see if everything works good, if not have it tweaked- pros I know all use 13s, Im an older hobbiest so I use 12s and strum hard when needed my opinion only....

[Jesse_Dylan]

Shouldn't be an issue. As was said, if it were perfect with 13s, going down to 12s might cause a problem.

 

And I think pretty much all Gibsons can handle 13s without a tear. Whether they need them is another story. I find that heavier strings choke the top a bit and lose a lot of the characteristic Gibson resonance. I tune down really far sometimes, and if I did that all the time, I'd go with 13s. But, I still use standard tuning quite a bit, and it's just too tight with 13s. Gibsons have a nice, big, loose sound with 12s.

 

No harm in trying it though. I just had mediums on my J-15 (which is setup about perfectly, maybe a little too low!, with lights--again, it just choked the tone some).

[capmaster]

Check if the strings touch the bottom of the nut slots. If so, no nut job will be required.

 

The bridge is very likely fine, too. If the action was nice with 12s, it will also be for 13s.

 

Given the balance of the string set in itself is like before, and the tuning pitches are the same, the tension will be increased about more than 17%. This is too much for leaving the neck as is, let alone a Slim Taper mahogany neck. The truss rod will definitely call for adjustment.

 

Anyway, I would beware of doing anything or having anything done to the bridge. It's not the action, it's the neck relief that will change.