Alternate Tuning

[Sgt. Pepper]

If I tune my guitar to say any alternate tuning is there any chance leaving it in that tuning for a while is harmful to the neck? I am a slow learner and lets say I leave my guitar in Open G or Stephen Still modal E, EEEEBe tuning for an extended time while learning it?  

I'll can accept an explanation and not just a simple yes or no.

Edited May 9, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[Leonard McCoy]

Talking of a modern, healthy, fully working, and well-maintained guitar that is constructed well enough I would say there is no harm staying in an alternate tuning even if it involves increasing the string tension to get to that tuning as, for instance, with Open E (E B E G# B E). You may have to re-adjust the truss rod accordingly to straighten out the neck. As for vintage guitars, that is a different matter entirely, as they are mostly not as healthy or well constructed as their modern counterparts.

[Sgt. Pepper]

42 minutes ago, Leonard McCoy said:

Talking of a modern, healthy, fully working, and well-maintained guitar that is constructed well enough I would say there is no harm staying in an alternate tuning even if it involves increasing the string tension to get to that tuning as, for instance, with Open E (E B E G# B E). You may have to re-adjust the truss rod accordingly to straighten out the neck. As for vintage guitars, that is a different matter entirely, as they are mostly not as healthy or well constructed as their modern counterparts.

All mine have truss rods and are a '91, '13, '17, and a '19.

[BluesKing777]

 

You shouldn’t have any problems with Open G but since a little incident with my Blues King years ago, I tend to tune down instead of up.....(I was tuning up, up, up - one of those modal E tunings - and I heard the feared creak....k.......k.......k.......k........KKKKK.ra.........c....c...ckkkkkkkKKK. Crackkkkkk,kkk. The Blues King bridge split horizontally trying to go with the strings! Luthier glued it but like seeing a fin when dipping your toes off the jetty, warned is warned!

BluesKing777.

 

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

1 hour ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

You shouldn’t have any problems with Open G but since a little incident with my Blues King years ago, I tend to tune down instead of up.....(I was tuning up, up, up - one of those modal E tunings - and I heard the feared creak....k.......k.......k.......k........KKKKK.ra.........c....c...ckkkkkkkKKK. Crackkkkkk,kkk. The Blues King bridge split horizontally trying to go with the strings! Luthier glued it but like seeing a fin when dipping your toes off the jetty, warned is warned!

BluesKing777.

 

 

Damn. I've tuned modal E but not left it there longer than trying to learn the song then back to standard. I have left my beater in open G for a few days. I hate tuning up. I have also heard creeks.

[j45nick]

50 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Damn. I've tuned modal E but not left it there longer than trying to learn the song then back to standard. I have left my beater in open G for a few days. I hate tuning up. I have also heard creeks.

 

Tune down, capo up

[Sgt. Pepper]

48 minutes ago, j45nick said:

 

Tune down, capo up

Yeah.

 

[Buke]

first off I'm just a playing on the porch type of player and not nearly as knowledgeable as some here. That being said, I have left a guitar in open G for weeks with no problems.  But when I tune up I go back to standard after playing.  great capo advice J45nick.

[ratherbwalkn]

I find that tuning to open D and capo at the second fret equals open E Ive kept my guitars in open D 

for extended periods. I wouldn't leave my guitars in open E natural for long periods.  IMO

 

[Boyd]

My 2008 J-50 has been tuned to open D for the past couple months, with a capo on the 5th fret most of the time that hasn't been removed. No problems at all. Before that , I left it tuned to open E for over a month. I also like the idea of open D with a capo, however for a song in G (for example), you would need a capo on the 5th fret with open D tuning but could accomplish the same thing with a capo on the 3rd fret with open E. Even though the result is the same, the sound is a bit different and (personally) I prefer not to have a capo too high up the neck. 

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

13 minutes ago, Boyd said:

My 2008 J-50 has been tuned to open D for the past couple months, with a capo on the 5th fret most of the time that hasn't been removed. No problems at all. Before that , I left it tuned to open E for over a month. I also like the idea of open D with a capo, however for a song in G (for example), you would need a capo on the 5th fret with open D tuning but could accomplish the same thing with a capo on the 3rd fret with open E. Even though the result is the same, the sound is a bit different and (personally) I prefer not to have a capo too high up the neck. 

 

Music Theory makes my brain hurt.

[giddyap]

short answer: no

with so many guitars ('91, '13, '17, '19) just have each one tuned however you want it (ie. Standard, Open D, Open G, Half/Full Step down)