String gauge

[twd2550]

I currently play 11 gauge strings tuned down a half step. I want to change to 10 gauge and tune standard. Would the tension equal out since I am going down a gauge but tuning up? Or would I need to make a truss rod adjustment?

[eflatminor]

No way to know for sure until you try. Give it some time. Ensure your instrument is properly hydrated, especially if it's an acoustic. You'll know after a few days if the action is still where you want it to be. FWIW, a truss rod adjustment is not always what needs to be done, or isn't always the only thing, to achieve optimum playability for you. Bridge, nut and sometimes fret work can be called for. Personally, if I change string gauge, I get the instrument professionally set up.

[WRGKMC]

Unless you had the guitar specifically tweaked and set up for heavier gauged strings when you first started using them,

chances are the guitar should return to normal using lighter gauged strings at concert pitch.

 

As Eflatminor said, there's a number of factors but the main one deals with how stiff and resilient the neck is to string pull.

11's may produce a good 200 lbs. pull on the neck. 10's may be 50lbs less. I'm not sure whether a half step tuning is going to equal

a 50lb change is string pull or whether the relief will be in tolerance.

 

A simple way to check it (if your frets are in good shape) is to test your relief before and after.

Hold the string down at the first and last frets and pluck the strings around the 7th fret and it should just clear all the other frets.

Also do the same with only the last fret held down and make sure the strings all clear the frets up to the nut.

 

After changing the strings, if either of these tests fail and the strings are laying flat on the frets on some or all strings, you may need to tweak

the truss nut. Be sure you scribe the nut with a felt tipped marker first so you know how far you tweaked the nut and can also set it back if need be.

Tweak the not no more than 1/4 turn at a time and let a week or more pass before making another tweak. The neck wood can take time to react

to the truss rod changes, especially when loosening the truss going to lighter strings.

[twd2550]

I believe it was set up for the heavier strings tuned down a half step. Does just tuning the current string gauge back to standard cause a problem?

[WRGKMC]

Again, its one of those things you just have to check it as you go.

They do have some string gauge calculators on line that will let you calculate

how many pounds pull per string tuned to pitch create. You could figure out how many

additional pounds are added tuning all the strings up a semitone but that isn't going to

tell you how much relief its going to add to the neck.

 

Every guitar is unique, every piece of wood for a neck has different resistance to string pull,

then there's the wood type, truss rod type, and the current setup and relief of the neck.

 

What most would advise is just try it first and see what the outcome is. If the neck is fairly stiff

you may not see any differences at all. If you go to 10's and start having fret buzz or strings fretting out

when you bend strings, then you want to check your Truss. So long as the neck doesn't backbow

from a reduction in string pull you should be OK.

 

The main thing is you want to be sure the neck doesn't back bow. It can be dead straight, but back bowed necks

can cause major problems like neck twist and sprung frets. I normally use a straight edge and feeler gauges to set relief.

You put the straight edge on the frets and set the relief to the same diameter as your High E String. In my case I use mostly .009

gauged strings. I use a .009 feeler gauge with the straight edge and adjust the truss to clear between the straight edge and frets

without lifting the straight edge off the fretboard around the 5~7th frets. You may have more clearance with the straight edge

on the low E side then the High E side so you tweak it for the best average.

 

Be sure you do this adjustment in the upright playing position. If you sit back in a chair or lay a guitar down on its back the weight of the

neck can flatten the relief and give you false readings. In fact, unless you own one of those expensive neck jigs, all of your tuning, relief,

height and intonation should be done in the upright sitting position. If you don't the chances are when you strap up, you're going to have

the strings height and relief increase.

 

After adjusting relief you need to check string height too.

 

This site goes through these adjustments. One adjustment affects another adjustment so what I suggest is you cycle through them

until no adjustments are needed, then use your ears and make find tweaks unique to the instrument.

 

This site is for a strat, but the process and settings are generic and a good starting point for all guitars.

Every guitarist should learn to do a basic setup. If you're new to it then taking it to have it done by a pro may be

worth the money. Most guitar techs have no problems showing you how to do a basic setup and you can learn allot form them

and unique things about your own instrument you may not know.

 

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/stratocaster-setup-guide/

 

 

[Mr Temporary]

Probably want to check your intonation once you have the relief and action set.

[Freeman Keller]

There are some very good string tension calculators on line, as well as a wonderful pdf on the D'Addario page that gives the tension for all their strings in different tunings, scale lengths, etc. I ran one calculator on typical sets of 10-46 and 11-50's at concert and one semi tone down - the 11's tuned to D# were about 117 pounds of tension, the 10's at E were 110 pounds (note that different string compositions will change those, but the relative difference should be about the same). That means that the 10's are going to be a hair more floppy - you might feel a difference but I really doubt it. Will the relief change? - probably not that you'll notice it either, but if it does I doubt that it will be a problem.

 

I live mostly in the acoustic world and we have a little rule of thumb that says that if you tune down a semitone you need to go up one standard string guage, if you go down two semitones, go up two gauges to stay at the same tension, feel, relief and action. Measure before you change, then again after - I don't think you'll see any differences.

[twd2550]

Thanks for the info everyone. Very helpful

[DeepEnd]

You should have slightly less tension with .010's at concert than .011's half a tone flat. The difference should be about 3%. Whether that's noticeable to you is unknown. Check it out at http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html. I used gauges for d'Addario XL's with a plain third in both cases. As Freeman Keller said, the truss rod should be fine though.