Members eddidaz Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 I was re-stringing but appear to have lost the set of strings I could have sworn I had. Normally I only take them off 1 or 2 at a time but this time I took them all off so I could clean and lemon oil the fretboard properly. Will this do any harm for a couple of days while I get a chance to buy some more strings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 Rest easy - it won't hurt a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigald18 Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 Many luthiers recommend not leaving a guitar unstrung. It can have an effect on the neck relief and consequently action as the truss rod still has the tension on it to counteract string tension. This can result in a backward bowing neck. To avoid this problem it is recommended to change strings one at a time in order to keep constant string pressure on the neck. bigald18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 Bigald is on the money. I don't think leaving it like this for a couple of days will do any harm though. But get the new ones on quick, if just for your peace of mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm not trying to sound argumentative, but...... I don't think a few days will hurt anything. Git necks and truss rods are sturdier than most people think. Additionally, all strings are routinely removed for things such as fretboard maintenance, fret dressing and/or leveling, saddle adjustments, PUP installations, etc. The git necks remain stable, none the worse for the procedures. I'm also of the opinion that changing strings one at a time as opposed to all at once is a matter of personal preference. I think the jury is out on whether there is a technical/structural reason for changing them one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eddidaz Posted July 27, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 Ah well I don't really have much choice now. I've ordered some strings and I'll just whack them on as soon as they come and hope for the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm sure everything will be fine. Look at it this way... A git undergoing structural repair - crack repair, brace repair, etc., is unstrung for many days. Their necks survive and your git's will too. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jwm1958m Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 I am with Samilyn...when I work on guitars I often leave the strings off for several days and there is no change in any measurements. I have heard that if you are going to leave the strings off for a long time that you should loosen the truss rod so there is no stress being placed on the neck at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 You may find your guitar is buzzing once you've re-strung it, but don't worry. This is because the truss rod has kept doing it's job while the strings were off and very probably taken the neck back a little further than normal. Give the truss rod a little while (A couple of days) to settle back in and all should be fine once the buzzing - if any - stops. Expect to have a bit of extra re-tuning on your hands for anything up to a week as the neck adjusts itself to string tension. Don't do it again and make sure you have strings at the ready next time you try for a string change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm sure everything will be fine. Look at it this way...A git undergoing structural repair - crack repair, brace repair, etc., is unstrung for many days. Their necks survive and your git's will too.Best of luck. Gotta go with Sami on this one. I have friends who treat the guitar like it will explode if all the strings are taken off at one time. I always take off all the strings when I am changing strings. Luthiers I have known laugh at the suggestion that damage can occur if all the strings come off. A silly urban legend, IMHO. Gary is a voice of reason - IF there were any change, it would settle back in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brokepick Posted July 27, 2008 Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 Fear not. Samilyn, jwm1958m, Gary, and Totamus are right. While it's probably better not to leave it unstrung for a long period of time, this short period will do no lasting harm. What will likely happen is that it will take the guitar a day or two to settle in again after the new strings are on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eddidaz Posted July 27, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 27, 2008 Well that's pretty re-assuring. I'll try not to be so paranoid in future. Oh and more organised too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 Well that's pretty re-assuring. I'll try not to be so paranoid in future. Oh and more organised too Good on you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rocknhard Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 I hear it reduces resale by at least 26% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDR Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 Stringed instruments like violins $ cellos have an internal soundpost that is held in place by string tension. The soundpost may be displaced if all the strings are removed at once. Guitars don't have this soundpost. There should be no problem in leaving it unstrung for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members exhaust_49 Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 I got to ask. What is it with this question? It has got to be one of the most asked, if not THE MOST ASKED. I won't say what I think because someone already said what I think and KNOW is the answer, I have 1st hand experience with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brokepick Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 Stringed instruments like violins $ cellos have an internal soundpost that is held in place by string tension. The soundpost may be displaced if all the strings are removed at once. Guitars don't have this soundpost. There should be no problem in leaving it unstrung for a while. Some guitars do. I remember the first time I tried to restring a Gretsch Tennesean. Took all the strings off, and the bridge fell off. Duh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 Some guitars do. I remember the first time I tried to restring a Gretsch Tennesean. Took all the strings off, and the bridge fell off. Duh? It's not quite the same as the violin/cello sound post mentioned, but it is a very, very similar problem. The only difference being that string pressure holds a guitar bridge in place, whereas on a violin/cello the strings hold the bridge in place and the pressure of the bridge on the soundboard holds the internal sound posts (Directly beneath bridge) in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brokepick Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 It's not quite the same as the violin/cello sound post mentioned, but it is a very, very similar problem. The only difference being that string pressure holds a guitar bridge in place, whereas on a violin/cello the strings hold the bridge in place and the pressure of the bridge on the soundboard holds the internal sound posts (Directly beneath bridge) in place. I remember someone telling me that about a fiddle. Good thing to remember the next time I string up a violin or cello. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 I remember someone telling me that about a fiddle. Good thing to remember the next time I string up a violin or cello. LOL it is. Especially if you wish to avoid having to re-measure for bridge position too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 It's not quite the same as the violin/cello sound post mentioned, but it is a very, very similar problem. The only difference being that string pressure holds a guitar bridge in place, whereas on a violin/cello the strings hold the bridge in place and the pressure of the bridge on the soundboard holds the internal sound posts (Directly beneath bridge) in place. Tennesseans don't have soundposts, but some other, non-sealed Gretsches do, to try to cut feedback. My 6120AM has a soundpost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted July 28, 2008 Members Share Posted July 28, 2008 Tennesseans don't have soundposts, but some other, non-sealed Gretsches do, to try to cut feedback. My 6120AM has a soundpost. Yes indeed, many arch tops do as they share many similarities with their not too distant cousins, whilst others utilise central tone blocks, or none at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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