reviving an old 12-string..

[johnnyswitch]

recently uncovered my mother's old Seagull 12-string. it's been quite a few years since the thing was played, and it's got all the expected dust and grime, not to mention the 10+ year-old strings. today i picked up a new pack of them, 10-47s is what the guy recommended so that's what i got.

 

now, a while back a friend of mine bought a beat up old 12er, took the strings on it and hung it up for a few days to 'let the neck stretch out'. i'm wondering if that's what i should do in this case, or would it be better to replace the strings one at a time so as not to shock the neck?

[Samilyn]

Congrats on finding your mom's old 12-er.

 

Get that git straight to a tech for a thorough check up.

 

After being in storage for a number of years, it definitely needs some TLC, including re-hydration, a good cleaning, oiling of the fretboard, among other things. Then a setup is in order once the checkup has determined that the git is still playable.

 

Sorry, no such thing as "letting a neck stretch out." Don't know where your friend picked up that one.

 

Shock the neck? Yup - just start messing with that truss rod in a dried-out neck and you'll "shock" it all right. Those light strings won't hurt it, nor "shock the neck," but leave the strings in the package until the tech is finished. Strings is the last thing you do, not the first.

 

Please believe me when I say the old 'Gull needs a visit to the git doc. Money well spent.

[guitarcapo]

Don't worry so much. I bet if you string it up it will be fine.

[daklander]

I'd do a really good clean up on it. Then do a very close inspection, even getting a look inside with a good light and mirror. Carefully run your fingers up and down the sides of the neck to check for frets sticking out. That will show you if there's a shrinkage problem with the neck. If so, the rest of the guitar is going to be affected as well and it will need to be re-moisturized.

Go to the HCAG Annex and click on the tech stuff link and then Is My Guitar Sick. Follow the advice there.

 

If everything looks good, string it up.

If not, follow Samilyn's advice and take it to a gitvet.