Can doing this ruin your guitar?

[nylon rock]

Was lurking over at UMGF, and they were going on and on about Martin Guitar String Packaging, and I came across the following post from one Joe McNamara:

 

"You obviously know nothing about guitars. If you take off all your strings at once, you

[Scodiddly]

How on earth could you a manufacture a guitar without putting the strings on as the last step? How would repair be possible if you had to leave the strings on?

[Mistersuperfly]

Alright, unless you have some sort of vintage guitar in need of a neck reset... heck I think you would be fine to take all the strings off even then.

 

Just don't take wire cutters and snap them all off at once, that could produce some undesired effects.

[Tralfaz]

I think he was trying to be funny.

 

As far as I know, there's no problem with removing all the strings at the same time. But don't put it back in the case without the strings and forget about it.... the neck might end up with inverted relief from the lack of tension.

[LDF]

From my understanding, there is no evidence to support the idea that taking all the strings off causes any problems. I don't see how it could. Guitars are built tougher than that. I take all the strings off mine every time I change them and clean the guitar and it still sounds perfect, actually better...

[Blackface]

Some people really believe that. I don't know why.

[sdelsolray]

Urban myth.

[egordon99]

Yes, Joe works for Martin! He was being sarcastic. Nothing wrong with removing all the strings from your guitar. How else can you change out the nut/wipe down the fingerboard/etc...

 

Now if you come over and take all the strings off of my guitars, I'll ruin YOUR guitar

[jaymer]

yeah, thats junk, as long as you remove the guitar strings carefully one at a time and replace them straight away, you wont get any problems.

[bjorn-fjord]

I've heard this said about resonator guitars. With all the strings removed, the cone or the bridge can shift out of proper position. But it's not going to ruin the guitar.

[geek_usa]

Originally posted by jaymer yeah, thats junk, as long as you remove the guitar strings carefully one at a time and replace them straight away, you wont get any problems.

 

 

nice spam technique, jay.

[jaymer]

Originally posted by geek_usa nice spam technique, jay.

 

thats for doubling the link geek_usa!

[nylon rock]

I had wondered because, although I did not believe it would ruin the tone forever, I thought maybe the ever-present stress on the face of a guitar from the tension of the strings, after years and years, could possibly cause in stress cracks if suddenly released.

[fingerstyleman]

 

Originally posted by nylon rock I had wondered because, although I did not believe it would ruin the tone forever, I thought maybe the ever-present stress on the face of a guitar from the tension of the strings, after years and years, could possibly cause in stress cracks if suddenly released.

 

 

You all worry too much, guitars are tough old beasts, not fragile porcelain dolls. I always just slacken off all the strings, cut them with wire cutters, then remove them. I prefer to cut away the slackened strings so I can reach into the guitar and push the pegs out from below.

 

Never had a problem, gives me the chance to clean the fretts and fingerboard aswell,

[axe2 2001]

yep, I agree , cut away. I build them and I'm stringing and re-stringing all the time, pulling necks off etc... Thats bull too about a neck getting a curve in it. Thats why they make truss rods!!

[Jerry NT]

 

Originally posted by fingerstyleman You all worry too much, guitars are tough old beasts, not fragile porcelain dolls. I always just slacken off all the strings, cut them with wire cutters, then remove them. I prefer to cut away the slackened strings so I can reach into the guitar and push the pegs out from below. Never had a problem, gives me the chance to clean the fretts and fingerboard aswell,

 

 

 

I use restringing time to do the mantenance myself. Although, I seldom cut the strings. The big difference is that you do have to re-tune your guitar more often than you would had you replaced them one at a time. The neck needs more time to "reset" itself, (added to the strings stretching a little).

 

I think the idea of one string at a time comes from those that have floating bridges. If you remove all the strings at once, your bridge will move and cause you to have to re-intonate the thing. Now that is a lot of work.

 

(Of course, you could use a grease pen, but it still has to be moved slightly.)

[axe2 2001]

Originally posted by Jerry NT I use restringing time to do the mantenance myself. Although, I seldom cut the strings. The big difference is that you do have to re-tune your guitar more often than you would had you replaced them one at a time. The neck needs more time to "reset" itself, (added to the strings stretching a little). I think the idea of one string at a time comes from those that have floating bridges. If you remove all the strings at once, your bridge will move and cause you to have to re-intonate the thing. Now that is a lot of work. (Of course, you could use a grease pen, but it still has to be moved slightly.)

 

I really have to disagree on this one. The only reason you have to tune new strings more is because of stretching. The intonation will not change unless the saddles are moved. I have Floyds, Kahlers, Wonderbars, hardtails and Tun o matic type bridges.( Yes, I have that many guitars). It's all the same. The trem types do have to be set according to the gauge of the string. I check intonation every time I string just to be right on. A neck doesn't re-set itself either. It's a force on force thing. As soon as you re-apply the force of the strings, the neck will resond accordingly. Way heavier or lighter strings will result in needing a truss rod adjustment. Intonating is not that difficult. Tune the open string, then go to the 12th fret and check it. If it's flat or sharp, adjust the saddle to get it right. Sure don't want to sound like an ass but I'm not lyin either! I guess when I say cut away, thats a bit brutal. Just sayin that it won't hurt you tone or neck. Just unstring in a normal fashion I guess. I have a Jackson with a Floyd that I have not had to make an intonation adjustment on for 2 years. For the most part, If it's on, it's on. If it's off, adjust it. Intonating a floyd is a little more tricky than say a hardtail but still not that hard. Gotta agree with one of the previous posters, The guitar isn't some Mega fragile wall hanger that can't be touched. The thing that is most important to tone is the player. When I'm playing live, I'm not concerned with intonation, it's done and the rest is up to me. But I'm never out of tune!!

[Jerry NT]

I have found that even putting when putting the same strings back on that it takes a day or two for the guitar to settle in. I have never taken a straight edge to it before and after, but it does make a difference.

Especially if you let it sit a day or two between taking the strings off and putting the new ones on.

Since I do my own setup, I am very particular about where it is set. I set the neck right to just past the point where the D string buzzes on the 6th or 7th fret. (With my playing style. If I were heavy handed, it would have to be higher.)

I find that if I do this too soon, even after I retune the guitar, I would have to redo the neck adjustment. Thus, I wait a day or two to let the neck "reset".

 

That's why I said what I did.

[bjorn-fjord]

I'm with you Jerry. Wood has a natural "memory". When the strings are removed the neck seems to re-balance itself. It's not as simple as just springing back because it is no longer under tension. There is more going on. It's the same thing with a truss-rod adjustment. The neck does not instantly conform to a new shape when the rod is adjusted. It takes a while to find its equilibrium point under the new conditions.

When I first string up a new guitar I wait at least a few days before attempting a final set up.

[deevee]

OK, so would leaving the strings off the guitar for a week or too would be a bad thing? What could happen?

[bjorn-fjord]

 

Originally posted by deevee OK, so would leaving the strings off the guitar for a week or too would be a bad thing? What could happen?

 

 

Nah. No problem. If the guitar distorts when it is under no tension it has serious problems. Humidity will affect the wood the same way whether it has strings on it or not. Adding almost 200 lbs. of force to a guitar with humidity issues could certainly exacerbate the problem but releasing the tension will do no harm.

It is actually recommended that you release the tension of the strings if you will not be playing the instrument for an extended period.