subject: Cheap Electric Guitars - What Goes On Once I Go With Thicker Gauge Guitar Strings [print this page] Cheap Electric Guitars - What Goes On Once I Go With Thicker Gauge Guitar Strings
People's favourite cheap electric guitars originally have 9 - 42 strings, but on mine I have been using 13 -56 strings on it for a short while as I like the sound. Nevertheless, I now get worried I may just be adding additional tension to the guitar neck and also other pieces of the guitar. A question I am asking myself personally is simply should I be altering anything different to the guitar for it to properly handle such a thick gauge? I have been searching for a definitive answer, or at least where to go for clarification and I wanted to sound relatively well-informed without having to get conned using a expert luthier!
What forced me to additionally take action was in fact once I had realized that the tuning keys for the higher guitar strings (B and E) were getting stiff and not working as well as they used too. I had also noticed my guitar was regularly detuning even though I was using this kind of high gauge and also the much less stressing Drop B tuning. During my research I stumbled upon some fairly helpful info which I hope is going to be of some assistance:
Moving from 9 to 13 gauge guitar strings perhaps triggered the nut to bind and therefore the slots on the head might need to be broader, having said that I discovered that a bit of graphite lubrication really should be tested out 1st which can help the tuning peg issues.
Interestingly, heavier gauge guitar strings need additional pressure not to lose the precise pitch connected to standard intonation on the guitar, yet it's absolutely nothing that your guitar tuners ought not to be in a position to deal with. Over a very, lengthy timeframe the strain from the heavier guitar strings could result in a bit of harm, however in general the instrument would probably have long gone beyond it's practical life span before that time. Even if it had not, any tuner repair would be pretty simple and probably welcome as the mass produced cheap electric guitars tend to have lower grade tuners anyway.
I did find that whenever the action on the guitar is changed it's highly advisable to take it to a trustworthy luthier for a setup, that or even learn to do it yourself so that you can save the cash for that cool guitar effects pedals you would like!
There would be a lot to learn however as string gauge changes usually require intonation changes, bridge elevation modifications, pick-up elevation changes, along with some special instances nut modifications. Luckily, the truss rod seldom requires any kind of significant modifications in such cases, just perhaps a couple of turns here. Concerning getting a solid luthier: You must be seeking a neighborhood one who you can actually build a rapport with instead of visiting a big retailer. Neighborhood luthiers should normally work hard for your personal work and then the recurring and also recommendation factor. Basically, let them know politely up front that if after you have had some work done and it does not play as you would like you will take it back and make them fix it or you won't do business there again.
Maybe, my investigation and tips will allow you to conserve some 's and enable you to get pleasure from totally different tones with your cheap electric guitars by working with different guitar strings not to mention tunings.
