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Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:16 pm
by amdyck
I have the habit of always slackening my electric guitar strings before putting it back in the closet. I think that this prolongs string life as well as easing the strain on the guitar itself. Any comments on this practice would be appreciated. Thanks - Alan

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:27 pm
by craigdobbins
Why do you put your guitar back in the closet? ;)

Craig

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:35 pm
by Norm
Paul and Chet apparently would slack their D-4 string on their classics because that string was the most stressed. More to save the string rather than the guitar. Never heard of anyone slacking the strings on an elelctric tho...

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:04 pm
by amdyck
Everybody wants to be a comedian! (3 of my favorites were Stiller and Mera and Miron Cohen - from the Ed Sullivan show-remember the Ed Sullivan show anybody ? - those guys made me laugh)
When I was 18 Craig, I yearned for some printed music by the Master hisself but alas, none was to be had. Now that I'm old and too tired to practice, the place is crawling with Chet's music ! Ya can't win.

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:09 pm
by amdyck
Thanks, Norm

I took some physics in college so I should know what's what. I will continue to assume that tuning up and down between practices can't harm the strings - as long as they are stretched UNDER their elastic limit (any engineers out there?) Alan

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:59 pm
by ralphnjoann
I read somewhere that tension should be left on the strings to offset the tension created by the truss rod. Just a thought...

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:19 pm
by Norm
As a string is left under tension and with use it of course stretches and not evenly if you get "microscopic" about it. Harmonics are always brighter and easier to hit with new strings and when you set your intonation you should always use new strings but a lot of people don't like the sound of new strings. But as time goes on they stretch unevenly as well as pick up crud (dead skin and junk off the fingerboard) and tend to lose their brightness and accuracy.

Back in the day when I played a lot I changed my strings once a month. Mike Auldridge, when recording, would change his strings before each new song in a session and I have no doubt he changed his strings before shows.

Other folks leave them on until they break.
As noted, the D-4th string on classics is the stepchild... too high tensioned to last long as a wound string but too low for a monofilament line to work well so, according to Paul, he and Chet would slacken the 4th string on their classics. I don't think he said if Jerry did this or not. Jerry treated his guitars roughly but he may have loosened the D-4th because no matter how you treat your guitar, the strings need to work.

I don't think the truss rod is going to give a lot of trouble if the strings are loosened some. What warps necks is heat and sudden temperature changes. Leaving a guitar in the car on a hot day or opeining a case too soon if brought in from a cold Michigan winter to a warm living room.

I'd slack my strings if there was a chance I had to put them on an airline although I don't think Paul or Chet did. They had travel cases made but that was it. Their bridges would come off on the electrics which is why he and Chet had their bridge bases pinned.

btw. "storing" My gent sits right next to me on a stand. I don't hardly play it anymore favoring my dobro but I like to have it immediately available for when I get the urge to play. I haven't changed the strings in a long time and usually have to tune it some when I pick it up but otherwise the guitar seems to not mind just sitting there.

That's all... just making conversation...

Re: Tuning down before storing

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:54 pm
by amdyck
Thanks for the fedback lads. I just made a promise to the ladies and gents who work in my pharmacy that i would come in and play a couple o' tunes for them. I have 3 tunes in mind; Maybelle, Spanish Fandango and either Siboney or Windy and Warm. Last summer I bought a package of Dadarrio (classical) strings made of a "new and different" material. I have yet to try them out. I'm hoping for a little more resonance than my old set. We'll see!!