Conference napalm::guitar

    
    
    	I'm not an expert, but when I went to .09 from .10 I had to
    redo my intonation.
    
    
    Steve

    Anytime you change strings, even with the same gauges, check the
    intonation.
    
    Changing gauges will also require a truss-rod adjustment.
    
    Danny W.

    Ya?  Hmm.  I am always going back and forth between 9's and 10's, and
    sometimes use a 9 top and a 10 bottom, and never notice much trouble.  
    I mean, I do have a good ear, and would notice if it was really out,
    and I never have major problems.  Maybe the g or the b might commit a
    little mutiny, but that's all.  I suppose if you're a real tuning
    freak(which is good, don't get me wrong)you may notice...
    
    FWIW...
    
    /c
    

    It's not a "given" that you'll have to redo the intonation but you
    might.
    
    	db

    do check your intonation if and when you swap string gauge. The
    last
    thing you want is to in tune in first position and be out elsewhere
    on the neck. especially if you are playing with others.
    
    The way i check mine is with my "banana" tuner, which is just a
    needle indicator type tuning device that measures frequency (440).
    tune your guitar open, get it dead nuts and then fret the string
    at the 12th. The needle should return to the exact spot. oh btw
    my bass E has never been "in" but A-E are super.
    
    lowering your action should be initially simple, however be aware
    of creating "buzzing" due to uneven frets. Also on my es I have
    some buzzing when I play without my amp but its is not noticable
    when i "power-up". and with a little distortion who cares :-)
    
    have fun
    

    While checking your intonation after putting new strings on is a
    good idea, if you stick to the same manufacturer each time it
    doesn't vary *that* much. Sure... it maybe be off slightly, but
    usually it isn't something to loose sleep over. As far as adjusting
    the truss rod... hmmmm, interesting concept. Sometimes, sometimes
    not. I really think it has alot to do with your guitar. I've gone
    from .011's to .009's and back to .010's and never touched my neck.
    Sure it's possible you may have to look at that problem, BUT it
    wouldn't stop me from changing back and forth. Intonation will
    most likely change slightly due to the thickness of the strings.
    Such problems huh! Oh well...
    Why do you want to go to .009" strings anyway??? More flexible,
    less sustain (*)(in most cases), less power, more of a chance for
    sloppy chords cause the strings are more flexible. To each his own
    I guess. Though life *would* be so boring if everyone thought the
    same.           
    
    Note: (*) --> Sustain without any effects to help in the cause.
    

    If you are like me and have your guitars set for critically low
    action (I've expounded on this at length in some other note),
     and also like to play in tune, you check both intonation and truss
    rod adjustment after changing strings.
    
    Even if you don't change brands or gauge, there is still nonuniformity
    in strings, and this is especially true of lighter gauge ones--a
    variation of only .0001" is critical on a .008" string.
    
    If you change brands or gauges, there is a big difference in string
    tension. If your neck doesn't move at all with this change, it's
    got too much wood. If you play with an action over 1/16th", you
    might not notice, but I've never owned a guitar of any brand that
    didn't change a little after a gauge change.
    
    But what's the big deal--I can change strings, reset intonation
    and adjust the truss rod in 15 minutes while watching TV. 10 of
    those minutes are the string change, so there's not much of a penalty
    for having a properly adjusted guitar.
    
    I'm amazed at how often I've played a guitar from someone who claims
    it plays like butter, and find the truss rod and intonation improperly
    adjusted. I wish they knew what they were missing.
    
    Danny W.
    
     

    I would think that much of the discussion around truss rod adjustment
    would have to do with the construction of the neck ?  yes ?  no?
    (bolt on neck vs. sandwich style construction where the wood for
    the neck runs the entire length of the guitar.
    
    the only trouble I've ever had with changing string gauges was realted
    to having my kahler out of whack for the new gauge....
    
    A word of caution on neck adjustments:  I've always been under the
    impression that to adjust the truss, it takes about 1/4 turn,(never
    more than a half of turn) then you have to wait it out, (a day or
    two) while the wood reacts to the new truss tension.  So, take care
    and don't use a ratchet set, or a pipe wrench :) .  go slow, and it's
    best not to touch it unless it has to be touched.  So for my advice,
    do put the new strings on, then wath the neck, see if it really
    does need to be kincked.  call me cautious.
    

    I'd have to agree about the type of wood/construction having an effect.
    I'm not partial to maple necks on a guitar, but, I've noticed that
    swapping the string gauges slightly (like moving from .008's to .010's)
    doesn't affect much (this would be guitars like a Strat or Tele, same
    sort of construction & neck materials), where a mahogany neck (like
    many Gibsons - Les Paul, ES335, SG) seems to react a bit more to
    the change in tension that string guages can exert.

    I for one, would rarely adjust my truss rod (I build guitars & prefer
    Mahogany for many personal reasons, over maple) if I was making a minor
    string guage change (I use .008's on every 6 string that I own), or
    replacing with the same guage strings. I'm unbelievably finicky about
    intonation, and have a very good ear for things out of tune, so I do
    care about how the guitar is set up. If you do decide to adjust the
    truss, make no more than 1/4 turn per day (give the neck time to
    respond, otherwise you might break something expensive). If you have a
    Martin guitar, it might not be adjustable (as they used to glue in a
    3/8 inch or 1/2 inch square steel tube as the 'truss rod'), and
    intonation is tough to adjust on a guitar where the bridge is glued in
    place. In most instances on an acoustic guitar, you should stick with
    a similar gauge of strings as it came with (the body is braced for
    that guage of strings and the intonation should be factory set assuming
    that specific tension). In the case of Ovations where there are Piezo
    transducers under each string, if you put on light guage strings, the
    bass reponse dissappears from the pickup (I've tried this on my Ovation
    and it made it sound very thin).

						    Jens

    re .-1 I don't think it's that important to wait. The rod on my
    acoustic gets adjsuted usually when the weather changes, ie summer
    when its humid and again in winter when it's dry. I adjust it to
    fix whatever buzz or finger breaking action occurs and begin playing.
    It stays adjusted just fine for the remainder of the time. Even
    through string changes provided I stick with the same gauge.
    
    Maybe mine is an unusual case.
    
    Dave.

    RE:.8
    
    I AGREE!!!
    I always thought truss rod adjustments were only nessesary when
    a neck becomes bowed or (I forgot the term for the opposite)
    I suppose this COULD happen when changing string gauges,but I
    would give the guitar a few days to react(or not react) before
    turning that magic allen nut.

    Again,
    
    for those guitarist who seem to have little reservations on neck
    adjustments..  take this experience...
    
    one experience I witness that served as more education
    than anything else...  An old frined of mine did some of his own
    neck work on a Rickenbacker.  Now I had had some experience working
    in guitar repairs back when I was in high school.  (Never got into
    major repairs but fixed up a lot of acoustics, some pick up replacements,
    and went as far as doing some fret/nut/ and at times minor neck work..)
    
    Anyway, to make a long story short, he'd called me up 'after' the
    fact, cuz things just didn't seem right.  Knew that I had some
    knowledge, figured I could help..
    
    Aparently he thought to adjust his truss rod, and did it using
    a nut driver (of all things)..  He must have cranked it around a bunch
    of times,,, at any rate, he snapped the truss rod.  The axe, (a
    beatiful red rick bass) was for all intensive purposes, rubbish.
    
    So when I finally looked at it, and tried the cautoius approach,
    it was very obvious that there was too much play in the truss rod..
    
    Turned out, the truss rod  was just spinning around inside the
    neck,,,  Broke maybe about half way down.  Now he was looking some
    serious repair dough.  (How do you replace a truss rod in a Rcik?
    Beats the hell out of me)
    
    So, my adivce again, stay out of the neck adjustment bizz unless
    you either know what you're doing, or need a good excuse to buy
    a new guitar.  BRing it in to someone who knows what to do, and
    more important, *WHEN* to do it.
    
    I'd refer anyone to Rich Macduff (Rte 9, next to spags.)
    
    He's damn good, and reasonable as far as charges go.
    
    

    re: -.1
    
    Luckily, he did this to a Rick--
    
    Their truss rods can be removed from the adjustment end and replaced
    without disassembling the guitar--any rick repair shop or the factory
    can supply a replacement rod. Just pull out the old one with pliers
    and slide the new one in.
    
    Danny W,