Is Tuning my guitar up to Ab Db Gb B Eb Ab Gonna Break My Strings?

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Jordazjc

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I usually play in standard, but I kinda wanna record something different, and said, I wanna tune my strings two tones higher lmao, i dunno why, but i really want too. Im just wondering if im, gonna go through five million high E strings every hour.
 
Jordazjc said:
I usually play in standard, but I kinda wanna record something different, and said, I wanna tune my strings two tones higher lmao, i dunno why, but i really want too. Im just wondering if im, gonna go through five million high E strings every hour.
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Try it. :D

If it does...you might get by with a heavier string gauge...though your typical 10s should hold pretty good.

Of course...you may cause the neck to bow more than usual....so ideally, you would want to adjust your truss rod to compensate.
 
You should be fine, what needs to be said has been said, 10's, maybe 11's and adjust your truss rod if you stick with it. You will only break your high e string often if you over tune it or it's wound wrong.
 
Guys, he's wanting to tune up 2 steps to Ab, not down 3 1/2 steps to Ab.

He'd need a lighter string gauge. Heavier strings wouldn't be able to take the strain of the tension necessary to tune up to Ab. He'd need lighter strings in order to be able to tune up that high. Plus the increased tension would bow the neck something fierce! it'd take a pretty major truss rod adjustment to get it playable again. And the slightest barb in the nut or the saddles would cause strings to break left and right. Not to mention the wear and tear on his fingers from the higher action and stiffer tension.

To the OP:
Why not try one of these 2 things instead:

- buy a capo and put it on the 4th fret. It would require no new strings, no truss rod adjustments, and barely even any tuning adjustments.

- If you're dead set on tuning upwards to Ab and don't want to use a capo like most people would, I'd suggest using the same gauge strings, but move them all up a string. Meaning, use your A string as your 6th string, use your D string as your 5th string, G string as your 4th string, B as your 3rd, E as your 2nd, and find something like a .008 to use as your 1st string.
 
Tadpui said:
Guys, he's wanting to tune up 2 steps to Ab, not down 3 1/2 steps to Ab.

He'd need a lighter string gauge. Heavier strings wouldn't be able to take the strain of the tension necessary to tune up to Ab. He'd need lighter strings in order to be able to tune up that high. Plus the increased tension would bow the neck something fierce! it'd take a pretty major truss rod adjustment to get it playable again. And the slightest barb in the nut or the saddles would cause strings to break left and right. Not to mention the wear and tear on his fingers from the higher action and stiffer tension.

To the OP:
Why not try one of these 2 things instead:

- buy a capo and put it on the 4th fret. It would require no new strings, no truss rod adjustments, and barely even any tuning adjustments.

- If you're dead set on tuning upwards to Ab and don't want to use a capo like most people would, I'd suggest using the same gauge strings, but move them all up a string. Meaning, use your A string as your 6th string, use your D string as your 5th string, G string as your 4th string, B as your 3rd, E as your 2nd, and find something like a .008 to use as your 1st string.
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right.

you would want heavier strings if you are tuning DOWN because they have higher tension and will stay in tune better without getting sloppy. tuning UP you would want strings with lower tension so that you don't snap the damn guitar in half.
 
I also want to clarify that the style I play includes a TON of bending strings, soooo,, yeah... And the reason I wanna tune the whole thing up two tones is because I want to be able to hit really high notes, that of which aren't easily accomplished with standard tuning.
 
yeah, then just use super light strings. your intonation is probably gonna suck up high on the fretboard though with skinny strings and being tuned 2 and a half steps up.
 
Are you particularly attached to your guitar?

I wouldn't try it on anything that wasn't a quality instrument (yes, I know that sounds counterintuitive) as the strain might be too much for it?

I'm also thinking that if you get a 008, tune it up 2 tones and start doing crazy-ass bends then you're going to get really good at restringing... but let us know how it goes! :D
 
Armistice said:
Are you particularly attached to your guitar?

I wouldn't try it on anything that wasn't a quality instrument (yes, I know that sounds counterintuitive) as the strain might be too much for it?

I'm also thinking that if you get a 008, tune it up 2 tones and start doing crazy-ass bends then you're going to get really good at restringing... but let us know how it goes! :D
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:laughings: yeah seriously, i'd never even try it, but it think it'd be funny to let this guy do it and see what happens.
 
Give a try to a slide for hitting really high notes. I've never been good at using a slide, but with practice you can do some pretty amazing things with one. They make some pretty crazy adaptations of slides, so you're not limited to a traditional medicine bottle or anything.

I've seen Steve Vai use a pedal to hit some really high notes. Maybe something that Eventide makes, or even a Digitech Whammy can transpose up a ways. Not to throw gear at the problem, but after experimenting with restringing, I have a feeling that a new piece of kit will soon sound like a good idea :)
 
Tadpui said:
Guys, he's wanting to tune up 2 steps to Ab, not down 3 1/2 steps to Ab.

He'd need a lighter string gauge. Heavier strings wouldn't be able to take the strain of the tension necessary to tune up to Ab.
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It's not that much of a step up, you could do it with 09s/10s/11s...
...the concern is that the high E string would snap easier when played harder under the extra tension, while the heavier gauge strings would not.

Ever see piano wire on the VERY high side...it's heavy gauge, otherwise it would SNAP because of the high tension!

The strings are not the concern...it's the bow in the neck he has to check.
 
Tadpui said:
Guys, he's wanting to tune up 2 steps to Ab, not down 3 1/2 steps to Ab.

He'd need a lighter string gauge.
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beat me to it.


Just use a capo ...... you'll get the same effect without straining the neck on your git.
 
miroslav said:
Ever see piano wire on the VERY high side...it's heavy gauge, otherwise it would SNAP because of the high tension!
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that's not correct.
And I say this as a piano-tuner/rebuilder/restringer of some 35 years.

The highest strings in a piano are the lightest gauges in a piano.
They may look large to you compared to a guitar string but by piano terms they're light.
And it's not uncommon that if you eyeball a string to replace it (because you're to lazy to mic it) you'll break it trying to get it up to pitch and have to go to a lighter guage.
 
Lt. Bob said:
that's not correct.
And I say this as a piano-tuner/rebuilder/restringer of some 35 years.

The highest strings in a piano are the lightest gauges in a piano.
They may look large to you compared to a guitar string but by piano terms they're light.
And it's not uncommon that if you eyeball a string to replace it (because you're to lazy to mic it) you'll break it trying to get it up to pitch and have to go to a lighter guage.
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Tell em about mass and stiffness Lt. Nobody believes me round here any more.;)
 
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