Neck damage from down tuning?

[Narrillnezzurh]

There've probably been a number of threads about this before now, but there's nothing about it in any of the stickies, I found nothing from the forum search, and although I've found some answers outside this forum, I figure more opinions can't hurt.

My band plays in some pretty low drop tunings. C standard and drop Bb are the norm, but we've begun to delve into even lower tunings such as Ab Eb Bb Eb G C, and I don't really have enough money to spend on a quality seven string if we decide to go any lower. Will leaving my guitar in these low tunings be bad for the neck? Will I have to make truss rod adjustments to compensate? Obviously string gauge is going to affect the playability and tone, but would it cause further harm to the neck if I used light strings? I don't really want to use anything heavier than 10-52 (a light top heavy bottom set).

Will it be a problem, or will it be fine?

[MaxOfMetal]

It'll be fine.

Even the dinkiest guitar necks can withstand hundreds of pounds of force, both positive and negative.

[Narrillnezzurh]

Awesome

[mustache79]

You may need to add a little relief to the neck when tuning down, because less tension on the neck can cause the neck to straighten out a little too far. Other than that I wouldn't worry.

[bob123]

Originally Posted by mustache79

You may need to add a little relief to the neck when tuning down, because less tension on the neck can cause the neck to straighten out a little too far. Other than that I wouldn't worry.

THIS!

I just realized I ruined one of my rg550 necks tonight because I left tension on the truss rod like a complete moron

[A5phyx1at1on]

Or just get thicker strings to compensate for the lower tuning?

I use 13-64's for drop B/A

[supercolio]

Yeah, it shouldn't hurt... But if I were you, I'd use a heavier set of strings. I have currently a standard 10' set in my main guitar, but lowest two strings are 56 and 52... 52 is the thick E string that came with the set, but I bought 56' and decided to put the 52 in the 5th place. Brutal as ever! I suggest you invest in some thicker strings.

[Enselmis]

Originally Posted by bob123

THIS!

I just realized I ruined one of my rg550 necks tonight because I left tension on the truss rod like a complete moron

I think it unlikely that that neck is "ruined", probably just needs an adjustment.

OP: 52-10 in Ab is going to sound sketchy at best. Good luck.

[MikeH]

I've said this before in other threads:
I used 74-13s on an Ibanez S540 in Drop B. You'll be fine.

[Narrillnezzurh]

To those saying to just get thicker strings, the reason I asked was because I obviously don't want to get thicker strings. Telling me to just get thicker strings is of absolutely no help.

That said, I ordered a 13-57 set from Circle K recently. They sound great, but they feel way too thick for my tastes, so I'm probably gonna swap them out for a thinner set.

[7stringDemon]

You can tune any guitar to any tuning with any scale length.

You can put .14's in E and you can (attemp) putting .09's in Drop A. The neck will be fine.

The key is getting the right strings. If you go from .10's in E to a .13-.46 with a low .70 in Drop A, then you're going to have about the exact same tension. And if you have the same tension, then why would the neck ever bow backwards or forwards? It wouldn't.

[bradthelegend]

Originally Posted by Narrillnezzurh

To those saying to just get thicker strings, the reason I asked was because I obviously don't want to get thicker strings. Telling me to just get thicker strings is of absolutely no help.

That said, I ordered a 13-57 set from Circle K recently. They sound great, but they feel way too thick for my tastes, so I'm probably gonna swap them out for a thinner set.

I know where you're coming from. I used to use 10-52s, but when my band moved down to C# Standard I finally had to go up to 12-54s. I got used to them after a while, and they're comfortable now.

But, *allegedly* (according to an ad in a magazine and the D'Addario website) Mick Thomson has used 10-46s for Drob B, so I guess crazier things have been done.

[A5phyx1at1on]

Originally Posted by bradthelegend

(according to an ad in a magazine and the D'Addario website) Mick Thomson has used 10-46s for Drob B, so I guess crazier things have been done.

Probably why they sounded like shit

[Bones43x]

Originally Posted by Enselmis

I think it unlikely that that neck is "ruined", probably just needs an adjustment.

Depending on how long he left the neck in that state, it could very well cause an incurable back-bow condition (high spot in the fretboard).

[jwade]

Doesn't Dino Cazares use a set of 52s or 54s for his A standard tuning? I'd say pretty much any gauge is going to work, as long as you're comfortable with slight truss for adjustments now and then if you decide to go up or down more than a few whole steps.

[grey dog]

i left the strings off of my tele for a while because i wanted the clean the body, the neck feels a little bit bent, i wouldn't recommend doing this.

[Rook]

^Why did you repeats exactly what max said?

EDIT - and it's changed...?

Originally Posted by bradthelegend

I know where you're coming from. I used to use 10-52s, but when my band moved down to C# Standard I finally had to go up to 12-54s. I got used to them after a while, and they're comfortable now.

But, *allegedly* (according to an ad in a magazine and the D'Addario website) Mick Thomson has used 10-46s for Drob B, so I guess crazier things have been done.

That very same website says our very own Mr Mansoor's uses 10-46, which we know isn't true. He uses 12-60 for drop C and 11-64 for drop Ab I believe.

[Daemoniac]

Originally Posted by MikeH

I've said this before in other threads:
I used 74-13s on an Ibanez S540 in Drop B. You'll be fine.

The same, but drop C#

[Lives Once Abstract]

As has been said, you can use any gauge you want. if you keep the same gauge and drop the tuning the neck is going to have less tension. this can cause fret buzz. not guaranteed to but it could.

plus, if your using lite top heavy bottums in drop G# which you said were 10-52, honestly at this point i think you might want to worry about the tone of your guitar. i cant see your strings sounding good at all.

also, each note you pick you will have to pick lighter because it will more than likely bend the pitch due to the string tension being so loose. also you will have to most likely press frets with less force for the same reason. to keep your notes from going sharp. just my 2 cents.

[avenger]

52 is the thickest I'll go... *checks URL... SSO.org*...

[SkullCrusher]

Ive seen people put an Ibanez neck on two bricks and stand on it

[VBCheeseGrater]

Originally Posted by bradthelegend

But, *allegedly* (according to an ad in a magazine and the D'Addario website) Mick Thomson has used 10-46s for Drob B, so I guess crazier things have been done.

I'd guess he was maybe going for a certain tone on certain part of an album with this? Purely circumstantial as i know nothing of the situation, but who would do that for anything more than that? Buzz and flop city.

[Azathoth43]

Originally Posted by VBCheeseGrater

I'd guess he was maybe going for a certain tone on certain part of an album with this? Purely circumstantial as i know nothing of the situation, but who would do that for anything more than that? Buzz and flop city.

It's that new sound all the cool kids have. Don't you Flouzz?

flouzz flouzz flouzzflouzzflouzz flouzz flouzz flodidflouflouzz

[Lives Once Abstract]

Originally Posted by Azathoth43

It's that new sound all the cool kids have. Don't you Flouzz?

flouzz flouzz flouzzflouzzflouzz flouzz flouzz flodidflouflouzz

HA!

...

[LeAdEr]

Originally Posted by jwade

Doesn't Dino Cazares use a set of 52s or 54s for his A standard tuning? I'd say pretty much any gauge is going to work, as long as you're comfortable with slight truss for adjustments now and then if you decide to go up or down more than a few whole steps.

But Dino has a guitar with a longer scale, thats the point