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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 5:50 am
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Zentar wrote:
...
Don't be afraid to experiment by using your own ideas. Some players use a flat wound on the D string. There is all kinds of mix and matches players have come up with.
If you don't like what you change to just go back to what you started with. It's your guitar so do whatever you want with it. By all means do at least a little experimenting. You will find it educational at the least.

Why flat wound on the D?

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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 7:07 pm
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OK, this might be dumb question but it has kept me from trying 11's and 12's.

I was told a long time ago that going from 9's to 10's was not a problem - just recheck the truss rod and claw adjustments after switching but that going higher than 10's would require widening the nut slots. Now I have some set up with 9's and some with 10's but nothing bigger. So my dumb question is that if I alter a nut to accept 11's or 12's and then decide I don't like them and want to go back to 10's am I going to have to replace the nut? If a nut that is cut for 12's works fine with 9's and 10's then why don't they use it for a general all-purpose nut so that we can switch things up without having to worry about it? I'm confident that I can widen an existing nut with no problem - installing a new nut if I wanted to go smaller again could be a problem.


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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:18 am
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There are no dumb questions.

Usually wider nut slots will cause no problems with lighter gauges. The slot bottom should be round, so the lighter string will sit on the slot center just fine. (And: the nut slot is always cut a bit wider than the string anyways, plus the grooves will in time widen as well as deepen - so 'the slot wider than the string' is status quo.)
On the subject of difficulties between 'just nut slot cutting' vs 'installing a new nut': if you use a pre-slotted nut, IMHO both jobs are at about the same level. My favorite online instructions on nut slots are here: Ceri's instructions to fix a pre-cut nut
(And of course, real nut slot files are better for the job.)

A bit of purposeless rambling: I favor the habit of checking the setup every time you do a string change. And if you change string gauge, it's IMHO compulsory to check the nut, truss rod, trem settings, intonation etc. If someone says going from .009's to .010's (that increases the string tension over 20%...) resulted in no need for adjusting, I start wondering if the guitar was properly setup in the first place.


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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:30 am
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jmattis wrote:
There are no dumb questions.



No dumb questions? Then you obviously didn't see my question above. :roll: :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:38 am
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That's not a dumb question, either.
Wound and plain G, yes. But a flatwound D..?
8)


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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 1:18 pm
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fenderfan wrote:
OK, this might be dumb question but it has kept me from trying 11's and 12's.

I was told a long time ago that going from 9's to 10's was not a problem - just recheck the truss rod and claw adjustments after switching but that going higher than 10's would require widening the nut slots. Now I have some set up with 9's and some with 10's but nothing bigger. So my dumb question is that if I alter a nut to accept 11's or 12's and then decide I don't like them and want to go back to 10's am I going to have to replace the nut? If a nut that is cut for 12's works fine with 9's and 10's then why don't they use it for a general all-purpose nut so that we can switch things up without having to worry about it? I'm confident that I can widen an existing nut with no problem - installing a new nut if I wanted to go smaller again could be a problem.


I would just string the guitar, give it a set up, and see how it plays before altering the nut. I've played with 11s on my Strat and 12s on my SG and did not have any problems with the nuts.

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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 4:14 pm
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jmattis wrote:
There are no dumb questions.

Usually wider nut slots will cause no problems with lighter gauges. The slot bottom should be round, so the lighter string will sit on the slot center just fine. (And: the nut slot is always cut a bit wider than the string anyways, plus the grooves will in time widen as well as deepen - so 'the slot wider than the string' is status quo.)
On the subject of difficulties between 'just nut slot cutting' vs 'installing a new nut': if you use a pre-slotted nut, IMHO both jobs are at about the same level. My favorite online instructions on nut slots are here: Ceri's instructions to fix a pre-cut nut
(And of course, real nut slot files are better for the job.)

A bit of purposeless rambling: I favor the habit of checking the setup every time you do a string change. And if you change string gauge, it's IMHO compulsory to check the nut, truss rod, trem settings, intonation etc. If someone says going from .009's to .010's (that increases the string tension over 20%...) resulted in no need for adjusting, I start wondering if the guitar was properly setup in the first place.

I've been rechecking everything but the nut when I change strings, usually everything checks out except sometimes needs a slight claw adjustment. As far as the nut goes if it looks fine, the new string goes in ok without pinching, the guitar stays in tune and isn't buzzing or making other strange sounds I figured the nut was alright.


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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 6:21 pm
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ZZDoc wrote:
As far a Billy Gibbons is concerned, I wouldn't put much stock in the string gauges. At the volume levels he plays, and with all his signal processing, a buttefly's wing brushing those strings could get great tone.

From what I've heard, Mr. Gibbons has struggled with rheumatism-related problems since he was young, and that's the reason for the lighter strings, hollowed out guitars, others carrying his guitars on and off stage, and staying as skinny as he is.
If I didn't have jar openers instead of hands, I probably wouldn't have strung a couple of mine with .012s either. My recommendation is to use what's best for each individual player, and don't look so much at what others use. There's nothing wrong with choosing .008s, or .013s for that matter, as long as it feels right.

As for the nut, a little graphite powder can help the strings glide even when there's a tight fit. Where to get graphite powder? A pencil. It may not be as slick as the expensive stuff watchmakers use, but it's plenty slick enough for this, and comes with a handy applicator.
And if that's not enough, for the bass strings, the string itself can be used to gently file a nut to accept it.


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Post subject: Re: Changing from 9's to 10's
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 2:34 am
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arth1 wrote:
Where to get graphite powder? A pencil. It may not be as slick as the expensive stuff watchmakers use, but it's plenty slick enough for this, and comes with a handy applicator.


+1

I use powdered graphite purchased at a bike shop where it's the preferred lubricant for cables, brake calipers and the like. But the lead dust created by grinding and sanding the sharpened tip of a 2B or HB drafting pencil will work just as well.

Arjay

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