Tension difference

G

Hi all

I recently started playing and got me a new steel string guitar, the strings are a bit on the on the heavy side and hurt my fingers. I want to get some light gauge strings and would just like to know what the tension difference would do to the guitar.

Gearhead

Have you asked what gauge is on? I mean, are you sure it is not light (.010) already? It may take a while for your fingers to get used to the tension of light gauge strings, almost the same way as it would to mediums.
I would not recommend playing .009 strings for long. Imho, the effect those strings are going to have is twofold: firstly, assuming the guitar is set up for heavier strings, it will be likely to start buzzing in the 'middle' of the fretboard, say between frets 4 and 10. Secondly, the low tension on the strings may very well buzz heavily right across the fretboard when you strum hard. You're going to say 'well, then I don't strum hard' but that is going to take away dynamics in your playing that you may need to learn. The countermeasure is to get higher action, which will nullify the whole reason for wanting light strings in the first place. A steel stringed acoustic is never going to play as lightly as an electric or a nylon. Period.

Bob-Dubery

It's not QUITE that simple. The material used for the strings can effect tension too.

I play with phosphor bronze 13s on my acoustics. Exact same dimensions as any other 13s, but they exert more tension than 80:20 strings of the same gauge.

Most manufacturer's web sites will give a table or means of estimating tension.

The neck on a steel string acoustic has an adjustable truss rod in it. This is to help compensate for the loading placed on the guitar by the strings. If you go significantly lighter you may find that the neck needs adjusting.

This brings us to another point: This is a new guitar and you've just started playing. Are you sure the guitar is properly set up? Did the shop offer this? And frankly your fingers ARE going to take some strain at first. It's just part of being human and playing a steel string guitar.

aja

Gearhead wrote Have you asked what gauge is on? I mean, are you sure it is not light (.010) already? It may take a while for your fingers to get used to the tension of light gauge strings, almost the same way as it would to mediums.
I would not recommend playing .009 strings for long. Imho, the effect those strings are going to have is twofold: firstly, assuming the guitar is set up for heavier strings, it will be likely to start buzzing in the 'middle' of the fretboard, say between frets 4 and 10. Secondly, the low tension on the strings may very well buzz heavily right across the fretboard when you strum hard. You're going to say 'well, then I don't strum hard' but that is going to take away dynamics in your playing that you may need to learn. The countermeasure is to get higher action, which will nullify the whole reason for wanting light strings in the first place. A steel stringed acoustic is never going to play as lightly as an electric or a nylon. Period.

Good point, something lots of people forget about. Changing string gauges is not like changing socks

Keira-WitherKay

ok what people forget is that detuning your guitar by half a step lowers the tension considerably ..........
i do that professionally on my classical...i tune to E b not E and then place a capo permanently on the 1st fret to get me back to concert pitch........... it works fabulously try it . i did have to change the dot markers on my fretboard.......... tho but apart from that i enjoy the lower tension and because of the loss of the 1st fret the shorter scale ...... allows for better stretch's ......

try it you have nothig to lose

Jack-Flash-Jr

Keira WitherKay wrote ok what people forget is that detuning your guitar by half a step lowers the tension considerably ..........
i do that professionally on my classical...i tune to E b not E and then place a capo permanently on the 1st fret to get me back to concert pitch........... it works fabulously try it . i did have to change the dot markers on my fretboard.......... tho but apart from that i enjoy the lower tension and because of the loss of the 1st fret the shorter scale ...... allows for better stretch's ......

try it you have nothig to lose

Does the capo not "re-tension" the strings? Just wondering...

AlanRatcliffe

No, it just shortens the scale length.

Keira-WitherKay

Jack Flash Jr wrote
Keira WitherKay wrote ok what people forget is that detuning your guitar by half a step lowers the tension considerably ..........
i do that professionally on my classical...i tune to E b not E and then place a capo permanently on the 1st fret to get me back to concert pitch........... it works fabulously try it . i did have to change the dot markers on my fretboard.......... tho but apart from that i enjoy the lower tension and because of the loss of the 1st fret the shorter scale ...... allows for better stretch's ......

try it you have nothig to lose
Does the capo not "re-tension" the strings? Just wondering...

alan is right it shortens the scale length.which actually is something i want to achieve too.....as multi part fingerstyle guitar is played easier when ... the scale is shorter....... martin taylor has a vanden with shorter scale ...and the country gospel fingerstyle player doyle dykes has a signature taylor which has a shortened scale to allow better reach.... so yeah short scale for fingerstyle is cool.........

and the tension remains the lower tension that is present at a 1/2 step detune........ so a win win.........

and i have not detected an intonation problem on my nylons because of it.......... which i thought might occur ......but happily not .......

so yeah my guitar is permanently detuned to Eb and wears a capo on 1st fret permanently........

also the lower tension allows for a tone that is deeper or darker... which i also like...........

this works for me .... and on a nylon not sure how it will equate to steel..........

however i do believe i was told stevie ray vaughn detuned to Eb so he could use heavier strings without the added tension............

DonovanB

G, How long have you been playing for?

That seems like a lot of info for a new player... Detuning is a good idea IMO, saves the hassle of adjusting anythign while you get used to it. Although like Keira says, the markings would need to move, I'm still amazied at how big a difference those make...

Bob-Dubery

IMO the first thing to do would be to get somebody who knows what they're doing to check the action. A lot of beginners give up out of frustration or a feeling that they can't do this when the problem is a crap guitar with high action.

aja

X-rated Bob wrote IMO the first thing to do would be to get somebody who knows what they're doing to check the action. A lot of beginners give up out of frustration or a feeling that they can't do this when the problem is a crap guitar with high action.

And old strings. So many people I have spoken to seem to think strings should last a year plus ???

MikeM

Aja... Guilty. Hehe

singemonkey

X-rated Bob wrote IMO the first thing to do would be to get somebody who knows what they're doing to check the action. A lot of beginners give up out of frustration or a feeling that they can't do this when the problem is a crap guitar with high action.

That's what I was going to say. Many new guitars feel hard to play because they haven't been set up right. A well set up guitar is not that hard to play chords and things on, if it's set up right, even with heavy strings. A guitar repair person will make adjustments so that the strings are not so high above the fretboard, reducing the tension you need to fret the notes. It's a routine job and doesn't cost too much.

Bob is so right. Many people give up thinking that they'll never get a barre chord right. Meanwhile it's because their guitar is badly set up. It's why some people urge n00bs to start on electrics, which are seldom as bad. My girlfriend's guitar is impossible to fret above the fifth fret, and she gave up trying to play barre chords - and the guitar.

But you should hand the guitar to somebody who's been playing for many years, and ask them what they think you should do to make it easier to play.

aja

MikeM wrote Aja... Guilty. Hehe

Bob-Dubery

X-rated Bob wrote IMO the first thing to do would be to get somebody who knows what they're doing to check the action. A lot of beginners give up out of frustration or a feeling that they can't do this when the problem is a crap guitar with high action.

For the benefit of G and any other novice players reading this, the action is, in broad terms, the gap between the strings and the frets. The higher the action the more effort is required to fret a string.

There are various factors that effect action. You don't necessarily need to understand those now and will learn about them as your experience grows. The key point here is that there are various adjustments that can be made and which can make the guitar easier to play.

G

Hi all thanks for the replies.

The store did offer to have it set up for me, I have it for about 4 months now. I'll will be taking it in as soon as I get a chance. I am not sure though on how to measure the height of the "action", if that makes sense.

Bob-Dubery

G wrote Hi all thanks for the replies.

The store did offer to have it set up for me, I have it for about 4 months now. I'll will be taking it in as soon as I get a chance. I am not sure though on how to measure the height of the "action", if that makes sense.

The main thing at the moment is to ensure that it's easier to play.

As I said, steel strings are going to cause you a little discomfort at first, so even with a well set up guitar you are going to take a little initial strain.