Restringing a guitar that's been stringless for years

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:17 pm

I'm going to change the pickups and restring my first guitar, which has been unused now for probably five years. It's been left stringless in this time.

Is there anything I need to be aware of before restringing? I use much heavier strings now than I used to (.013 - .056 compared to .009 - .042) so I know that I'll be having to do a bit of truss rod tweaking, but would it be worth tuning it only up as far as C standard or something the first time, leaving it a few days, adjusting, then taking it up to D then on up to E?

I'm worried about putting too much of a sudden stress on the neck and bowing it beyond repair. Or am I just being overly cautious?

George · Post by **George** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:29 pm

i can't say about the neck but i'd give it a quarter turn or less a day, starting now just to get up to the right relief as well as loosen up the system itself. i'd be more concerned about the truss rod nut stripping if it's very stiff.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:39 pm

I'm not in any hurry to get this done, because the pickups haven't even been ordered yet, but now that it's sitting stringless would it be an idea to loosen it a quarter turn first just to get it moving?

Chris Fleming · Post by **Chris Fleming** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:41 pm

personally I wouldn't worry about restringing causing any damage. When the thing was first made, the strings would have gone straight on and tuned up. String it up wait to see what happens then adjust as needed I'd say. Maybe check the truss rod is working ok first?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:44 pm

I would certainly check the truss rod moves without strings, but I wouldn't adjust it yet. Having no strings on it all this time the neck may have pulled quite a bit inwards and beyond norm.. so adding string tension the other way is only going to even things it out again.

But I would string it and do the truss rod checks as you start tuning up to pitch like you mentioned and tweak accordingly. First Fret / Last Fret, finger-thumb checks as go. If you used to have 9s/10s on it lets say then it'll prob need a tweak regardless anyways, but until you know for sure I wouldn't touch it... there's no point assuming things.

I always notice guitars that have been left neglected need a week or so to sort themselves out generally... and become settled again.

Generally I would gauge things as you go and over an allotted time, if there is something seriously wrong you'll realise via common sense.

Whats kind of guitar is it ? Cheap / Expensive ?

spirograph · Post by **spirograph** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:46 pm

if it were me, id loosen the truss rod entirely now, with strings off. leave it a few days. then tighten it til it just grips. then leave it a few days. then restring it. then tighten it a quarter turn per day, til its ok.

h8mtv · Post by **h8mtv** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:39 pm

About a year ago a buddy gave me a Hondo explorer copy that had been in a closet with no strings for years. I strung it up and the action was terrible. Being a set neck I hanged her up on the wall, not feeling abitious. I grabbed it the other day and it plays very well. I think there is much to be said for letting things just settle back in.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:01 pm

So, restring it and see what happens?

It's sounding like I don't have anything to worry about. Think I'll only go as far as C or so anyway.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:02 pm

othomas2 wrote:Whats kind of guitar is it ? Cheap / Expensive ?

DeArmond M-65. Well made, not very expensive, but it was my first guitar and I'd be gutted if anything happened to it.

spirograph · Post by **spirograph** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:08 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:
DeArmond M-65. Well made, not very expensive, but it was my first guitar and I'd be gutted if anything happened to it.

my mate had one of them til about a month ago. hed had it like 10+ years. those things are hard as fuck.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:03 pm

string the bastard up.

James · Post by **James** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:03 pm

Guitar strings aren't all that high tension, even 13s. Not compared to heavier gauge bass strings or what you can have on acoustic instruments (mandos are pretty high tension).

Loosen the truss rod off a little and check it moves ok, then put some strings on and put it pretty much up to pitch. Let them settle overnight and then do small adjustments with perhaps an hour in between. Mostly you'll just need to tighten it back to near where it was and maybe a tiny bit more, but I doubt that you'll need to do very much of an adjustment.

tl;dr - just get some strings on it and see what happens.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Wed Aug 21, 2013 1:52 am

chris alreasy said it. Restring it. Then adjust as needed. Its never really bad to be too cautious. Personally. I would string it up. Tune it to pitch. Then after thirty mins ajust the truss rod. After about a day or two of playing it you will be able to finalize the neck ajustments.