Guitar Modification for Heavy Strings

[Ricky Roro]

I was wondering, how does a guitar need to be modified to fit heavy strings? By heavy I mean up to 80's or so. What all needs to be done? Or could I simply take the guitar to a local store and tell them how it needs changed?

I have a baritone right now, so I don't need to worry about it yet. This is mainly for future reference, since I know I'll have to do it eventually.

EDIT: Was this supposed to go under modifications and customizations section?

 

[TRENCHLORD]

Likely to need slight truss rod adjustment and intonation setup. Also will then need to calibrate action and pickup height adjustments. Might need to drill out tuner on largest string to fit through.

 

[Dayn]

It's an entirely guitar-specific question.

1. Will it fit in the nut? You may need to widen it.
2. Will it fit through the tuner? You may need to unwind the string.
3. Will it fit in the saddle? You may need a new saddle.
4. Will it fit through the body if it's a string-through? You may need to widen the holes.

And then, it's all a matter of setting your guitar up. Adjusting the truss rod, setting the string action, adjusting intonation...

Edit: if you take it to a guitar store, then it also depends on who does it. I'd say get some practice and try it yourself.

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

You will almost certainly have to widen the slots on the nut, have fun and be careful!

 

[TRENCHLORD]

Dayn is right. Your better off learning to calibrate setup yourself. Unless you live close to a highly reccomended tech, and even then you'd save a lot of time and money in the long run by just learning to setup yourself to your own personal playing tendencies and equipment choices.

 

[Ricky Roro]

Where would I be able to find different hardware (like the saddle)?
Also, if you wanted to make the strings fit without unwinding the string (because unwinding strings is somewhat difficult and annoying) would you need new tuners? And how would you make the slots in the nut larger without completely ruining it

I'm pretty sure all 3 will need to be changed in some way (excluding tuners if you unwind the string) to work properly

 

[Dayn]

The saddle depends on your guitar, but honestly I don't see anything not fitting. As said before, you can drill out your tuner to make it wider, but if a friend of mine was going to do that I would immediately slap them. I don't see how it's possible to bugger up a string by unwinding it, but if you do, it's cheap. But if you bugger up the tuner... that's a lot more to cough up to replace. I'd suggest just spending the time to unwind the string, so you keep your tuner's structural integrity.

Regarding the nut, it once again depends on what you have, but I found a small, fine, thin metal file that fit in there nicely. Then I filed each side equally until the string could fit in. Do not, I repeat, do not make the nut deeper: make it wider.

 

[Sephael]

If it has a trem you will need to adjust and maybe replace/add springs.

 

[Ricky Roro]

So essentially, unless everything else is smaller than average, all I really need to worry about is slightly widening the nut with a file and unwinding the ends of the huge strings.
I don't think I'll get many trem-equipped guitars, so that probably won't be a problem; a tremolo might be a cool toy but it makes changing anything with the strings a pain.

 

[Sephael]

I don't think I'll get many trem-equipped guitars, so that probably won't be a problem; a tremolo might be a cool toy but it makes changing anything with the strings a pain.

only the first time or two. after that it gets much easier and quicker. And you can always block the trem if you want to change tunings (or get a d-tuna to go from standard to drop D).