Effect of going up half a gauge on action?

[Armistice]

So, as we know, I have a new Les Paul Standard. It comes from the factory with these rinky little hybrid set of strings - the wounds are a standard 10s gauge, the unwounds are a standard 9s gauge.

I'm not getting along with them, in particular the high E - the 9. Super shrill sound and just too easy to rub over the edge of the fretboard on the low side.

When I bought the guitar I got a "free set up" redeemable any time within 12 months as they're too lazy to set the damn things up properly when they get them in the shop. I haven't used that yet, but I could do it now and say "throw some 10s on...".

However - my other, older, Les Paul standard has 11s on it. I find it stays in tune better and I don't mind the tension. I don't want to jump from the hybrid 9s straight to 11s without stopping in between.

Now I can adjust neck relief etc. myself if I need to but I'm thinking if I put on 10s myself now, that's really not much difference in tension from this semi-9s set and I probably won't have to do anything. And then, next time, if I want to go to 11s like the other Les Paul, I give it back to them because that probably WILL require some adjustment and redeem my "free set up"... It's also a bit of a nightmare to get to the damn shop.

So - how's my theory about the likely effect of going hybrid 9s to standard 10s - shouldn't need any neck adjustment?

[Greg_L]

No, Put em on. You will not need to adjust anything unless the guitar setup is totally jacked anyway.

[Lt. Bob]

agree ... I change between 10 and 11 sets on my gits and I don't find I need to do anything for that.
So you're only changing the unwounds .... can't imagine it will make any difference.

[Armistice]

Yeah, didn't think it would.

I haven't changed gauges on anything for years - the old LP went up via a full service/setup so I didn't see what the guy did.

9s feel nice and light so long as you're not plugged into anything and you're sitting on the couch noodling away whilst watching the teev, but once I plug the thing in and try to do anything solo-y the unwounds are just too weeny(for me).

Cheers

[muttley]

Go for it... Should be OK just watch out for creaks when tuning but even thats unlikely if its a standard factory nut...

[ido1957]

I prefer the sound of 10's but my fingers prefer the ease of 9's.
The nut may cause the common G String goes sharp issue when you move up, but it may already be wide enough/angled/whatever the fix is.
Go for it

[Tadpui]

So you guys don't experience buzzing or fretting out if you don't do a setup after changing string gauges? Even the changing of the seasons, much less the changing of string gauges usually means a setup for me. I'm not super diligent about it, and I tend to power through and play on buzzy frets for 6 months until the seasons come back around. But every once in a while I get on a tear and get a few set up at a time.

[Roman]

Depends on the neck. Some are more sensitive to tension changes. Lower action magnifies that because there is less wiggle room.

Its easy enough to learn how to loosen or tighten the rod if needed for string guage changes.

One of the primary purposes of the rod is to counteract the tension and pull of the strings on the neck.

Less string tension means you need to loosen. More string tension means tighten.

But any rod changes should be slight and subtle.

Think of it like a seesaw. Equal weight kids on each side and it balances. Put a fat kid on one side and there goes your balance. Lol.

Just like a floating tremelo. If you break a string it messes up that balance.

[Greg_L]

I don't go for super low action, but some fret buzz is just the nature of the beast. I've never in my life played a guitar that didn't have some buzz somewhere on the neck - especially if you rock out.

[Roman]

Bang it hard enough, and the stings will bounce on the frets.

[JD01]

Bit of fret buzz doesn't bother me at all.

I did set my Custom up for no fret buzz at all even when using Drop D. But I didn't really like it and rarely play in Drop D anyway - its back to being super-low now. My PRS buzzes like fuck, but its alright.