Loosen strings when storing guitars ...or not?

[kukumba]

I need some advice from you folks that have a few guitars. I have a few guitars which are properly stored in a air conditioned more or less humidity controlled environment. The problem is that my "collection" has grown over the many years that I have playing and I wonder if I should be leaving them in their cases with the stings up to full tension. I have mostly electrics with 9's or 10's on them and they seem to be able to handle staying to full pitch for long periods of time with no issues at all.

Now for my acoustics, I tend to give them a break and loosen up the strings a bit when's put them away for more than a week.

I play all the time and make every effort to rotate through all my guitars but I'm worried that I could be causing some long term damage especially with the acoustics leaving in the case up to pitch.

How do you guys with larger collections handle this issue? My experience tells me I should not worry about it all. PRSi are the highest quality guitars I have found and I'm sure they can take it.

Thanks in advance....

 

[László]

I don't have a lot of guitars. But the instructions that come with PRS acoustics suggests loosening the strings if not playing them for a couple of weeks.

I play my electrics and acoustic every day, so I haven't had to think about it, but I think you're doing the right thing for the acoustic guitars at least. I have no idea about the electrics.

 

[Rider1260]

For what it is worth all my guitars live on hangers year round and tuned to pitch other than the gibson and fenders going just a bit sharp over time I have never had a problem.
IMHO a few weeks or even months would not harm a guitar the truss rod should keep any neck straight if storing long term I would tune down a step I think.

 

[rocguitar]

I've had many guitars over the last 5 decades, and I have kept ALL tuned to pitch......ALL of the time. I've NEVER experienced a string tension-related problem with any of the guitars!

 

[watelessness]

All on the wall and ready to go except for the 12 string which tends warp.

 

[Aldwyn]

This...

I've had many guitars over the last 5 decades, and I have kept ALL tuned to pitch......ALL of the time. I've NEVER experienced a string tension-related problem with any of the guitars!

 

[rugerpc]

Forgive me, I'm not a luthier.

So, I'll just try this from a logical/physics angle. The truss rod and the strings are in balance to keep the neck in a certain position for any given (stable) setup, yes?

It seems to me that changing string tension (loosening OR tightening) would alter that fine balance and invite neck movement.

Me thinks this might be why PRS guitars are shipped TUNED instead of slack-stringed...

 

[guitarsong]

I've had many guitars over the last 5 decades, and I have kept ALL tuned to pitch......ALL of the time. I've NEVER experienced a string tension-related problem with any of the guitars!

+2

 

[11top]

FWIW, I've also heard you should and seen many loosen strings for shipping. John Suhr told me once that loosening strings for shipping is a no-no.

 

[GC Ron]

I can tell you that when I was at Markies back in March I adjusted five or six truss rods out of all of the guitars in the collection. Not a bad ratio.

If you loosen strings for storage make sure to adjust the truss rod. It's just as bad to have no tension as tuned.

I would like to know where the myth of detuning when shipping originated. Every new guitar I have received in the last 15 years has been shipped tuned.

FWIW I never detune when shipping a guitar. Matter of fact, Larrivee states in their owners manual to never detune when shipping.