String gauge drop. Complicated?

[gemyneye]

Oh I’m know this question has been asked a lot and I read and thought about it for a few days now.

I currently have with 10s
Custom 24
594 SC
595 hollowbody

9s
Silver sky
CE 22
SE custom 24

I’m thinking about bringing them all to 9.5. The 10s almost have too much tension (I do bend a lot) and the 9s a bit too small so it feels like 9.5 might be the Goldilocks for me. I do my own setups and have the teens down but haven’t attempted an intonation change on the 594 because, well they’ve been intonated every damn string change!

Any foreseeable issues based on experiences? Thanks!

 

[GuitarJammin]

I've done lots of gauge changes on my guitars. This should not be complicated at all and pretty straight forward. You'll probably have to add tension on the trem springs on the guitars with 9s. Loosen trem springs on the custom 24 with 10s. Making a small move from 10s to 9.5s...your 594 might still be intonated lol.

For me...may not be the case with you...but I've usually even adjusted the truss to get the action I want too. May not be needed...but that is one last thing you can do after you have everything changed and put things through their paces.

The almighty truss is powerful indeed.

 

[swede71]

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The issues with changing string gauge is tension.As the others have already said it’s basically small tweaks with trossrod,tremolosprings and intonation.A string tension guide is a good way to see how more or less tension affect the neck and the tremolo.Personally i use 9-46 now tuned to E flat.

 

[boardn10]

I am constantly changing gauges to accommodate projects.
I was in a modern metal project and had my SC250 with 12-62 in drop C, then I eventually dropped to 11.5-60.

I just joined up with some guys doing classic rock, 80s and 90s rock, grunge and metal and switched to 10-54 I standard E with the occasionally drop D. I hate that the. 054 is floppy in D but it's only one or two songs. Then I have my CE22 set half step down to Eb with 11-58 with the occasional drop C#.

This seems like a large string gauge jump but I like the same or similar tension. Many guys just go up or down a gauge when adjusting for a half step.

I didn't even need to adjust the intonation, only the neck relief and string height. Both are set to about 3/64".

I tried 2/64" and it was slightly too low. I like a little more height as I find it feels better if that makes sense. 4/64" or 2/32" starts to get too high for me.

I only have hard tails although my CE22 with trem is locked down right to the body - it almost acts like a hard trial.