Will lighter strings extend an acoustic guitar's life?
Will lighter strings extend an acoustic guitar's life?
I just sold an old acoustic I acquired in bad condition and restrung with new nut and saddle, whose bridge was beginning to lift out of the body. I traded it in for a different guitar whose bridge I checked is not lifting.
The new guitar has a set of .10 gauge steel strings on it - unusually light for an acoustic. This got me thinking, if the string gauge and thus tension is lower, would this help avoid pulling the bridge out?
Here's a bonus part of the question, the converse of the title. I normally use .12s on an acoustic, would changing this guitar from .10 to a heavier set, say .11 or .12, be likely to reduce its lifespan? I understand it would probably need a truss adjustment after changing size but even after that how would my working life be affected?
A good answer would probably cite material from luthiers or manufacturers as well as giving from personal experience.
Addition: (Following Scott's answer): The guitar in question is a Yamaha F-310, which is a dreadnought with spruce top, Meranti B&S, all laminate, Nato neck, Rosewood board and bridge. The bridge is quite wide and the guitar has a reputation for having brittle wood.
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Okay, here's your answer from a luthier. Yes, if you change from .10 gauge to .12 gauge strings, assuming that all strings are thicker in this proportion, then there will be 44% more tension on the guitar for the same tuning (because tension is a square factor of diameter at the same pitch). It's a logical consequence that this means more wear and tear on the instrument.
But what that means as far as the bridge pulling up, or the truss needing adjustment, goes, is not so simple to say. It obviously depends on the construction of the instrument. My experience is that guitars (like violins and all other stringed instruments) eventually bend under the tension of the strings, and the more tension, the faster. That's why we luthiers have to continually reset necks, or adjust truss bars, or whatever. Lighter strings will slow the process, but perhaps not sound as good for your needs. There are no simple answers.
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