What will happen when using special tunings on one guitar

[eimantan]

Whether it will cost some damage or something else when using standard tuning and special tunings like DADGAD or Open D the same time on one particular guitar

[Wade Hampton]

Provided that you don't use open tuning that place excessive strain on the neck - like tuning most of the strings several steps higher than they're meant to go - the biggest concern with using a lot of tunings on one guitar is that you'll kill your strings faster than if you always leave the guitar in standard tuning. Changing the tension a lot on strings wears them out faster than just about anything else, due to accelerated metal fatigue.

But guitar strings are pretty cheap, all in all, so you might as well play as many different tunings as you like and change the strings as needed.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Tico]

Originally Posted by eimantan

Whether it will cost some damage or something else when using standard tuning and special tunings like DADGAD or Open D the same time on one particular guitar

Huh?

How can one guitar be tuned to two different tunings at the same time?

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by eimantan

Whether it will cost some damage or something else when using standard tuning and special tunings like DADGAD or Open D the same time on one particular guitar

You'll just break strings more often.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Tico

Huh?

How can one guitar be tuned to two different tunings at the same time?

[Bill Yellow]

Originally Posted by Tico

How can one guitar be tuned to two different tunings at the same time?

[The Bard Rocks]

The more common alternate tunings will not harm the guitar or break strings. If you tune upwards, especially more than a full step, that's when problems will start to arrive. But even then you are more apt to break strings than to damage the guitar.

But some caveats, if you tune up, tune back down when you are done playing. It is the increased tension over time that can damage the guitar. And it will too, given enough time. Be aware that continually changing tunings can shorten the life of your strings, making them more apt to break. If you want to play in an odd tuning, such as FCFA#CF, instead, tune to DADGAD and use a capo on the 3rd fret.

[Michael Watts]

You and your instrument will be absolutely fine.

The worst thing that will happen is that you'll have fun.

A lot of fun.

[jstegeman]

I was going to post a silly reply about the guitar's body adapting to open D, for example and then having trouble singing in different keys, but that actually got me thinking...

Wouldn't it be true, for a specific individual guitar, there might be certain tunings that sound better due to the resonance of the guitar? Would that be down to the individual guitar or down to the make/model? For example, my Taylor 214 seems to have a very strong resonance in the body aligned with the A string. If I plug the guitar in and set it close to a big speaker, the A string will start vibrating pretty violently

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by eimantan

Whether it will cost some damage or something else when using standard tuning and special tunings like DADGAD or Open D the same time on one particular guitar

Hi e…

I've never heard this alleged before. All my guitars play at least ½ their life in Dropped D, and one of them gets tuned for months at a time to open tunings or alternate tunings.

They all return to standard just fine, and the oldest (nearing 25 years in our home) sounds the best of the lot, but then it always was the best of the lot.

I've often said good luthiers extract more from the wood than manufacturers. No matter how good they are, I'm pretty sure a great luthier cannot specifically dial a guitar in so it only plays well in one tuning.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

The more common alternate tunings will not harm the guitar or break strings.

They will, at least more often than staying in standard tuning, if you constantly go back and forth between them, even if you tune them lower than standard. Strings can break as you tune down.

I've been using, and switching between, alternate tunings exclusively for a good long time and that's just a fact of life. No big deal. Strings are inexpensive.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by jstegeman

Wouldn't it be true, for a specific individual guitar, there might be certain tunings that sound better due to the resonance of the guitar? Would that be down to the individual guitar or down to the make/model? For example, my Taylor 214 seems to have a very strong resonance in the body aligned with the A string. If I plug the guitar in and set it close to a big speaker, the A string will start vibrating pretty violently

That has been my experience indeed.

[jstegeman]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

That has been my experience indeed.

Not sure what you are referring to?

That some guitars sound better in specific tunings?
That your guitar's A string vibrates violently?

[JeffreyAK]

I've followed the rules that no string gets tuned up more than two half-steps (or else it's likely to break), and the average tension change (taking into account tuned-up and tuned-down strings) is less than half of a half-step (or else the total force on the top starts to become significantly different than standard). If a particular tuning violates these rules, than I'll shift the whole thing up or, more likely, down a half-step. Been doing this for a lot of years and I've never noticed any issues, though as pointed out already, frequent significant tuning changes will tend to wear out strings more quickly.

[The Bard Rocks]

True, once in a while there is a guitar which responds better to alternate and lowered tunings. And some guitars, not just baritones, have been made to be played mostly in lower tunings.

But for the majority, it doesn't seem to make much difference. they will sound equally well wherever you tune them (within reason).