Hopefully someone can offer me some words of advice on this one, because I did something kind of stupid.
So, I've got a 60's reissue Les Paul. When I went away to school three years ago, I decided not to take it with me, since I was worried about it getting ripped off. Not knowing any better, I removed all the strings then put it in storage in my grandmother's humidity-controlled basement. I just recently realized the error of my ways, and am going to go retrieve the guitar from my grandmother's basement right away. My question is, I guess, is my guitar going to be totally screwed, or is there a chance that it will survive? And is there anything I should do (besides, uh, pray) before I restring it to minimize the chances of damaging the neck (like get the truss rod adjusted, etc.)? Thanks in advance.
Why would there be a problem? The wood will rest in its natural state, so what could go wrong (you say the basement has climate control)?
A truss rod is designed to act as a passive restraint not as an active component - i.e. when the strings are off the truss rod has no function. As long as you use more or less the same size of string, you shouldn't have to to anything to the truss rod. This, of course, is dependent on the temperature/humidity in your playing space being the same as in the basement. If not, do not open the case, just take the guitar, in its case, to your playing space and leave it there for several hours, to allow it to acclimatise to the new surroundings.
When you take the guitar out, string it and let it stand for a couple of hours, then see if any truss rod adjustment is necessary. Then you should be ready to go...................
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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as Greybeard writes, not a problem. in those circumstances, the worst thing that usually happens to an unstrung LP is the tailpiece or bridge falls off its posts and mars the finish.
-=tension & release=-
as Greybeard writes, not a problem. in those circumstances, the worst thing that usually happens to an unstrung LP is the tailpiece or bridge falls off its posts and mars the finish.
Now that would be a tragedy .
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN
as Greybeard writes, not a problem. in those circumstances, the worst thing that usually happens to an unstrung LP is the tailpiece or bridge falls off its posts and mars the finish.
I was hoping that you would look out for that falling tailpiece, possible scratches or damage. And similarly, the tune-o-matic bridge has nothing to hold it down without strings, but that is covered with the above caution. Good luck with that.
If the storage area or basement had been hot, and there's no reason for it to be, perhaps the molecules in the neck would have expanded and caused some negative bow, or a rise on the fretboard. But again, the new strings will work against that, as they should, and pull it back into position.
The 60's Les Paul neck is the thinnest profile neck made by Gibson, so I agree there should be less problem or no problem once the string tension is on.
Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
