Originally Posted by: Slipin LizardMaggior, you're making it sound like its a huge issue to try different string gauges... its not. I don't really see the point of saying "don't experiment for now"; what is the utility in waiting? The only way Keith is going to learn about this stuff is if he tries.

I was just trying to point out that changing string guages may have some unintended consequences. As a newbie, he might be very unpleasantly surprised to find his floating bridge sitting much higher off the body that before.

I figured out on my own how to adjust the springs in the back. To me it wasn't too big of a deal, but it was more than I had bargained for. I also had some experience, though never with a floating bridge obviously :-). If I was a newbie, I think I would have gone into a panic. Imagine being a newbie and a simple string change turns into an exericse in learning how to perform a full setup.

The acoustic in question was a Taylor, so it wasn't some piece of junk. I had never heard of it before and perhaps he's ultra sensitive to his setup. I don't think it's a recommendation to avoid damage to the instrument, it's just that the setup (nut height, bridge height, truss rod tension) is optimized for a particular guage of string. Again - I don't think a newbie should be mucking about with their truss rod just to try out a different string guage.

Nothing will burst into flames, spontaniously combust, or split in half - very true. Worst comes to worst, you put a set of string that matches the old set back on and move forward.