String tension/neck problems using Pi...

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Author Message brianm Member Username: brianm Post Number: 55 Registered: 8-2005 Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2009 - 2:14 am:    I am thinking of setting up one of my Series I’s medium scale 4 string, (neck is maple/purpleheart stringers) with piccolo strings. I am concerned that there will not be enough string tension which could result in neck problems. Has any one done this, if so did it create any problems with the neck? Take care and have fun JBMcD pacificshine Junior Username: pacificshine Post Number: 20 Registered: 7-2008 Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2009 - 8:56 am:    I've seen it done on a short scale instrument without any problem, so a medium scale should also work, as long as you are able to recreate the neck relief lost by the lower tension of the Piccolo strings. You can easily experiment by lowering the tension of your existing strings and adding neck relief with the truss rods. See what the truss rod range is on your instrument and that will give you an idea how low a string tension it can handle. Make sure you are comfortable with this simple adjustment (there are several discussions on this board on how to do it, like Joey's Post on Setting Up Your Bass under Must Reads, etc.). tmoney61092 Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 57 Registered: 9-2008 Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2009 - 2:42 pm:    i put d'addario piccolo strings on one of my old Ibanez basses and it hasn't done anything to the neck so far, and it's a 34 in. scale length, so you should be fine mario_farufyno Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 68 Registered: 9-2008 Posted on Monday, February 02, 2009 - 7:37 am:    You should expect that any change on String Gauge would require Truss Rod adjustments (even when you keep gauge and just change brand). I don't know why it would be different (or more dangerous) with Piccolo Sets. It must work fine if you properly adjust the Truss Rod to it (as you should do with any other "more ordinary" gauges)... In fact, it seems that people make special strings to use with piccolos precisely to keep a more convencional string tension. Although it certainly doesn't means that you can avoid checking the truss rod tension, arm bow and string action.