Guitar Setup - Does tuning & string guage have big impact?

[Tim]

I'm taking all 3 of my electric guitars for a professional setup by a local luthier who comes highly recommended. I'm getting a good deal for doing all 3 at once and he's giving even more of a discount because I am supplying my own strings (didn't want him using any crappy old strings).

Anyway, my question is whether the tuning of a guitar or the guage of strings used will make a big difference on the setup? So for example, I tend to keep my strat in Eb but my other 2 guitars in standard E. But there are occasions when I reverse this and retune depending on song. So when I give them to the luthier, I will tell him my preferred string and tuning details for each guitar. If I then go a change the tunings or string guage, will that impact the action or intonation or anything like that?

[dutchyU2]

Mmm, familiar question. Anyway, I use different tunings on the same guitars, I've choosen for a long time for 11's on my singlecoils and 10's on my HB guitars . For sure if you use thicker strings on your guitar, the action will go higher because of the tension, however if you tune it down 1/2 step this will be unnoticable. I've ordered as you know those heavy bootoms from D'addario last week, they are special made for droptunings. Havent tried them out, but will report on that

[manu68]

As bert said, the tuning Eb has limited impact, especially with non trémolo bridge.
Gauge change means In principe new setup, especially from-11 and above

[uglyguitar]

Tuning shouldn't have much of an impact, but string gauge changes are definetly going to affect the intonation. I've even had new strings (same gauge) affect the intonation.

[Tim]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll discuss this some more with the luthier when I drop the guitars off. Sounds like it's best to pick a string guage for a guitar and stick with it.

[bigtim]

I think that is the best policy tim, the different guarges (if not tunings) will slightly affect the set up for sure.

A related question, for which I appologise if it is stupid. Do most strat owners set their trem floating? or do you fix it? Is it me or is floating trem a real pain in the ass when youwant to change tunings? Maybe I need two strats

[dutchyU2]

I set it always floating, I like to have it both ways, 1/2 or whole step up or down.

Here's a video I learnt it from, sorry for the hillbilly talk of this guy but he explains it well

[Jacques]

I think that is the best policy tim, the different guarges (if not tunings) will slightly affect the set up for sure.

A related question, for which I appologise if it is stupid. Do most strat owners set their trem floating? or do you fix it? Is it me or is floating trem a real pain in the ass when youwant to change tunings? Maybe I need two strats

Yes, you'll need two .lol. Especially lp lovers

I have one fixed and one floating. For u2 fixed is fine.. Edge hardly uses it, and when he does you could use your fingers to sim it ( a bit). To me it seems sustain and tone are better when fixed. You can easily fix the tremolo with a piece of wood, which you can remove later if you want.

On the other strat the floating tremolo doesnt. Influence changing tunings much. So i dont recognize that.

[Explorer32]

I think that is the best policy tim, the different guarges (if not tunings) will slightly affect the set up for sure.

A related question, for which I appologise if it is stupid. Do most strat owners set their trem floating? or do you fix it? Is it me or is floating trem a real pain in the ass when youwant to change tunings? Maybe I need two strats

I have both my strats trems screwed down to the body so it will only go down. Two minutes work and easy to tune but if you break a string it stills goes out of tune so you need a second strat. (Not even a smiley here, deadly serious about that)

[bigtim]

lol, good advice Rob I will pass the logic on to my wife