Is it okay to leave a guitar without strings for a long period?

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I had to leave my acoustic guitar at home. I had decreased the tension in the strings completely before leaving home...it has been 5 months...did I make a mistake?

Will my guitar still sound okay when I play it again?

guitar acoustic-guitar strings

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edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

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up vote
1
down vote

favorite

I had to leave my acoustic guitar at home. I had decreased the tension in the strings completely before leaving home...it has been 5 months...did I make a mistake?

Will my guitar still sound okay when I play it again?

guitar acoustic-guitar strings

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

I had to leave my acoustic guitar at home. I had decreased the tension in the strings completely before leaving home...it has been 5 months...did I make a mistake?

Will my guitar still sound okay when I play it again?

guitar acoustic-guitar strings

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

I had to leave my acoustic guitar at home. I had decreased the tension in the strings completely before leaving home...it has been 5 months...did I make a mistake?

Will my guitar still sound okay when I play it again?

guitar acoustic-guitar strings

guitar acoustic-guitar strings

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

edited 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

7,00221829

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

asked 3 hours ago

user13560

91

91

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

New contributor

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

user13560 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

up vote
3
down vote

Really, they're designed to be left under tension all the time.

The opposing forces of the neck [& truss rod, if appropriate] and the strings keep the neck straight.

Removing the strings will over time cause the neck to pull itself back - so when you re-string & tune it back to pitch, it's quite possible the neck will be out of alignment & you will get fret buzz.

Hopefully, leaving it in tune for a while will pull it back to where it should be. If it's bad, you could over-tighten by maybe a semitone [don't go silly with it, less is more ;) & see if in a couple of weeks it's starting to return to normal.

I wouldn't be inclined to take any steps other than that initially. Leave the truss rod alone, just use string tension, otherwise you may have to serially re-adjust as balance is reached, then overshot, then reached...

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

There was no need to slacken the strings. But you're unlikely to have done any harm.

I have a guitar in storage that belonged to a friend who died 9 years ago, almost to the day. (RIP CF.) I opened the case the other day. It's still in tune.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
  – Laurence Payne
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
  – Laurence Payne
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

It'll be fine. When you get back to it, put some new strings on and tune it - you shouldn't have any issues. Any minor issues can be fixed by paying for a professional setup on it. Really, it probably won't even need that.

I had a guitar in storage for ten years, brought it to the USA and restrung it - it had no problems whatsoever.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
  – PeteCon
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
3
down vote

Really, they're designed to be left under tension all the time.

The opposing forces of the neck [& truss rod, if appropriate] and the strings keep the neck straight.

Removing the strings will over time cause the neck to pull itself back - so when you re-string & tune it back to pitch, it's quite possible the neck will be out of alignment & you will get fret buzz.

Hopefully, leaving it in tune for a while will pull it back to where it should be. If it's bad, you could over-tighten by maybe a semitone [don't go silly with it, less is more ;) & see if in a couple of weeks it's starting to return to normal.

I wouldn't be inclined to take any steps other than that initially. Leave the truss rod alone, just use string tension, otherwise you may have to serially re-adjust as balance is reached, then overshot, then reached...

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

Really, they're designed to be left under tension all the time.

The opposing forces of the neck [& truss rod, if appropriate] and the strings keep the neck straight.

Removing the strings will over time cause the neck to pull itself back - so when you re-string & tune it back to pitch, it's quite possible the neck will be out of alignment & you will get fret buzz.

Hopefully, leaving it in tune for a while will pull it back to where it should be. If it's bad, you could over-tighten by maybe a semitone [don't go silly with it, less is more ;) & see if in a couple of weeks it's starting to return to normal.

I wouldn't be inclined to take any steps other than that initially. Leave the truss rod alone, just use string tension, otherwise you may have to serially re-adjust as balance is reached, then overshot, then reached...

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

up vote
3
down vote

Really, they're designed to be left under tension all the time.

The opposing forces of the neck [& truss rod, if appropriate] and the strings keep the neck straight.

Removing the strings will over time cause the neck to pull itself back - so when you re-string & tune it back to pitch, it's quite possible the neck will be out of alignment & you will get fret buzz.

Hopefully, leaving it in tune for a while will pull it back to where it should be. If it's bad, you could over-tighten by maybe a semitone [don't go silly with it, less is more ;) & see if in a couple of weeks it's starting to return to normal.

I wouldn't be inclined to take any steps other than that initially. Leave the truss rod alone, just use string tension, otherwise you may have to serially re-adjust as balance is reached, then overshot, then reached...

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

Really, they're designed to be left under tension all the time.

The opposing forces of the neck [& truss rod, if appropriate] and the strings keep the neck straight.

Removing the strings will over time cause the neck to pull itself back - so when you re-string & tune it back to pitch, it's quite possible the neck will be out of alignment & you will get fret buzz.

Hopefully, leaving it in tune for a while will pull it back to where it should be. If it's bad, you could over-tighten by maybe a semitone [don't go silly with it, less is more ;) & see if in a couple of weeks it's starting to return to normal.

I wouldn't be inclined to take any steps other than that initially. Leave the truss rod alone, just use string tension, otherwise you may have to serially re-adjust as balance is reached, then overshot, then reached...

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

answered 3 hours ago

Tetsujin

7,00221829

7,00221829

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

There was no need to slacken the strings. But you're unlikely to have done any harm.

I have a guitar in storage that belonged to a friend who died 9 years ago, almost to the day. (RIP CF.) I opened the case the other day. It's still in tune.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
  – Laurence Payne
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
  – Laurence Payne
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

There was no need to slacken the strings. But you're unlikely to have done any harm.

I have a guitar in storage that belonged to a friend who died 9 years ago, almost to the day. (RIP CF.) I opened the case the other day. It's still in tune.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
  – Laurence Payne
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
  – Laurence Payne
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

up vote
1
down vote

There was no need to slacken the strings. But you're unlikely to have done any harm.

I have a guitar in storage that belonged to a friend who died 9 years ago, almost to the day. (RIP CF.) I opened the case the other day. It's still in tune.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

There was no need to slacken the strings. But you're unlikely to have done any harm.

I have a guitar in storage that belonged to a friend who died 9 years ago, almost to the day. (RIP CF.) I opened the case the other day. It's still in tune.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

answered 3 hours ago

Laurence Payne

28.6k1451

28.6k1451

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
  – Laurence Payne
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
  – Laurence Payne
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
  – Laurence Payne
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
  – Laurence Payne
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
  – Tetsujin
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
– Tim
3 hours ago

Difference is, he slackened off the strings for 5 months - better to do what your friend's guitar had done to it - nothing!
– Tim
3 hours ago

Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
– Laurence Payne
3 hours ago

Indeed. But probably not THAT much better. Let's see if this proves to be a real problem or just a hypothetical one.
– Laurence Payne
3 hours ago

2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
– Tetsujin
2 hours ago

2 weeks without strings can give a pulled, buzzy neck. 10 years of never tuning it does nothing except what the guitar is designed to do, maintain balance under tension.
– Tetsujin
2 hours ago

Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
– Laurence Payne
2 hours ago

Yes, CAN. Does it, often, though?
– Laurence Payne
2 hours ago

I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
– Tetsujin
2 hours ago

I've only ever done it once. Lesson learned. As I said, leaving the strings on for 10 years is just not a comparison.
– Tetsujin
2 hours ago

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

It'll be fine. When you get back to it, put some new strings on and tune it - you shouldn't have any issues. Any minor issues can be fixed by paying for a professional setup on it. Really, it probably won't even need that.

I had a guitar in storage for ten years, brought it to the USA and restrung it - it had no problems whatsoever.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
  – PeteCon
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

It'll be fine. When you get back to it, put some new strings on and tune it - you shouldn't have any issues. Any minor issues can be fixed by paying for a professional setup on it. Really, it probably won't even need that.

I had a guitar in storage for ten years, brought it to the USA and restrung it - it had no problems whatsoever.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
  – PeteCon
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

up vote
1
down vote

It'll be fine. When you get back to it, put some new strings on and tune it - you shouldn't have any issues. Any minor issues can be fixed by paying for a professional setup on it. Really, it probably won't even need that.

I had a guitar in storage for ten years, brought it to the USA and restrung it - it had no problems whatsoever.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

It'll be fine. When you get back to it, put some new strings on and tune it - you shouldn't have any issues. Any minor issues can be fixed by paying for a professional setup on it. Really, it probably won't even need that.

I had a guitar in storage for ten years, brought it to the USA and restrung it - it had no problems whatsoever.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

answered 3 hours ago

PeteCon

47428

47428

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
  – PeteCon
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
  – Tim
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
  – PeteCon
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  

Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
– Tim
3 hours ago

Did you leave the strings on, slacken them?
– Tim
3 hours ago

I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
– PeteCon
1 hour ago

I left the strings on, but pretty loose, so there wasn't much tension
– PeteCon
1 hour ago

add a comment | 

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