Highest you can tune an acoustic guitar

[strings2000]

Regardless of gauge. Let's say I have 25 scale guitar and 11-52. What the highest I can tune without breakage. I'm thinking maybe G or G#.

 

[FuzzyAce]

 

[TSJMajesty]

Breakage of what? The strings, or the guitar?

On that guitar, I wouldn't go beyond E std w/o going to lighter strings, unless I'm feeling like I want to give a tech some extra work.

 

[Sidler72]

I would tune down with heavier gauge strings before I would tune up.

 

[strings2000]

The wound G and Hi e are the limiting factors. I think G#4 is the highest on a 25.

 

[Frodebro]

Acoustic guitars are much more fragile than electrics, if you start cranking up the tension you can pull the bride clean off or buckle the top-or both. If you really need a higher pitch out of it, use a capo.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Just get a ukulele

 

[Eagle]

You can’t generalise because some designs are far more robust than others. Buy a capo.

 

[metropolis_4]

What is with your obsession with this?

 

[strings2000]

What is with your obsession with this?

I want to know how far each string is from breaking. Once I do I will be over it.

 

[strings2000]

G standard up three semitones is most you can probably get away.

 

[Eagle]

G standard up three semitones is most you can probably get away.

Some instruments will not take the tension of the thicker strings at breaking point. The truss rod cannot compete or the head will fail. Too many variables. It’s about a lot more than the tension at braking point on the string and that will very quite a bit too.

 

[strings2000]

Some instruments will not take the tension of the thicker strings at breaking point. The truss rod cannot compete or the head will fail. Too many variables. It’s about a lot more than the tension at braking point on the string and that will very quite a bit too.

Tuning any higher than E standard is risky. Even F standard is Stretching it.

 

[mavrick102000]

What is with your obsession with this?

Nintendo, Chill-Hop, Robot fornication Metalz no doubt.

Apparently the new EMO.

Or maybe the OP is creating ambient music for the local canine shelter and needs to reach a few octaves higher than a Whammy pedal can provide and wants a pure analog signal path.

 

[maguchi]

I want to know how far each string is from breaking. Once I do I will be over it.

If it's just a experiment about strings and when they'll break, do it on a solidbody electric with a baseball bat neck and a straight pull headstock. G# on a given string is G# whether you do it on a acoustic or a electric, and you have much less chance of damaging a robust electric guitar than a more fragile acoustic with a top intentionally designed to be thin for best acoustic sound.

If it's about which will break 1st, the guitar or the strings, put on a heavy coat, gloves, a helmet, safety goggles or a face shield and try it on a well made acoustic with a thin top. And be aware you may still hurt yourself.

It sounds kind of like maybe you just want to destroy a guitar for laughs. So just grab your choice of guitar and go all Pete Townshend on it.

The 1st couple threads about this topic were a little entertaining. Now I need a new topic to hold my interest.

 

[strings2000]

G# is risky on a 25. Pedal steel has a high g# string that is prone to breaking.