String gauge / setups

[chille01]

Say I bought a used Greco LP, and said LP had just had a full setup with 10-46 strings. Say I like the setup, but would rather use the regular light top, heavy bottom 10-52 strings I typically use. If I swap them, is it just some novice setup work I have to do, that I could reasonably teach myself off the interweb? Or is it going to throw it all way out of wack?

[Baltar]

Take off one string at a time and replace it.  You should be able find a good youtube that will show you.  That and a decent tuner, wire cutters, & string winder. 

[Worthless Willie]

That's not a big enough jump to make a real difference.  Should be fine.

[VOLVO)))]

IT WILL RUIN IT OH MY GOD


(JUST STRING IT!)

[moose23]

Yeah should be good to go. Check the intonation and action after you re string it. If it's all good you're golden if not post here and one of us will show you what you need to do.

[jibberish]

if there is no whammy bar on that LP, you cant really mess up the intonation by replacing a slightly larger string.
whammy bar deals work best 1 string at a time for sure

the slightly increased tension wont bend anything.

who has not used an e in place of an a when you ran out of A's or whatever to finish a practice until you can get more strings.

BTW,with that LP style,  watch the 2 end slots on the nut, especially if it whatever bone or plastic or w/e cheap non-metal substance.  the 2 e strings(especially the low e) you can break out the end of the nut with an oversized string. i think the whole tension ends up on just the top outer corner of the nut = maximun torque on the bottom of the slot and therefore easier to break off the corner. there is a very slight angle from the nut to the tuner which doesnt help either.  so maybe file the slot wide enough to solidly seat the string at the bottom if slot is too narrow. my son's jamming pals broke one with the big strings, but i believe they did the shift right, lose the high e and add a bass string for the new e so it was ahuge step up and the tension, if not tuned down enough steps is pretty srs on a bass string. just glad it wasnt mine but now i know it can happen..

[chille01]

Thanks all.  I wasn't sure how much of a factor string gauge was in a setup.  I have seen .52 low E's not fit in the slot on the nut without filing, and dealt with it before.  Just on cheaper guitars that I didn't care about as much, hence my additional caution on this one.