.46 string good enough for down tuning?

[strat_master]

Hi guys,

Right now im using a skinny top heavy bottom strings, and they are pretty good, but i was wondering, if i switched back to my regular ernieballs meaning the bottom would become a little thinner, with a .46 as the low E string. Would i be able to still use drop D tunings as well as tune everything down half a steb to eb tuning? My reason for this idea, is because my strat tend to have tis bridge float a bit due to the excess pressure of the bottom 3 strings. Also would i need to do a set up for three strings? Its jus an idea im toying with, i do have a regular pack of ernieball slinkies lying around so i could do it right now.

Thanks alot guys.

[Closed Eye]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

Yes.

[Jag513]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

Yes, it'd work. The bridge might need a tad bit of adjusting, but nothing too major.

[Nightburst]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

Yes, it would work, it does depend on your taste. Some players prefer real tight strings, others prefer the strings quite loose. I'm afraid you'll have to experiment with it to see what you like.

I'm somewhere inbetween. I like .46 in D (whole step down) on my Ibanez which ihas a 25.5 scale too.
I use a heavy bottom skinny top (.52 - .10) on my LP (shorter scale) and it's perfect in D. I get a similar feel in string tention on both guitars. Tight enough for fast riffing but loose enough for bluesy bends.

[Closed Eye]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

11's on the bottom sound real good and clear when playing in Drop D.

I did that for awhile but the sound was just too heavy and the strings were way too tight. I realized that I liked that down-tuned D string flopping around a little bit way too much to stick with 11's.

[strat_master]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

thanks guys, im thinking enxt time i restring my guitar ill slap on some regulars, and see how they work, if they arent as good ill go back to my hevay bottoms and skinny tops.

[shred me good]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

i just had the same problem. my floyd rose needed adjusting before i could have a heavy string set- for the same tuning you described, so... i sent it to my guitar shop and said "please can i have the thickest strings that have a plain unwoungd g-string (as that is important) and could you set up my trem for me" he said "yeeees!"
so now i have ernie ball not so slinkys (12-56) with an unwound g-string and my guitar has never sounded so good in dropped d!

i recomend a very heavy lower 3 strings if your detuning. if it means trem ajusting, do so!

[megalo]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

why not try the ernie ball power slinkies? they are .11-.48
or you could try what i just did and use light strings from a pack of .10's (regular) and the heavy strings from the power slinkies. Or go totally custom gauge set! Just use what feels best!

meg

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

Billy Gibbons tunes down a 4th to B and sometimes drops the low "E" string another full step from there to an A...or he playes in standard Drop D...his string guages are as follows...these are also his strings for Standard E.

8, 10, 12, 20, 30, 40...no lie! All the time!!!

[rinse_master]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

Hehe, that's crazy, he uses 8's?

Does he use them for the B/A stuff too?

[Davey]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

yes, it's enough

i got 10-46's on my SG at the moment and it's running a drop C tuning on the lower strings and standard e on the high ones. i can play without a problem, but it needs some adjusting to as i'm not used to em.

i'd say if you want tight strings you should use something like 11-48 or something similar for D/dropC and C

[strat_master]

Re: .46 string good enough for down tuning?

The most i ever detune to, is eb tuning which is one half step down OR drop d tuning usually while in standard or in eb which ever seems to work. Most of the time play in standard tuning.