Best string gauge for down tunes???
- Thread starter PRSguy
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DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
10s aren't thick enough for Dropped C? I'm doing fine with 9s in C#.
10s aren't thick enough for Dropped C? I'm doing fine with 9s in C#.
PRSguy
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
Wow i never knew that...Then why do I hear people saying that the best gauge for drop tunes are like 11's
Wow i never knew that...Then why do I hear people saying that the best gauge for drop tunes are like 11's
Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
Tony Iommi had half of his fingers chopped off in some accident and used thin strings because his prosthetics forced him to.
What guage do you like in E standard? I can build you a set with the same tension for drop C.
Personally, I like 10-46 in E, and play an 11-52 set in D/Drop C; tension difference of less than half a pound per string between the two.
I think you'll find yourself in the vast majority of guitarists in general; 9's barely work for most people in E. I'd be playing 12's in C#.
Tony Iommi had half of his fingers chopped off in some accident and used thin strings because his prosthetics forced him to.
What guage do you like in E standard? I can build you a set with the same tension for drop C.
Personally, I like 10-46 in E, and play an 11-52 set in D/Drop C; tension difference of less than half a pound per string between the two.
I think you'll find yourself in the vast majority of guitarists in general; 9's barely work for most people in E. I'd be playing 12's in C#.
PRSguy
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
Ya I play 10-46 in standard E..So you recommend 11-52 for drop C???
Ya I play 10-46 in standard E..So you recommend 11-52 for drop C???
Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
11-54 I'd say, as the 52 is matched to the 46 but only when in D.
11/15/19/30/42/56 would be my ideal set for that tuning, but a 40/54 combo would work on the low two strings, as well.
11-54 I'd say, as the 52 is matched to the 46 but only when in D.
11/15/19/30/42/56 would be my ideal set for that tuning, but a 40/54 combo would work on the low two strings, as well.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
Depends on your pick attack I guess. If you're doing Master Of Puppets in C, then maybe you'd want the higher tension of thicker strings.
Depends on your pick attack I guess. If you're doing Master Of Puppets in C, then maybe you'd want the higher tension of thicker strings.
Bludave
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
I don't do anything that low, but I do tune to open D & open g. I use D'Addario XL 115's on all my guitars. Most are tuned to pitch. I like them. 11 thru 49. Tuned to standard I get great tone and they respond well to my attack. Tuned to open G or open D I don't bend much but I do use these tunings for slide. Slightly raised action the sustain for days.
I don't do anything that low, but I do tune to open D & open g. I use D'Addario XL 115's on all my guitars. Most are tuned to pitch. I like them. 11 thru 49. Tuned to standard I get great tone and they respond well to my attack. Tuned to open G or open D I don't bend much but I do use these tunings for slide. Slightly raised action the sustain for days.
Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
11-52 would be my pick for drop C. But 11-54 could work well
11-52 would be my pick for drop C. But 11-54 could work well
everdrone
New member
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
yes. he also downtuned because of this accident... sabbath albums are using 9 gauge strings so if u like that tone...
yes. he also downtuned because of this accident... sabbath albums are using 9 gauge strings so if u like that tone...
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
I use .010-.052 for Drop C#... I was using .010-.046 but felt I didn't get enough tension on the bottom strings.
If I went one semitone lower to Drop C I'd probably use an .011-.56 set or something like that.
That's just my preference. I like playing at least 1/2 step down and I like a little more metal to grab on to.
I use .010-.052 for Drop C#... I was using .010-.046 but felt I didn't get enough tension on the bottom strings.
If I went one semitone lower to Drop C I'd probably use an .011-.56 set or something like that.
That's just my preference. I like playing at least 1/2 step down and I like a little more metal to grab on to.
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
Try 11-52.
Try 11-52.
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
What kind of guitar you have plays a factor in this as well.
If you have a guitar with a thick neck, it will flex less and you can tune down farther while maintaining stability.
There is also a string tension calculator on the D'addario site that can help you pick what strings you wanted specifically.
What kind of guitar you have plays a factor in this as well.
If you have a guitar with a thick neck, it will flex less and you can tune down farther while maintaining stability.
There is also a string tension calculator on the D'addario site that can help you pick what strings you wanted specifically.
Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Diocletian
BrandNewGlossologist
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
I like the Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky sets for tuning down to D or C or around there.
No doubt someone with vast experience will correct me, like they correct everyone else. :doh:
I like the Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky sets for tuning down to D or C or around there.
No doubt someone with vast experience will correct me, like they correct everyone else. :doh:
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
How would someone correct you? If that's what you like, then that's what you like.
Tension calculators are fun. My advice is to use a tension calculator in order to get ideas about where to start and what to try, but make your final decision based on what feels right. Don't let the calculator tell you what to think. I read that D'Addario tried making an equal tension set, and there were major problems with it.
I have a 7 string which I keep in standard tuning with an added low A. The EADGBE is from a Jazz Lite set.
If you just go by the string sizes, you'd think the low A should be somewhere in the range of .064 or .066 since the strings above it are .052, .042, and .032.
To obtain a tension equal to the tension of the low E string less the difference in tension between the low E and the A higher than it, you need a 0.069 string. When I used a 0.068 though, I found that the string was far, far too loose. The string which felt right was an 0.080, which is actually very close to the tension of the low E when you plug in the numbers.
How would someone correct you? If that's what you like, then that's what you like.
Tension calculators are fun. My advice is to use a tension calculator in order to get ideas about where to start and what to try, but make your final decision based on what feels right. Don't let the calculator tell you what to think. I read that D'Addario tried making an equal tension set, and there were major problems with it.
I have a 7 string which I keep in standard tuning with an added low A. The EADGBE is from a Jazz Lite set.
If you just go by the string sizes, you'd think the low A should be somewhere in the range of .064 or .066 since the strings above it are .052, .042, and .032.
To obtain a tension equal to the tension of the low E string less the difference in tension between the low E and the A higher than it, you need a 0.069 string. When I used a 0.068 though, I found that the string was far, far too loose. The string which felt right was an 0.080, which is actually very close to the tension of the low E when you plug in the numbers.
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Best string gauge for down tunes???
I'd go straight to B standard tuning.
I have a set of D'Addario Heavy Gauge 12-54 - that I'm going to try one of these days for tuning down past D somewhere... I just figure when they feel similar to 9's I'll be in the ballpark.
I'd go straight to B standard tuning.
