I deicided to drop down my Vintage SG. The tunings i need are DROP C, STANDARD D and C# STANDARD. In standard E tuning i use Ernie Ball 10 - 46 on all my guitars. so i need the same or a little higher gauge. so which string gauge would you guys recommend me ? would 11 - 52 be alright ?
String gauge question
- Thread starter Lux84
- Start date
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: String gauge question
To me tuning down is all about feel...you have to just try strings until they feel right to you on the guitar you are using.
There are lots of different thoughts on what gauge for what tuning and so on but I have found that it's best to just experiment and see what you end up liking best.
Just go to a store and buy a bunch of single strings and start trying various strings until you get the feel from low to high that to you feels "right"
That said and to give you a starting point if you use 10/46 in standard you might want to go up a full size to go to D...say 11/48 give or take and for the step and a half down you might leave the high strings alone and just beef up the low strings...something like 11/50 and if you want to drop the low sting even more maybe just beef up that string for example if you want to do a whole step down (D) try the 11/48 set and if you want to take the low string to C then maybe swap out the 48 for a 50 or a 52.
Speaking for myself I use a lot of different tunings, mostly open tunings but the same rules apply. I used to try to tweak all my guitars to feel the same or similar when tuned to different things but in the end I gave all that up and just 10/46's across the board save for a few small changes for example...I swap the 10 for an 11 and the 13 for a 14 on one guitar but past that I like just having the same strings on all my stuff and the change in tension is one thing that to me makes the tunings sound (and feel!) different.
Now, with all this in mind remember there are NO rules, just tweak until it feels right.
To me tuning down is all about feel...you have to just try strings until they feel right to you on the guitar you are using.
There are lots of different thoughts on what gauge for what tuning and so on but I have found that it's best to just experiment and see what you end up liking best.
Just go to a store and buy a bunch of single strings and start trying various strings until you get the feel from low to high that to you feels "right"
That said and to give you a starting point if you use 10/46 in standard you might want to go up a full size to go to D...say 11/48 give or take and for the step and a half down you might leave the high strings alone and just beef up the low strings...something like 11/50 and if you want to drop the low sting even more maybe just beef up that string for example if you want to do a whole step down (D) try the 11/48 set and if you want to take the low string to C then maybe swap out the 48 for a 50 or a 52.
Speaking for myself I use a lot of different tunings, mostly open tunings but the same rules apply. I used to try to tweak all my guitars to feel the same or similar when tuned to different things but in the end I gave all that up and just 10/46's across the board save for a few small changes for example...I swap the 10 for an 11 and the 13 for a 14 on one guitar but past that I like just having the same strings on all my stuff and the change in tension is one thing that to me makes the tunings sound (and feel!) different.
Now, with all this in mind remember there are NO rules, just tweak until it feels right.
Re: String gauge question
Ok, thanks... i am a begginer so i will go to guitar service man and for beggining i will go 11 - 52 or maybe 12 - 54 for a little more character of the guitar ! i have bunch of Ernie Balls at home, from 10 to 12 and from 48 to 56 so i can combine sets too ! thanks !
I have SG with paf pickups on both positions and i must upgrade bridge pickup too, so i will just go to local guitar service man and tell him what to do !
Ok, thanks... i am a begginer so i will go to guitar service man and for beggining i will go 11 - 52 or maybe 12 - 54 for a little more character of the guitar ! i have bunch of Ernie Balls at home, from 10 to 12 and from 48 to 56 so i can combine sets too ! thanks !
I have SG with paf pickups on both positions and i must upgrade bridge pickup too, so i will just go to local guitar service man and tell him what to do !
Last edited:
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: String gauge question
2 questions??
Why go to a tech for string changes??
Why must you change a bridge PAF?
Ok, one more...
Why go to a tech for a pickup change??
You can do all this stuff yourself and you can get as nasty as you wanna be with a PAF...
2 questions??
Why go to a tech for string changes??
Why must you change a bridge PAF?
Ok, one more...
Why go to a tech for a pickup change??
You can do all this stuff yourself and you can get as nasty as you wanna be with a PAF...
wickenspoet
New member
Re: String gauge question
I ascribe to the idea that you should increase the string gauge by one size for every whole step you tune down. So if I play a 24 3/4 scale guitar with 10's for E standard, I would go 11's for D standard and so forth. I also equate playing a 25.5 scale with 9's to be about the equivalent in string tension to a 24 3/4 scale with 10's... so I factor that in as well.
I go to a guitar tech to make sure my guitar is properly intonated and balanced correctly for the string gauge I'm using, so I don't have to worry about my guitar warping from too much tension, or having unwanted fret buzzing... but if you are skilled in the ways of making your own guitar adjustments, you might as well set it up yourself and save some cash.
.
I ascribe to the idea that you should increase the string gauge by one size for every whole step you tune down. So if I play a 24 3/4 scale guitar with 10's for E standard, I would go 11's for D standard and so forth. I also equate playing a 25.5 scale with 9's to be about the equivalent in string tension to a 24 3/4 scale with 10's... so I factor that in as well.
I go to a guitar tech to make sure my guitar is properly intonated and balanced correctly for the string gauge I'm using, so I don't have to worry about my guitar warping from too much tension, or having unwanted fret buzzing... but if you are skilled in the ways of making your own guitar adjustments, you might as well set it up yourself and save some cash.
.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: String gauge question
The one gauge per step thing is common but the truth is if for example you use 10/46's on a Gibson scale in E then to get that same tension tuned down a full step you have to go up WAY more than just one gauge but like I said the way you do it is common.
As for going to a tech for a set up every guitar player that's been playing more than 6 months and has a tuner should at least be able to set his/her own intonation and every guitar player that's been playing more than 6 days should own a tuner!
The one gauge per step thing is common but the truth is if for example you use 10/46's on a Gibson scale in E then to get that same tension tuned down a full step you have to go up WAY more than just one gauge but like I said the way you do it is common.
As for going to a tech for a set up every guitar player that's been playing more than 6 months and has a tuner should at least be able to set his/her own intonation and every guitar player that's been playing more than 6 days should own a tuner!
Re: String gauge question
Well i have not that skills, and i want everything to be set professionally and perfectly. and i wanna play stuff like Pantera, Children Of Bodom, Death, System Of A Down, Black Sabbath, In Flames etc. so i need one high output pickup that goes well with all the distortion on amps i had. original outputs are not hot enough for that, it has only about 8 output on bridge and it's wilkinson. so i ordered SH5 Custom for a bridge and SH1 59 for neck, because i already want better sound than that wilkinsons pafs ! I have a Vintage VS6 guitar and i found that i don't like the sound of pickups because of their vintage output and they don't go along well with high distortion settings on my amp, they're more classic rock pickups than metal pickups !
Well i have not that skills, and i want everything to be set professionally and perfectly. and i wanna play stuff like Pantera, Children Of Bodom, Death, System Of A Down, Black Sabbath, In Flames etc. so i need one high output pickup that goes well with all the distortion on amps i had. original outputs are not hot enough for that, it has only about 8 output on bridge and it's wilkinson. so i ordered SH5 Custom for a bridge and SH1 59 for neck, because i already want better sound than that wilkinsons pafs ! I have a Vintage VS6 guitar and i found that i don't like the sound of pickups because of their vintage output and they don't go along well with high distortion settings on my amp, they're more classic rock pickups than metal pickups !
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Mosher Zone
New member
Re: String gauge question
When i used to tune to standard D i used Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom 10-52 & it was fine.
When i used to tune to standard D i used Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom 10-52 & it was fine.
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: String gauge question
I'd suggest using Tony Iommi's string choice for C+ tunings. 9-42
I'd suggest using Tony Iommi's string choice for C+ tunings. 9-42
Re: String gauge question
While that is a good thing to be able to do, it doesn't help you if you're going from 9's to 12's.
At that point you may very well need to file the nut slots and the bridge saddles as well. That is not so much of a regular maintenance job, and does require the tools.
While that is a good thing to be able to do, it doesn't help you if you're going from 9's to 12's.
At that point you may very well need to file the nut slots and the bridge saddles as well. That is not so much of a regular maintenance job, and does require the tools.
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: String gauge question
i like .11s theyre heavier which helps for lower tunings but not too heavy that you cant tune to E if you want.
i like .11s theyre heavier which helps for lower tunings but not too heavy that you cant tune to E if you want.
lex666
New member
Re: String gauge question
I agree with this.
My SG in C# actually gets a custom gauge of GHS Boomers I had to create myself. In order to get that Iommi vibe in the style I play with the feel I want, I had to make my own set. YMMV. There are no rules.
I agree with this.
My SG in C# actually gets a custom gauge of GHS Boomers I had to create myself. In order to get that Iommi vibe in the style I play with the feel I want, I had to make my own set. YMMV. There are no rules.
Franknfilms
New member
Re: String gauge question
+1 (although I use GHS boomers). The high strings don't need to get thicker if you ask me, I like to keep them easy to bend. The low strings start flopping around though, so 10-52 is the best of both worlds. I use 10-52s for everything from e standard to drop c.
+1 (although I use GHS boomers). The high strings don't need to get thicker if you ask me, I like to keep them easy to bend. The low strings start flopping around though, so 10-52 is the best of both worlds. I use 10-52s for everything from e standard to drop c.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: String gauge question
My SG is C# with 12-54 heavy cores, oddly they feel stiffer than they do on my tele at the same tuning.
My SG is C# with 12-54 heavy cores, oddly they feel stiffer than they do on my tele at the same tuning.
godofdeath
New member
Re: String gauge question
C with a sh1-n and bl 500xl... meaty
C with a sh1-n and bl 500xl... meaty
