Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

[Sorg]

1. How does it work to use 0.10 gauges? Just try yourself you might think, but I've just set on new 0.11 strings. And strings here in Norway are really expensive. I find the 0.11 just a bit to tight. Actually more tight than 010 in E Standard. It' s more heavy to tremolo pick also when the strings are tighter.

2. Do you get a fatter/better tone if you use 0.11 in D-standad instead of 0.10?

 

[CGord]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

I tune to drop C with 10-52 strings, they work fine for me.

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

D-standard with 10's or 11's would probably be ok. I'd personally go for the added tension with the 11's though.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

I use 11's in standard. If you drop down a whole step I would go up in string guage. If you use 10's in standard, use 11's in your D tuning. The guitar will need to be setup for a few reasons. 1 is the lower tension will pull the neck less and more than likely a trusss rodd adjustment will be needed. 2 is due to the less tension and the difference in gauges of string the intonation will need to be adjusted. You will definately get better tone when you drop down a whole step with heavier strings!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

There's no "right" set of strings for any tuning. If you find 11's too tight in D, try 10s. Before you switch, give yourself some time to get used to the heavier strings. You'll be surprised how quickly they stop feeling so heavy.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

10's should work just fine in D-standard. I've used 10-52 in D and in Drop C and they worked great, although I realize now that the lighter strings were pretty loose.

11's would be ideal IMO, and the tone would be a little fatter since the strings are thicker. Your fingers will get used to the thickness quickly.

 

[RipShredScream]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

I tune to drop C with 10-52 strings, they work fine for me.

ahaha.. I used to use 12's for C# standard, worked good for me. Was on a Schecter Artist Limited, 25 1/2 in. scale.

There is something to the tone of slack-ish strings though... I remember tuning my 9's down to C# just to play one of the songs... and being surprised at how it sounded... much more perussive/punchy, especially on the palm mutes... didn't like the tone as well though...

but hey... Malmsteen uses 8's at Eb (pansy. lol), and In Flames tunes down to C (I think) on LP's (24 3/4ths scale) with 11s. Its all preference.

After experimenting I prefer to go a bit heavier... If your looking for a more percussive sound, stay a bit thinner, if you want it still sound like the same guitar just lower, go up a few gauges.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

Billy Gibbons tunes all over the place, all the way down to A with 8-40. Tony Iommi used some crazy light strings, a goofy 8 set for Eb, and a weird 9 set for C#.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

IMO there are 4 things to keep in mind
1)the longer the scale ,the easier drop with the same Gauge ,and the lower the numbers are to have a tight playing tension.
2)The playing style :Gibbons may do it on every not ,but he enver plays 250 BPM ,so the style is a really important factor.If you like to bend 2 notes down.
3)The Bridge.With a Floyd ,it is better to go with Lighter strings since the banding action is harder .
4)The frets are very important.Malmsteen get Eb with 8 ,because a)25.5" scale allows it ,try it with the LP and it will feel way loose ,and b)Scalloped frets aalow to "just hit and get " the tone.
My Axe is D-standart ,and i play 12-56.But i have a 24.3/4 " sclae with 24 frest and a hard tail.I am really happy now.Dropped C is not a problem ,till i play very high speed .It feels and sounds sloppy if i tune it lower than C!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

How abouty the Zakk Wylde set? Heavy (60?) to light (10)??

 

[CGord]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

More like crazy heavy to light. I've used them, & the 60 6th string was ok, but I didn't like the 52 5th string. Too much tension for me.

 

[Sorg]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

Question to you guys who tune in D:

1. Those of you who use 0.10, why don't you use 0.11?
2. And those of you who use 0.11, why don't you use 0.10?

I know is depending on preferances, but I would like to know the reasons.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

I like the feel of .11s a lot more than .10s. I find it harder to control .10s when I'm doing heavy bending . . . I've got a tendancy to overbend a lot. The .11s seem easier to me to pick as well (maybe due to their tension they don't move around as much).

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

How abouty the Zakk Wylde set? Heavy (60?) to light (10)??

I played it for about a year long.This string where made for short scale guitars like Zakk has ,but it needs a proper nut and bridge adjustment.since 60 is for many guitars an untought gauge.
I like the sound of it ,but ....something is missing there ,thats why i play with 12/56 now.10 is not the right string for dropped C or D i think(24 ,3/4").But it is a matter of taste ofcourse.Btw ,the Zakk Wylds set is bright sounding!

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

Question to you guys who tune in D:

1. Those of you who use 0.10, why don't you use 0.11?
2. And those of you who use 0.11, why don't you use 0.10?

I know is depending on preferances, but I would like to know the reasons.

I don't like both for 24.3/4".But the "tension" is sometimes really important.I feel really unsecure if i play on 10's (wich i did 1 year long) ,11's where just 2 weeks on my guitar ,so i went with the 12/56 set.Really great!!You can play every single string really fast ,hit fast ,get good chord sound ,the first strings sounding good on powerchords too ,and bending is still not an issue.

 

[CGord]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

Question to you guys who tune in D:

1. Those of you who use 0.10, why don't you use 0.11?
2. And those of you who use 0.11, why don't you use 0.10?

I know is depending on preferances, but I would like to know the reasons.

The thin/thick sets I use are typically sized 10-13-17-30-44-52, & they work great for me. Really, though, I haven't tried a lot of heavier gauge strings (just the ZW Boomers), because I'm happy with my current setup.

On my Dean, I do notice the low string (I play in drop-C 98% of the time) will wowwwww out of tune a bit if I pound on an open C chord (it's 24 3/4" scale). It doesn't go out enough for me to hear it in my recordings, but I hear it while I'm playing. Lightening my picking attack up a bit helped, & I may try a slightly heavier ser in the future on it, something with a 56 low. My Schecter is a longer scale, & my Ibanez has a locking trem; I do not have this issue with either of them. If you're going to be tuning to DGCFAD instead of my CGCFAD, I doubt this'd be an issue for you.

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

a thin/thick set(10-52 or 11-54) works PERFECTLY in this set-up. D standard works great on my Schecter with the 10-52's I've got on there now, but If i were to keep it there most of the time(its usually in drop D) I'd probably go with 11-54. It all comes down to what you like tension wise.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

Question to you guys who tune in D:

1. Those of you who use 0.10, why don't you use 0.11?
2. And those of you who use 0.11, why don't you use 0.10?

I know is depending on preferances, but I would like to know the reasons.

I use 0.11 because it just feels better to have a bit more string and more tension under my fingers. I also want to make them stronger so using a thicker string will be better.

In Flames uses DR 13-60.

 

[nuntius]

Re: Two questions about D-Standard tuning!

I use a set of 11-53 for D tuning.

I find when downtuning, you need to increase the wound string thickness far more than the unwound to keep sets feeling similar to what your'e used to in standard.

For example in standard tuning I use 10s. That's a 10 for the high E, and a 46 for the low E.

For downtuning a 13 works really well for a B for what I like, but for a low B I have to use a 70 to be happy with it.


Just food for thought, because at the end of the day it's just pure preference