string gauge sets for lower tunings

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

for those guitarists out there that are tuning lower than E standard, I'm just curious to find out - what string gauge sets are you guys/girls using?

I play Gibson SG's, and with the band I'm in, we tune to D standard... if it was up to me, we would've tuned even lower (C# or C standard), but our bassist wasn't going for it (we established our tuning about 6 or 7 years ago when we first formed the band). he's convinced that if we tuned any lower than D, it would sound too muddy... he's clearly not very well versed in the realm of super low tunings, but needless to say, I didn't want to argue, so D standard it is... the gauge set I use is .049 to .010 with a wound third. I've been thinking about going even heavier - I was in a band many, many years ago where we tuned to drop C#, and I think I used .052 to .011 strings. but if I recall correctly, I think they felt a little tight and rigid. maybe I need to pay closer attention to the intonation and adjust my truss rod a bit more.

 

[FleshOnGear]

I tune to C std and use 13-59 strings. Basically a daddario 7 string set, but ditch the 10. This is on Gibson scale guitars. I used to use daddario 12-54 in D std.

 

[BlueX]

I've used 12-56 for drop C on a 6-string, 25.5" superstrat, and I like both sound and playing. I'm no gigging musician, just a hobby player, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[FleshOnGear]

I've used 12-56 for drop C on a 6-string, 25.5" superstrat, and I like both sound and playing. I'm no gigging musician, just a hobby player, so take it for what it's worth.

Dang, you like the tight tension!

 

[Calebz]

On my SG tuned to drop C, I use 10-52.

On everything else I have in that tuning I use 10-46.

No idea why the, the SG is just better with the slightly larger Guage low strings. My LP shaped guitars generally seem to prefer the lighter Guage strings.

 

[BlueX]

Dang, you like the tight tension!

On that guitar, with Evertune bridge, I think it works very well. Of course, I don't play Parisienne Walkways in drop C.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

wow... it seems like a lot of people tend to prefer the way heavier gauge sets for C, C#, D standard tunings. I'd love to use like a .052 to .011 set for D standard, but I tried it before, and it just seemed a bit tight and rigid on my Gibson SG's (there's no way I could use anything heavier than that, unless I was tuning down to like, B standard or B flat standard)... what else would help with that? adjusting the truss rod further? upgrading the bridge, tailpiece, nut, or tuners?

 

[SkyMonkey]

Nothing wrong with D standard.

The Skids:



I have played around with lower tunings on a Fender scale guitar.
I was trying to play some Alien Weaponry, like Kai Tangata (drop Db).
I went for an 11-49 set and swapped out the low E for a 52 or 54, I think.
The Kahler bridge needed a special ball-end claw to accommodate the low 54 though.
That was as far I wanted to go without re-cutting the nut.
But the low string never felt or sounded right.
Prefer to keep that guitar in Eb now for Slayer, with the 49 back in.
What I really need is a 7-string to explore extended range.



BTW. I sympathise with your bassist, when a decent set of strings can cost £30+.
The mud may come from the need for a bass amp better suited to lower tunings too.

 

[mark123]

... the gauge set I use is .049 to .010 with a wound third. …

Do you have issues with the wound third breaking? The core in them is thinner than a blonde one. I went with the thickest solid third instead.

I have one guitar dedicated to dropped A that uses .052-.011

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

Do you have issues with the wound third breaking? The core in them is thinner than a blonde one. I went with the thickest solid third instead.

I have one guitar dedicated to dropped A that uses .052-.011

no, I've never had an issue with the wound third string breaking. I absolutely hate plain, unwound third strings. I will never buy a set of electric strings that does not have a wound third... and what do you mean by "blonde"??

and yes, if I was going tune down as low as B-flat standard, or anything lower than that, I would most certainly go with a .052 to .011 set for sure... I think if I went with a set that was any heavier than that, I'd need to re-cut the nut to accomodate the bottom strings.

 

[mark123]

... and what do you mean by "blonde"??

"A blonde one" is a unit of measure. It's a little smaller than "a red one".

 

[mcblink]

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

"A blonde one" is a unit of measure. It's a little smaller than "a red one".

interesting... I have never heard of this term before, used in this particular context. I'm assuming this is an antiquated old-timey term, yes?

 

[mark123]

interesting... I have never heard of this term before, used in this particular context. I'm assuming this is an antiquated old-timey term, yes?

I can't discuss this in mixed company. It's a common machinist term.

Back to the topic at hand, when I used a wound 3rd string the core would always break at the saddle and the winding would look like a tiny spring. That core just couldn't stand up to any left-hand vibrato.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

View attachment 126148

I've learned that none of Ernie Ball's "slinky" sets below their .012 to .056 set have a wound third.

 

[mcblink]

I've learned that none of Ernie Ball's "slinky" sets below their .012 to .056 set have a wound third.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't really find that to be problematic for me personally, been doing the D standard thing for decades. I'm not strictly a lead player by any means, but I don't think I want a wound third string when it's time for me to rip into a solo.

I have heard of people putting together custom sets, I'm sure you could find individual strings and build your own set.

 

[FleshOnGear]

I've learned that none of Ernie Ball's "slinky" sets below their .012 to .056 set have a wound third.

Yeah, I don’t really like plain 3rds at that thickness. The plus to them is that they bend easier than wound 3rds, but I don’t like the way a really thick 3rd sounds. Btw, when I get the custom V I ordered, it’s going to have a 25-1/2” scale, and I will use 12-54 Daddario Heavy Guage XLs in C std on that one. That set has a 0.020” plain 3rd. Any heavier than that I go for a wound 3rd.

 

[Maxbrothman]

E Standard Gretsch/Hollow body - D'Addario super light.

E standard and step down - EB regular slinky or D'Arrario regular light

Drop D or D Standard - DR DDT

D Standard and lower - EB Skinny top heavy bottom

B Standard and baritone - EB Not even slinky or EB Mammoth

The longest-lasting strings I used seem to be the D'Addario NYXL and the EB Paradigms. They feel slightly different though, IMO.

Acoustic - Elixers.

 

[Im247frogs]

In the past when I used a variety of dropped an open tunings I've used the D'addario 10-52s for a long time and they're great. Can't speak for anything lower than D standard tho.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy47]

In the past when I used a variety of dropped an open tunings I've used the D'addario 10-52s for a long time and they're great. Can't speak for anything lower than D standard tho.

wow... .010 to .052's for drop D? interesting. and they didn't feel too tight or rigid? I tried using that gauge set with D standard tuning, and it just feels really tight and rigid. I tried adjusting the truss rod to get them to feel a tad bit looser, but it didn't really help much. is there anything else that someone can recommend to help with that?