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What gauge to use for Drop B tuning?


KevinTJH

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12-56's are just wayyy too tight for me!

 

I've got 10-52 on one of my guitars which is in Drop C, and the tension is just about perfect for me.

 

If I move up the gauge, there's only 11-48, and the bass strings just won't do for me...

 

D'Addario and Ernie Ball have been my comfort zone picks for as long as I first picked up an electric guitar, so I'm not sure there're other suitable strings out there..

 

 

Just wondering, what string gauge do you use for drop B tuning?

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I used to combine a couple of sets for that tuning. I'd take the wound strings from a light top / heavy bottom set and combine them with the unwound strings from a normal set of 11's. The unwound strings in the LTHB set were only 10's (too light), but the wound strings in the 11's weren't as heavy as the LTHB set. :idk: Worked for me, anyway.

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I play drop B on an SG using 13-62 strings (Skull Strings), which probably are more suited for baritone tunings, but I can't make the switch back to little kids' strings now... ;)

 

Most important of all (for me) is to get a set with a little fatter high strings which include a wound G-string (or E string, if you're into that sorta thing).

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I'm using 10-52s on my Ibanez which is my D-standard/ drop-C guitar, and the normal 9s and 10s on all my E-standard rigs.

That's the EXACT same thing I do with my other guitars. :thu:

 

13-62 ?! That's like bending crow bars!

 

My ideal strings for it would be 11-54, sadly it doesn't exist. Any idea what Mick Thompson from Slipknot uses? He's one of those Drop B guys

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That's the EXACT same thing I do with my other guitars.
:thu:

13-62 ?! That's like bending crow bars!


My ideal strings for it would be 11-54, sadly it doesn't exist. Any idea what Mick Thompson from Slipknot uses? He's one of those Drop B guys

 

I think the heaviest Ernies come in a 12-54? Or something like that. I had a set of 12s on the Ibanez and I despised them. I lost nearly all my treble and chords just sounded like drums. I'll do a little research on Mick and find out what he uses for you :thu:

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Thanks for that! :thu:

 

Ernie Ball Not even slinky is 12-56, but it's too heavy for me, especially the 3rd string which sounds pretty crappy

 

Alright, Mick uses an 11-58 set of D'addarios. UG forums can be useful sometimes
http://www.slipknot-metal.com/main.php?sk=equipment

For some reason I can't seem to find his set of strings being sold commercially, probably a signature set?

I think I've found what might work for me. D'Addario has a seven string set which goes from 9-54. If I chuck the 1st string away, it'll be 11-54 with a wound 3rd string. Should work :)

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Thanks for that!
:thu:

Ernie Ball Not even slinky is 12-56, but it's too heavy for me, especially the 3rd string which sounds pretty crappy



For some reason I can't seem to find his set of strings being sold commercially, probably a signature set?

I think I've found what might work for me. D'Addario has a seven string set which goes from 9-54. If I chuck the 1st string away, it'll be 11-54 with a wound 3rd string. Should work
:)

 

No worries :thu:

I quite like 9-42s and 9-46 sets. NEVER again will I play a set of 8-38s... I foolishly tuned them to D-standard :facepalm:

You've got the right idea, buy the strings individually. I've been experimenting with gauges for the Washburn, so I ended up buying packs of individual strings (sets of six high Es etc) to see what I could come up with. I wanted heavy bottoms, but not as heavy as 56 and light tops but lighter than a 10. At the moment it's an 8-52 set, but I may bump up to 9s when high E inevitably breaks.

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No worries
:thu:
You've got the right idea, buy the strings individually. I've been experimenting with gauges for the Washburn, so I ended up buying packs of individual strings (sets of six high Es etc) to see what I could come up with. I wanted heavy bottoms, but not as heavy as 56 and light tops but lighter than a 10. At the moment it's an 8-52 set, but I may bump up to 9s when high E inevitably breaks.

Buying strings individually? I think it might be too much of a hassle for most people though, and the strings might not be as fresh since they come in plain paper packaging (IMO).

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Buying strings individually? I think it might be too much of a hassle for most people though, and the strings might not be as fresh since they come in plain paper packaging (IMO).

 

 

Yeah, it can be a pretty big hassle. A guy on eBay is a star, though. He sells strings individually and seals them.

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A Baritone guitar is best for a B tuning.

 

 

...but then he'd have to tune every string except the low E (well... B) up a whole step.. making the string tension too high

 

 

edit:- D'addario does make an 11-52 set, http://store.daddario.com/category/145802/EXL116_Medium_Top__Heavy_Bottom_11-52 .. good luck finding them at a store though.

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edit:- D'addario does make an 11-52 set,
.. good luck finding them at a store though.

 

Their 11-52 set is pretty much the same as the 10-52 set. The only difference is the 3 treble strings which are switched out for 11s.

But I'm using it for a 24.75 scale guitar though. Like LesPauls and SGs.

 

I think the 11-54 set from EB's Beefy Slinky would be worth a try though. I'll get one right away!

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What set is this? Did you buy the strings individually?

 

Mine was an Everly set. These companies seem kinda crazy with their tightness of downtuning strings and baritone strings, they say drop C=13-65 for example. Whatever. In a video Alexi said he uses 10-56 (he has a signature set of it too) and that's drop C I believe, and I am also fine with that at C.

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I played 11s in many tunings for years. I went back to 9s in standard to 1/2 step tuning. 11s are safe with any tunings on electric or acoustics for me. 9s don't really have much tone tuned down more that 1/2 step for me. Although I do know people that were doing old school Type O Negative stuff with those so callled kiddy strings(9s)

 

I think it is more of a combination of guitar/effects/amp that make it work. They all have knobs that turn left and right.

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I think it is more of a combination of guitar/effects/amp that make it work. They all have knobs that turn left and right.

 

With strings, I think I'm a little more concerned with comfort than tone. It's pretty hard to sound good with strings that are difficult to play with IMO.

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I used to play drop A and C-standard (2 steps) with 12-58's actually, and they're awesome if you go for the "Katatonia-heavy", but I really want that low end growl you get with a medium-to-high gain british tube amp and really heavy strings.

 

Another deal-maker for me is the heavier gauge treble strings, they are seriously the absolute tits! :thu:

 

I do play on a standard scale Gibbo SG, and I'm definitely feeling the intonation issues and overall instability, and I intend on getting an ESP Viper baritone in the future (if my plans to get an EGC aluminium baritone fall through :rolleyes:) to remedy that affliction. Also, so I can play drop A (or lower) properly. :lol:

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