String Tension Super Thread (Got a string question? Post it here!)

[crg123]

Ok ok, I know I'm going to get attacked for this, but I figure it could be a fun test. First off, I love big strings, so that's no issue. Second of all, I wasn't sure where to put this because I'm talking about a 24.5" Scale 6 string PRS copy haha, so its not a baritone, but the range is of a baritone 7 haha.

Goal: I want to Tune all the way down to GGCFAD to play some sikth madness/ I love the sound of that tuning (I've used it on my friend's 7 string before), but here's where it gets interesting, I also want to guitar to be able to tune to CGCFAD. :/

So question, what gauges do I need for the lowest string in order to not destroy the neck when tuned to C and actually hold intonation/some sort of tension at G. I do love me some good tension, but for this experiment its not top priority. It can be loose, I just need it to intonate. Some of you are going to be like Wtf why don't you just use your 8 string, well... its my experiment :P. I have grover locking tuners so it wouldn't take to long to unwind the string to fit the tuning peg (which can fit a .062 max)

Right now my guitar has Ernie Ball Titanium not even slinkys: .056, .044, .032, .024p, .016, .012. With these gauges I can comfortably get down to A, but after that its way too loose. I've has a .060 DR on the top before and it was the same situation.

I figure it'd be cool to have that kind of range on my 6 string, Idk if it'll work, but hell I figure I can try. Any suggestions?

[MikeH]

Probably around .074. That's standard gauge for F# on an 8.

[crg123]

You think that'll be fine for tuning up to C though? If so then thats great, I'll go pick up one after work, thanks for the quick response, I was worried that a string in the 70 range might warp the neck.

Edit: I'm not really sure that'd even fit in the nut, I don't really want to file it or damage it with the tension. Would something like a .065 or a .068 work?

[rythmic_pulses]

Originally Posted by crg123

You think that'll be fine for tuning up to C though? If so then thats great, I'll go pick up one after work, thanks for the quick response, I was worried that a string in the 70 range might warp the neck.

Edit: I'm not really sure that'd even fit in the nut, I don't really want to file it or damage it with the tension. Would something like a .065 or a .068 work?

Absolutley no way up to C, the string tension of the .074 would be far too tight, I use a .074 for my G# or Ab on my 7 string because I like it's tuning stability and bass-like attack, the rest of my strings are basically .046 to .009 and I tune it to Ab, Eb, Ab, Eb, Ab, Bb, Eb cause I like weird tunings.

EDIT: I use the 8th string out of an Ernie Ball set which is tapered.

[crg123]

Then what string gauge would you recommend? if this is even possible.

Btw Thanks Mod for moving this to the appropriate part of the forum! Sorry about that

[rythmic_pulses]

Originally Posted by crg123

Then what string gauge would you recommend? if this is even possible.

Btw Thanks Mod for moving this to the appropriate part of the forum! Sorry about that

Try a .068, I used that once on my seven but the tone sucked but it will work better on your guitar.

[crg123]

Thanks man I'll try that out!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!100th Post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[somniumaeternum]

Originally Posted by pitbulltodd

i pick pretty hard the notes i want emphasized and i use a jazz style pick (1.5mm stiletto by v-picks). i don't have a live rig. i play and record directly to my computer. i use podfarm, amplitube, free amp sims, and different cab impulses. in the video below i'm tuned to A standard but you still can hear how bad the tones is on the 7 string ibby

So, most likely it's a combination of the scale length of the guitar, the age of the strings, and the tension of the strings.

I've had a similar issue with some of my 25.5 7s where if i downtune to A standard the strings feel a bit rubbery and are really easy to bend out of pitch during fretting.

The best way to fix this is to I find is: get a longer scale guitar (my 26.5 are awesome for A), get strings with higher tension (Octave4plus.com is a good resource for this), different manufacturer / brand of strings.

If nothing works, you can always try the brute force method of having a ginormous strings on there.. but it's always sucked for me in the past. It would make it so you can't bend the strings out of tune by fretting though and it may appear like it's higher tension because there's so much mass to them. If you do mostly rhythm it may work I guess.

(I know this opinion isn't very popular around here but: the actual fix for this is not to simply up the gauge as that totally changes the setup of the guitar and generally feels like crap for lead playing imho.... and you don't really solve the problem, just some of the symptoms. Gauge and tension are not the same things and, in the past, they've been treated as such because of ignorance and/or not having a variety of tensions per string gauge to chose from).

Aside from guitar centric "issues", it could also be your patch. The Pod stuff I had seem to have a more digital feel which makes it sound kinda static-y in certain settings and made the guitar response crap. (This is kind of a long shot though since typically solid state gear tracks quite well - which is why I use it over tube amps..)

[Stealthdjentstic]

You can tune to A standard fine on a 25.5"

[xtrustisyoursx]

Surprised no one has suggested this. You might try picking the string closer to the bridge. In the video, I noticed you play the rhythm stuff halfway between the pickups or even closer to the neck pickup. If you play nearer to the bridge you'll have a higher perceived tension due to less string movement, as well as a more livelier and brighter tone to the note.

[pitbulltodd]

thanks to all who posted. the suggestions did help but i'm just not feeling it. the guitar is going to ebay and i'm going to start looking for a seven string with a 26.5 scale length.

[MTech]

Bump up your gauges to something like these

[jymellis]

Originally Posted by pitbulltodd

thanks to all who posted. the suggestions did help but i'm just not feeling it. the guitar is going to ebay and i'm going to start looking for a seven string with a 26.5 scale length.

shit man, what you lookin to get out of it lol seriously. tell me before ebay

[pitbulltodd]

maybe i just suck but i'm having a hard time dealing with 70 gauge string. it's still not tight enough but i don't wanna go any higher on the gauge.

[jymellis]

man, i use like a 54 and tune to a flat with no problems on the EXACT same guitar?

try raising the pup? are they the stock 7620 pups?

[pitbulltodd]

Originally Posted by jymellis

man, i use like a 54 and tune to a flat with no problems on the EXACT same guitar?

try raising the pup? are they the stock 7620 pups?

the bridge has a di marzio evolution and the neck is stock

[jymellis]

Originally Posted by pitbulltodd

the bridge has a di marzio evolution and the neck is stock

try raising that pup a touch or getting another pup. dont dismis the guitar on something like a pup choice. thats an awesome guitar!

[pitbulltodd]

Originally Posted by jymellis

try raising that pup a touch or getting another pup. dont dismis the guitar on something like a pup choice. thats an awesome guitar!

food for thought. i appreciate the advice.

[asher]

Originally Posted by pitbulltodd

food for thought. i appreciate the advice.

I wasn't happy with my Evo for the low A and switched to a D-Sonic and a higher gauge string - the string was okay, it was usable to be sure, but I prefer the extra tension. I think a pickup swap might help more.

[xtrustisyoursx]

Yeah, post it on the ss.org classifieds first before ebay.

[danielzabolotny]

I also use Podfarm with my Douglas 7 tuned to G#. Currently, I have a .10 to .59 set and while it's a wee bit looser than I like, my tone is still very good and heavy. Next week when I swap out the stock pickups for Blackouts, I'm putting on a .10 to .74 set, that should tighten things up nicely.

[Loomer]

A suggestion here:

Have you tried simply raising the action on the guitar? I find that I sound like doo-doo on guitars with low action and it gets muddy easily, so I suggest you raise them strings a little. That'll let 'em vibrate more freely when you pick them.

And use bigger picks!!
My clearest tone ever was when I used stone picks, regular-sized.

[bradthelegend]

Originally Posted by pitbulltodd

thanks to all who posted. the suggestions did help but i'm just not feeling it. the guitar is going to ebay and i'm going to start looking for a seven string with a 26.5 scale length.

If you like the feel of your Ibanez, but just want a longer scale length, you could try out one of the RGD 7s, unless you're really set on getting a Schecter.

[pitbulltodd]

Originally Posted by bradthelegend

If you like the feel of your Ibanez, but just want a longer scale length, you could try out one of the RGD 7s, unless you're really set on getting a Schecter.

actually i just happened to hear a schecter blackjack through the same podfarm presets as i use for the ibanez and the schecter was brutal. the ibanez had better clean tones and the solo tones were about equal but as far as drop tuning rythmn tone the schecter blew the ibanez away. the tone was so different i can't imagine it just being a pickup issue.

[bradthelegend]

Originally Posted by pitbulltodd

actually i just happened to hear a schecter blackjack through the same podfarm presets as i use for the ibanez and the schecter was brutal. the ibanez had better clean tones and the solo tones were about equal but as far as drop tuning rythmn tone the schecter blew the ibanez away. the tone was so different i can't imagine it just being a pickup issue.

That's what active pickups'll do for you. And those finishes are beautiful. When they came out with the satin black finishes with gold binding, I had to reconsider my brand loyalty.