# What Scale For D Standard Tuning?



## Carl Kolchak (Nov 20, 2014)

What would be the ideal scale length for D standard tuning in order to keep the the same string tension as a 6 string tuned to E standard (24.75" scale/ 46-10 strings)?


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## BIG ND SWEATY (Nov 20, 2014)

24.75 should be just fine for D standard just up the string gauge slightly


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## Leuchty (Nov 20, 2014)

Elixir 11-49 works really well in D Standard.


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## Carl Kolchak (Nov 20, 2014)

BIG ND SWEATY said:


> 24.75 should be just fine for D standard just up the string gauge slightly



Might not be an option. Guitar in question is an SG, and three of saddles are at their most rearward position. They're just barely intonating correctly and I think if I go any heavier I'll lose the intonation. 

Am looking for another six string that can do D standard and retain the same string tension using slightly heavier strings (48s-50s) as this SG tuned to E using 46s.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Nov 20, 2014)

Any standard 25.5" scale guitar should work just fine  maybe a 26.5" guitar like an RGD or one of the extended scale Schecters.


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## WhoThenNow7 (Nov 21, 2014)

I use 11-52 for D standard on a 25.5 scale. 

Go to Stringulator | Home to find the perfect tension; someone here on ss.org made that site and it's the best tension calculator I've ever used.


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## chopeth (Nov 21, 2014)

WhoThenNow7 said:


> I use 11-52 for D standard on a 25.5 scale.
> 
> Go to Stringulator | Home to find the perfect tension; someone here on ss.org made that site and it's the best tension calculator I've ever used.



trve, 11-52 for D on 25,5


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## Zhysick (Nov 21, 2014)

For the same string gauge in D tuning you should need 27" scale length (26.5" with 10-46 is 2lb per string less tension than 24.75" in E standard).

I bet the best "middle ground" option is 11-52 in a 25.5" as WTN7 and chopeth suggested.


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## Thanatopsis (Nov 24, 2014)

I bet you'd be happy with a 25.5". D standard isn't that low by any means.


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## Fear (Nov 28, 2014)

I have had numerous guitars over the years that were either in DGCFAD or CGCFAD and they were all 25.5 or 24.75 scales. Currently I have a 25.5" RG770DX in Drop C with 11-52 and it feels great. A lot of this comes down to personal preference, but that gauge is good to start with an universally liked for D standard.


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## Thanatopsis (Dec 6, 2014)

Fear said:


> I have had numerous guitars over the years that were either in DGCFAD or CGCFAD and they were all 25.5 or 24.75 scales. Currently I have a 25.5" RG770DX in Drop C with 11-52 and it feels great. A lot of this comes down to personal preference, but that gauge is good to start with an universally liked for D standard.


Drop C you'd probably be OK, but C standard I'd want more like a 12 or 13 for the high c. I tend to like strings slightly on the heavier side though, I always use either 11-50 or 11-52 for standard. B standard I like a 14-60 with a 20 wound for the high f#, so only 1 plain string.


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## yingmin (Dec 7, 2014)

Harmonic minor.


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## TauSigmaNova (Dec 12, 2014)

D Std isnt too far down and I think 26.5 would be overkill personally. You should be fine with 25.5 . I used 11-54 for Drop C on a 25.5 and it was perfectly comfortable in relation to me 10-46 main axe in E (also 25.5)


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## filipe200x (Jan 26, 2015)

After checking the Stringulator site, which is very fine by the way, i'm thinking guitars shouldn't be tuned below E standard, at least if you're gonna take technicalities for serious. If you're using Meshugga's lenght for F1 for instance, you'd have to use .090 to achieve a tension of "384.66" (whichever the unity of measure is), which is less than the tension of of a .038 E2 in an 25.5.


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## vilk (Jan 26, 2015)

I'm slightly perturbed by the notion that a gibson scale length can't be intonated even only 1 step down... especially considering how many professional musicians play them in this tuning, and even much farther down. My SG is set up from drop Bb, but I can't imagine that my tech would even do it for me if he was unable to give it correct intonation...


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## filipe200x (Jan 26, 2015)

vilk said:


> I'm slightly perturbed by the notion that a gibson scale length can't be intonated even only 1 step down... especially considering how many professional musicians play them in this tuning, and even much farther down. My SG is set up from drop Bb, but I can't imagine that my tech would even do it for me if he was unable to give it correct intonation...



Lol, that's what i've been thinking. I checked again and saw the difference for the E2 of a .042 in a 25.5 inch is less than what i thought to a .090 F1 in a 29.4, but still, F1 .090 in a 29.4 is still less than .38 E2 in a 25.5.


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## Discoqueen (Jan 26, 2015)

My SG does fine in D standard. D standard isn't that much of a margin, I'd think if you are doubting the 24.75", it wouldn't need to be any serious leap in scale length to get what you need.


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## filipe200x (Jan 26, 2015)

Discoqueen said:


> My SG does fine in D standard. D standard isn't that much of a margin, I'd think if you are doubting the 24.75", it wouldn't need to be any serious leap in scale length to get what you need.



I'm playing in my 25.5" in D standard too, and i think it's ok, but i checked in that site and the tension of the 6th is less than a .038 in E standard.


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## PyramidSmasher (Jan 26, 2015)

24.75, 25.5, 26.5... its not that wild of a tuning lol anything will work. Bands have been using a full step down tuning on tons of guitars with tons of different string gauges to great effect for decades now


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## TRENCHLORD (Jan 26, 2015)

D is my cut-off point for shorter scales (under 25.5).
C is my limit for 25.5
Just a preference thing really. I hate huge strings on short scales.


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