# Your string gauge for a 27" 8 string guitar?



## hanachanmaru (Feb 12, 2017)

Hi and all ERG gurus !

Well i gotta Sherman 8 thats 27" however i felt the hipshot bridge that i setup for is too high and i am using a 0.10 daddarios... 

I had a tough time playing as i felt the strings are just too tight on the 27" scale and being a 0.10 gauge set.. i found it sound abit "sterile" when i pick attack especially on the high E string... 

I lowered the bridge and tune slightly something like a half step lower than standard F# to high E... i felt it plays better with a better feel, less effort and the "sterile" pick attack is now less pronounced...

I wonder has anybody encounter this on your 27" scale 8 string guitar? And is a 0.10 an overkill for a 27" scale length as the strings will get way too tight? 

What will you guys recommend? Or which string gauge set you guys are using for your 8 string 27" scale? 

Will a 0.09 be good to go for the right feel and still getta "string sag" thats not overly tight and it will sound less "sharp and clinical" with more warm? 

My current Eb string action measuring off from the tip of the 12th fret to E string is slightly less than 1.5mm and measuring same fret position on the Fb string is slightly less than 2mm... 

Share me you guys action height too?


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## rockskate4x (Feb 12, 2017)

Those 10's are ridiculous for 27". I'm assuming you are talking about the 10-74 set. The tensions read out really stupid:

len 27
E4 .010 dapl == 18.18# Plain's are tight but playable. Not all that different from .011's in standard.
B3 .013 dapl == 17.25#
G3 .017 dapl == 18.58#
D3 .030 danw == 28.07# For some reason, D through B are much heavier even than standard 10's. 
A2 .042 danw == 29.5# There is no reason for the tension to go up 10 pounds in tension from the plains.
E2 .054 danw == 27.11#
B1 .064 danw == 21.59#
F1# .074 danw == 15.97# This is the lightest string in the entire set! It's not a bad gauge, but in the context of the other strings it feels puny. 

A regular 7 string set of .009-.054 + a single .074 string will feel much more comfy


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## Hollowway (Feb 12, 2017)

Yeah, WAY too much tension there. I use 9s, or even 8s, on my ergs. For sure 9s on a 27".

The bigger question is why are you not showing us the Sherman? I oughta smack you, boy! Lemme see!


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## mnemonic (Feb 13, 2017)

IIRC my 27" scale 8-string is strung with 9-42 for the first 6, 56 for the 7th, and 68 for the 8th, tuned to F. 

Strings definately get noticeably lighter on the lower strings, but thicker low strings (for more 'balanced' tension) don't sound as good, imo. Thicker strings tend to sound more wooly and loose and less defined than thinner strings. This can be compensated for with the amp, but then it makes the higher strings sound too thin/harsh. So the best balance for me is the lighter low strings, so that all the strings sound good through my amp.


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## Sir Ibanez (Feb 13, 2017)

I use 9-64 ernie ball. it's ok. don't like thick strings, sound become more muddy. have a basswood RG8 with emg808


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## hanachanmaru (Feb 13, 2017)

Hollowway said:


> Yeah, WAY too much tension there. I use 9s, or even 8s, on my ergs. For sure 9s on a 27".
> 
> The bigger question is why are you not showing us the Sherman? I oughta smack you, boy! Lemme see!




Hi Hollowway thanks i remember you back then and guess you were a sherman guitar player too? 

Yup its a nice well built guitar which the build is flawless !! The seams and wood cut is so fine that you cant really see it.... i remember getting a jackson custom shop and its gotta building flaw at the back of the neck...

How i wish Mike could build guitars again.... but one thing i gotta confess the stock pickup isnt that great... i recently replaced with a Peters 8 string pickup and it sounds great but am thinking it be soon after u dump in a set of duncan omega and alpha as being a curious guy... 

Mike killer guitar building !


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## Winspear (Feb 13, 2017)

I would grab the 9-80 set from Ernie Ball or D'addario NYXL 9-80. Perfect gauges


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## hanachanmaru (Feb 13, 2017)

Winspear said:


> I would grab the 9-80 set from Ernie Ball or D'addario NYXL 9-80. Perfect gauges



Will keep an eye out on that... thanks for adding in.. well i have lowered the bridge saddle and tune half a step down from standard E to E flat and so far the tension is ok and the strings are easier to play and it sound less "clinical" or "harsh" 

Well i wonder with a 0.009 to 0.80 will have a similar tension and feel to it having tuned to standard ?


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## Winspear (Feb 13, 2017)

Yes indeed, and it will be more balanced overall - the tensions posted in a reply above show how bonkers that original set is


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## Masoo2 (Feb 13, 2017)

I'm a fan of 9-10s for the high end, 46s-48s for 4-6, 56-60 for the 7th, and 74-80 for the 8th.

It honestly just depends on what tuning I'm using. The most versatile set that I gravitate towards is 9.5-48+58+80 but I'm soon going to give 74s another shot.


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## hanachanmaru (Feb 13, 2017)

Masoo2 said:


> I'm a fan of 9-10s for the high end, 46s-48s for 4-6, 56-60 for the 7th, and 74-80 for the 8th.
> 
> It honestly just depends on what tuning I'm using. The most versatile set that I gravitate towards is 9.5-48+58+80 but I'm soon going to give 74s another shot.



Thanks i will definately be checking on the 9-80 set....


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## exo (Feb 14, 2017)

Winspear said:


> I would grab the 9-80 set from Ernie Ball or D'addario NYXL 9-80. Perfect gauges



Seconding this. the NYXL 9-80 set is the best "off the rack" set on the market, IMO.


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## lewis (Feb 14, 2017)

this is the main reason im saving up for a fanned fret.

i too have a 27 inch 8 string and have issues on the higher strings and tension. I tune quite high for an 8. Drop G# open. (sometimes the low G# down to an F) and Im having to have the 2 highest strings tuned to the same note currently to stop the high snapping.

so basically Im stuck using my 8 string as a 7 string + extra high. Seeing as how I also love leads, this is annoying.

bring on the fanned fret.

27-25.5 scale


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## hanachanmaru (Feb 14, 2017)

Yup i see a reason to fanned frets...its cool too but expensive for them... and so i gotta ernie ball 0.09 - 0.80 set...  hope this works out


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## Icarusnic (Feb 16, 2017)

Depends on the tuning. I used to have a 85 on my 28,675 scale for drop E.


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## devnull (Feb 20, 2017)

I had a guy set up my guitar and he said the NYXL0980 set was too light on the higher strings and suggested I go with the EXL140-8's and put an .80 on the low F. 

PL010	Eb	0.0100
PL013	Bb	0.0130	
PL017	Gb	0.0170
NW030	Db	0.0300
NW042	Ab	0.0420
NW054	Eb	0.0540
NW064	Bb	0.0640
NYNW080	F	0.0800

This is on a 27 inch scale RG852. Feels ok to me I guess. I kind of feel like the 8th string will buzz no matter what I do to the guitar tbh.


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## Rollandbeast (Feb 21, 2017)

I have 10-74 on my ibby and both the b and F# feels way to floppy for my taste


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## robski92 (Feb 21, 2017)

My Schecter is a 28" but I use the 9-80 NYXL set. When I had an RG8 I used a 9.5-75 set i think from String Joy but I probably would have used the 9-80 NYXL had I known about it lol.


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## Grooven (Feb 27, 2017)

Been using Dunlop 9-65 for ages now cause I dislike thicker strings,now for standard 8 string tuning this gauge is perfect for me but all that goes out the window when I drop to E.I had the same problem when i used 10-74 in the beginning of getting the septor I've also used GHS 10-80 (never again) damn hands and wrist are still hurting lol.But I thnk my next purchase is going to be GHS 10-76 should handle drop E


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## hanachanmaru (Mar 2, 2017)

I ordered a 0.9 - 80.... and forgotten the nut was setup for only 10 - 74


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## BigViolin (Mar 2, 2017)

You may have to slightly widen the slot for the 8th and maybe the 7th string, but the skinnies will be fine. Going from a 10 to a 9 is no issue.


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## ite89 (Mar 12, 2017)

I generally use the standard D'addario 10-74's for 27 scale. I use that set because it's generally cheaper than most sets available on the market right now. But I generally use a custom Kalium String set. But the set i prefer would have to be an elixir 9-46 with a 56 for the 7th string an 82-84 on the 8th string. 74 is fine if you don't really play aggressively but it is quite floppy for F# and more so for E. 

Go for the Ernie Ball 9-80, seems quite promising.


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## that short guy (Mar 12, 2017)

I use a 9.5-90 set from string joy. Full set is

Eb: 9.5
Bb: 13
Gb: 16
Db: 26
Ab: 36
Eb: 50
Bb: 66
F: 90


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