# 8-string Gauge for Standard E with a dropped E1



## metalfiiish (Feb 9, 2014)

Good afternoon fellow music enthusiasts!

I just purchased my first 8-string guitar, an Ibanzez RG2228. I have been an avid 6-string player for years and honestly didn't get turned onto the ERG until I found Tosin Abasi. So naturally I want to start off playing as close to his style as I can.

I read different articles about string gauge and have decided I want to go for the 9-74, if possible DR's. I have only been able to find this range from no-name string makers and can only find 10-74 for popular string makers. I want to aim for the Standard E tuning with a Dropped E1, again like Tosin, I like his methodology for use of the upper strings.

Does anyone have a known store I can buy these DR 9-74's? If not any other well known brands? I'd prefer not to push above 74.

Thanks for any useful advice!


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## JoeuJGM (Feb 9, 2014)

First off,  to the forums! As far as the 9-74 DR set goes, I can't seem to find it anywhere, but I was able to find the 10-74 set at juststrings.com
DR Strings Electric Guitar Tite-Fit Nickel Plated Steel 8-String, .010 - .075, TF8-10

D' Addario also has a 10-74 set, with a little heavier bottom end:
D'Addario Electric Guitar 8-String XL Lite Top Heavy Bottom, .010 - .074, EXL140-8

I use Kalium strings for my 7 and they're some of the best I've ever used, I've been converted by this forum, and I can't recommend them enough! Here's their 8 string sets, I think they have just what you want:
Circle K Strings - 8 String Guitar Sets | Page 1 of 4

There's quite a few options, so also maybe check out the Ernie Ball 8 string sets as well to see if it suits your needs. Hope this helped!


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## metalfiiish (Feb 9, 2014)

Thanks for the time, I dug thru the site you gave me. Couldn't find a 9-74 but did find a 9-73 which is damn close, will demo them out this week when they get in. Worst case I'll get a 74 and throw t on, but doubt it would make a difference. Maybe I'll slowly change out till I get to the 80 everyone seems to like lol.


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## crankyrayhanky (Feb 9, 2014)

Circle K rules
That 9-73 set is probably based on standard tuning F#
Thus I'd error on the thicker side of 74 to drop E


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## metalfiiish (Feb 9, 2014)

Got a good place to buy single 74 string? that site didn't have any unfortunately >< I also don't see it in my local Guitar center's stock.


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Feb 9, 2014)

74 for drop E is woefully inadequate. The tension is really low, particularly in comparison to the other strings. Unless you play with a super light picking hand you're going to have ever trouble with keeping the pitch even (ie. It will go sharp when you hit it and flatten as the note rings out aka BEEEEEOOOOOOWWWRRRRR). 

9-84 is the best drop E set I have found so far.


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## metalfiiish (Feb 9, 2014)

Doesn't that require me to drill out the hole for the string on my guitar?

Also to help assist me, what scale length are you at? 27, 28 30?


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## Oreo-Tan (Feb 9, 2014)

metalfiiish said:


> Doesn't that require me to drill out the hole for the string on my guitar?
> 
> Also to help assist me, what scale length are you at? 27, 28 30?



Your RG2228 should have a 27" scale. I'd say a Circle K 10-82 set would do you fairly well, or a 10-86 for the drop tuning. It probably will require you to drill out the tuner, but the hole should still fit it on the saddle end.

If you want, you could buy an Elixir Nanoweb .80 bass string, since they're wound the same way as their guitar strings, and you'd have an easier time getting them single. Only issue is that they're expensive.


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## metalfiiish (Feb 9, 2014)

How the hell does Tosin have some non-existent string gauges lol. Well I already bought 9 gauges earlier in the day. Will try to mess with them and if the whole set is bad I'll buy a whole new 10 gauge set, if not I'll just try that 80/82. Thanks for the insight gang.


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## Ben.Last (Feb 10, 2014)

DR Tite-Fit Nickel Plated Steel Electric Guitar String Set - 8-String

Don't ever say I didn't do anything for you.


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## metalfiiish (Feb 10, 2014)

I had seen that one but it's not 9-74 ><. Thanks for the link though. Since the Circle K site didn't have a 74-75 I might think about that 10-75 if the string I got really aren't working out. ....ing anxious...my guitar gets here on Thursday.


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## Winspear (Feb 10, 2014)

For a low E you really need a Kalium (circle k) 86 or 90 to reach regular tension. Standard sets with the 74 are imbalanced nonsense even for F#


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## beavis2306 (Feb 11, 2014)

Hey man, I can vouch for the above comment. I use a circle k 90 for f# on my 27 inch 8. I would actually go bigger for drop E too. Any less tension on my 8th string and it sounds mushy. It sucks as i would dearly like to get that tension on a smaller string as i think the size of that string is detracting from the tone but any less and it sounds shite in chords.


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Feb 11, 2014)

I have no problem with E on an 80 from DR or the 75 for F/F#. I raised the bridge on my 2228 and it's given me 0 issues. What works for some doesn't work for others I guess.


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## Winspear (Feb 11, 2014)

Yep not saying it can't work  Just in terms of tension it's like replacing the E of a 10-46 set with a 40, running a 40 next to a 36 etc. Worsened by the fact that these 8 string sets typically have even thicker strings for the standard portion. The tension of a 74 F# certainly isn't unplayable but it is super slinky and unbalanced with the rest - in E however it is very useless


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Feb 11, 2014)

Indeed! it's a compromise between tension and maintaining that attack of the smaller gauge to me. I wish there was a 70-75 with the tension of something way higher.


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## Winspear (Feb 11, 2014)

Kalium strings previously Circle K have that exact property  Not 'way higher' - equal tension at about .0025 less than most brands. But it helps! They also perform better tonally at the same gauge anyway due to their construction so there's another bonus. In short you could say a Kalium 65 has the tension of a regular 68 with the tone and feel of a 62, say. Feel being flexibility under the fingers but not in a loose sense, and without any of the negative aspects (i.e. buzz). They are strange and magical things.


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## Ben.Last (Feb 11, 2014)

I have a .074 on one of my 8s and a .080 on the other, both in drop E. Even the .074 is not close to unusable.


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## Ben.Last (Feb 11, 2014)

EtherealEntity said:


> Kalium strings previously Circle K have that exact property  Not 'way higher' - equal tension at about .0025 less than most brands. But it helps! They also perform better tonally at the same gauge anyway due to their construction so there's another bonus. In short you could say a Kalium 65 has the tension of a regular 68 with the tone and feel of a 62, say. Feel being flexibility under the fingers but not in a loose sense, and without any of the negative aspects (i.e. buzz). They are strange and magical things.



This sounds like the exact opposite of the info on their site and what I was told when I got in touch with them through email. By all accounts, you need to get a larger gauge of their strings to match the tension of other brands. Although it appears this information was removed from the site, as I can't find it on there now, and I didn't save the emails. So, it's possible this has changed, I guess.


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## Winspear (Feb 11, 2014)

That would have been talking about the feel aspect in my last sentence, it sounds. They can feel lighter which some people may not like, while they are infact pulling _more_ tension, alleviating buzz, pitch instability etc. If someone didn't like that you may want to go thicker than usual (which would give you an even more stable tone) I suppose  That would have been why that info was on the site, but personally I shoot for a tension for stability rather than feel by itself


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## Mike (Feb 11, 2014)

Coming from a guy who has used every major brand of string gauged .070-.090 for E, The best playability, tension, and tone came from Kalium's .086 and .090. Anything looser than that was just unplayable.

.086 has more attack, but the .090 feels a lot more playable.


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Feb 11, 2014)

Something I can't remember if I mentioned before or not is if you get your bridge set up right it can really help with the whole tension:string size bologna. Or at least with the 2228 in my experience. I raised the bridge and a lot of my problems got solved. I hope that helps, if at all lol

I do like Circle K/Kalium strings..they just don't feel as nice as DR's to my little itty bitty fingers  ...I'm thinking about going back to Elixir just because at the last show my band did, the extreme sweat/acid/willy pete that comes out of my hands destroys strings


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## NorCal_Val (Feb 11, 2014)

I dig my 2228 but I think the short string scale is a problem on the
low F#/E string. I've had the guitar set up/intonated and the F#/E string
feels tubby. I'm using a Circle K 82 for the low string. I was considering 
using a 79. Hopefully it'll solve that issue.


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## GunpointMetal (Feb 12, 2014)

I've been working my way down in gauges; started with a 90, but it sounded like bass, then 86, then 84, right now I'm at 82 and I still feel like I get to much resistance from that lowest string compared to the others, but when I was on a six I played in Ab with 13-56 strings on a 25.5 and that's the feel I like...like 13 lbs of tension, so have no idea how to emulate that feel with the low E without it become completley undefined. In Ab the thin strings actually helped with definition....I like the 82, but it feels to big and I feel like I have to hit it really hard to get the right attack.


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## Winspear (Feb 12, 2014)

GunpointMetal said:


> I've been working my way down in gauges; started with a 90, but it sounded like bass, then 86, then 84, right now I'm at 82 and I still feel like I get to much resistance from that lowest string compared to the others, but when I was on a six I played in Ab with 13-56 strings on a 25.5 and that's the feel I like...like 13 lbs of tension, so have no idea how to emulate that feel with the low E without it become completley undefined. In Ab the thin strings actually helped with definition....I like the 82, but it feels to big and I feel like I have to hit it really hard to get the right attack.



Actually about 10lbs! Try a 74. If you can play strings that loose you should be alright with it. That's 13lbs on 27 in E


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## Cjanz (Feb 12, 2014)

Oreo-Tan said:


> Your RG2228 should have a 27" scale. I'd say a Circle K 10-82 set would do you fairly well, or a 10-86 for the drop tuning. It probably will require you to drill out the tuner, but the hole should still fit it on the saddle end.
> 
> If you want, you could buy an Elixir Nanoweb .80 bass string, since they're wound the same way as their guitar strings, and you'd have an easier time getting them single. Only issue is that they're expensive.



I don't know if this was already mentioned, as I only had time to skim other responses, but you can just unwind a small portion of the string to fit it through the tuner. If memory serves, Kaliums are double-wound and this shouldn't cause any problems for the string and keeps you from drilling anything. Maybe you want to avoid the hassle of unwinding, and in that case drilling would be your best bet, I suppose.


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## Ben.Last (Feb 12, 2014)

GunpointMetal said:


> I've been working my way down in gauges; started with a 90, but it sounded like bass, then 86, then 84, right now I'm at 82 and I still feel like I get to much resistance from that lowest string compared to the others, but when I was on a six I played in Ab with 13-56 strings on a 25.5 and that's the feel I like...like 13 lbs of tension, so have no idea how to emulate that feel with the low E without it become completley undefined. In Ab the thin strings actually helped with definition....I like the 82, but it feels to big and I feel like I have to hit it really hard to get the right attack.



The lighter DR set would probably be pretty ideal for what you're looking for.


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## GunpointMetal (Feb 12, 2014)

EtherealEntity said:


> Actually about 10lbs! Try a 74. If you can play strings that loose you should be alright with it. That's 13lbs on 27 in E



I was thinking maybe the 79, cause its a 26.5" scale. I don't know how I never really had any problems with my six-string set-up cause technically, it should have been a sloppy mess. I think I'm fairly ham-fisted player, but then again I break strings like once every 5 years, so maybe its in my head.


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## Cloudkicker112358 (May 10, 2014)

metalfiiish said:


> Good afternoon fellow music enthusiasts!
> 
> I just purchased my first 8-string guitar, an Ibanzez RG2228. I have been an avid 6-string player for years and honestly didn't get turned onto the ERG until I found Tosin Abasi. So naturally I want to start off playing as close to his style as I can.



Dude, that is awesome. I am in the same situation. Tosin Abasi like re-inspired me to play guitar, and I want an 8-string so bad. I don't want to completely copy him though, because then I can't develop my style. It's kind of hard to buy an 8-string when you are 15-years-old and broke.


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## Dylana (May 10, 2014)

Just pointing it out when you tune a 8 string to e standard you have a 4 string bass xD


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## The Spanish Inquisition (May 11, 2014)

GHS Strings make 8 string sets as well, better balanced and designed with Fred Brum.

Electric Boomers® - GHS Strings


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## GRIZ (May 11, 2014)

I think string gauge and tension is going to be a never ending debate. I have a 27 inch scale ibanez s5528 prestige and I use a 74 for my low e. It sounds great and the tension is just fine. I use GHS strings though. Have been using them for 17 years now and won't use anything else


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## sniperfreak223 (May 12, 2014)

If it is indeed a 27" scale, I'll drop my suggestion based on what I'm using for drop E:

E1-.085
B1-.056
E2-.042
A2-.032
D3-.024
G3-.016
B3-.012
E4-.009

Of course, mine's a custom set, so I'd recommend just going with a light 7-string set with either an .080 or an .085 bass string for the E1.


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## Ben.Last (May 12, 2014)

Do not use a bass string.


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## sniperfreak223 (May 12, 2014)

Ben.Last said:


> Do not use a bass string.



Care to address why?


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## The Spanish Inquisition (May 12, 2014)

sniperfreak223 said:


> Care to address why?



Different consistency. But it doesn't matter that much to be honest.


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## Orgalmer (May 12, 2014)

I've used a .68 Elixir 8 string set on my Carvin (they come shipped with them) for drop E and that was fine. Didn't bend the note much at all. I currently use a balanced set with a low .76 and that's also fine.

All the above comments are relevant, I just thought I'd point out that the thicker the gauge of string you apply, the more bass-like your tone will be. Thinner strings mean you may want to play a bit differently but can give you a better attack. It depends what kind of sound you're going for.

The main problem I find is that the standard strings in an 8 string set are WAY too tense, and the low .74 in an Ernie Ball set for instance is just not tight enough. CK/Kalium strings is probably a good starting point.


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## n4t (May 13, 2014)

.74 is fine for drop E. I use the DR 10-75 set and they are equal in quality to the CircleK/Khalium strings IMO. I have both right now, and both sets are pretty old and still in suprisingly good shape. I had read somewhere that the two DR sets are designed for Tosin and Javier - not sure if that's true.


If you're new to low tunings then by all means gauge-up. There's a reason many pro 8 string players don't use bridge cables though.


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## Ben.Last (May 13, 2014)

sniperfreak223 said:


> Care to address why?



The tone will change completely from the 7th to the 8th string. As someone who's been attempting to use the DR 8 string set with a .080 string (which is, as far as I can tell, actually a bass style string) for the low string, you CAN ABSOLUTELY NOTICE. I've gone back and forth between that set and the one with a .075 multiple times to confirm, and the difference is night and day.

The easiest way I can elaborate on the problem this causes is that, if you use enough gain for the lowest string, you will be using too much gain for everything else. They just sound rounder and lack treble. This does not happen with thicker strings that are specifically designed for guitar. What happens there is a much more gradual loss of that high end, because, rather than the design of the string being the issue, the physics of the string's size are.


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## JJones1989 (May 14, 2014)

I play an Ernie Ball 9-74 set , which I tune my 8 drop A for the first seven strings, then tune the eight string a fifth note from low A, then I tune all strings down another 1/2 step


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## Alex Kenivel (May 14, 2014)

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/extended-range-guitars/10064-string-gauges-inharmonicity.html

Shouts to 7stg


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## Cloudkicker112358 (May 14, 2014)

For a 27 inch scale, I would recommend a set like this: 9-12-16-24-32-42-58-90. Because seriously that 90 in Drop E has less tension than a 46 in Standard E on that same 27 inch scale. Decide what gauge you like for your sixth string on your RG2228, then double that gauge and make it your 8th string. It should work. Equivalent tension


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## metalfiiish (May 28, 2014)

metalfiiish said:


> Good afternoon fellow music enthusiasts!
> 
> I just purchased my first 8-string guitar, an Ibanzez RG2228. I have been an avid 6-string player for years and honestly didn't get turned onto the ERG until I found Tosin Abasi. So naturally I want to start off playing as close to his style as I can.
> 
> ...



So while everyone's input was greatly appreciated and the K strings sounded nice, they way too ....ing floppy. Even the 7th string hits, after raising bridge too. So I did a shit ton more digging and found the megathread on here and parsed thru it till I found this:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...bum-joy-motion-3-25-14-a-114.html#post3365527

I also realized a lot of people asked in same thread not noticing that post was there so decided to post it here so it gets more noticed. Aparently Tosin uses TF-8 10 DR set. It was noted by a random user that he took lessons from Tosin and heard Tosin was experimenting with the same set Javier is noted as using in that article.

So essentially either of these will get you that AAL sound 

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/at...oy-motion-3-25-14-drstringsadvert-animals.jpg

For the ultimate lazy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DR-Tite-Fit...029?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item19d908a1fd


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## trayenshreds (May 28, 2014)

I use 9-11-16-24w-32-42-52-74 on my RG2228 & TAM10. Feels very balanced and elegant to me.. still working on where I can actually order this set from, instead of combining about 3 packs for a restring.. hahah.


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## shawnperolis (May 28, 2014)

trayenshreds said:


> I use 9-11-16-24w-32-42-52-74 on my RG2228 & TAM10. Feels very balanced and elegant to me.. still working on where I can actually order this set from, instead of combining about 3 packs for a restring.. hahah.



Make a custom set from LaBella or Kalium.

BUILD A CUSTOM SET
Kaliumstrings.com (foremerly CircleKStrings.com) Welcome you to our new portal!


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## trayenshreds (May 29, 2014)

shawnperolis said:


> Make a custom set from LaBella or Kalium.
> 
> BUILD A CUSTOM SET
> Kaliumstrings.com (foremerly CircleKStrings.com) Welcome you to our new portal!



thanks!


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## haromo (May 30, 2014)

I've tried every set available from DR, D'Addario, Curt Mangan, etc.
The best ones in my opinion are the LaBella HSR Grazy Eights.
Perfect sound, tension and balance for fingerpicking and regular picking.
I've been using these on a custom Mayones Regius 8 with 27" scale in regular tuning with a low E. You have to tune the low E by ear for best results.
Intonation on the 8th string is perfect up to the 24th fret.
String action is 1,5 mm from 2,0 mm at 12th fret without string buzz.
With all due respect, if you can't handle a .074 tuned down to E I think you have to work on your technique.
Remember it's a guitar your playing, not a bass.


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