# Is an 80 gauge overkill on a 28" scale?



## Vince Caruana (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm looking into buying a new 8 string, a newer model hellraiser. I bought an esp years ago but was unaware the 25.5" scale SUCKS for an 8 string lol. I had a set of 10-74s on it and hated it. I now use something a little more balanced on my 7. I want to use this guitar for F standard, drop e and e standard. So I definitely want something that sound good and snarly with snappy tension for standard and drop tuning. You guy think a 9-46 set a 62 and an 80 would do it? Or is the 80 too much for F on a 28?


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## vick1000 (Jul 28, 2014)

For F standard, I prefer a .067-.076, but I use very little pick attack compared to most. I find with good pick ups and amp, you don't need as much attack, and the smaller gauges actually sound better.


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## technomancer (Jul 28, 2014)

I used a .075 on my 28" scale 8 in Drop E with no problems. I tried an .080 and ended up going back to the .075


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## mnemonic (Jul 28, 2014)

I was using an .080 in F on a 27" scale, and I had it in F# before that (which shouldn't be too far off .080 in F on 28" scale). Regarding tension, it seemed to balance well with the 9-60 set I was using, but tone-wise, it was always a bit darker and rounder than the 60 below it. 

I'm using a .075 now next to a .060 for the Bb string, and I think those balance alot better soundwise, though the low F is looser than the Bb string. When you get to these tunings I think its probably always going to be a compromise between ideal tension and ideal sound. 


I would say its worth a shot, next to a .062 it may balance better, sound-wise. If you're set on 9-62 for the first seven, a .075 would be too much of a drop in tension methinks. If you then decide the F doesn't have enough attack, not tight enough, too 'round' or muddy sounding, then drop down to ~.075 with corresponding-tension strings for the other seven.


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## jwade (Jul 28, 2014)

technomancer said:


> I used a .075 on my 28" scale 8 in Drop E with no problems. I tried an .080 and ended up going back to the .075



This. On a 28" tuned to E/F/F#, I was using 80s, 84s, and a 90 before going back to a 74. The higher gauges seemed to lose a lot of attack and clarity.


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## ThePhilosopher (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm using an 85 for D on my 28" Schecter - it's all about personal preference when it comes to string gauge.


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## Daniel9512 (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm using an 85 on a 27" scale going between E, F and G. It feels it's best in G, Ok in F and could be tighter in E, so I reckon 80 on a 28" scale work.


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## NikkyBends (Jul 28, 2014)

I find a .80 perfect for drop E on my 28" Boden 8.


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## mysterior (Jul 28, 2014)

overkill. I got 80 on my 27" scale. I tune in drop E. Tried F - too much tension. So it would be way to much of it with your 28". btw wouldn't do that with Shecter. Just not sure the neck will take it. Unless there are some reinforcing bars in it. Anyways wouldn't recommend that, mate.


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## Vince Caruana (Jul 29, 2014)

thanks for the info guys


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## AmbienT (Jul 29, 2014)

I am using a Kalium .090 in drop E. It's definitely not overkill tension wise but has a bit of that undesirable "bass string" tone until you tune down further.


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Jul 30, 2014)

Eh, I used an 80 in F on an Agile Interceptor 828 Pro, worked great for me - my buddy uses the same gauge strings (9-12-15-25-34-44-59-80) on the same guitar in Drop Eb


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## StevenC (Jul 30, 2014)

I use a .086 on 28" for Drop E, and I think it could be tighter.


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## PunkyE (Jun 24, 2015)

It should work, I had seen tutorials on it on YouTube and my cousin had done his guitar.


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## Alex Kenivel (Jun 24, 2015)

First off, If it works for you, don't worry about it being overkill. 

I use a 90 on my 30" for E


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## Noxon (Jun 25, 2015)

I use a 9-46/60/80 on my 28.625" scale 8 in E and they're perfect for me.


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## MatthewK (Jun 25, 2015)

I used an 84 on a 28" tuned to F# and I thought it was perfect.


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## lewis (Jun 26, 2015)

Im using a 27 inch scale 8 string and for me 80 isnt enough. Im thinking of buying the ERnie Ball 9 string packs to get hold of that 108 gauge for my low to try and then disregard one of the high strings. Depends on tuning I guess really. Im in Drop Gb Open on my 8. I need abit more tension. Thankfully clarity wont be an issue for me with having huge strings because I have Lace Deathbar/Xbar pickups


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## Vrollin (Jun 26, 2015)

Running a 70 for A standard on a 28 baritone, have messed around with dropping it to f# standard and it was too sloppy for me. I would suggest at least a 74 76, but really just buy a bunch of songles and trial that one string, start small and work your way up til you are happy with the tension..


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## Solodini (Jun 26, 2015)

MatthewK said:


> I used an 84 on a 28" tuned to F# and I thought it was perfect.


 
I use an .084 to F and I'm in agreement with you.


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## Speedos (Jun 26, 2015)

.074 for my E tuning on my 30" and i still feel it might need a bit more, prob an .080


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## RED_ROBOT (Jun 26, 2015)

Vince Caruana said:


> I'm looking into buying a new 8 string, a newer model hellraiser. I bought an esp years ago but was unaware the 25.5" scale SUCKS for an 8 string lol. I had a set of 10-74s on it and hated it. I now use something a little more balanced on my 7. I want to use this guitar for F standard, drop e and e standard. So I definitely want something that sound good and snarly with snappy tension for standard and drop tuning. You guy think a 9-46 set a 62 and an 80 would do it? Or is the 80 too much for F on a 28?



I use .80 on Blackjack 28 inch for E# (half - tone lower).
Not to tight, thinking about smth like .85 - .90
Depends on strings, I guess, some are harder some are softer. Daddarios are soft and .80 is kinda flubby.


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## rockskate4x (Jun 26, 2015)

Lighter gauges mean better "guitar like" harmonic content, because the string moves more freely and isn't choked up by inharmonicity. It is well worth adjusting action/neck bow/playing technique to go down a few gauges, even if it is a struggle at first to get used to the feel. Go as light as you can possibly stand, and when you've adjusted everything to its optimum and you have gotten used to it, try going a little lighter.


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## djohns74 (Jun 26, 2015)

The lowest string on my 28" 8 string is currently a .086, which works just fine for me at F# while allowing a drop-tune to E without a distracting change in feel. Then again, my original 8 is a slightly longer 28.625" scale and currently uses exactly the same string set and I don't have an issue with that either. Granted that it works a little better as a drop-E instrument, but F# isn't an issue either.

Of course, my interest in larger gauge guitar strings started when I used a .094 for E1 on a 30" six string, which sounded absolutely amazing to my ears. At that point, a smaller diameter string on a scale 2 inches shorter didn't seem that crazy, and still doesn't. Much as others have suggested, it all depends on what you're doing with it ultimately.


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Jun 28, 2015)

Definitely not overkill - and at the very least, worth trying. 

I used an 84 tuned to E on a 26.5" Schecter and it felt great.

It's always worth experimenting with different string sets on any guitar, and this seems to apply even more so with ERGs. 

The eternal battle of good tension vs snappy response is one we pretty much all have to fight.


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## Locrain (Jun 28, 2015)

Probably not overkill, considering the tuning, but as others have mentioned, there is a real trade-off the thicker you go. It pays to go as light as you can.


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## GunpointMetal (Jun 28, 2015)

If you have a light pick attack you can get away with ~75 for E. I beat the crap out of my guitar when I play live and the 9.5-45-61-90 (28" scale) set that I've been using from Kalium for drop E is pretty great. I can lay into the 90 on heavy riffs without picking it a 1/4-1/2 step out of tune like I was with anything below an 84. I like the sound of the lighter strings when I'm sitting down and playing quietly, but I feel like I have to .....-foot around to keep everything in tune down there. The 90 just takes it. It is a little bass-like through a clean channel, but with a decent distortion sound dialed for it, that doesn't really come through with high gain.


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## thrashmetal85 (Jun 28, 2015)

I use 80 for F on my 29.4" m80m.


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## Joan Maal (Sep 20, 2017)

New Here and a Beauty BlackJack ATX 28" arrives tomorrow. 

Stock strings are the Ernie Ball #2624 : 009 - 011 - 016 - 024 - 034 - 046 - 064 - 080

Any experience ? 

Thanks


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## Winspear (Sep 20, 2017)

Joan Maal said:


> New Here and a Beauty BlackJack ATX 28" arrives tomorrow.
> 
> Stock strings are the Ernie Ball #2624 : 009 - 011 - 016 - 024 - 034 - 046 - 064 - 080
> 
> ...



It's the only well gauged big brand 8 string set I know of (well, along with the identical Daddario NYXL).
See for yourself the tensions:
len 28
f1# .080 danw == 19.98#
b1 .064 danw == 23.21#
e2 .046 danw == 21.08#
a2 .034 danw == 21.22#
d3 .024 danw == 19.01#
g3 .016 dapl == 17.7#
b3 .011 dapl == 13.28#
e4 .009 dapl == 15.83#

It's essentially fairly similar in feel to a 10-46 set on 25.5", except the wound strings are bumped up a semitone in feel. This translates quite well onto the extra flexibility of a longer scale. Also able to drop E the 80 gauge and still have it in a reasonable ballpark (like 46 Eb 25.5). The tight 64 is slightly overkill but a nice tonal transition to the rounder 80, and again allows for double drop like EAEADGBE very well


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## Anquished (Sep 20, 2017)

Personally I use the 9-80 NYXL set for F# standard tuning as the 10-74 set felt all over the place tension wise. It's definitely not overkill but as others have said, the low F# may not sound so good to your ears.


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## Tech Wrath (Sep 20, 2017)

I use an 86 on a 25.5-27" multiscale (so 27"at the 8th string) for a low E and I feel like it's too loose sometimes. I prefer the tension I get it when I have it tuned to F#.

It's all preference.


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## bostjan (Sep 20, 2017)

Joan Maal said:


> New Here and a Beauty BlackJack ATX 28" arrives tomorrow.
> 
> Stock strings are the Ernie Ball #2624 : 009 - 011 - 016 - 024 - 034 - 046 - 064 - 080
> 
> ...


Tuning?

It's a balancing act. Thinner strings sound clearer and brighter than thicker ones, but loose strings sound sloppier than tight ones, generally, depending on technique. Tune too low for whatever scale length neck you have, and you get stuck with either a dull gongy sound (which isn't necessarily bad) or a rattly BWOW sound (which isn't necessarily bad). I tend to think the 28" scale 8's tuned F# give you some options, and 0.080" is a decent one, although I personally prefer 0.074".


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## Konfyouzd (Sep 20, 2017)

I use that 9 - 80 nyxl set on my 8 but I'm only at 27.5 on my low end

(26 - 27.5 fan)

I'm in drop E


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## Bearitone (Sep 20, 2017)

I use a .080 on my 28.625" scale for Drop-F#

Anything less than that feels flubby to me


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## Shoeless_jose (Sep 20, 2017)

28" with 80 for E. I like it


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## Joan Maal (Sep 21, 2017)

Guitar arrived just yesterday. Got no time for real testing but tried both E and F#. 
I think i liked the F# more for string tension, tone and... don konw how to say "scale correlativity" 

Thanks for your help


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## gingerman (Sep 23, 2017)

I used Kaliums for my 26 - 28.5" multiscale with the lowest string tuned to E or D. Tried gauges between 82 and 94, and settled on 94. No overkill at all.


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## Gorespe (Sep 24, 2017)

My Strandberg Boden 8 came string with 9-84 progressive tension strings for the 26.5-28" scale. I thought the 84 was too much, but then again they use GHS strings, and I loathed them. I have a 10-75 DR Tite-Fit set tuned to Db + Drop Ab. It seems to hold up well


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## newamerikangospel (Sep 30, 2017)

I personally use a bass string 105 for my F#, and find it to start clearing the tone up. It doesn't attack like smaller strings, but I can riff on 5ths and it sounds very doom-y sludge but still clear. But I am in the minority, as I personally find thicker strings to suit me best. I had been using 10-74s 8 string sets for my 7 string guitars, and throwing away the 4th/"D" string.


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## seahawk29 (Oct 1, 2017)

.80 sounds about right to me. When using a .74 on my Mushok baritone (27.7 scale) it handles well in F#.


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## seahawk29 (Oct 1, 2017)

.80 sounds about right to me. When using a .74 on my Mushok baritone (27.7 scale) it handles well in F#.


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## DeKay (Oct 2, 2017)

27.7 scale using an 90 in F# is amazing.


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## ite89 (Oct 4, 2017)

no, i think it's alright anywhere between 80-90 is good for people who pick hard. 74 is good if you wanna get that characteristic "Djent" flop and if you use thin picks and pick with minimal force it's perfect.


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## travis bickle (Nov 16, 2017)

Another vote for .0084, my strandberg boden 8 original came with this gauge and i love the definition and clarity.


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## jephjacques (Nov 16, 2017)

.80 is a great gauge for that scale length- I find it a little too bassy on 27" but it tightens up quite nicely with that extra inch.


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## jwade (Nov 18, 2017)




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## jephjacques (Nov 19, 2017)

HEYOOOOOO


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