# String gauge for Slipknot/Periphery/Alter Bridge/Chevelle



## pfizer (Jul 25, 2015)

Hey guys, need some help regarding a new set-up I'm working on. 

My main guitar right now is my JP6 with Ernie Ball 10-46 Regular Slinky strings. I tune this axe usually in E Standard, Eb Standard and sometimes C tuning (2 whole steps down from standard). The last tuning results in some very loose strings which is why I'm buying a guitar specifically for down-tuning.

I've already got another thread here regarding guitar choices (currently deciding on an Ibanez RG652KFX vs a Schecter KM6) so this one will mainly be about string gauge.

What string gauge would you guys suggest for the music I want to play? My band are currently playing covers from Chevelle and Slipknot. By my lonesome, I'm practicing songs from Alter Bridge's ABIII and Fortress Albums, and I'm planning on getting started on some Periphery. I know these guys tune pretty low, so I need string gauges that can do all those low tunings convincingly and comfortably.


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## stevexc (Jul 25, 2015)

For C I'd probably recommend 11-56 or 12-60 if the 11 isn't quite tense enough. 11-56 should be good though.


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## pfizer (Jul 25, 2015)

What about lower tunings like Drop A and Drop B tunings? Will 11-56 be good enough?


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## jc986 (Jul 25, 2015)

Expecting the same gauge of strings to perform equally well at C and at A is asking a bit much IMO. I agree with 11-56 for C, but that set will feel very loose if you tune to drop A. For the low A, I like a 64 gauge string. 

You can play around with a string tension calculator (one is Hikky Z's String Assembler) to see how different the tension would be between your low C and a low A. At 25.5" scale, a 56 gauge string will be at 16.6 lbs, and the same string tuned down to A would only be at 11.7 lbs of tension. 

It's all about preference, but most people tend to like between 14-20 lbs of tension. Once you get lower than 14 lbs things get pretty floppy. 

Think of it this way - you are happy with your 10-46 in E and in D#. Your 46 in E is at 17.5 lbs, and in D# is at 15.6 lbs. The same string tuned to C is only at 11 lbs of tension (which as you noticed gets to be very loose).


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## FILTHnFEAR (Jul 25, 2015)

I have a couple guitars in drop C and use the 11-56 EB Not Even Slinky's and they are perfect. They work acceptably well for drop B but ideally around 60 is perfect for B on the low end and a 64 for A.


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## pfizer (Jul 27, 2015)

Thanks for the detailed answers guys. Guess I'll get a separate guitar for the drop C tunings, maybe a PRS SE.

I'll probably get a longer scale guitar for drop A/B to compensate for the tension. Baritone guitars are kind of a pain to play for me because of my short reach (I'm only 5'6).


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## Locrain (Jul 27, 2015)

pfizer said:


> Thanks for the detailed answers guys. Guess I'll get a separate guitar for the drop C tunings, maybe a PRS SE.
> 
> I'll probably get a longer scale guitar for drop A/B to compensate for the tension. Baritone guitars are kind of a pain to play for me because of my short reach (I'm only 5'6).



I'm 5'8" with not very large hands. I love playing on a baritone, as long as the extended scale length was achieved by both elongating the neck, and moving the bridge back. As opposed to the way Warmoth does it which I have a hard making the stretch on.


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## Unburdened (Jul 27, 2015)

As mentioned earlier in this thread, I'd recommend Ernie Ball's Not Even Slinkys (12-56). They should be plenty for C and B. As mentioned, it may be necessary to go larger for drop A.


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## pfizer (Jul 27, 2015)

Alright, thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated. 

One last question I have is with regards to a specific type of guitar, the *PRS SE Custom 24/Tremonti Custom*. 

Would you recommend blocking off the trem before stringing it up with the aforementioned heavy gauge strings? I am planning on replacing the tuners to locking tuners and putting in a graphite nut. Will it be able to hold its tuning even with trem use? And will I still be able to change the tuning as easily as a guitar without a locking nut?


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## stevexc (Jul 28, 2015)

Locking tuners don't directly affect tuning stability, they just make it easier to properly install new strings. This can however reduce string slippage from improper stringing, which can lead to tuning stability issues. The nut should help though.

If you change tuning, you will need to set the trem up again - unless you've got the exact same tensions as before it'll be off balance. If you block it you won't have to worry about this issue, but you won't be able to use the trem.

I'm a bit confused as to your last sentence - the Tremonti doesn't have a locking nut, and most graphite nuts aren't locking either. So yes you will be able to change the tuning as easily as a guitar without a lockign nut because it IS a guitar without a locking nut.


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## Vrollin (Jul 28, 2015)

Get yourself some ghs gbzw sets, it's 10-60, will nail drop b/c for you.
If it's any consideration slipknot, and most bends rig tours I have watched that use drop b, generally use 10-52 on 25.5" scale guitars...


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## jc986 (Jul 28, 2015)

52 IMO is way too floppy for B. Only 12.3 lbs of tension. You'd have to have an extremely light touch in order for the string to ring out in tune. 

Excerpt from an interview with Jim Root regarding string gauges: 

Guitar.com: What kind of strings and gauges and tunings are you using?

Root: I'm using Ernie Balls, custom gauges: .011, .015, .018, .028, .038, .058. We're doing a C# tuning dropped to B right now. We do have a drop-A tuning that we do for a couple songs. We're playing "Iowa" in our main set, and "The Heretic Anthem." Those are drop-A songs. My gauges on those are like basically like one higher than everything I just said (.012, .016, etc.), except the low string is a .064 instead of a .058.


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## pfizer (Aug 11, 2015)

Sorry, for not checking in for quite a while here -_- 
Thanks to everyone for the invaluable advice. Here's what I've come up with regarding my guitar arsenal, let me know what you think of it:

*13-72* EB Slinky Baritone strings for Drop A
*12-56* EB Not Even Slinky for B, C, Drop C
*10-50* EB Power Slinky or *11-56* D'Addario NYXL for Eb to C# (I've heard that the latter is what Misha, Jake and Mark's signature guitars come with installed and what they use for their drop C tunings as well)
*10-50* EB Power Slinky for E standard, Drop D and Eb standard

That's 3 guitars for downtuning + 1 guitar for E standard with two guitars able to overlap on the same tuning. Will this be enough to play everything I mentioned convincingly? I know amps and effects play their role as well, but Axe Fx takes care of pretty much everything I could ask for in that department.

I did some research on Slipknot and I read a Guitar World interview with Jim Root where he says he uses EB strings with custom gauges for Drop A songs (12-64 gauge, instead of a 58 for the lowest string), so I'm wondering if I should just do a custom gauge set.

Lastly, I'm a little concerned about the 13-72 strings; should I get a baritone guitar it, for will they work fine on a 25.5 inch scale? Do I really need to use strings that heavy for Drop A?


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## Koneko (Aug 13, 2015)

For Drop A on a regular 6 string (not ideal but not impossible if your guitar is good and well setup), I use to buy a regular set of strings (I'm not sure of the gauge though but it was probably 10-52), I didn't use the top string and add a .064 for the low A. So in the end, it was something like 12-64 or 13-64 I guess (pretty much what Jim uses). It was the most simple way to do it at that time. .072 is far too much IMO.

About longer scale length, I now play an RGD2127z 7 strings (they use to make a 6 string version but not anymore) with a 26.5" scale length in Drop A with 9-46+62 strings. It really solves all the problems for low tuning : lighter gauge, lighter tension, better sound... If you want to tune that low and you're not afraid of longer scale (really not a big deal IMO but some people might disagree), I'd say go for a barytone, you won't regret it. That being said, I play only longer scales for the past 5 years, so I'm biased.

For Drop B, I used Rotosound Michael Amott 11-59 signature set on my 6 string.


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## SeditiousDissent (Aug 14, 2015)

Mark Tremonti uses these on everything tuned from standard all the way to drop C#.

D'Addario Tremonti Custom String Pack

On the songs with the low A# (_All Hope is Gone_, _Still Remains_, _Bleed it Dry_, etc.), he uses a .56 instead of the .49.

On the guitars he keeps in C# standard (like on _Slip to the Void_), he uses 10-13-17-28-42-56.

Keep in mind that he is playing on a 25" scale PRS, so YMMV.


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## pfizer (Aug 15, 2015)

Many thanks for the continued output here guys! 

I'm thinking of putting *D'Addario NYXL 11-56* or *12-56 EB-NES* on the new guitar I bought (will be posting that for an NGD thread) to handle C-standard (C-F-A&#9839;-D&#9839;-G-C) and D-standard (DGCFAD). 

I will probably get a PRS SE at some point and put EB S.Top/H.Bottoms, GHS GBZW 10-60s, or the Tremonti Custom gauges on them.

Thoughts?


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## stevexc (Aug 15, 2015)

I'd go for the 11s if you're doing C and D Standard. The 12s will work, but it'll probably be a bit too tight for D. I personally use 10s for D and 12s for B on my 25.5" guitars.


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## pfizer (Aug 16, 2015)

stevexc said:


> I'd go for the 11s if you're doing C and D Standard. The 12s will work, but it'll probably be a bit too tight for D. I personally use 10s for D and 12s for B on my 25.5" guitars.



Okay, guess I'll do that.

Anyone here with experience with the Power Slinkys and Skinny Top/Heavy Bottom strings?


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