# Help! 8 string gauges.



## brapdawg (Jan 7, 2012)

So. I got an Ibanez RGA8 for christmas, and I'm still screwing around with gauges. I'm set on using D'addario .10s, so what gauge would be good for maintaining semi - equal tension on the low B and F# and that won't flop around? Thanks.
By the way the RGA8 has a 27 inch scale and I will be tuning to
F#, B, E, A, D, G, b, e.
Thanks again!


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## Perplexed-Perception (Jan 8, 2012)

hello here is the normal set of 10-46 with additional 60 and 80 

len 27"
E4 .010" PL == 18.18#
B3 .0135" PL == 18.59#
G3 .017" PL == 18.58#
D3 .018" NW == 10.12#
A2 .034" NW == 19.73#
E2 .046" NW == 19.6#
B1 .060" NW == 19.16#
F1# .080" NW == 18.58#

here is the caculator so can perhaps refine the strings gauges of the tension you like from the strings already on your guitar and work out equal tension on them all so your happy with how the strings feel

String Guage and Tension Calculator - Version 0.1.4 - 26 apr 1998


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## TheBotquax (Jan 8, 2012)

I use the same thing as perplexed-percetion, but with a .074 instead of a .080 for the F#. I guess it could be a little tighter but the 74 works just fine for me, and you don't have to drill out the tuning peg.


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## TheBotquax (Jan 8, 2012)

I use the same thing as perplexed-percetion, but with a .074 instead of a .080 for the F#. I guess it could be a little tighter but the 74 works just fine for me, and you don't have to drill out the tuning peg.


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## Perplexed-Perception (Jan 8, 2012)

oh i just worked this out from the tension caculator i don't have a an rga8 lol i have a agile intrepid which is 28.625 something like that and string gauges are alot different for me


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## Xplora (Jan 9, 2012)

Tuning standard? Unsure, but I've used 7 strings with 10-52 and a 70 tuned to A for a while and that works really well. I'll be using either 90 or 100 if I go to an 8, tuning to E or D on the 8th string - it really is a bass string at that point, let's not lie to ourselves, so you need the horsepower to get good tension.

It REALLY depends on your playing though. I would not get an 8 string to be a guitar, but rather a bass/guitar hybrid because I tune so low. It's somewhat foolish IMO to treat the same note on a standard bass E as a guitar string.


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## Iamasingularity (Jan 9, 2012)

Xplora said:


> Tuning standard? Unsure, but I've used 7 strings with 10-52 and a 70 tuned to A for a while and that works really well. I'll be using either 90 or 100 if I go to an 8, tuning to E or D on the 8th string - it really is a bass string at that point, let's not lie to ourselves, so you need the horsepower to get good tension.
> 
> It REALLY depends on your playing though. I would not get an 8 string to be a guitar, but rather a bass/guitar hybrid because I tune so low. It's somewhat foolish IMO to treat the same note on a standard bass E as a guitar string.



90-100? Isn`t that too phat? Jesus even meshuggah don`t go there. Unless you really plan to play funk on your 8 string, I think the farthest I would go is 74.


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## The Grief Hole (Jan 9, 2012)

75 for the F#is enough. If you like your strings tight try and find something between 75 and 80. For the rest I use .10 to .59.

Essentially these are gauges I expect to find in any decent guitar shop.


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## Iamasingularity (Jan 9, 2012)

The Grief Hole said:


> 75 for the F#is enough. If you like your strings tight try and find something between 75 and 80. For the rest I use .10 to .59.
> 
> Essentially these are gauges I expect to find in any decent guitar shop.



Which reminds me that I have to give you your set of 8strings. They`re at my grandparents house, so I`ll get it to you soon.


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## Xplora (Jan 9, 2012)

Iamasingularity said:


> 90-100? Isn`t that too phat? Jesus even meshuggah don`t go there. Unless you really plan to play funk on your 8 string, I think the farthest I would go is 74.



Are you sure 74 isn't too thin? 

I use a 70 tuned to A and that's the MINIMUM that sounds good. Yes, a 90-100 is a huge string, but once you get that low, look to Bass Guitar for your string inspiration. They jump 20 thousandths per string, not 10. If you're going from 52 to 70 on a 7 string, it seems natural to go 90 for a string that is dropped one or two steps below the normal "standard" 8 string. I also use DADGAD tuning lately (hence the A and D low strings), and wouldn't use the guitar as a pure guitar instrument. The string is too low, and Meshuggah sucked for YEARS before they left the low F to use some other strings again for riffs (obzen).

Part of the point is also to do something different. I don't see any value in simply doing what others do. If you want low tunings, get a long scale 6 or 7. If you want something new, get an 8.


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## Andrenighthound (Jan 9, 2012)

Xplora said:


> Tuning standard? Unsure, but I've used 7 strings with 10-52 and a 70 tuned to A for a while and that works really well. I'll be using either 90 or 100 if I go to an 8, tuning to E or D on the 8th string - it really is a bass string at that point, let's not lie to ourselves, so you need the horsepower to get good tension.
> 
> It REALLY depends on your playing though. I would not get an 8 string to be a guitar, but rather a bass/guitar hybrid because I tune so low. It's somewhat foolish IMO to treat the same note on a standard bass E as a guitar string.



You use .100 gauge string. I been looking for .100 gauge for low E with a guitar ball end what kind do you use?


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## Iamasingularity (Jan 9, 2012)

Xplora said:


> Are you sure 74 isn't too thin?
> 
> The string is too low, and Meshuggah sucked for YEARS before they left the low F to use some other strings again for riffs (obzen).
> 
> Part of the point is also to do something different. I don't see any value in simply doing what others do. If you want low tunings, get a long scale 6 or 7. If you want something new, get an 8.



As far as I know Meshuggah have always had great tone, and they use 70s for the F, even in Obzen-present.


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## Xplora (Jan 9, 2012)

Iamasingularity said:


> As far as I know Meshuggah have always had great tone, and they use 70s for the F, even in Obzen-present.



Strongly disagree, but I'm just one guy. Their tone for rhythm has been pretty average for a while, but they are fighting an impossible battle. I don't think you can feed a bass guitar through distortion and expect good results. HOWEVER, this is purely a taste thing. My musical heritage is Metallica, Opeth, Nile, Slayer, Emperor, NOT djent/Meshuggah. 

I don't play 8 string, just thinking about it hard with the Agile custom shop open LOL. Fanned fret 27-30 would be awfully useful. I have unique ideas about the instrument, I don't think 8 strings can be treated like a guitar. The tone is just wrong. All IMO though. You can disagree. 

100 gauge strings? Get a bass string. Save yourself the heartache


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jan 9, 2012)

Just use a bass string, I've been doing it for some time now. Ball end doesn't matter unless the guitar in question has certain type of trem, but for fixed bridges there's no problem.


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## Iamasingularity (Jan 9, 2012)

Xplora said:


> Strongly disagree, but I'm just one guy. Their tone for rhythm has been pretty average for a while, but they are fighting an impossible battle. I don't think you can feed a bass guitar through distortion and expect good results. HOWEVER, this is purely a taste thing. My musical heritage is Metallica, Opeth, Nile, Slayer, Emperor, NOT djent/Meshuggah.
> 
> I don't play 8 string, just thinking about it hard with the Agile custom shop open LOL. Fanned fret 27-30 would be awfully useful. I have unique ideas about the instrument, I don't think 8 strings can be treated like a guitar. The tone is just wrong. All IMO though. You can disagree.
> 
> 100 gauge strings? Get a bass string. Save yourself the heartache



Agile custom shop? Ok we`re on the wrong page here then. As for your opinion, lets stick to the topic then shall we? The RGA-8/RG2228 were prototypes to test the market for 8 string demand, now for 2012 Ibanez is releasing the Meshuggah signature model. There are plenty of bassists who run bass through distortion like a charm.


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## meambobbo (Jan 10, 2012)

If you're gonna talk Meshuggah tone, make sure you're talking about their guitar tone and not their bass guitar tone. The bass is distorted and covers a bit of the same ground. In rare spots you get just the guitar tone. I think it sounds awesome, and I come from a 80's thrash background - it's really a thrash type sound. I think thrash is kind of djenty as well...when it slows down. Also, Meshuggah admitted the Nothing tone sucked - they rushed the initial recording and release to fit into a tour. They released a remastered version a few years later which sounds much better. I think their Chaosphere and Obzen tones are great, but I agree I didn't care much for I or Catch 33. Nothing wasn't great either.


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## Xplora (Jan 10, 2012)

Iamasingularity said:


> Agile custom shop? Ok we`re on the wrong page here then. As for your opinion, lets stick to the topic then shall we? The RGA-8/RG2228 were prototypes to test the market for 8 string demand, now for 2012 Ibanez is releasing the Meshuggah signature model. There are plenty of bassists who run bass through distortion like a charm.


I have no idea what you're talking about now, and mentioning staying on topic doesn't clarify things. You can do what you like, and I will do what I like


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## DavidLopezJr (Jan 25, 2012)

They use guitars with 30+inch scale lengths the tension will be way better using a 70 on that scale versus using it on a 27inch scale length.


Iamasingularity said:


> As far as I know Meshuggah have always had great tone, and they use 70s for the F, even in Obzen-present.


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