# 66 or 64 gauge for A?



## nyck (Jul 14, 2005)

I'm going to order a bunch of strings for my 7th string so I don't have to buy 7 string specific string packs. I have a 58 gauge on it right now and it's WAY too loose. I'm can't decide if I want a 66 or 64 gauge for the Low A. I like my strings tight, but not too tight. I'm kinda leaning towards the 64 because I have a 52 for the D and I think it would be pretty evenly balanced.


Guitar: RG7620 tuned to A D G C F A D


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## dpm (Jul 14, 2005)

.065 or .070 bass string, try it!


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## eleven59 (Jul 14, 2005)

I use 10-52 with a 65 bass string tuned ADGCFAD, feels and sounds awesome.


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## nyck (Jul 14, 2005)

I can't get a 65 though 
Should I get the 64?


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## dpm (Jul 15, 2005)

As in a bass string for a bass guitar, that should be easier to find than a guitar string 
66 or 64 would do, there won't be a huge difference, I'd go heavier myself.


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## Dylan7620 (Jul 15, 2005)

what? i put a .65 through my RG7 when i was in A. i like .62 a little better though.


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## Jason (Jul 15, 2005)

only problem with the bass strings are the ball ends are usally much bigger


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## dpm (Jul 15, 2005)

I'm assuming it's for the RG7620, so he'll be cutting the end off.


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## Chris D (Jul 15, 2005)

Definately try a 70.

I use 10,13,17,26,36,52,70 ( bottom 2 from Zakk Wylde GHS Boomer heavy set )

Astounding clarity!


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## Leon (Jul 15, 2005)

before going to a heavier B string, you might want to measure the thread hole in your tuner. if you go too big, it might not fit!


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## Shawn (Jul 15, 2005)

Beelzebloke said:


> Definately try a 70.
> 
> I use 10,13,17,26,36,52,70 ( bottom 2 from Zakk Wylde GHS Boomer heavy set )
> 
> Astounding clarity!


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## Drew (Jul 15, 2005)

I've gone as high as .68 with no problems, in the gotoh tuners in my old 7620. You can't thread 'em backwards, with the ball end at the tuning peg, but you can't do that with any low B I've ever used, so no loss.


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## darren (Jul 15, 2005)

I use GHS Boomers GBM set (.011 to .050) with a .070 on my low B, which i tune down to A. Sounds and feels great. I order my strings from JustStrings.com.

The .070 fits through the peg on my Grover tuners, but would not fit on the locking Grovers i bought, so they're sitting aside for another project. The GHS .070 string is what they call "compound wound", and it has two layers of winding around the unwound core, much like most bass strings.


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## Rev2010 (Jul 15, 2005)

If your guitar is 25.5" scale than use a 66 if you like tight strings. I used a 70 on a 24.75" scale fine. By the way... why bother with bass strings when D'Addario makes 62, 64, 66, and 70 electric guitar strings? Just by a single electric string in this guage.


Rev.


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## eleven59 (Jul 15, 2005)

Rev2010 said:


> By the way... why bother with bass strings when D'Addario makes 62, 64, 66, and 70 electric guitar strings? Just by a single electric string in this guage.


Simple: they don't have those guages of guitar string at any store here, so it's just easier to buy a bass string than order custom guages


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## darren (Jul 15, 2005)

Try JustStrings.com!


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## Rev2010 (Jul 15, 2005)

eleven59 said:


> Simple: they don't have those guages of guitar string at any store here, so it's just easier to buy a bass string than order custom guages



Oooooh... well here in NYC Rudy's Music carries these guages in store  hehehe  


Rev.


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## kovachian (Jul 15, 2005)

Did anyone have to file their nuts (no not that kind) to get the fatass strings to fit?


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## Rev2010 (Jul 15, 2005)

kovachian said:


> Did anyone have to file their nuts (no not that kind) to get the fatass strings to fit?



LOL! No I haven't had to. I've used a .070 on my AX7221 with no problems.


Rev.


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## sepsis311 (Jul 15, 2005)

I think your all crazy.

I use D'Darrio EXL-125's. Its light high strings, heavy thick strings.

9
13
17
26
36
46
56 <-- i buy this seperate. also d'darrio.
Think about it, it makes sense. 26...36... 46... ?...
And for drop A, i swap the 56 for a 59, only cause they dont make 58.

It sounds like you guys don't want the strings to move at all. Don't forget, they make their sound by moving back and fourth. Too tight, and you loose out on tone, and put more stress than needed on your neck. Not to mention the number of springs you'll need in the trem cavity. And you gotta remember, all that is holding the entire system in tack, is a couple of screws with small threads (in basswood if its an rg76xx).


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## Rev2010 (Jul 15, 2005)

sepsis311 said:


> Think about it, it makes sense. 26...36... 46... ?.



Dude, string thicknesses don't have to be in divisibles of 10 to make it work proper. There are plenty of string sets that don't follow that.



sepsis311 said:


> It sounds like you guys don't want the strings to move at all.



Huh? I've never had any problems. You're also forgetting about tuning, scale length, etc. When I had a 70 on my AX7221 it was tuned down to "A". On top of that, since it's a short scale (24.75") you need a thick string to be able to intonate it right. With thinner strings (under 62 say) at that scale you can't get intonation perfect tuned down to "A".



sepsis311 said:


> Not to mention the number of springs you'll need in the trem



I don't use floating trems.


Rev.


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## Vince (Jul 15, 2005)

I feel like such a puss reading threads like this.

I stick to Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky (9-46) or Super Slinky (9-42) for 6-string, D'Addario stock 7-string packs (9-54) for 7-string. I stay in standard tuning on the 7, always. I use standard, dropped D tuning, straight D-tuning, dropped D & G tuning, and C# tuning on 6-string.

I'm a freaking lightweight compared to you guys


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## dpm (Jul 15, 2005)

Rev2010 said:


> By the way... why bother with bass strings when D'Addario makes 62, 64, 66, and 70 electric guitar strings? Just by a single electric string in this guage.



The bass .065's are double wound, the guitar .066 and .064 are single wound, so the bass ones feel smoother and seem to intonate better.


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## The Rx Elite (Jul 15, 2005)

I use a .60 in A. Works good for me. I dont like the larger strings because of all the bass thats picked up, It sounds crisp, as long as you have the guitar setup for that gauge.


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## guitarjitsumaster (Jul 15, 2005)

I stick with cooley's guage size on his seven 9's with a 59 on the B. Of course If I was tunin down where you are I might go with 10's with a 62 I guess.


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## Rev2010 (Jul 16, 2005)

dpm said:


> The bass .065's are double wound, the guitar .066 and .064 are single wound, so the bass ones feel smoother and seem to intonate better.



Yeah, but personally I've always felt those strings sound a bit too dull. They don't seem to have the bite of a thick D'Addario at that gauge. I already use Dean Markley Blue Steels which are nice and smooth sounding. Definitely a lot more than D'Addario's. But they don't make any electric strings at this heavy a gauge that I know of. Though, I guess it's better for such a heavy string at a drop tune to be brighter so as not to get muddy.


Rev.


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## dpm (Jul 16, 2005)

Tried SIT's?


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## Drew (Jul 16, 2005)

Elixer does single string gauges down to .68, FWIW...


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## eleven59 (Jul 17, 2005)

The only reason I use heavy strings is because I play pretty hard and had trouble keeping things in tune/intonated properly. With my current guages everything feels and sounds awesome.


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## dpm (Jul 17, 2005)

sepsis311 said:


> I think your all crazy.
> 
> I use D'Darrio EXL-125's. Its light high strings, heavy thick strings.
> 
> ...



I don't know where to start....


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## thedownside (Jul 17, 2005)

desertdweller said:


> I'm a freaking lightweight compared to you guys



I feel like the opposite, but i'm tuned down lower (drop A, and then down a step) I'm running the GHS Zak Wylde Lo (70) for my first 6, and then a D'addario .80 for the 7th.


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## Chris D (Jul 19, 2005)

thedownside said:


> a D'addario .80 for the 7th.


    

sweet...

BTW I can't find anywhere that sells D'addarios that heavy in the UK...
Believe me I've searched everywhere...
Where do you get yours & do they ship to the UK???


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