Did this video help you guys pick out your perfect string gauge? *NOTE:* If you have an Evertune guitar, I would recommend dropping a gauge or two from what was recommended in this video. The evertune does an amazing job at combating pitch drift, which means you don’t need as thick of a string that you would on a non-ET guitar. Rock on, brothers. *EDIT:* I got a lot of DMs overnight asking about what to do if you plan on going ridiculously low at Drop D# or something similar (a lot of you guys REALLY like Invent Animate lmao). In my experience, there is a point of diminishing returns when tuning at F and below, where you either need a reaaaally long scale length or a stupidly thick string. In the video I used an 85 gauge on a 27" inch guitar because 27" is about as long as you can get on most production big brand production guitars. 85 gauge is a little over my preferred maximum for string gauge of 80. However, this is because I pick really hard and anything less on a non-evertune guitar would be difficult to keep in tune. This is why bands like Northlane who play in these really low tunings like Drop D# have 29.5" scale custom guitars. Even still, even though they're running heavy 80 gauge strings, they still sits below 15 pounds of tension. However, having an Evertune system in your guitar would definitely help, which is what guys like Northlane, Invent Animate and Alpha Wolf are all using.
No. This is because I don't understand why would I use another string brands tension readings to create a custom set using a different string brand! Different brands have vastly different tension so it's likely to come out with very wrong results!
This is a helpful video for outlining the methodology of finding the right string gauges! String tension calculators have been huge for me too. I've found, as a djenty boi, that I like the bottom string to be a tad looser than the A and D strings. If the timbre of that bottom string is too woofy, I can't really get that djent sound I'm looking for. I don't really like anything over 54 for the low C in drop C, for instance, but the rest of my gauges would be similar. Just another thing to keep in mind. Also, a good compromise I've found for switching between drop tuning and standard on one guitar is to aim for around 16-17 lbs of tension on the bottom string for the drop tuning, that's saved me a lot of headaches.
@@Lucius338 Agreed! I used to use really thick low strings (like a 68-74 just for Bb) but now I've gone the other way and use as light strings as I can still get a nice thick tone with. For drop C on a 26.5" with evertune I actually use a normal set of d'addario 10-46 but just bump up the low string to a 48 (48 could be too unstable without evertune tbf). Thicker would be fatter but also rounder and flatter sounding less spanky. That might be desirable but definitely up to taste though.
F*** no this does not help. I have a 27" scale guitar an .085 gauge on the 7 string is going to sound incredibly muddled with distorted effects. If you are rockin a 7 string (27" scale) the lowest tuning you should be using is Drop G with a .072 on the low string, anything thicker and its gonna sound like Sh**.
They have very different tension per string compared to other brands so I just don't see the point. (There is even a bit of variation between duplicates of the exact same string tbf!) This is the one of the good things about Daddario is that I have a calculator which does have the actual D'addario tensions in it so it's at least roughly accurate. Using another brands tensions just doesn't makes sense to me. Really weird thing to promote in a youtube masterclass!
This has been my experience as well. My Strandberg 6-string with a trem came with D'Addario strings and I installed Stringjoy recently with the same gauges and the trem was pulled forward compared to the previous set of strings. I had to adjust the spring tension on the trem, which I had never had to do before when changing to the same D'Addario strings.
@@TomMAF4 D'Addario has their own string tension calculator as well. This is a great point though...one manufacturer's calculator does not necessarily apply to other manufacturer's strings.
Another cool thing about The String Source, their set selector is accessible to screen readers. For a blind guitarist such as myself, this is a very thoughtful touch. Will definitely going to give them a go the next time I need strings. Thanks for this video Keyan.
Don't take the calculated tension as the end all be all, try it and see how it feels. In my experience the thicker a string gets, the less "theoretical tension" it needs to feel similar. With identical tension, a thicker string (because of the higher mass) still requires more force to play, which is something to take into account.
I got a KM7 8 years ago, and got it to a luthier to set it up for a drop A tuning. He installed 10+46+70 gauge. Right now I'm using the typical 9+46+62, as I like to bend a lot, but the other mentioned gauge combination made a lot of sense to have all the strings balanced.
I was using Precision Devices "Misha preferred" on my guitars for standard Periphery tunings. But this gave me a better understanding of what I'm looking at. Now I've got a direction to go for Veil of Maya tunings.
For myself, as an alternate tuning enthusiast, I order custom strings from Winspear (UK-based). I am also disappointed with most big string company sets. The only workable sets for drop tunings I found are taking 8 string set like 10-74 and dropping 7th (64) string and using it for 7 string guitar in tunings like Drop F# or taking 7 string set, like 10-56 and dropping the the 6th (46) and using it for Drop C or Drop B based on tension preferences, otherwise they are unusable for drop tunings in my experience and as I said since I use variety of tunings I prefer custom string sets nowadays. Even when playing in Standard custom string sets feel better balanced.
THIS! It's honestly such a personal feel thing, you just have to try a bunch of sets to find what you prefere. I haven't found these tension calculators to be of much use.
Lol this is so true. You play for long enough and with other people and play other guitars throughout the years you'll notice there really isn't any rule for all this. It's a very personal thing. Feel is subjective.
I would alter this to what sounds best to you. I find a lot of people, past me included (who knows, maybe present me too), don't really listen and compare between different options for what actually sounds best. Often people are told some false trueism about what's best and just go with that. Thing is because people can't A/B easily it definitely make it hard to compare. Often all they are comparing to the vague memory of the old dull strings. Not everyone has recording equipment or even think about this kind of stuff unfortunately.
@@TomMAF4 Relevant point! There are also tonal differences not only between gauges but also brands. I personally don't really like the sound (and feel) of Elixiers. NYXLs sound a lot more mid forward compared to the regular XLs or Ernie Balls, which I prefere for heavier stuff, but in standard I'm currently Ernie Balls or regular XLs.
Great video! So many guitar players debate the "tonewood" why overlooking how big impact the strings take on guitar tone. The higher the string tension, the less lows and treble it has. So it's crucial all the strings in the set to have balanced tension to get the similar tone. In the opposite case some of them can sound dull and a bit too tight, while the others sound bright , but a bit loose. And it's true that there's almost no standard strings sets suitable for Drop-tunings. That's why I have to make my own custom sets changing the bottom and the 2nd strings with the single ones to get the proper tension, balanced with the other strings in the set.
Nice to see this approach. I used this method for years now i set up for buying single strings, 11.5-66 in B standard with 25.5 scale 6 string. I like my hugh strings very light and furm bottom, so this works perfectly ❤
Most newer players especially in heavy music/dropped tunings use gauges that are far bigger than they should be. The tightness is from technique not huge strings.
Good video. One other consideration is when you go up significantly enough in gauge - specifically for strings 5 and 6 (or 6 and 7, or 7 and 8, etc.) - you have to make sure that the string will fit in tuner. Strings are often tapered, but not all are and even with a taper it won't always fit. Then you find yourself either unwinding your heavier strings or drilling out the tuners. Just things to keep in mind with ridiculously low tunings.
This is true, I have had to drill my tuning pegs more than once hahahaha. After doing Guitar Chats with guys like Clint Tustin from ERRA, they are using Tone Ninja locking tuners for the one string so they can fit the gauges they need to on there.
You’re right, it’s absolutely nuts. This is the third time I’ve mentioned it in the comments section, but I have a 7 string in drop F# using 11-58. People get too caught up in what some TH-camrs say.
I imagine it’s extremely overly fat/round sound but depends what you are going for I guess. I just wouldn’t use anything without an evertune for that low and then you can probably use something much better sounding for the low string (in the 60s-to-low 70 gauges probably)
@@thisguy2973 Jason Richardson plays 11-58 in Drop F# on his 25.5" guitar. It's not quite my thing, but it evidently works for people. I wouldn't call it crazier than Keyan's choice of an 85. Periphery recorded Reptile with 10-60s and that tuning has a low G on their 25.5" guitars.
Ppl need to realize every guitar needs what it needs. I have had literally 2 exact copies of a guitar and 1 needed a heavier gauge to maintain the tension I liked. Not to mention Ive had some guitars that prefered nyxl over my normally ernie balls bc the nyxls were brighter and made this darker sounding guitar I had sound great.
Where I live, you have to import strings like this so I what have been doing lately is use 3 bass strings from a normal 4 string set, and 5 strings from a 9 to 42 set. I just toss the 9 away. I am tuning an 8 string 30 scale guitar to Drop A (A0, E1, A1, E2. A2.....) It is the cheapest way for me, I have no choice haha.
There is also a trade off between feel and sound, since thinner strings sound more bright and snappy, while thick ones tend to be dull. 56 for drop C at 25,5" sounds already too dull for me, i use 52 even if it feels a bit loose, just learned to pick less hard. Same story for 7/8 stribg guitars. By 28" Standberg low F#/E has a 74, since 84 sounds too dull for me. Disclaimer: I use passive pickup, actives or other brands might give a different result.
I think personally what also matters is the type of bridge you use, for example having a floyd/evertune or in relevant an normal hard tail-> stop tail.
I generally only use Elixir strings because they last so long it ends up being way more affordable to me, but for 7 strings the highest gauge they offer is 11-59 which is honestly horrible I don't even know who would use these. In drop A with a 25.5 inch scale, the higher string hurt my fingers because they are so tight and the lower strings are just shy of being tight enough, if you pick hard enough they will go out of tune, so it's a lose-lose situation really. I'm getting a 27 inch 7 string soon, and I hope using a 09-46 set with a 60 or 64 on top will finally feel right, because right now playing on that 25.5 inch scale guitar feels kinda miserable at times not gonna lie loll
I play in a drop G# with 11-52 strings and even 56-gauge would be way too bright with too little subharmonic content. 60-gauge for a drop C is absolutely insane, regardless of the scale length.
85 on low F on 27 scale is pretty meh tbh, despite aiming for consistency, the 85 just sounds stupid, even more on evertune... the best twank for the 27 low F is around 070-074
@@didtoknan8128the opposite for me, 74 is barely enough for F# on 27, the 80 just feels like home. Same tension as a 46 in E on 25.5 which is what I grew up playing.
85 is definitely slightly higher than what I would go with personally. However, this video was going over expected tension for non-evertune guitars. If I was actually tuning to Drop F on a guitar, I would never use a guitar that doesn't have an Evertune. 27 inches in Drop F with a 74 is about the absolute minimum I would go, personally. Playing/recording a non-evertune 27" guitar in Drop F with a 74 is definitely doable, but it would take a lot more time and careful attention to detail between recording takes and keeping the guitar in tune.
@@KeyanHoushmandLive I dont know about all you evertune blokes, but well cut nut, locking tuners, and stretched strings most importantly in my experience contribute to very stable tuning, my 25.5-27scale drop F guitar with 74 as low F doesnt detune overtime even if i grab guitar after few days… most overlooked key parameters to tuning stability are actually stretched strings… if you just put on new fresh strings and dont stretch it out, there is a big treshold for potential slack… even on locking tuners, even on evertune…stretch out your strings after every restring and you will see great results regarding stability… no one seems to talk about such obvious fact… it will also help alot with an intonation, my 12 and 24 frets sing so good when tapping and intonated compared to root note, and i am considering myself very pitch sensitive as being an absolute pitch person
Have always wanted to try The String Source but €50 shipping to Ireland is too crazy, especially since I change strings regularly. Daddario XL strings will have to do for now until the string source go more global
Same, Europe seems to be sitting in a bad spot for custom sets. I just checked with Stringjoy and they'd only bill me 8€ for shipping from the US (although with 1-2 weeks shipping time).
Also in terms of durability as well, i used to use ernie balls and they always rusted on me after a week of practicing and sounded dull. Once i switched to string source they last me around a month now and hold their brightness for quite a while
I change strings before every gig and currently play Ernie Balls. Primary reason is they are the cheapest and on the next gig a fresh set of those sounds better than reusing any other company's strings for a second show. I probably wouldn't be using them if I was just playing at home and I'd want them to last longer.
@@josuastangl7140 oh yeah EBs are amazing (for a few hours only haha) If you're gonna be changing strings that often, then EBs are great (otherwise not so much)
Mine would do this before I started using cleaners like the music nomad ones or fast fret and a quick wipe down with a cloth after every session. They now last a ridiculously long time without rusting up.
This is legitimately the exact same thing for me. Ernie Ball 9 string set was the only one you could buy without special ordering, found the string source after looking around. The best string brand.
wow 11-60 on drop c. i usually go for 10-54's or 56's on drop c. feels really great on harley benton amarok 6 pro. could not imagine playing thicker strings :O
Currently using a custom set of Dunlops, 11-15-20w-30-42-58 for drop B on a 25.5" Jazzmaster. To me, just perfect. Sometimes tune up to C# standard, but that's a bit too tight, I'd recommend going with a .54 in this case if you ask me. Thanks, Keyan. Best of luck and peace, everyone.
So much is determined by play style to be honest too. Yes all the stuff in this video, but if you’re a jazz or blues guitarist you’re going to probably prefer lighter gauges generally vs a rock or metal guitarist who is going to need the higher gauges to keep their power chords in tune. The more you’re likely to drop your tuning, the more this gets exaggerated. This isn’t going to have a giant effect if you’re just the type to do drop D occasionally, but if you’re doing C# or C standard, or even lower, yeah your strings are just going to get floppy. I think 10s generally work for most folks, 11s if you’re a harder strummer and not doing a ton of soloing…but yeah given this is a harder rock channel I’m guessing most are going to need something higher gauge at least on their low strings…however you have to make sure your nut is made to be able to handle those higher gauges or you’re likely to just crack it if it’s not sanded to make each string able to fit through the string guide.
See here’s my thing though, I really want to set up my 27” 7 for D#1 and start learning some of the stuff off of Heavener but according to that calculator I need something in the realm of 13.5-95 which in my experience playing anything over a 76 just quickly starts to dull the sound. That’s a balancing act I still haven’t been able to figure out really.
74 is my max for E. Did you try to tune higher and use a pitch shifter ? Yes it's a balacing act, it's not just about tension as stated here. We have to accept the lower tension on the low tuning.
Either get an evertune, use an 80 and pick lightly, use a 74 and pick even lighter (tune to the attack of the note, not the sustained note). Or Pick the lowest tuning you can get comfortably with the string set you like the most, and then pitch shift. The hypertune pitch shifter by Polychrome works wonders
@@Davix-tt9sh Yeh good ideas. Evertune>baritone, but ideally get a baritone of some sort (27" minimum probably, ideally 28"-30") with an evertune. That's where you are going to be able to play hard and it still sound awesome. Either that or get away with thinner strings and retain a much tighter spankier tone. It definitely can get overly fat when you use 78-80+ gauge.
D# is a stupidly low tuning. Keaton doesn’t even tune his guitar that low natively. He pitch shifts with an 80 gauge on an Evertune, and it’s still not as tight as he’d like. When you go that low, you’re literally tuning below the standard tuning of a bass, an instrument that defaults at 34 in scale. Unfortunately, something has to give
I was thinking similarly, and went high tension on the 3 low chuggy strings, and then lighter on the high 3 strings. Googled the numbers I would like and turns out Mark Morton signature string set is just that, from Stringjoy .0095 - .0125 - .016 - .028 - .038 - .050 Unfortunately there's no stringjoy shipping to where I am so combined two ernie ball packs. Been few months and I prefer this feel much more than slapping any standard pack
Never saw a single person with .060 string gauge for drop C. I play .052 for this tuning, some people I know get .054 In slipknot interview they shared that they were playing drop A with .060 or .062 on 25.5 inch scale guitars
8:34 Ernie Ball offer an 11-80 set and there's an NYXL 12-84 set, which gets you even closer to your desired 17-18lbs of tension than the 11 would. Obviously custom sets are still great, but Stringjoy might be the only feasible option in Europe and with shipping they're still significantly more expensive than these Ernie Balls. Also multiscale guitars help tremendously with making regular sets feel more "slinky top, heavy bottom".
For Europe, you can try Winspear strings, they offer optimised string sets for standard and drop tunings plus you can order singles/custom sets for no extra upcharge. Winspears are also quite inexpensive, their price is comparable to major brands, but you're getting custom optimised gauges which is nice.
@@mx_strong Thank you for that suggestion! Keyan's exact gauges would only be 1€ more expensive than the Ernie Ball pack + 4€ shipping to Germany, which is negligible when you order several sets. And I just remembered the German company Richter (from whom I just ordered a top tier leather strap) also make strings, which are 22€ for the custom set Keyan showed, but the thickest they offer is a .80 gauge. So I have to correct myself, it is certainly possible to get custom sets in Europe!
one of your past videos about string gauges help me to figure out the best setup for my taste on guitar playing i man, thanks to you and your knolege i got the setup of my dreams for drop A# on a 6 strings 25.5 0.75-0.11 xd
Have been using a Ernie Ball Skinny Top Beefy Bottom set for a while on my Strat, but I noticed the neck just never adjusts very well. According to that string gauge calculator Im pulling almost 30lbs on the 4th and 5th, so definitely need to try a thinner gauge. This video was very helpful man, thanks for the info!
It's important to note when getting strings for an evertune like the guitar you show in this video, you should use the evertune string calculator only, as they have different bridges according to the tension. you cant just put any strings you want on them
I have my 25.5" Sterling JP60 in drop C with the EB 10-54 pack... it's perfect for that tuning. I used to use 12-60... way too much tension. I couldn't use the trem because it was so stiff and it felt like it was fighting the guitar all the time. I have a 26.5" 7 string PRS (yes the mark holcomb one) in drop G with a set of 10-62 from EB. They work but I ordered a set of 10-68 from strinjoy. I don't play guitar in a band but the band that I do play bass in uses strinjoy on their guitars (Multiscale 26.5-28" 8 strings in D1 with a low 80 gauge and 27" 7 strings in drop E with also a low 80) and they are amazing! They last a long time and feel great. I also have a 28" 6 string project guitar with an evertune in drop F with the EB baritone pack, 13-74... It's almost perfect. The two highest tuned strings are great tension and the two lowest strings are great tension, it is just the middle two that are slightly too much for me. I like to have slightly less tension on my guitars for more playabilty and most EB packs if you do your research are good enough for ost drop tunings. You can also order custom sets from them if you go through a dealer and its a decent deal. I am trying to order only strinjoy though... they are my favorite.
Hey man, I love this kind of content you put out! I have some questions about the right set for my guitar as calculating the tension is hurting my caveman brain. I play a Legator N7FX, it's a multiscale 7 string (25.5 - 27) and I tune down to drop F for Silent Planet/Invent Animate style writing. If you could give me a hand in choosing the ideal gauge for my setup, that'd be much appreciated.
I feel like what you're explaining here is ultra specific to you personally. You obviously like to pick hard but then you get pitch drift so you run higher tension to compensate (or run evertune). The next person might be happier to adjust their technique and run thinner strings. Also not everyone uses the same pick shape and gauge. There really isn't a concrete answer to this that will suit everyone.
hey man i have an ibanez 7 string multiscale 27.5 - 25.5 with 9s on it. i love how it sounds and feels but i wanna play lower tunings. my question is will the tone be good if i use a pitch shifter to down tune such as NeuralDSP transpose option or DT whammy pitch shifter? i have neither but i dont wanna invest just to find out i had to change my strings at the end of the day
Also, note that using heavier gauges might cause intonation problems being too sharp. Using a 60 gauge in drop B on my low B, I had to remove the springs on the bridge saddles to pull back further to intonate.
This is true, however this would only really be an issue if you were using a guitar where the scale length was way too short for the tuning that you're trying to set it to. Certain bridges also have more wiggle room with intonation. This is why I love Hipshot bridges for non-evertune guitars, as they offer quite a big distance on intonation adjustment.
Ah shit I guess that’s that. Gotta buy 10-48s for my fenders and 10-50 for my gibsons. And something insane for my duo sonic that has a 24in scale length ffs
Keyan, if you compare Stringjoy calculator with other calculators, you will see that this one shows incorrect numbers, they are higher than they should be
Lighter strings over a longer scale sound better. I aim for around 15.8lbs I use daddario nyxl 10-52 in drop C on my 26.5 Ibanez rgd axion label. I recently got a Jackson pro plus dk ht6 multi scale 25.5-26.5 that I want to use for drop C# thinking about making a hybrid set of 10-48
I actually find that 10-48 in drop C on the same guitar (the silver one with evertune right?) sounds awesome to me. I tried thicker but the low string sounds too fat compared to the other strings IMO. Doesn't sound as cohesive when going between strings.
@@paulcarter105 Yeh I can't imagine going wrong with that. I'd probably go to 48 still personally, just to slightly compensate for the loss of tension compared to the rest of the set, but that's totally personal preference ofc
@@TomMAF4 no it’s got the Gibraltar Standard II bridge. It’s the older RGD61AL. I assume because you have the evertune it adds more tension therefore you use a slightly lighter gauge
I currently have 3 guitars. 6 string Ibanez 25.5 scale fixed bridge with 11-56 d'addario xl in drop C and sometimes drop B and D standard. Sounds great, feels stable as fuck. 8 string ibanez 27 inch with 9-80 ernie ball in F# standard. The 64 for the 7th is a bit too stiff, but the 80 feels perfect and still sounds great after more than 3 months. Will go back to 9-80 Nyxl now that the price has dropped, so that i have a 60 instead of the 64. 6 string Telecaster with 9-46 ernie ball, usually in E/drop D/Drop C#. Chugs. Will give it to my gf soon so will restring with 9-42
Strings are not quite right or wrong. People play what they like. Feel. Tone. Coates not coated. I play 7 string usually in drop A and a light gauge 7 of 56-60 to 10 seems to be the sweet spot. Brand I don't hear a huge difference. I bought these magnum strings a company from South America I believe and their 7 string regular is awesome. I like them better than the Ernie ball or Nyxl equivalent. Again just preference. I absolutely hate elixir strings and people swear by them. Bass strings I feel are a bigger deal. I use a 140 gauge for the lower stuff on a 4 string and had to do a good bit of nut and saddle set up. That's another thing is people overlook the nut. If you are trying to jam a 70 gauge string on a normal production 6 string it Probly ain't gonna work. lol.
The numbers after the notes referring to octave's number where this note located. Example: bass' 4th string is E1, while guitar's 6th string is E2 (because it's octave higher). After every note C you're passing while going higher you just adding +1. Visually it's much easier to understand if you could just set all notes of your tuning on a piano keyboard
Keyan I would like to piggy back on your scale length. I have an ibanez rgr752 with reverse headstock. 25.5" scale and it holds lower tunings way better than my 2027xl. It's like a cheat code! Also.. I use ernie ball 10-74 minus the 64! I may have stole that from some crazy Aussie dood... thanks for all you do for us bro. I'm attempting to do the same but dang youtube is hard! 🤘🤪👌
Hey For those that are like me and want to know the exact scale per string on your guitar I found this nifty website that calculate those numbers for you. www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/ This page can get as nerdy as you want with the measurements and it honestly can get overwhelming with how barebones the site is. But the things I mainly mess with on this page are as follows: * Scale Length - you can select "multiple" underneath that section and it will give you multiple points First(highest) string, Last(lowest) string and perpendicular fret distance - perpendicular fret distance I just I don't mess with all that much since it doesn't change the string scale but if you want to have some point of reference 0.5 is the 12th fret and 0.4 is the 8th * Number Of Strings - This one you just place the guitar string amount to help calculate the appropriate amount of strings The only section I really pay attention to is the string table as it gives all the scale length there after you put in your numbers seems obvious I know so I apologies for making this seem very simplified. but its really meant for everyone including beginners. I wish I had a video like this with these kinds of websites when I started off trying to figure these things out. It would have saved me soooo much trouble. So happy string gauge hunting!
So your team Tension, I'm not anymore. For me, gap between the string is more important for feel and tone. I don't understand people who are buying the Ernie Ball 8 white set and discarding the 64. 74 to 54, that's a 0.020" gap, which is really big, especially compared to the next gap from 64 to 54. I'm really surprised that you suggested 85 for Drop F. I thought you were not using string bigger then 74. 80 sounds so bad compared to 74.
That's perfectly fine! 10s are a very ballanced tension set for standard with great tone. Not too thin and ultra spanky, not too round and dull. Great for the majority of tones I'd say.
Keyan this is by far the best string video, im not sure why a lot of gyutar players are offended by string gauge questions. This perfectly explains to people who have been confused for so long!
Just remember that the stringjoy tension are different to other string brands so you can't use it to accurately judge string tensions for other brands. Use the tensions of the brand you are using or just start from a standard set and alter it from there (such as if you want to change a standard 6 string set to a 6 string drop tuning one start with the standard one and use a string up to a few gauges higher).
D'Addario and Ernie Ball both have 7-string sets, but those sets are too light for even B-Standard. Standard-issue Drop-A meant I ended up buying one of those silly HEAVY jazz sets, and then a bass string. I am glad the local shop sells individual strings. For 6-string baritones, again, D'Addario and Ernie Ball "baritone" sets will not even get to B-Standard. Stringjoy is a life-saver.
This is very strange. Why would you use a bass string? For drop A you can just get a set of 10s + a single string, something between 60-64 or maybe 11s + 66-70 is you want it higher tension (will sound fatter, rounder and duller). I really wouldn't go thicker unless you play super hard and really need to tension for intonation (I'd consider getting an evertune or playing softer if it was up to me in that case)
This is the best video regarding finding your own string gauges based on what you already have and like. I'd also recommend Winspear's string gauge calculator because it can tell you what equivalent individual string gauge you'll need (a 46 in E would give you a 52 in D, for example). You could also find the equivalents for different scale lengths and even higher tunings (like if you want a 7-string up to Drop B for whatever reason).
Still trying to find a setup that makes sense for double drop d# (I just wanna play shit from Heavener...), but it seems like you just need to embrace the slop when tuning that low.
@@KeyanHoushmandLive You should have talked about it when you gave your horrible Drop F example. If I'm not mistaken, you dislike bigger 74 and I agree.
@@TomMAF4 Yeah Solar is the only brand that Ive found that offers a production 29-incher with an evertune. But I really dont like the look of that guitar... still waiting for some other brands, pref Ibanez or Jackson to create a 28 inch 7 string, cant believe that doesnt exist at all when it does for both 6 and 8 strings...
Did this video help you guys pick out your perfect string gauge?
*NOTE:* If you have an Evertune guitar, I would recommend dropping a gauge or two from what was recommended in this video. The evertune does an amazing job at combating pitch drift, which means you don’t need as thick of a string that you would on a non-ET guitar.
Rock on, brothers.
*EDIT:* I got a lot of DMs overnight asking about what to do if you plan on going ridiculously low at Drop D# or something similar (a lot of you guys REALLY like Invent Animate lmao). In my experience, there is a point of diminishing returns when tuning at F and below, where you either need a reaaaally long scale length or a stupidly thick string. In the video I used an 85 gauge on a 27" inch guitar because 27" is about as long as you can get on most production big brand production guitars. 85 gauge is a little over my preferred maximum for string gauge of 80. However, this is because I pick really hard and anything less on a non-evertune guitar would be difficult to keep in tune.
This is why bands like Northlane who play in these really low tunings like Drop D# have 29.5" scale custom guitars. Even still, even though they're running heavy 80 gauge strings, they still sits below 15 pounds of tension. However, having an Evertune system in your guitar would definitely help, which is what guys like Northlane, Invent Animate and Alpha Wolf are all using.
No. This is because I don't understand why would I use another string brands tension readings to create a custom set using a different string brand! Different brands have vastly different tension so it's likely to come out with very wrong results!
This is a helpful video for outlining the methodology of finding the right string gauges! String tension calculators have been huge for me too.
I've found, as a djenty boi, that I like the bottom string to be a tad looser than the A and D strings. If the timbre of that bottom string is too woofy, I can't really get that djent sound I'm looking for. I don't really like anything over 54 for the low C in drop C, for instance, but the rest of my gauges would be similar. Just another thing to keep in mind.
Also, a good compromise I've found for switching between drop tuning and standard on one guitar is to aim for around 16-17 lbs of tension on the bottom string for the drop tuning, that's saved me a lot of headaches.
@@Lucius338 Agreed! I used to use really thick low strings (like a 68-74 just for Bb) but now I've gone the other way and use as light strings as I can still get a nice thick tone with. For drop C on a 26.5" with evertune I actually use a normal set of d'addario 10-46 but just bump up the low string to a 48 (48 could be too unstable without evertune tbf).
Thicker would be fatter but also rounder and flatter sounding less spanky. That might be desirable but definitely up to taste though.
@@TomMAF4 exactly! As for me, I need that spank! 😂 I'm a bit jealous tbh, I've been wanting a 26.5" guitar for Drop C, sounds like a hella fun guitar!
F*** no this does not help. I have a 27" scale guitar an .085 gauge on the 7 string is going to sound incredibly muddled with distorted effects. If you are rockin a 7 string (27" scale) the lowest tuning you should be using is Drop G with a .072 on the low string, anything thicker and its gonna sound like Sh**.
Something to keep in mind is that the tension for Stringjoy's strings seems to be around 1-2lbs heavier than most other brands like d'addario.
I've noticed that too. I've used a custom 9.5 set from both Stringjoy and from D'Addario. Stringjoy wasn't crazy tight but was noticeably tighter.
They have very different tension per string compared to other brands so I just don't see the point. (There is even a bit of variation between duplicates of the exact same string tbf!)
This is the one of the good things about Daddario is that I have a calculator which does have the actual D'addario tensions in it so it's at least roughly accurate. Using another brands tensions just doesn't makes sense to me. Really weird thing to promote in a youtube masterclass!
This. A 9.5-46 Stringjoy set feels more taut and stable than a regular D’addario 10-46 set. Plus they are loud lol. Love Stringjoy.
This has been my experience as well. My Strandberg 6-string with a trem came with D'Addario strings and I installed Stringjoy recently with the same gauges and the trem was pulled forward compared to the previous set of strings. I had to adjust the spring tension on the trem, which I had never had to do before when changing to the same D'Addario strings.
@@TomMAF4 D'Addario has their own string tension calculator as well. This is a great point though...one manufacturer's calculator does not necessarily apply to other manufacturer's strings.
Another cool thing about The String Source, their set selector is accessible to screen readers. For a blind guitarist such as myself, this is a very thoughtful touch. Will definitely going to give them a go the next time I need strings. Thanks for this video Keyan.
tfw stringjoy says a 95 gauge won't even give you enough tension for your tuning 😫
bro’s trying to tune to Drop Z
Don't take the calculated tension as the end all be all, try it and see how it feels.
In my experience the thicker a string gets, the less "theoretical tension" it needs to feel similar.
With identical tension, a thicker string (because of the higher mass) still requires more force to play, which is something to take into account.
@@KeyanHoushmandLive Bro gonna call up Kalium for a 175 gauge 😂😂
@@ObtainThePain yeah and wait 3 months for one string.
gonna have to use a bass string
I got a KM7 8 years ago, and got it to a luthier to set it up for a drop A tuning. He installed 10+46+70 gauge. Right now I'm using the typical 9+46+62, as I like to bend a lot, but the other mentioned gauge combination made a lot of sense to have all the strings balanced.
I was using Precision Devices "Misha preferred" on my guitars for standard Periphery tunings. But this gave me a better understanding of what I'm looking at. Now I've got a direction to go for Veil of Maya tunings.
As someone who has a spreadsheet to keep track of the different sets on my guitars, this is a whole new rabbit hole to go down…
For myself, as an alternate tuning enthusiast, I order custom strings from Winspear (UK-based). I am also disappointed with most big string company sets. The only workable sets for drop tunings I found are taking 8 string set like 10-74 and dropping 7th (64) string and using it for 7 string guitar in tunings like Drop F# or taking 7 string set, like 10-56 and dropping the the 6th (46) and using it for Drop C or Drop B based on tension preferences, otherwise they are unusable for drop tunings in my experience and as I said since I use variety of tunings I prefer custom string sets nowadays. Even when playing in Standard custom string sets feel better balanced.
The first cut away to Keaton when you said artists using the wrong strings made me laugh 😂 a 72 in D# on 27” is still crazy lol
Keaton actually tunes his guitar to Drop E and pitch shifts down -1 semitone live now, which would definitely help get some tension back!
Don't listen to what anyone else says about strings. Just play what you like.
THIS!
It's honestly such a personal feel thing, you just have to try a bunch of sets to find what you prefere.
I haven't found these tension calculators to be of much use.
Lol this is so true. You play for long enough and with other people and play other guitars throughout the years you'll notice there really isn't any rule for all this. It's a very personal thing. Feel is subjective.
I would alter this to what sounds best to you. I find a lot of people, past me included (who knows, maybe present me too), don't really listen and compare between different options for what actually sounds best. Often people are told some false trueism about what's best and just go with that.
Thing is because people can't A/B easily it definitely make it hard to compare. Often all they are comparing to the vague memory of the old dull strings. Not everyone has recording equipment or even think about this kind of stuff unfortunately.
@@TomMAF4 Relevant point!
There are also tonal differences not only between gauges but also brands.
I personally don't really like the sound (and feel) of Elixiers.
NYXLs sound a lot more mid forward compared to the regular XLs or Ernie Balls, which I prefere for heavier stuff, but in standard I'm currently Ernie Balls or regular XLs.
Exactly. This is just making content to stay relevant at this point
Great video! So many guitar players debate the "tonewood" why overlooking how big impact the strings take on guitar tone. The higher the string tension, the less lows and treble it has. So it's crucial all the strings in the set to have balanced tension to get the similar tone. In the opposite case some of them can sound dull and a bit too tight, while the others sound bright , but a bit loose. And it's true that there's almost no standard strings sets suitable for Drop-tunings. That's why I have to make my own custom sets changing the bottom and the 2nd strings with the single ones to get the proper tension, balanced with the other strings in the set.
Nice to see this approach. I used this method for years now i set up for buying single strings, 11.5-66 in B standard with 25.5 scale 6 string. I like my hugh strings very light and furm bottom, so this works perfectly ❤
Most newer players especially in heavy music/dropped tunings use gauges that are far bigger than they should be. The tightness is from technique not huge strings.
agreed
The tightness (tension) isn't from the technique tho
Dude thank you! The feel on my guitars feel perfect! 👏
Good video. One other consideration is when you go up significantly enough in gauge - specifically for strings 5 and 6 (or 6 and 7, or 7 and 8, etc.) - you have to make sure that the string will fit in tuner. Strings are often tapered, but not all are and even with a taper it won't always fit. Then you find yourself either unwinding your heavier strings or drilling out the tuners. Just things to keep in mind with ridiculously low tunings.
This is true, I have had to drill my tuning pegs more than once hahahaha. After doing Guitar Chats with guys like Clint Tustin from ERRA, they are using Tone Ninja locking tuners for the one string so they can fit the gauges they need to on there.
Damn, I use 10-52 for drop C on my Epiphone Les Paul and 11-49 with a 74 for drop F on my 26.5" Jackson, so a 60 for C and an 85 for F is crazy to me
Dude, a 10 for C feels awesome😂🤘
I'm right there with you.
Not "crazy", but certainly further than I'd go.
I just got some 10-54s which I'm looking forward to trying out!
You’re right, it’s absolutely nuts.
This is the third time I’ve mentioned it in the comments section, but I have a 7 string in drop F# using 11-58. People get too caught up in what some TH-camrs say.
I imagine it’s extremely overly fat/round sound but depends what you are going for I guess. I just wouldn’t use anything without an evertune for that low and then you can probably use something much better sounding for the low string (in the 60s-to-low 70 gauges probably)
@@thisguy2973 Jason Richardson plays 11-58 in Drop F# on his 25.5" guitar.
It's not quite my thing, but it evidently works for people.
I wouldn't call it crazier than Keyan's choice of an 85.
Periphery recorded Reptile with 10-60s and that tuning has a low G on their 25.5" guitars.
Ppl need to realize every guitar needs what it needs. I have had literally 2 exact copies of a guitar and 1 needed a heavier gauge to maintain the tension I liked. Not to mention Ive had some guitars that prefered nyxl over my normally ernie balls bc the nyxls were brighter and made this darker sounding guitar I had sound great.
Where I live, you have to import strings like this so I what have been doing lately is use 3 bass strings from a normal 4 string set, and 5 strings from a 9 to 42 set. I just toss the 9 away. I am tuning an 8 string 30 scale guitar to Drop A (A0, E1, A1, E2. A2.....) It is the cheapest way for me, I have no choice haha.
I like .70 for drop F it just has more freedom on a 27” that’s already causing more tension
I’m 11-58 in drop F# on 25.5” 7 string. It’s much better for shredding than heavier sets.
There is also a trade off between feel and sound, since thinner strings sound more bright and snappy, while thick ones tend to be dull. 56 for drop C at 25,5" sounds already too dull for me, i use 52 even if it feels a bit loose, just learned to pick less hard. Same story for 7/8 stribg guitars. By 28" Standberg low F#/E has a 74, since 84 sounds too dull for me. Disclaimer: I use passive pickup, actives or other brands might give a different result.
I think personally what also matters is the type of bridge you use, for example having a floyd/evertune or in relevant an normal hard tail-> stop tail.
I generally only use Elixir strings because they last so long it ends up being way more affordable to me, but for 7 strings the highest gauge they offer is 11-59 which is honestly horrible I don't even know who would use these. In drop A with a 25.5 inch scale, the higher string hurt my fingers because they are so tight and the lower strings are just shy of being tight enough, if you pick hard enough they will go out of tune, so it's a lose-lose situation really.
I'm getting a 27 inch 7 string soon, and I hope using a 09-46 set with a 60 or 64 on top will finally feel right, because right now playing on that 25.5 inch scale guitar feels kinda miserable at times not gonna lie loll
I prefer light strings. 9-42 E or even 8-40 in E. Love it
I play in a drop G# with 11-52 strings and even 56-gauge would be way too bright with too little subharmonic content. 60-gauge for a drop C is absolutely insane, regardless of the scale length.
85 on low F on 27 scale is pretty meh tbh, despite aiming for consistency, the 85 just sounds stupid, even more on evertune... the best twank for the 27 low F is around 070-074
I agree!
I agree too. I even use 68 for F# on 27". 74 for E. I tried 80 several times and everytime I went back to 74. Better for feel and tone. 85 no thanks.
@@didtoknan8128the opposite for me, 74 is barely enough for F# on 27, the 80 just feels like home. Same tension as a 46 in E on 25.5 which is what I grew up playing.
85 is definitely slightly higher than what I would go with personally. However, this video was going over expected tension for non-evertune guitars. If I was actually tuning to Drop F on a guitar, I would never use a guitar that doesn't have an Evertune. 27 inches in Drop F with a 74 is about the absolute minimum I would go, personally. Playing/recording a non-evertune 27" guitar in Drop F with a 74 is definitely doable, but it would take a lot more time and careful attention to detail between recording takes and keeping the guitar in tune.
@@KeyanHoushmandLive I dont know about all you evertune blokes, but well cut nut, locking tuners, and stretched strings most importantly in my experience contribute to very stable tuning, my 25.5-27scale drop F guitar with 74 as low F doesnt detune overtime even if i grab guitar after few days… most overlooked key parameters to tuning stability are actually stretched strings… if you just put on new fresh strings and dont stretch it out, there is a big treshold for potential slack… even on locking tuners, even on evertune…stretch out your strings after every restring and you will see great results regarding stability… no one seems to talk about such obvious fact… it will also help alot with an intonation, my 12 and 24 frets sing so good when tapping and intonated compared to root note, and i am considering myself very pitch sensitive as being an absolute pitch person
Have always wanted to try The String Source but €50 shipping to Ireland is too crazy, especially since I change strings regularly. Daddario XL strings will have to do for now until the string source go more global
Same, Europe seems to be sitting in a bad spot for custom sets.
I just checked with Stringjoy and they'd only bill me 8€ for shipping from the US (although with 1-2 weeks shipping time).
I have just been corrected, try Winspear, they offer not very expensive single strings and are based in the UK!
Love the String Source, too bad it’s not really as available to you
Also in terms of durability as well, i used to use ernie balls and they always rusted on me after a week of practicing and sounded dull. Once i switched to string source they last me around a month now and hold their brightness for quite a while
"My Ernie balls last 4 months bro"
Completely orange and crusty by the end lol
I change strings before every gig and currently play Ernie Balls.
Primary reason is they are the cheapest and on the next gig a fresh set of those sounds better than reusing any other company's strings for a second show.
I probably wouldn't be using them if I was just playing at home and I'd want them to last longer.
@@josuastangl7140 oh yeah EBs are amazing (for a few hours only haha)
If you're gonna be changing strings that often, then EBs are great (otherwise not so much)
Mine would do this before I started using cleaners like the music nomad ones or fast fret and a quick wipe down with a cloth after every session. They now last a ridiculously long time without rusting up.
This is legitimately the exact same thing for me. Ernie Ball 9 string set was the only one you could buy without special ordering, found the string source after looking around. The best string brand.
wow 11-60 on drop c. i usually go for 10-54's or 56's on drop c. feels really great on harley benton amarok 6 pro. could not imagine playing thicker strings :O
Where does action factor in to all of this?
this is the exact method and tensions I use.
Currently using a custom set of Dunlops, 11-15-20w-30-42-58 for drop B on a 25.5" Jazzmaster. To me, just perfect. Sometimes tune up to C# standard, but that's a bit too tight, I'd recommend going with a .54 in this case if you ask me. Thanks, Keyan. Best of luck and peace, everyone.
So much is determined by play style to be honest too. Yes all the stuff in this video, but if you’re a jazz or blues guitarist you’re going to probably prefer lighter gauges generally vs a rock or metal guitarist who is going to need the higher gauges to keep their power chords in tune. The more you’re likely to drop your tuning, the more this gets exaggerated. This isn’t going to have a giant effect if you’re just the type to do drop D occasionally, but if you’re doing C# or C standard, or even lower, yeah your strings are just going to get floppy. I think 10s generally work for most folks, 11s if you’re a harder strummer and not doing a ton of soloing…but yeah given this is a harder rock channel I’m guessing most are going to need something higher gauge at least on their low strings…however you have to make sure your nut is made to be able to handle those higher gauges or you’re likely to just crack it if it’s not sanded to make each string able to fit through the string guide.
No such thing as the wrong string tension - it's all about preference.
Whatever size you use. Use nyxl. Regular xl are trash. So are earnie ball.
Fantastic video!
See here’s my thing though, I really want to set up my 27” 7 for D#1 and start learning some of the stuff off of Heavener but according to that calculator I need something in the realm of 13.5-95 which in my experience playing anything over a 76 just quickly starts to dull the sound. That’s a balancing act I still haven’t been able to figure out really.
74 is my max for E. Did you try to tune higher and use a pitch shifter ? Yes it's a balacing act, it's not just about tension as stated here. We have to accept the lower tension on the low tuning.
Either get an evertune, use an 80 and pick lightly, use a 74 and pick even lighter (tune to the attack of the note, not the sustained note). Or
Pick the lowest tuning you can get comfortably with the string set you like the most, and then pitch shift. The hypertune pitch shifter by Polychrome works wonders
@@Davix-tt9sh Yeh good ideas. Evertune>baritone, but ideally get a baritone of some sort (27" minimum probably, ideally 28"-30") with an evertune. That's where you are going to be able to play hard and it still sound awesome.
Either that or get away with thinner strings and retain a much tighter spankier tone. It definitely can get overly fat when you use 78-80+ gauge.
D# is a stupidly low tuning. Keaton doesn’t even tune his guitar that low natively. He pitch shifts with an 80 gauge on an Evertune, and it’s still not as tight as he’d like. When you go that low, you’re literally tuning below the standard tuning of a bass, an instrument that defaults at 34 in scale. Unfortunately, something has to give
This video was super helpful, I've been looking for a place to order custom sets from
Whatever feels good in the hands
I was thinking similarly, and went high tension on the 3 low chuggy strings, and then lighter on the high 3 strings.
Googled the numbers I would like and turns out Mark Morton signature string set is just that, from Stringjoy .0095 - .0125 - .016 - .028 - .038 - .050
Unfortunately there's no stringjoy shipping to where I am so combined two ernie ball packs. Been few months and I prefer this feel much more than slapping any standard pack
Never saw a single person with .060 string gauge for drop C. I play .052 for this tuning, some people I know get .054
In slipknot interview they shared that they were playing drop A with .060 or .062 on 25.5 inch scale guitars
Thanks for your video 🎉
I use daddario 85-9s for my 8 strings. They all work well.
8:34 Ernie Ball offer an 11-80 set and there's an NYXL 12-84 set, which gets you even closer to your desired 17-18lbs of tension than the 11 would.
Obviously custom sets are still great, but Stringjoy might be the only feasible option in Europe and with shipping they're still significantly more expensive than these Ernie Balls.
Also multiscale guitars help tremendously with making regular sets feel more "slinky top, heavy bottom".
For Europe, you can try Winspear strings, they offer optimised string sets for standard and drop tunings plus you can order singles/custom sets for no extra upcharge. Winspears are also quite inexpensive, their price is comparable to major brands, but you're getting custom optimised gauges which is nice.
@@mx_strong Thank you for that suggestion!
Keyan's exact gauges would only be 1€ more expensive than the Ernie Ball pack + 4€ shipping to Germany, which is negligible when you order several sets.
And I just remembered the German company Richter (from whom I just ordered a top tier leather strap) also make strings, which are 22€ for the custom set Keyan showed, but the thickest they offer is a .80 gauge.
So I have to correct myself, it is certainly possible to get custom sets in Europe!
This is huge thing that needs to be norm for guitar types, a company need to colab with you and make a Keyan signature strings!
one of your past videos about string gauges help me to figure out the best setup for my taste on guitar playing i man, thanks to you and your knolege i got the setup of my dreams for drop A# on a 6 strings 25.5
0.75-0.11 xd
Have been using a Ernie Ball Skinny Top Beefy Bottom set for a while on my Strat, but I noticed the neck just never adjusts very well. According to that string gauge calculator Im pulling almost 30lbs on the 4th and 5th, so definitely need to try a thinner gauge. This video was very helpful man, thanks for the info!
This is exactly why I made this video, I’m glad you found it helpful and now understand more about how your strings are interacting with your guitar!
It's important to note when getting strings for an evertune like the guitar you show in this video, you should use the evertune string calculator only, as they have different bridges according to the tension. you cant just put any strings you want on them
Great video!! I’ll deff be checking out both websites!!
I have my 25.5" Sterling JP60 in drop C with the EB 10-54 pack... it's perfect for that tuning. I used to use 12-60... way too much tension. I couldn't use the trem because it was so stiff and it felt like it was fighting the guitar all the time. I have a 26.5" 7 string PRS (yes the mark holcomb one) in drop G with a set of 10-62 from EB. They work but I ordered a set of 10-68 from strinjoy. I don't play guitar in a band but the band that I do play bass in uses strinjoy on their guitars (Multiscale 26.5-28" 8 strings in D1 with a low 80 gauge and 27" 7 strings in drop E with also a low 80) and they are amazing! They last a long time and feel great. I also have a 28" 6 string project guitar with an evertune in drop F with the EB baritone pack, 13-74... It's almost perfect. The two highest tuned strings are great tension and the two lowest strings are great tension, it is just the middle two that are slightly too much for me. I like to have slightly less tension on my guitars for more playabilty and most EB packs if you do your research are good enough for ost drop tunings. You can also order custom sets from them if you go through a dealer and its a decent deal. I am trying to order only strinjoy though... they are my favorite.
Hey man, I love this kind of content you put out!
I have some questions about the right set for my guitar as calculating the tension is hurting my caveman brain.
I play a Legator N7FX, it's a multiscale 7 string (25.5 - 27) and I tune down to drop F for Silent Planet/Invent Animate style writing.
If you could give me a hand in choosing the ideal gauge for my setup, that'd be much appreciated.
I personally like 28 - 22 llbs on the lowest 3 strings and 15 - 18 on my higher strings
I feel like what you're explaining here is ultra specific to you personally. You obviously like to pick hard but then you get pitch drift so you run higher tension to compensate (or run evertune). The next person might be happier to adjust their technique and run thinner strings. Also not everyone uses the same pick shape and gauge. There really isn't a concrete answer to this that will suit everyone.
For a floyd in E standard i use 9-46 for a 7 atring 26,5 inch in drop A i use 10-62 and for my drop f# 7 string 26,5inch i use 10-70
Bro always has the best shirts fr
Amazing video thank you \m/
I mostly play standard atm and I use 9s but the lowest string is 46 (like with 10s).
How does “the string source” compare to elixirs? I really enjoy how the coating feels on elixirs.
hey man i have an ibanez 7 string multiscale 27.5 - 25.5 with 9s on it. i love how it sounds and feels but i wanna play lower tunings. my question is will the tone be good if i use a pitch shifter to down tune such as NeuralDSP transpose option or DT whammy pitch shifter? i have neither but i dont wanna invest just to find out i had to change my strings at the end of the day
“You’re probably using the wrong guitar pick” next 🙏🏼
Ironically, that would be helpful
Also, note that using heavier gauges might cause intonation problems being too sharp. Using a 60 gauge in drop B on my low B, I had to remove the springs on the bridge saddles to pull back further to intonate.
This is true, however this would only really be an issue if you were using a guitar where the scale length was way too short for the tuning that you're trying to set it to. Certain bridges also have more wiggle room with intonation. This is why I love Hipshot bridges for non-evertune guitars, as they offer quite a big distance on intonation adjustment.
Bro, I live in south America, everything is very expensive here, and they don't sell as many brands 😭
WHAT STRANG GAUGE IS GOOD FOR 210 SCALE 15 STRANG GUITAR IN DROP ZZ ???
I've been playing guitar for almost 20 years and I feel like I know nothing at this point
Ah shit I guess that’s that. Gotta buy 10-48s for my fenders and 10-50 for my gibsons. And something insane for my duo sonic that has a 24in scale length ffs
Keyan, if you compare Stringjoy calculator with other calculators, you will see that this one shows incorrect numbers, they are higher than they should be
"should" be?
I’ve used 10-52 in my 6 string drop A# setup for 15 years. Then a regular 10 gauge in my strat. Oh and standard Ddarios always
The shipping to AUS from Stringsource is a bit crazy
Great information 👍🏻
Lighter strings over a longer scale sound better. I aim for around 15.8lbs
I use daddario nyxl 10-52 in drop C on my 26.5 Ibanez rgd axion label.
I recently got a Jackson pro plus dk ht6 multi scale 25.5-26.5 that I want to use for drop C# thinking about making a hybrid set of 10-48
I actually find that 10-48 in drop C on the same guitar (the silver one with evertune right?) sounds awesome to me. I tried thicker but the low string sounds too fat compared to the other strings IMO. Doesn't sound as cohesive when going between strings.
@@TomMAF4 if you’re talking about the Jackson it’s black with hipshot. I just have the stock 10-46 right now in drop D
@@paulcarter105 Sorry I meant the ibanez. I presumed you meant the Ibanez RGD61ALET for some reason 😅
@@paulcarter105 Yeh I can't imagine going wrong with that. I'd probably go to 48 still personally, just to slightly compensate for the loss of tension compared to the rest of the set, but that's totally personal preference ofc
@@TomMAF4 no it’s got the Gibraltar Standard II bridge. It’s the older RGD61AL.
I assume because you have the evertune it adds more tension therefore you use a slightly lighter gauge
Now, how do i solve the problem with my string tuning peg and nut not fitting something above a 64 gauge?
I currently have 3 guitars.
6 string Ibanez 25.5 scale fixed bridge with 11-56 d'addario xl in drop C and sometimes drop B and D standard. Sounds great, feels stable as fuck.
8 string ibanez 27 inch with 9-80 ernie ball in F# standard. The 64 for the 7th is a bit too stiff, but the 80 feels perfect and still sounds great after more than 3 months. Will go back to 9-80 Nyxl now that the price has dropped, so that i have a 60 instead of the 64.
6 string Telecaster with 9-46 ernie ball, usually in E/drop D/Drop C#. Chugs. Will give it to my gf soon so will restring with 9-42
Such a shame these kind of strings aren't available in Europe without paying 60€ for the shipping :(
Love StringJoy 😎😎
mannn, ive been ordering from string source for a while now. i wish i wouldve known about your discount code sooner
8:38 GHS Boomers 11-85 set - Oh, hello there!
Strings are not quite right or wrong. People play what they like. Feel. Tone. Coates not coated. I play 7 string usually in drop A and a light gauge 7 of 56-60 to 10 seems to be the sweet spot. Brand I don't hear a huge difference. I bought these magnum strings a company from South America I believe and their 7 string regular is awesome. I like them better than the Ernie ball or Nyxl equivalent. Again just preference. I absolutely hate elixir strings and people swear by them. Bass strings I feel are a bigger deal. I use a 140 gauge for the lower stuff on a 4 string and had to do a good bit of nut and saddle set up. That's another thing is people overlook the nut. If you are trying to jam a 70 gauge string on a normal production 6 string it Probly ain't gonna work. lol.
I wish I had this video sooner but eventually came to the same conclusion as yourself
25.5 scale = use 10 and below
24.75 scale = use 10 and above
How do you find the notations for a specific tuning? Example:- Drop G on (7string) is GDGCFAD. How do you write it like this? (G1 D2 C3 ?)
The numbers after the notes referring to octave's number where this note located. Example: bass' 4th string is E1, while guitar's 6th string is E2 (because it's octave higher). After every note C you're passing while going higher you just adding +1. Visually it's much easier to understand if you could just set all notes of your tuning on a piano keyboard
Keyan I would like to piggy back on your scale length. I have an ibanez rgr752 with reverse headstock. 25.5" scale and it holds lower tunings way better than my 2027xl. It's like a cheat code! Also.. I use ernie ball 10-74 minus the 64! I may have stole that from some crazy Aussie dood... thanks for all you do for us bro. I'm attempting to do the same but dang youtube is hard! 🤘🤪👌
Hey For those that are like me and want to know the exact scale per string on your guitar I found this nifty website that calculate those numbers for you. www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/
This page can get as nerdy as you want with the measurements and it honestly can get overwhelming with how barebones the site is. But the things I mainly mess with on this page are as follows:
* Scale Length
- you can select "multiple" underneath that section and it will give you multiple points First(highest) string, Last(lowest) string and perpendicular fret distance
- perpendicular fret distance I just I don't mess with all that much since it doesn't change the string scale but if you want to have some point of reference 0.5 is the 12th fret and 0.4 is the 8th
* Number Of Strings
- This one you just place the guitar string amount to help calculate the appropriate amount of strings
The only section I really pay attention to is the string table as it gives all the scale length there after you put in your numbers
seems obvious I know so I apologies for making this seem very simplified. but its really meant for everyone including beginners. I wish I had a video like this with these kinds of websites when I started off trying to figure these things out. It would have saved me soooo much trouble. So happy string gauge hunting!
lmao is my baritone completely fucked going from 28lbs to 17lbs
So your team Tension, I'm not anymore.
For me, gap between the string is more important for feel and tone.
I don't understand people who are buying the Ernie Ball 8 white set and discarding the 64. 74 to 54, that's a 0.020" gap, which is really big, especially compared to the next gap from 64 to 54.
I'm really surprised that you suggested 85 for Drop F. I thought you were not using string bigger then 74.
80 sounds so bad compared to 74.
Agreed! Seems OTT to me. Would sounds very round and overly fat and appart from the rest of the strings
I know it's how you have to play to stay in the game but damn that's a title. Good info though.
The one that confuses me still is the different notes 😂 like I always forget e2,e3,e4
Wait, you're telling me i'm not supposed to use 10-47s for E1 standard?
That's perfectly fine! 10s are a very ballanced tension set for standard with great tone. Not too thin and ultra spanky, not too round and dull. Great for the majority of tones I'd say.
@@TomMAF4 E1 standard is E standard but one octave down lol
Love by 11 bottoms and 10 tops on my lp
I rock a 7 String A Standard Tuned Ibanez RG7420 & String Joy has me mentally unfit for this
Keyan this is by far the best string video, im not sure why a lot of gyutar players are offended by string gauge questions. This perfectly explains to people who have been confused for so long!
Just remember that the stringjoy tension are different to other string brands so you can't use it to accurately judge string tensions for other brands. Use the tensions of the brand you are using or just start from a standard set and alter it from there (such as if you want to change a standard 6 string set to a 6 string drop tuning one start with the standard one and use a string up to a few gauges higher).
$70 shipping for a $12 set of strings to Australia?
Yeah nah
D'Addario and Ernie Ball both have 7-string sets, but those sets are too light for even B-Standard. Standard-issue Drop-A meant I ended up buying one of those silly HEAVY jazz sets, and then a bass string. I am glad the local shop sells individual strings.
For 6-string baritones, again, D'Addario and Ernie Ball "baritone" sets will not even get to B-Standard.
Stringjoy is a life-saver.
Have you experimented with 7 and 8 string sets and just throwing out one of them?
This is very strange. Why would you use a bass string?
For drop A you can just get a set of 10s + a single string, something between 60-64 or maybe 11s + 66-70 is you want it higher tension (will sound fatter, rounder and duller).
I really wouldn't go thicker unless you play super hard and really need to tension for intonation (I'd consider getting an evertune or playing softer if it was up to me in that case)
@@TomMAF4 I do play play heavy-handed, so I use a 12-52 Jazz set, and then an individual 70 for the low string.
@@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy ah ok, just as long as it’s an electric guitar 70 gauge not a bass guitar one 👍
Apologies for sliding in to your DMs 😜
just buy the cheepest. ernie balls are great. if they are too flubby buy a step thicker next time.. it's no big sience, just a feel, no right or wrong
This is the best video regarding finding your own string gauges based on what you already have and like.
I'd also recommend Winspear's string gauge calculator because it can tell you what equivalent individual string gauge you'll need (a 46 in E would give you a 52 in D, for example). You could also find the equivalents for different scale lengths and even higher tunings (like if you want a 7-string up to Drop B for whatever reason).
It's all pointless unless you buy the specific brand which the tensions are based off! Different brands have different tensions!
You don't need to look up your scale length. Buy a tape measure if you don't have one!
Bro trying to tell me 20 lbs on 25.5 isnt going to sound like flubb after .68. Lmao
Shhhhh youre giving away the secrets
Tar strings
Still trying to find a setup that makes sense for double drop d# (I just wanna play shit from Heavener...), but it seems like you just need to embrace the slop when tuning that low.
Unfortunately when tuning that low, there’s a point of diminishing returns and the best thing to do is embrace the slop as much as you can
@@KeyanHoushmandLive You should have talked about it when you gave your horrible Drop F example. If I'm not mistaken, you dislike bigger 74 and I agree.
@@KeyanHoushmandLive *Laughs in pitch shifter*
By a guitar w/ evertune and 28"+ scale lenght (27" might be the most you can get without a custom) and try and keep the strings as light as possible
@@TomMAF4 Yeah Solar is the only brand that Ive found that offers a production 29-incher with an evertune. But I really dont like the look of that guitar...
still waiting for some other brands, pref Ibanez or Jackson to create a 28 inch 7 string, cant believe that doesnt exist at all when it does for both 6 and 8 strings...
maddd videos
I love you