Thank you for this, friend. I just got my first baritone guitar, and this’ll help me a lot and take things into consideration! Thank you for being you.
The Bunn also has tons of information about gauges VS scale length VS tuning and his content is Baritone all the way bro! He also runs the Baritone Obsessed FB group which is a cool community for the low-tuned denizens of this world
@@tyrone9180 Nope not at all. I'm talking about the relentless "String Gauges?" comments. I don't consider those to be feedback or suggestions for videos.
For me it's actually about something else that's rarely mentioned: the attack. I'm much closer to the Richardson side of the spectrum exactly because of that, thick strings feel like you're hitting a block of wood and getting a decent, satisfying chug out of them is a wrist killer. This also applies to clean playing, the attack is really flat and sounds really unexpressive (is that a word?) with too much tension. And in fact I think the lower you tune, the lower the tension should be, as you need more attack for clarity. (I use 9.5-44 for E standard, but only a 56 for drop A and it feels and sounds perfect) The other issue is the tuning stability though, as too light strings can be frustratingly easy to whack out of tune, and it's probably the only reason why I'm not going a gauge lower on everything. In my opinion in most cases light-ish tension is better, unless you have massive hands and/or pick like a furious caveman, in which case you'll probably need more gauge for stability. But seriously, heavy strings more often than not feel and sound like shit, and definitely are not better for metal.
You did this right. People have a hard time understanding what intonation and string tension are and this was great to see. The way you explain things is very down to earth and I would hope you do more of these types of videos in the future.
The Jason Richardson source (and more recently for me, Rick Beato's video) really opened my eyes about string gauges. I've since let go of what the internet thinks is best for my guitars and just go with what's comfy. With that said, I do think a lot would find it weird I'm so comfy with a 64 in F# lmao.
The Rick Beato video made go down in string gauges on all my guitars and I love it. From .10s to .09s. Feels nicer, bends easier, and there’s a touch more clarity when chugging.
@@williammarks8266 how do you like that? That sounds horrible to play. I use 10-56 for drop C and honestly, I want to go heavier. 9s must be horrible at staying in tune
10 years ago, before I got confident setting up my instruments myself, I once brought my ESP SS Viper (24.75") to a music store to get a nice setup in Drop C.. My strings were a set of DR DDT's 11-54. The guy looked at me dead in the eye and said "'I'm sorry, but I refuse to set up your instrument with those strings, this will mess up your guitar, you need AT LEAST a 60 for a low C, I wouldn't tune that low if I was you. You need a way longer scale lenght for that tuning". I was like "whatever". I never had any issue for this beforehand. It all comes down to preference and the particular way you play and feel your instrument. I have been playing lately in drop G# on my 25.5" scale guitar with 11-65 gauge strings. I am considering getting a baritone but so far, I had absolutely no issue at all despite the low 65 being floppy from time to time. If you wonder what gauge is right for you for x tuning you are using, just mess around with different sets and go with what you like the most
I think, the lower you tune, the more important this stuff becomes. I had a few weeks and gigs with trial and error, but I finally found my perfect gauges, scale length and feel for my weird tuning. I ended up with thick strings and high tension. And for those who complain about missing attack and clarity, let me tell you, experimenting with amps/cabs and EQ (esp. treble/presence) helps A LOT.
Evertune bridges allow you to use smaller gauge strings for lower tunings which is great imho. I'm only using a .52-.10 set on my 25.5 evertune 6 string for Drop B but then i need to use at least a .62 on my 27" 7 string for A std.
If anyone cares, I’m a rhythm player in a technical death metal band and I feel really comfortable play 13-70 gauge in C standard/Drop A# - my bands lead guitarist plays 12-64 but does way more lead shredding and tapping In case any newer players were looking for a personal experience, we play 6 strings and I 100% know I use thick strings, but it’s what works for me, I tried out 12-64 and it just wasn’t enough for me, also tried 14-74 and that was a tad too much, quite frankly trial and error will help you find your sweet spot, mine just so happens to be a 13-70, we both play 25.5 inch 6 string LTD’s
I totally get that man, I have 60-12 on my Schecter Hellraiser right now in D Standard (I play death metal as well), and it's quite comfortable. I cut back a slight bit to tune there now, I think 56-12, but C Standard is honestly pretty hard to get tense on a standard scale, at least for my liking. I was using Mammoth Slinky's for C for a while
Since both of my 7 string guitars are an extended scale, 26.5" and 27" scale, I usually use .9 - 59 for B standard and 10 - 59 for A standard. Just feels better for me.
is not about the sound alone, but the sound and the feedback when playing, hence it contributes to a difference of sound, because is related to the playing dynamics, but it is very subjective, lighter strings are easier to play but that changes the sound not based on what the passive manner pickups capture the magnetic field, but because the different gauge of the strings changes the way a player perceives the strings (tension, feel) that changes the attack and input.
I think you can basically experiment with a few sets. I see a lot of peeps around use like .56 or .58 for drop C. After a few set-changes, I came to the conclusion that a .50 or even .48 works best for me in drop C (25.5 scale). What I'm saying is all for 6 strings guitars, as I don't have any 7s or 8s. I don't need my guitar fighting me. With a .52 I went as low as A# and it was fairly ok, I also used .54 for A# but it starts feeling a bit T H I C C. If the guitar is good, my opinion is I'd never go thicker than .58, and it can take a drop G very well. Keep this in mind: the thicker the string, the darker the sound. And I personally don't want that. As for the high strings, I now have a .10 - .52 set in drop C which is perfect. For lower tunings I'd go .11 on the high strings, or maybe .13 in some extreme cases. Experiment, see what feels and sounds good for you. Don't go and buy a .62 set and put it in drop C just because your favourite TH-camr does this. It's all subjective. Thanks for the video, Andrew!
I use 10 - 59 for drop Ab on a 7, my scale length is fan fret 25.5 - 27. I try to go for the lightest I can get away with before intonation/tuning issues. However, this is all up to preference so don't be afraid to experiment with different string gauges and find what works for you. Edit: I forgot to mention for 6 strings I use 10 - 52 for drop C, 25.5 scale length.
10-52 Drop C is by far my favourite. No other tuning/gauge combination Feels THAT good to me. For Drop A# (25.5) I use 12-64, for Drop B just 11-54. I don’t understand it either, but for A# that thick string just feels right to me 😂
I used to play .52 gauge strings and I really thought they were good for going down to drop B but then I got a new guitar and they had .46 gauge strings and I loved the way they played and was shocked that it didn’t matter that my strings weren’t super thick and I could go to drop B & A no problem
Back in my show playing & record recording days, I used to use a Shecter Tempest Custom with EMG85s in the bridge and neck with .72 in the low E spot as I turned BEADGB. Worked awesome, felt great.
I like using 11's in standard tuning (doesn't matter how many strings the guitar is.) It's more of a feel thing for me. There's a tone difference too, but it's really because I like the feel.
On my 25.5 scale 6 string I used to use 11-54 for E standard to Drop B, then I changed to 12 - 62 mammoth skinkies set for anything From E standard to a djonty Octave tuning GGCFGD. Now I use the same set but replace the Low 62 for a 76. So i have a 25.5 with 12, 16, 24w, 34, 48, 76 in anything from Drop C# to around an F# Octave tuning. It works for me :)
I did the string calculator and ordered two different sets of strings. I'm very eager to try them out. Your video was excellent, thank you for all the info!
I play guitar in a progressiv metal band with 7 string guitars. We’re going down to drop A at the bottom string and leave the rest in standard. So I found a set of 0.09 to ? Strings from Ernie ball. I thought there will be to less tention. But it wasn’t. The tone, feel and grip was just amazing. And you can bend your high strings up to Kazakstan and back btw. So I recommend the opinion of Jason Richardson. I will always use strings with a much lower tention so I have the feeling!
I don't play guitar as much as I used to, so my fingers aren't as strong as they used to be. I now need the strings to be a bit looser, so I use 10-46 D'Addarios in D Standard. For Drop-C I use 10-52s.
I use 10-46 on my 25.5 inch scale superstrat for any tune from e standard to drop c# and 12-60 on my 24.75 inch scale Les Paul for any tune from drop c to drop A#. also some time later I will by a 7 string guitar with some kind of 11-70 for drop A to Drop F#
Really like this video, very informative, THANK YOU for stressing feel! I don't see a lot of people stress feel enough so they end up leaving people more confused than when they started.
I guess everyone is throwing gauges out there, so I'll join in. My Jackson 7 string has a 26.5" scale, and I'm currently using .80-.14 on it for F# Standard and F Standard. My other Jackson is a Monarkh, with a 24.75" scale, and I'm using .50-.11 for E standard. Finally, my Schecter Hellraiser, 25.5" scale, has .56-12. for D standard. I string my guitars heavy because I pick pretty hard, and often fret hard when slamming power chords. I string mostly for writing, and I play a fusion of death/doom/black metal.
@@k.a.m_dh9959 Yeahh, I honestly kind of do hahaha. It suprises me how comfortable my 7 string sits though. It's pretty easy to play for having a bridge cable
My ec-1000fr, a 24.75 scale length, is setup with drop c/d standard with 64-12 strings. When I go back to a e standard prs se with 42-9 strings my picking becomes much easier. It's like lifting weights for your pick hand. Both guitars sound awesome in their own ways. The 8 string however... 27" scale length, .80 is way too floppy and rolls out from under my finger while fretting, I can't stand anything above a mid .60--.70 for low string. 7 string is my sweet spot. Like any hobby, just experiment, research, and see what works for you. Like Andrew says, a string tension calculator will help a ton. Would recommend you take your guitar to an actual luthier for proper set up to change string gauges, before you mess with it, if you aren't exactly sure what you are doing.
I use 52's on my low E (six string guitar) tuned down to drop G#. Personally I like the "Baw" sound It makes and I can play down to drop F without worrying about going out of tune. (Scale length is 25.5 in) Note: this works mainly because of how the G ,B, and high E string are tuned. I don't tune them down more that 2 whole steps when playing low tunings. (I hate to say this but) see the tuning of "Doomsday" by Architects to get a good idea of how to deal with thin strings in low tunings.
Guitar Center hates me for asking them “can my 6 string guitar go as low as drop a” and “what is the best gauge for metalcore” I get it, I’m new at this shit. Much appreciated though 🤣
Completely agree with you! It’s always about feel and preference. Thanks for posting that list of strings you use. I see you only do drop E for the 8 strings. Been running a regular set of 8 string for my 7 string Steph carpenter 607(same green one you have) and it’s super sloppy for a clear drop E. I’ll be going for a custom kalium set that uses a .74 or a .80. On the low E. I’m mainly a bassist, and to do a solid drop E I’m using a kalium .192 string lol. It’s super thick but I honestly wouldn’t know if there’s a ‘thinner’ gauge that can replicate that low E like that.
95% of the time I use 10-52 gauge strings just because I generally play in anything from Drop C to Standard tuning. Here lately though I’ve dropped one of my 6 strings down to Drop A because I don’t have my 7 string anymore. It does surprisingly well with the 10-52 but I just bought a set of 11-54 for the low tunings for that guitar and I look forward to seeing how differently it feels and sounds.
All I care about is that my strings can hold their tuning. If a certain gauge works better for a certain tuning,that's what I go for. Also,who doesn't play above the twelfth fret? That's where all the fun happens
Although no one asked but I use either misha's 58 set or daddario 56 set for drop c. Issue is most string sets for drop tunings are not balanced meaning too loose on the lows and to tight on the highs.
i think it might come down to pick and picking style. I think the brighter your natural picking/pick sound it the heavier the gauge your ears will want, because tone doesnt start at ZERO, its start at the point you are at once you add up your amp, speakers, guitar wood, strings, fingers, technique, pick material/thickness and technique .... THEN .. you adjust from there. so its impossible to say which string gauges are the "best". now lets talk about which socks are best for studying ... :/ LOL still a fun video ... rant away ...
One thing I think really worth pointing out as a lot of people forget in relation to intonation and gauge, and that is prob far more important: There IS an order for setting up your guitar (!) if your neck and action is all over the place... your intonation will be a nightmare, in fact if your action is totally jacked, you may not even be able to intonate even remotely at all, which can be quickly fixed... Point being, this often drives people who have never bothered to setup their guitars professionally or properly to think slapping a thicker gauge on will solve the problem: it will not, and your tone will suffer as you choke the energy out of the string as a result. Setup your guitars! I think it really should go without saying it's a matter of preference... Ultimately the best thing you can do In my opinion, is buy a few different packs and try for yourself and know first hand experience what the effect is going to be. Period. For me personally, I like fairly balanced tension and use as thin as gauge as i can get away with... it's more articulate, and preserves the attack and sustain instead of choking it under high tension... the opposite of what I used to do when I was younger... how things have changed ;)
and really it's also all about how you setup and your hand playing power tho. i use 11-48's for drop B and A# and i don't have no "wobbly string" problems.
A few years ago I managed to get 12-60 work in drop a# on a 24,75” 6-string but now I can’t make 12-62 work in drop a on a 27” baritone 6-string. The 62 is way too floppy. I don’t know if I pick way harder nowadays or what the hell is going on. I’ve played Earnie ball 13-72 in drop a for a while now on my baritone and it works great for me.
The bane of my fucking existence. I feel like vomitting everywhere just looking at those two words. I wish I was a dad that only played teles in standard tuning.
I know i am late, i don't have problem playing Drop B with ernie ball hybrid slinky, 9-46 , on 25,5 inch guitar scale, maybe because i dont push too hard
I have always thought the lighter string gauges sound great for Gothenburg style riffing. Interesting to hear Jason Richardson’s thoughts. Thicker gauges seem to lose that bite and sound a little more woofy. Not that they aren’t great in other aspects
Hey ! Could you please help me out ? As someone who's new to guitar and just got one, I play in Drop B what string gauge should I use ? The standard ones (probably tens) feel too thin for me too play and the low strings in general feel like they're too thin to be anywhere close to Drop B [It's an Ibanez guitar for reference of scale, also my hands are huge and I hit the strings hard] Ernie Heavy bottom top lows, maybe ?
Start here, start.daddario.com/publish/DADDropTuning.aspx, and scroll down to the "Drop Tuning Tension Guide" table. For reference, Misha Mansoor uses the EXL117 set (green "D Tuning", with the heavier top) for drop C instead of the EXL116 because the heavier top string is less floppy in drop tuning. Drop B is a C# tuning with the top string dropped. Second, an Ibanez likely has a 25.5" scale, whereas a Gibson would have a 24.75" scale. That doesn't sounds like much, but size 10 long feels like size 11 short. So EXL117 or EXL148, depending how stiff you want them to feel. It's a one-time expense; just try a pack of each for a week.
@@blendernoob64 You don't need as much tension as you think for most guitars. It's the 9-string guitar you should worry about. You need a bass string for your bottom 9th string I swear. 145 on my 9th string for my RG9QM. -WintermintP
I currently have my Jackson in F Standard, and it's .80, .62, .50, .38, .28, .18, .14 (If I'm remembering correctly). For Drop F, I'd suggest going a few points lighter than that, depending on how hard you play. Maybe the .80 for the F, with .56-.12 for the rest of the guitar in C standard
Very interesting you nailed it. One thing I learned was scale length is key 30 inch length in f# standard 14-68 is just prefect not super heavy feels just right. On the bass side of things unfortunately f# standard on a 34inch scale includes a 184-57 on a five string which hurts like hell. They need to make a cheaper 37inch bass! Damn you dingwall prices!!
58 on F# how the hell does that not become fishing wire? I dont mind playing as thin as possible. the problem is just tension. Even with a 27 scale in drop G# i need a 74 to get something usable.
I legit said F all y’all youtubers and went against the Ernie Ball & D’addario grain lol I like to use LaBella 10-64 in Drop G. The 25.5” scale on my dean ML select 7 works well with those gauges. I didn’t say F y’all disrespectfully, but years ago when I was looking for strings, everyone and their brother were using EB’s and D’addario, and I just didn’t dig them. I can’t explain the feel of these strings but it’s just different on my fingers. Also, they’re not too bright, not too dull, they’re just nice. And they last fooooorrrreeeeeever lol.
Interesting! I really like the gauges they sell but hate the feel :/ For my 7 (26.5, Drop A) I absolutely love the 9.5-64 set by Strandberg*. It‘s balanced so nice. Also works nice in Drop G#.
just use the calculator and keep 120 pounds of tension on all the strings and the thicker strings with a little bit more tension than the thinner strings and that's it, play and see if it works and adjust accordingly
You shouldn't have a guitar any shorter than 27" regardless of tuning, but 80 is plenty enough for E1. Unless you're playing 25.5" or shorter, but for any tuning you shouldn't go any shorter than 27". For anything lower than C1 a minimum of 30" is an absolute must but such guitars are rather hard to come by unless you manage to get a custom deal, and even then you'll never get away with not using strings with triple digit gauges. -WintermintP
Okay. I’m a huge newbie. I was recommended Ernie’s Beefy strings for Drop D/C. Went to put the low E String on and barely got it wrapped around the nut before it snapped. I don’t get why that happened?
I will say without context and without watching the video; I strung my Gibson SG Standard with Ernie Ball 12-56 and can officially play 7 string tunings without upping the scale length. So IMO yes string gauge matters😂
Picking hard is never a good idea. If you want to play tight you need to lock to the grid. To lock to the grid you want minimal movements on your hands. That's not to say you should use lighter gauges on the bottom strings, though. For the bottom strings you need a minimum of 16lbs of tension, and you probably want 20lbs just to be safe. The further away from you the string happens to be, the less tension and less force in playing you need on it. -WintermintP
@@NeoGarlick Yea I know. That's why I said you should stop. You need less energy to bring out the meanest sounding chugs than you think, it'll surprise you. -WintermintP
@@NeoGarlick You probably want to be modest/moderate with your picking. Let the distortion do the work. It's just like how metal singers don't use nearly as much energy doing screams than you think. -WintermintP
For A List Of My String Gauges Here:
►bit.ly/2nnDhmY
But seriously what gauge strings are those?
What string gauge did you use for this video?
9 - 11
I'm gonna SOOOOOOO link this video to everyone asking me hahaha
Thank you for this, friend. I just got my first baritone guitar, and this’ll help me a lot and take things into consideration! Thank you for being you.
What tuning?
The Bunn also has tons of information about gauges VS scale length VS tuning and his content is Baritone all the way bro! He also runs the Baritone Obsessed FB group which is a cool community for the low-tuned denizens of this world
@@floridaboy9641 it’s a 29.75 scale, so I’m just gonna try to get it to E Standard, but an octave down
@@TorqueBow did you get a danelectro?
Me: "What string gauge should I buy?"
Stringjoy: "Yes."
My question is never that mines aways “what tuning are u in. “
This is incredibly informative. So for the love of god LEAVE THE MAN ALONE....PAY ATTENTION WITH YOUR EYES AND EARS.
Just to be sure though... -
And fingers
are u mad at people for giving him feedback on videos to make so they can watch them, grow his channel, and pay him lol
@@tyrone9180 Nope not at all. I'm talking about the relentless "String Gauges?" comments. I don't consider those to be feedback or suggestions for videos.
For me it's actually about something else that's rarely mentioned: the attack. I'm much closer to the Richardson side of the spectrum exactly because of that, thick strings feel like you're hitting a block of wood and getting a decent, satisfying chug out of them is a wrist killer. This also applies to clean playing, the attack is really flat and sounds really unexpressive (is that a word?) with too much tension. And in fact I think the lower you tune, the lower the tension should be, as you need more attack for clarity. (I use 9.5-44 for E standard, but only a 56 for drop A and it feels and sounds perfect)
The other issue is the tuning stability though, as too light strings can be frustratingly easy to whack out of tune, and it's probably the only reason why I'm not going a gauge lower on everything. In my opinion in most cases light-ish tension is better, unless you have massive hands and/or pick like a furious caveman, in which case you'll probably need more gauge for stability. But seriously, heavy strings more often than not feel and sound like shit, and definitely are not better for metal.
TLDR which string gauge is better for metal? 😏
@@nathanstatham5022. Nylon bottom, bronze phosphor top.
You did this right. People have a hard time understanding what intonation and string tension are and this was great to see. The way you explain things is very down to earth and I would hope you do more of these types of videos in the future.
The Jason Richardson source (and more recently for me, Rick Beato's video) really opened my eyes about string gauges. I've since let go of what the internet thinks is best for my guitars and just go with what's comfy. With that said, I do think a lot would find it weird I'm so comfy with a 64 in F# lmao.
The Rick Beato video made go down in string gauges on all my guitars and I love it. From .10s to .09s. Feels nicer, bends easier, and there’s a touch more clarity when chugging.
Can I use .110’s for drop B on a BC Rich Warlock
I recommend 12’s
What else?
Lol did you watch the video at all 😂
I literally use 9s and im always switching between drop b and c on my fender Stratocaster
@@williammarks8266 how do you like that? That sounds horrible to play. I use 10-56 for drop C and honestly, I want to go heavier. 9s must be horrible at staying in tune
10 years ago, before I got confident setting up my instruments myself, I once brought my ESP SS Viper (24.75") to a music store to get a nice setup in Drop C.. My strings were a set of DR DDT's 11-54. The guy looked at me dead in the eye and said "'I'm sorry, but I refuse to set up your instrument with those strings, this will mess up your guitar, you need AT LEAST a 60 for a low C, I wouldn't tune that low if I was you. You need a way longer scale lenght for that tuning". I was like "whatever". I never had any issue for this beforehand. It all comes down to preference and the particular way you play and feel your instrument. I have been playing lately in drop G# on my 25.5" scale guitar with 11-65 gauge strings. I am considering getting a baritone but so far, I had absolutely no issue at all despite the low 65 being floppy from time to time. If you wonder what gauge is right for you for x tuning you are using, just mess around with different sets and go with what you like the most
I think, the lower you tune, the more important this stuff becomes. I had a few weeks and gigs with trial and error, but I finally found my perfect gauges, scale length and feel for my weird tuning. I ended up with thick strings and high tension. And for those who complain about missing attack and clarity, let me tell you, experimenting with amps/cabs and EQ (esp. treble/presence) helps A LOT.
Evertune bridges allow you to use smaller gauge strings for lower tunings which is great imho. I'm only using a .52-.10 set on my 25.5 evertune 6 string for Drop B but then i need to use at least a .62 on my 27" 7 string for A std.
string go brr?
This is the Way
If anyone cares, I’m a rhythm player in a technical death metal band and I feel really comfortable play 13-70 gauge in C standard/Drop A# - my bands lead guitarist plays 12-64 but does way more lead shredding and tapping
In case any newer players were looking for a personal experience, we play 6 strings and I 100% know I use thick strings, but it’s what works for me, I tried out 12-64 and it just wasn’t enough for me, also tried 14-74 and that was a tad too much, quite frankly trial and error will help you find your sweet spot, mine just so happens to be a 13-70, we both play 25.5 inch 6 string LTD’s
I totally get that man, I have 60-12 on my Schecter Hellraiser right now in D Standard (I play death metal as well), and it's quite comfortable. I cut back a slight bit to tune there now, I think 56-12, but C Standard is honestly pretty hard to get tense on a standard scale, at least for my liking. I was using Mammoth Slinky's for C for a while
Since both of my 7 string guitars are an extended scale, 26.5" and 27" scale, I usually use .9 - 59 for B standard and 10 - 59 for A standard. Just feels better for me.
is not about the sound alone, but the sound and the feedback when playing, hence it contributes to a difference of sound, because is related to the playing dynamics, but it is very subjective, lighter strings are easier to play but that changes the sound not based on what the passive manner pickups capture the magnetic field, but because the different gauge of the strings changes the way a player perceives the strings (tension, feel) that changes the attack and input.
I think you can basically experiment with a few sets. I see a lot of peeps around use like .56 or .58 for drop C. After a few set-changes, I came to the conclusion that a .50 or even .48 works best for me in drop C (25.5 scale). What I'm saying is all for 6 strings guitars, as I don't have any 7s or 8s.
I don't need my guitar fighting me. With a .52 I went as low as A# and it was fairly ok, I also used .54 for A# but it starts feeling a bit T H I C C.
If the guitar is good, my opinion is I'd never go thicker than .58, and it can take a drop G very well. Keep this in mind: the thicker the string, the darker the sound. And I personally don't want that. As for the high strings, I now have a .10 - .52 set in drop C which is perfect. For lower tunings I'd go .11 on the high strings, or maybe .13 in some extreme cases.
Experiment, see what feels and sounds good for you. Don't go and buy a .62 set and put it in drop C just because your favourite TH-camr does this. It's all subjective. Thanks for the video, Andrew!
Exactly. I’m one of those people who uses 11-58 (from a 7 string set on to a 6 string) for drop C and it feels perfect.
@@theders8590 im using a 13-72 strings for drop g#-drop a on 24.75 scale
I use 10 - 59 for drop Ab on a 7, my scale length is fan fret 25.5 - 27. I try to go for the lightest I can get away with before intonation/tuning issues. However, this is all up to preference so don't be afraid to experiment with different string gauges and find what works for you.
Edit: I forgot to mention for 6 strings I use 10 - 52 for drop C, 25.5 scale length.
10-52 Drop C is by far my favourite. No other tuning/gauge combination Feels THAT good to me.
For Drop A# (25.5) I use 12-64, for Drop B just 11-54. I don’t understand it either, but for A# that thick string just feels right to me 😂
I used 56 for drop c on a six string. Mainly because I loved the tension and it would still play great when I tuned down to drop A
I used to play .52 gauge strings and I really thought they were good for going down to drop B but then I got a new guitar and they had .46 gauge strings and I loved the way they played and was shocked that it didn’t matter that my strings weren’t super thick and I could go to drop B & A no problem
I have been searching for anwsers to my question for ages. It all makes sense now thank you.
Back in my show playing & record recording days, I used to use a Shecter Tempest Custom with EMG85s in the bridge and neck with .72 in the low E spot as I turned BEADGB. Worked awesome, felt great.
I like using 11's in standard tuning (doesn't matter how many strings the guitar is.) It's more of a feel thing for me. There's a tone difference too, but it's really because I like the feel.
Good way to snap your guitar in half.
@@AustinBrake98 that is not possible with 11 gauge strings. They are not heavy LOL
On my 25.5 scale 6 string I used to use 11-54 for E standard to Drop B, then I changed to 12 - 62 mammoth skinkies set for anything From E standard to a djonty Octave tuning GGCFGD.
Now I use the same set but replace the Low 62 for a 76. So i have a 25.5 with 12, 16, 24w, 34, 48, 76 in anything from Drop C# to around an F# Octave tuning. It works for me :)
I did the string calculator and ordered two different sets of strings. I'm very eager to try them out. Your video was excellent, thank you for all the info!
thanks for the string tension calculator honestly, that stuff is pretty interesting
I play guitar in a progressiv metal band with 7 string guitars. We’re going down to drop A at the bottom string and leave the rest in standard. So I found a set of 0.09 to ? Strings from Ernie ball. I thought there will be to less tention. But it wasn’t. The tone, feel and grip was just amazing. And you can bend your high strings up to Kazakstan and back btw.
So I recommend the opinion of Jason Richardson. I will always use strings with a much lower tention so I have the feeling!
I don't play guitar as much as I used to, so my fingers aren't as strong as they used to be. I now need the strings to be a bit looser, so I use 10-46 D'Addarios in D Standard. For Drop-C I use 10-52s.
I use 10-46 on my 25.5 inch scale superstrat for any tune from e standard to drop c# and 12-60 on my 24.75 inch scale Les Paul for any tune from drop c to drop A#. also some time later I will by a 7 string guitar with some kind of 11-70 for drop A to Drop F#
Really like this video, very informative, THANK YOU for stressing feel! I don't see a lot of people stress feel enough so they end up leaving people more confused than when they started.
Sometimes I think people ask just cause for metal it’s hard to find comfortable and balanced string gauges.
I guess everyone is throwing gauges out there, so I'll join in. My Jackson 7 string has a 26.5" scale, and I'm currently using .80-.14 on it for F# Standard and F Standard. My other Jackson is a Monarkh, with a 24.75" scale, and I'm using .50-.11 for E standard. Finally, my Schecter Hellraiser, 25.5" scale, has .56-12. for D standard. I string my guitars heavy because I pick pretty hard, and often fret hard when slamming power chords. I string mostly for writing, and I play a fusion of death/doom/black metal.
Lol I use 62's for my 25.5 scale length Ibanez when I tune to drop F#... You must like the tension of suspension bridges
@@k.a.m_dh9959 Yeahh, I honestly kind of do hahaha. It suprises me how comfortable my 7 string sits though. It's pretty easy to play for having a bridge cable
Thanks for posting this. I try not to ask this as it is very personal to everyone and how the guitar is set up
My ec-1000fr, a 24.75 scale length, is setup with drop c/d standard with 64-12 strings. When I go back to a e standard prs se with 42-9 strings my picking becomes much easier. It's like lifting weights for your pick hand. Both guitars sound awesome in their own ways.
The 8 string however... 27" scale length, .80 is way too floppy and rolls out from under my finger while fretting, I can't stand anything above a mid .60--.70 for low string. 7 string is my sweet spot.
Like any hobby, just experiment, research, and see what works for you. Like Andrew says, a string tension calculator will help a ton. Would recommend you take your guitar to an actual luthier for proper set up to change string gauges, before you mess with it, if you aren't exactly sure what you are doing.
I use 52's on my low E (six string guitar) tuned down to drop G#. Personally I like the "Baw" sound It makes and I can play down to drop F without worrying about going out of tune. (Scale length is 25.5 in)
Note: this works mainly because of how the G ,B, and high E string are tuned. I don't tune them down more that 2 whole steps when playing low tunings. (I hate to say this but) see the tuning of "Doomsday" by Architects to get a good idea of how to deal with thin strings in low tunings.
I hate going in and out of tune from just hitting the strings slightly harder. I use 11-58 for D standard/drop C
Guitar Center hates me for asking them “can my 6 string guitar go as low as drop a” and “what is the best gauge for metalcore” I get it, I’m new at this shit. Much appreciated though 🤣
Completely agree with you! It’s always about feel and preference. Thanks for posting that list of strings you use. I see you only do drop E for the 8 strings. Been running a regular set of 8 string for my 7 string Steph carpenter 607(same green one you have) and it’s super sloppy for a clear drop E.
I’ll be going for a custom kalium set that uses a .74 or a .80. On the low E. I’m mainly a bassist, and to do a solid drop E I’m using a kalium .192 string lol. It’s super thick but I honestly wouldn’t know if there’s a ‘thinner’ gauge that can replicate that low E like that.
95% of the time I use 10-52 gauge strings just because I generally play in anything from Drop C to Standard tuning. Here lately though I’ve dropped one of my 6 strings down to Drop A because I don’t have my 7 string anymore. It does surprisingly well with the 10-52 but I just bought a set of 11-54 for the low tunings for that guitar and I look forward to seeing how differently it feels and sounds.
I use 10/52 paradigm strings on my tele I ideally I wouldn’t do that but it’s sick!
All I care about is that my strings can hold their tuning. If a certain gauge works better for a certain tuning,that's what I go for.
Also,who doesn't play above the twelfth fret? That's where all the fun happens
Although no one asked but I use either misha's 58 set or daddario 56 set for drop c.
Issue is most string sets for drop tunings are not balanced meaning too loose on the lows and to tight on the highs.
Great video, i hope this guy get much attention from the viewer and some company will endorse him.
And he should make a metal band too.
i think it might come down to pick and picking style. I think the brighter your natural picking/pick sound it the heavier the gauge your ears will want, because tone doesnt start at ZERO, its start at the point you are at once you add up your amp, speakers, guitar wood, strings, fingers, technique, pick material/thickness and technique .... THEN .. you adjust from there. so its impossible to say which string gauges are the "best". now lets talk about which socks are best for studying ... :/ LOL
still a fun video ... rant away ...
One thing I think really worth pointing out as a lot of people forget in relation to intonation and gauge, and that is prob far more important: There IS an order for setting up your guitar (!) if your neck and action is all over the place... your intonation will be a nightmare, in fact if your action is totally jacked, you may not even be able to intonate even remotely at all, which can be quickly fixed... Point being, this often drives people who have never bothered to setup their guitars professionally or properly to think slapping a thicker gauge on will solve the problem: it will not, and your tone will suffer as you choke the energy out of the string as a result. Setup your guitars!
I think it really should go without saying it's a matter of preference... Ultimately the best thing you can do In my opinion, is buy a few different packs and try for yourself and know first hand experience what the effect is going to be. Period.
For me personally, I like fairly balanced tension and use as thin as gauge as i can get away with... it's more articulate, and preserves the attack and sustain instead of choking it under high tension... the opposite of what I used to do when I was younger... how things have changed ;)
and really it's also all about how you setup and your hand playing power tho. i use 11-48's for drop B and A# and i don't have no "wobbly string" problems.
A few years ago I managed to get 12-60 work in drop a# on a 24,75” 6-string but now I can’t make 12-62 work in drop a on a 27” baritone 6-string. The 62 is way too floppy.
I don’t know if I pick way harder nowadays or what the hell is going on.
I’ve played Earnie ball 13-72 in drop a for a while now on my baritone and it works great for me.
The bane of my fucking existence. I feel like vomitting everywhere just looking at those two words. I wish I was a dad that only played teles in standard tuning.
Dope ass FSociety shirt.
I know i am late, i don't have problem playing Drop B with ernie ball hybrid slinky, 9-46 , on 25,5 inch guitar scale, maybe because i dont push too hard
I have always thought the lighter string gauges sound great for Gothenburg style riffing. Interesting to hear Jason Richardson’s thoughts. Thicker gauges seem to lose that bite and sound a little more woofy. Not that they aren’t great in other aspects
Hey ! Could you please help me out ?
As someone who's new to guitar and just got one, I play in Drop B what string gauge should I use ?
The standard ones (probably tens) feel too thin for me too play and the low strings in general feel like they're too thin to be anywhere close to Drop B
[It's an Ibanez guitar for reference of scale, also my hands are huge and I hit the strings hard]
Ernie Heavy bottom top lows, maybe ?
Start here, start.daddario.com/publish/DADDropTuning.aspx, and scroll down to the "Drop Tuning Tension Guide" table. For reference, Misha Mansoor uses the EXL117 set (green "D Tuning", with the heavier top) for drop C instead of the EXL116 because the heavier top string is less floppy in drop tuning. Drop B is a C# tuning with the top string dropped. Second, an Ibanez likely has a 25.5" scale, whereas a Gibson would have a 24.75" scale. That doesn't sounds like much, but size 10 long feels like size 11 short. So EXL117 or EXL148, depending how stiff you want them to feel. It's a one-time expense; just try a pack of each for a week.
I use .008 on all 8 strings tuned to D-0. Sounds terrible, but it is sooo metal
It definitely matters a bit. The only reason you can use light strings if you’re using low tunings is if you have an evertune
I have never seen a more painful "What's up guys, Andrew Baena here" greet.
I use 11s
I think its all about setup. I have a guitar with 10 guage slinkies tuned to drop A.
Yes. From personal experience, yes, it does very much matter.
It’s an eternal struggle to balance between thickness of gauge and scale length.
i use the string tension calculator and then the gauges that i got for drop c i cant find anywhere.
so strings are a preference with additional info on what may fit for you
Scale length?!?
scale length?
I use .12-52 gauge. For drop turning. And .9for anything else. Blues or 80s metal.
Drop F 26.5” Seven strings?
9-80 set minus the 64 will do just fine. I play Drop F with 9-80 set on an 8. -WintermintP
I used a skinny too heavy bottom and 70 for the low b for drop f and that was pretty nice!
@@blendernoob64 You don't need as much tension as you think for most guitars. It's the 9-string guitar you should worry about. You need a bass string for your bottom 9th string I swear. 145 on my 9th string for my RG9QM. -WintermintP
@@WintermintP bruh you don’t need to sign off on every single one of your comments lmao
I currently have my Jackson in F Standard, and it's .80, .62, .50, .38, .28, .18, .14 (If I'm remembering correctly). For Drop F, I'd suggest going a few points lighter than that, depending on how hard you play. Maybe the .80 for the F, with .56-.12 for the rest of the guitar in C standard
Also bridge to nut scale is way more important to intonation than string gauge imo
Very interesting you nailed it. One thing I learned was scale length is key 30 inch length in f# standard 14-68 is just prefect not super heavy feels just right. On the bass side of things unfortunately f# standard on a 34inch scale includes a 184-57 on a five string which hurts like hell. They need to make a cheaper 37inch bass! Damn you dingwall prices!!
It may be your lucky day. Spectre just released a new model with the same 34" - 37" scale ;)
There are a few multi scale basses that cost less than a dingwall. I'd look some up and see if you could get a used one on reverb or ebay.
tried to learn something but was jamming out to the background music.
It matters way more than we think
I totally understand normal scale guitars, but recently got a 7 and used normal scale logic and got disappointing results.. thanks Andrew!
58 on F# how the hell does that not become fishing wire? I dont mind playing as thin as possible. the problem is just tension. Even with a 27 scale in drop G# i need a 74 to get something usable.
I legit said F all y’all youtubers and went against the Ernie Ball & D’addario grain lol I like to use LaBella 10-64 in Drop G. The 25.5” scale on my dean ML select 7 works well with those gauges. I didn’t say F y’all disrespectfully, but years ago when I was looking for strings, everyone and their brother were using EB’s and D’addario, and I just didn’t dig them. I can’t explain the feel of these strings but it’s just different on my fingers. Also, they’re not too bright, not too dull, they’re just nice. And they last fooooorrrreeeeeever lol.
Interesting! I really like the gauges they sell but hate the feel :/
For my 7 (26.5, Drop A) I absolutely love the 9.5-64 set by Strandberg*. It‘s balanced so nice. Also works nice in Drop G#.
just use the calculator and keep 120 pounds of tension on all the strings and the thicker strings with a little bit more tension than the thinner strings and that's it, play and see if it works and adjust accordingly
Very helpful video thanks man !!
This is not a joke, would a .105 work for drop E
What’s the scale? My initial thoughts are no unless it’s 25.5 or max 26.5
@@finnancahill2644 I lied, it's a bit of a joke
@@nottristan6209 and here I was trying to help:/
@@finnancahill2644 No worries, I appreciate you :3
You shouldn't have a guitar any shorter than 27" regardless of tuning, but 80 is plenty enough for E1. Unless you're playing 25.5" or shorter, but for any tuning you shouldn't go any shorter than 27". For anything lower than C1 a minimum of 30" is an absolute must but such guitars are rather hard to come by unless you manage to get a custom deal, and even then you'll never get away with not using strings with triple digit gauges. -WintermintP
Love the mr.robot t shirt
Yeah that's great and all but what pick gauge do you use?
Sick Mr.Robot shirt!
He finally did it! HE DID IT!
11's are perfect for drop C. 12's for drop B
It matters a ton! But there's also preference.
It really doesn’t matter on the string gauge, it’s all based on your preference and what feels comfortable
7:40 "the pitch goes up and then snaacks back into place"
The thinner the string the beeger the snaccc
@@BaenaCarcosa more snacccing!
Mr. Robot t-shirt to the max
So what string gauges do you use
Now it's time for pick gauge
uploaded 23 hours ago? ok i'll watch
what brand or exact model of strings should i get for my baritone 7 string guitar?
btw what string gauge did you use for this video? lmao jk love the vids
great video, informative! thanks
What gage strings should I use for my drums?
And there is me, using 9-42 for drop B lol
Okay. I’m a huge newbie. I was recommended Ernie’s Beefy strings for Drop D/C. Went to put the low E String on and barely got it wrapped around the nut before it snapped. I don’t get why that happened?
Great video.
Can you pleaseeee cover heavy is the head that falls with the weight of a thousand thoughts by loathe
I will say without context and without watching the video; I strung my Gibson SG Standard with Ernie Ball 12-56 and can officially play 7 string tunings without upping the scale length.
So IMO yes string gauge matters😂
i use 0.11 string gauges but i want more tune stability (i pick very hard) so i want to use 0.13 string and a 65 on the 6 string to drop A#
Picking hard is never a good idea. If you want to play tight you need to lock to the grid. To lock to the grid you want minimal movements on your hands. That's not to say you should use lighter gauges on the bottom strings, though. For the bottom strings you need a minimum of 16lbs of tension, and you probably want 20lbs just to be safe. The further away from you the string happens to be, the less tension and less force in playing you need on it. -WintermintP
@@WintermintP I do that XD
@@NeoGarlick Yea I know. That's why I said you should stop. You need less energy to bring out the meanest sounding chugs than you think, it'll surprise you. -WintermintP
@@WintermintP ok i gonna pick up my guitar and test it : ]
@@NeoGarlick You probably want to be modest/moderate with your picking. Let the distortion do the work. It's just like how metal singers don't use nearly as much energy doing screams than you think. -WintermintP
Thumbs up for Fsociety
It does matter