Need Advice tuning down

bobster7 · #1 01-02-2013, 02:57 PM

Hi im learning a piece where the 6th string has to be tuned way, way down to G# and its quite floppy to say the least as one might expect. Im using medium strings. Any advice on string makes or guages that could handle this tuning would be most appreciated. The rest of the strings sound great just the 6th thats proving to be a complete....

Im using a good quality 14 fret OM guitar (Freshman FBF400) although have other guitars at my disposal (see signature).

Any advice would be most welcomed

.

The piece im learning is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFQm6xnVRD0

Ceabeceabe · #2 01-02-2013, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobster7

Hi im learning a piece where the 6th string has to be tuned way, way down to G# and its quite floppy to say the least as one might expect. Im using medium strings. Any advice on string makes or guages that could handle this tuning would be most appreciated. The rest of the strings sound great just the 6th thats proving to be a complete....

Im using a good quality 14 fret OM guitar (Freshman FBF400) although have other guitars at my disposal (see signature).

Any advice would be most welcomed

.

The piece im learning is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFQm6xnVRD0

Hi -

Are you using a capo on the and the same interval of tuning both as listed in the youtube vid; AFCFCF or 3R5R5R ? If so, what about losing the capo or re-setting the capo and tuning the first few strings to something more workable?

Or you could get one ore more baritone guitar strings, but be warned that might affect the string grooves at the nut or the saddle...as well as the overall string tension poundage on the guitar...

Curtis

ljguitar · #3 01-02-2013, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobster7

Hi im learning a piece where the 6th string has to be tuned way, way down to G# and its quite floppy to say the least as one might expect. Im using medium strings. Any advice on string makes or guages that could handle this tuning would be most appreciated. The rest of the strings sound great just the 6th thats proving to be a complete....

Im using a good quality 14 fret OM guitar (Freshman FBF400) although have other guitars at my disposal (see signature).

Any advice would be most welcomed

.

The piece im learning is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFQm6xnVRD0

Hi bobster...

His text on YouTube says the 6th is A (and he may not be tuned to A=440), which is still really low. So in his mind, he's not all the way to G#, his A is just flat. What's the scale length on your Freshman 14 fret?

If you were to find a .059 string it might work that low. That is the bass string from a set of 'Heavy' gauge strings (at least D'addario's heavy set). You might have to order a whole set of D'Addario heavy strings just to steal the .059 out of them. Nobody seems to sell singles any heavier than .056.

The guy on the video playing that string pretty easy and rattling all over the place. But it sounds pretty cool...very intense.

JonPR · #4 01-03-2013, 03:57 AM

G# that low is the same pitch as 4th fret on a bass guitar E string. Given the different scale lengths, 4th-fret-to-bridge on bass is about the same as an open string on guitar, which suggests that the ideal string guage would be similar to a bass guitar E - of which the lightest is usually around 0.100!

He's obviously not using a string that heavy in that video - which is why (as lj says) it's rattling around a bit, and is also not very audible. The less tension on the string, the quieter it will be, as well as more prone to fretbuzz, and going sharp when you fret it.
So I'd suggest striking a happy "medium" (woops

) between a heavy guitar 6th (56 - 59?), and a bass guitar string. It wouldn't have to be an E (100+), it could be an A (80-95) or a D (60-75). (A bass G would be lighter than a guitar E.)
Naturally, it won't sit fully in the nut groove, but that shouldn't matter, as it's only being fretted higher up anyway, as far as I can see.

I don't know if you'd need to worry about bass string tension on an acoustic. I don't know how much more pull they exert. But a bass A or D should be fine, they will be at less tension anyway when tuned down to G# on a shorter scale length. (And in this tuning, 3 of your other strings are also at less tension than usual.)

bobster7 · #5 01-03-2013, 10:24 AM

Food for thought, thanks for all the replies guys

He is definately tuned down to G# as he send me a recording of the tuning. He also mentioned he uses light strings and suggested i use the same? I currently use mediums anyway and would have thought that lights would be more likely to rattle and lack tone?

I think his stuff is fantastic, check out his game of thrones solo!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r9N9er_i84

or last of the mohicans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHFV-BgeQh4

Epic

Rodco · #6 01-03-2013, 02:19 PM

I do a lot of experimenting with string gauges and lower tunings and I use this string gauge calculator:

http://wahiduddin.net/calc/calc_guitar_string.htm

I have found it to work well for me. Find the tension you want from strings you already use and buy singles to experiment.

JustStrings.com sells John Pearse singles that go up to 76. I have not gone that big on a 25.5 neck, it may work, but sometimes even if the math works out it doesn't necessarily sound great.

D'Addario Phosphor Bronze singles up to 70. The 80/20's go up to 59.

Here are their single string brands:

http://www.juststrings.com/guitarsinglestrings.html

Assuming you are tuning to an A1 on a 25" neck, a 70 would give you just under 20 lbs of tension. Not great, but playable if you are not wailing on the string. A few more pounds would make a difference.

Tuning keys string holes are not sized the same. Some keys, especially older ones are .0625 and would need to be drilled out to accommodate larger strings.

Regardless of the tuning key, the nut would need to be modified. If done properly you can switch from larger gauge back to your normal with out a lot of issues. I do a lot of my own work for minor changes, but I have screwed up a couple of nuts and had to pay to get them replaced.

The song is very cool, but a longer scale would make a big difference and you would have more flexibility with string gauges.

Hope this helps, happy to answer more questions.

JonPR · #7 01-03-2013, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobster7

Food for thought, thanks for all the replies guys

He is definately tuned down to G# as he send me a recording of the tuning. He also mentioned he uses light strings and suggested i use the same? I currently use mediums anyway and would have thought that lights would be more likely to rattle and lack tone?

So would I. In fact, the string does lack tone, quite clearly - although I don't hear much rattling.
Why not ask him what guage he uses on that 6th?

If that's really a light guage 6th he must have a feather-light touch.