13-68 gauge strings on baritone?!?!

[jkkkjkhk]

Sorry if this has been covered before, I searched quite a bit. I'm ordering a custom 7 string baritone soon and I'm trying to figure what strings to get it setup for. The guitar mine is based off of is Matt Heafy's prototype white ML, which was an upscaled 7 string baritone ML as well. So anyways he said in an interview he used 13-68 strings in B standard or somewhere around there (he couldn't quite remember). Currently I have 14-65 (I think 11-49 or 12-52, minus the high E, plus the low B) on a 25.5 scale 6 string in B standard (7 string B, not 6). The tightness makes the low B sound great but I still want the clarity and intonation of a baritone. But I'm wondering how insane 13-68 would be on a 27 or 28" scale guitar in standard. What would that be equivalent to, has anyone ever tried something near this, would you guys be nervous to put that kind of tension on your guitar?

Thanks in advance

 

[sh4z]

I have played a Ibanez MMM1 28" scale 6 string with a D'addario XL157 .014 to .068 set tuned in B standard .. It actually felt okay! (to me) surprisingly the longer length actually makes it feel different its hard to explain. I wouldn't expect to pull of insane finger bends on the top register but yeah it was definitely usable IMO. On a similar note those same strings worked well for G# on my 25.5" 7 string

Obviously the size gauge you use will affect the tonality of your guitar... This could be better or worse depending on your taste. I like the sound of lighter gauge strings on the extended scale too. This has been discussed a fair bit in the forum already

I am actually also in the process of quoting up a custom 7 string baritone (Extended scale somewhere in the 28"-29" range)

If the guitar is well built there should be no problem putting heavier gauge strings on it. the MMM1 is not a cheap and flimsy guitar its a signature model.

I run a .013 to .062 set on my 6 string tuned in C standard. (It's a 25" scale, if it was longer I would lighten the gauge a bit)
I like to dig into the strings when I play metal so it helps to have a nice heavy gauge on there
If you adjust your technique there is no reason why you can't use a lighter gauge on there too!

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Thanks, and yeah as I'm sure you can tell I prefer tighter strings. Not easy to bend on but sounds great for rhythms. This custom will be strictly a rhythm guitar, unless I get really used to the gauge and can pull off leads. I was never a fan of 7 strings but Trivium's Shogun is what got me into them, never heard a low B with clarity like that. I really don't like the loose B strings that most bands have always used.

 

[drmosh]

I have played a Ibanez MMM1 28" scale 6 string with a D'addario XL157 .014 to .068 set tuned in B standard .. It actually felt okay! (to me)

Yeah, I've done that on my MMM too. But imo lighter strings just sound better

 

[MF_Kitten]

the surprising thing is that longer strings also gives you more flexibility. Less stiffness.

 

[NeoGenus59]

the surprising thing is that longer strings also gives you more flexibility. Less stiffness.

That is untrue. With a constant tuning.. longer strings = more tension = more force = more stiff.

 

[jwade]

I used a 62-13 set on my 28" scale baritone tuned to CFA#D#GC and it was way too tight. Dropping that to A was really good.

 

[newamerikangospel]

I have 74s on my 26.5 schecters tuned a half step down. The strings feel tighter, but that extra length can be felt with the strings bending more easily (because the string is longer).

 

[rockskate4x]

13-62 is plenty for a B baritone. I wouldn't go any higher than that. feels tighter than 11s in E on your daddy's old strat.

 

[Rick]

That is untrue. With a constant tuning.. longer strings = more tension = more force = more stiff.

Check the date next time, that's a big necrobump.