.14's on my Universe

[EverDream]

I just bought .013 - .084 strings for my schecter c7, and tuned it from low E to B, I usually use .010 - .060 tuned from A to D, so this was the same thing except just each string was bumped over 1 and the .084 was added to make a low E, i.e. EADGCFA.

I mainly did it because I was just curious what I could do with an extra low E, and what I found was that the tone was way too dark on it, just too thick, definitely great for bass but use as a guitar was too dark, no real punch to it. So yeah, and also I don't find that the thicker strings hurt my fingers the only thing I notice is, it takes a little more effort to move around and like someone said before shredding is basically out of the question.

As far as tension goes, my schecter is 26.5" scale length, and so I use the string gauges I'd normally use to tune my 25.5"s to standard tuning (low E for 6 string, low B for 7 string), but I just tune down 1 full step, so therefore that's why I tuned to EADGCFA instead of F#BEADGB. And of course the only way to get a thinner gauge string to be able to tune to the low E I was using, and not be like rubber bands, would be to use a full length baritone guitar like 30" or even a bass, lol. Has anyone ever tried using a bass as a guitar? Like putting thin strings on it so it is like under 20 lbs. of tension. I'm gonna have to buy a bass and try that. After all I love trying things, that's probably more fun to me then even playing! well almost, lol.

Oh and also the lowest I've tuned my guitar was with the strings I have now (13-84) and I tuned down to low low A, and I actually did the bassline of a downtuned song, it was like rubber but it sounded good it gave the slappy noise of a bass, it gave it presence, lol. Anyway I know I'm insane, so I'll stop talking now, later!

 

[dpm]

Ya pussy!
.065 bass string for me in B.
I setup a hardtail RG last week with 10 - 52 + 65 and the dude's brought it back to change guages.
Hold tight.......
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Standard e - B tuning
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12, 17, 24, 32, 44, 59, 80

 

[Ancestor]

10-60 for my Bb to Eb 7 and 14-70 on the 7 I keep in G

On my 6 I use 10-46 in Eb

 

[Drew]

Yikes, some of you guys are seriously troubled.

SRV sgtrung so heavy because the man had a picking attack on par with your average jackhammer. Heavier strings sound a bit more "compressed" than lighter strings, and if you're hitting the strings that hard, you NEED something pretty heavy to keep your dynamics in check. I don't know if he ever articulated it out that clearly himself, but the "big strings give better tone" argument of his comes from the fact that he likes a heavy picking attack, and that on a strat driving a Fender, you basically need something to take the edge off, lol.

I don't buy the "heavy strings sound better than thin ones" argument - they're different, not necessarily better. I was stringing pretty heavy for the longest time (10-52 on my strat) but listening to a solo I recorded right after switching back to 9's, I found that it was really the first time I'd got close to the Satriani-sort of vibe I was going for. At the time, my amp was a Mesa Rocket-44, a fairly compressed, smooth, dark amp, and the brighter, more dynamically open response I was getting from the lighter strings worked better with my setup.

I haven't tried heavier strings on my UV yet... maybe I should, my hands are back up to the point where I coul;d bend 10's without difficulties (having a 5-string bass kicking around the apartment is a godsend for your fretting hand, lol)

-D

 

[eleven59]

I don't use heavy strings because it "sounds better", I use them because with the way I play they don't stay properly in tune if I use anything thinner, and it just feels right this way for me.

 

[jim777]

I use 10's on everything except the jazz boxes, which get TI Flat 12's.

 

[Metal Ken]

Yep, typically it was 13-56 in Eb tuning. I've even heard tale of him using up to a 60 for the Low E!!! According to NUMEROUS articles & interviews I've read, the man had the biggest & strongest hands of anyone around.

I heard he messed up his hand and had to go back to a lighter guage... Like, he was getting carpal tunnel or tendonitis or something. ...

 

[Leon]

I use 10's on everything except the jazz boxes, which get TI Flat 12's.

you know, i've always wondered... can you play metal on flatwound strings? i've kinda been wanting to try it since i played on a flatwound strung bass. of course, it was a fretless bass, so i dunno how flatwounds would react to a fretted guitar that's getting played metal on lol.

 

[seven skrang]

you guys are screwed!! universes wernt meant for such gauges, i know i have one and its supper temper-mental

 

[dpm]

I've had 10-65 on my UV for 10 years. Solid as a rock, no issues.

Where'd Drew's post go before my last one? Now mine's totally out of context lol

The 12 - 80's went well btw. A little heavy for me but they intonated really well, and the trussrod handled it fine.

 

[Drew]

First page, bro.

Yeah, my 7620's neck actually seemed happier with 10's than with 9's - I would get some sporatic buzzing at the 14th fret with 9's with low action, that'd totally go away when I put 10's on it and set it up similarly. It's weird.

 

[Digital Black]

SRV also used the flat/broad side of his pick.
Unless you tune down, heavy strings have no advantage for metal music.
Clean, jazz and blues-yeah no doubt..
Also, I think pinch harmonics are easier on lighter gauges..

 

[Shannon]

Wildalien - About 5 years ago, I tried a set of 11-65 Flatwounds on my 7. My verdict on flatwounds in metal....crap. They are known for having a mellow attack that works well for jazz, but I just couldn't get the attack & defination that's needed for high-gain metal applications. Oh well, you don't know until you try.

Seven Skrang - You can get almost any string gauge to work, provided you set up the instrument for "said" string gauges. Just because your UV is tempermental, it doesn't mean that other UVs are. I should know...I've owned 3. Sometimes, the guitar needs to replace the guitarist & they'll do anything you ask of them.

 

[jacksonplayer]

I'm at the opposite specturm of all you guys--I use .008-.052 on my 7-string at the moment, and I'd like to go a little lighter on the low-B if I could find anyone that actually stocked a .050 string--and I tune down a half-step, to boot!

I may have to start ordering custom sets. Having gotten carpal tunnel syndrome before, light strings and low action are the order of the day--I haven't had a recurrence of CTS in quite awhile. I find that thinner strings give you more articulation and control if you have a light picking touch, like I do. Each note in a chord rings out more clearly, even with gobs of distortion, whereas with heavy strings I find that everything runs together a bit.

 

[Ezekiel_77]

Out of curiousity, I tried 13-74 tuned down a 1/2 step to Bb. It damn near killed me and the guitar. After that, I dropped it down to Low F tuning. F'n metal!

man can you even hear that note... that would sound like a truck going 1kmph right next to you while taking a shower in a cabin

 

[Drew]

Having gotten carpal tunnel syndrome before, light strings and low action are the order of the day--I haven't had a recurrence of CTS in quite awhile. I find that thinner strings give you more articulation and control if you have a light picking touch, like I do. Each note in a chord rings out more clearly, even with gobs of distortion, whereas with heavy strings I find that everything runs together a bit.

I fought off a bout of tenitis back in the day too, and while lighter strings help, cl;eaning up your playing posture helps much more. I'm back to 9-56's, and contemplating 10's, and am having no problems. Of course, my picking attack is a bit heavy for 8's, so I sorta had to.

 

[jtm45]

I'm at the opposite specturm of all you guys--I use .008-.052 on my 7-string at the moment, and I'd like to go a little lighter on the low-B if I could find anyone that actually stocked a .050 string--and I tune down a half-step, to boot!

Is that with a 25.5" scale-length ?
I'd like to use a .009-.052 set on my 7 if i could but i just can't see me being able to get enough tension.

What guitar is it that you use that gauge on and what type of bridge has it got?

 

[Kane]

Wildalien - About 5 years ago, I tried a set of 11-65 Flatwounds on my 7. My verdict on flatwounds in metal....crap. They are known for having a mellow attack that works well for jazz, but I just couldn't get the attack & defination that's needed for high-gain metal applications. Oh well, you don't know until you try.

I've been using flatwounds exclusively for several years. I usually use .12's or 13's, whichever is available. Personally, I love flatwounds and wouldn't play without them anymore. I get plenty of attack and definition.

 

[Shannon]

man can you even hear that note... that would sound like a truck going 1kmph right next to you while taking a shower in a cabin

Hell yeah, it's audible. Check out Meshuggah's last 3 CDs (Nothing, I, Catch 33). Courtesy of their 8-string guitars, all tracks are in Low F except for a few on Nothing, which are in Low E and Eb!!!