8-string Gauge for Standard E with a dropped E1

[metalfiiish]

Good afternoon fellow music enthusiasts!

I just purchased my first 8-string guitar, an Ibanzez RG2228. I have been an avid 6-string player for years and honestly didn't get turned onto the ERG until I found Tosin Abasi. So naturally I want to start off playing as close to his style as I can.

I read different articles about string gauge and have decided I want to go for the 9-74, if possible DR's. I have only been able to find this range from no-name string makers and can only find 10-74 for popular string makers. I want to aim for the Standard E tuning with a Dropped E1, again like Tosin, I like his methodology for use of the upper strings.

Does anyone have a known store I can buy these DR 9-74's? If not any other well known brands? I'd prefer not to push above 74.

Thanks for any useful advice!

 

[JoeuJGM]

First off, to the forums! As far as the 9-74 DR set goes, I can't seem to find it anywhere, but I was able to find the 10-74 set at juststrings.com
DR Strings Electric Guitar Tite-Fit Nickel Plated Steel 8-String, .010 - .075, TF8-10

D' Addario also has a 10-74 set, with a little heavier bottom end:
D'Addario Electric Guitar 8-String XL Lite Top Heavy Bottom, .010 - .074, EXL140-8

I use Kalium strings for my 7 and they're some of the best I've ever used, I've been converted by this forum, and I can't recommend them enough! Here's their 8 string sets, I think they have just what you want:
Circle K Strings - 8 String Guitar Sets | Page 1 of 4

There's quite a few options, so also maybe check out the Ernie Ball 8 string sets as well to see if it suits your needs. Hope this helped!

 

[metalfiiish]

Thanks for the time, I dug thru the site you gave me. Couldn't find a 9-74 but did find a 9-73 which is damn close, will demo them out this week when they get in. Worst case I'll get a 74 and throw t on, but doubt it would make a difference. Maybe I'll slowly change out till I get to the 80 everyone seems to like lol.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Circle K rules
That 9-73 set is probably based on standard tuning F#
Thus I'd error on the thicker side of 74 to drop E

 

[metalfiiish]

Got a good place to buy single 74 string? that site didn't have any unfortunately >< I also don't see it in my local Guitar center's stock.

 

[Go To Bed Jessica]

74 for drop E is woefully inadequate. The tension is really low, particularly in comparison to the other strings. Unless you play with a super light picking hand you're going to have ever trouble with keeping the pitch even (ie. It will go sharp when you hit it and flatten as the note rings out aka BEEEEEOOOOOOWWWRRRRR).

9-84 is the best drop E set I have found so far.

 

[metalfiiish]

Doesn't that require me to drill out the hole for the string on my guitar?

Also to help assist me, what scale length are you at? 27, 28 30?

 

[Oreo-Tan]

Doesn't that require me to drill out the hole for the string on my guitar?

Also to help assist me, what scale length are you at? 27, 28 30?

Your RG2228 should have a 27" scale. I'd say a Circle K 10-82 set would do you fairly well, or a 10-86 for the drop tuning. It probably will require you to drill out the tuner, but the hole should still fit it on the saddle end.

If you want, you could buy an Elixir Nanoweb .80 bass string, since they're wound the same way as their guitar strings, and you'd have an easier time getting them single. Only issue is that they're expensive.

 

[metalfiiish]

How the hell does Tosin have some non-existent string gauges lol. Well I already bought 9 gauges earlier in the day. Will try to mess with them and if the whole set is bad I'll buy a whole new 10 gauge set, if not I'll just try that 80/82. Thanks for the insight gang.

 

[Ben.Last]

DR Tite-Fit Nickel Plated Steel Electric Guitar String Set - 8-String

Don't ever say I didn't do anything for you.

 

[metalfiiish]

I had seen that one but it's not 9-74 ><. Thanks for the link though. Since the Circle K site didn't have a 74-75 I might think about that 10-75 if the string I got really aren't working out. ....ing anxious...my guitar gets here on Thursday.

 

[Winspear]

For a low E you really need a Kalium (circle k) 86 or 90 to reach regular tension. Standard sets with the 74 are imbalanced nonsense even for F#

 

[beavis2306]

Hey man, I can vouch for the above comment. I use a circle k 90 for f# on my 27 inch 8. I would actually go bigger for drop E too. Any less tension on my 8th string and it sounds mushy. It sucks as i would dearly like to get that tension on a smaller string as i think the size of that string is detracting from the tone but any less and it sounds shite in chords.

 

[GreatWhiteYeti]

I have no problem with E on an 80 from DR or the 75 for F/F#. I raised the bridge on my 2228 and it's given me 0 issues. What works for some doesn't work for others I guess.

 

[Winspear]

Yep not saying it can't work Just in terms of tension it's like replacing the E of a 10-46 set with a 40, running a 40 next to a 36 etc. Worsened by the fact that these 8 string sets typically have even thicker strings for the standard portion. The tension of a 74 F# certainly isn't unplayable but it is super slinky and unbalanced with the rest - in E however it is very useless

 

[GreatWhiteYeti]

Indeed! it's a compromise between tension and maintaining that attack of the smaller gauge to me. I wish there was a 70-75 with the tension of something way higher.

 

[Winspear]

Kalium strings previously Circle K have that exact property Not 'way higher' - equal tension at about .0025 less than most brands. But it helps! They also perform better tonally at the same gauge anyway due to their construction so there's another bonus. In short you could say a Kalium 65 has the tension of a regular 68 with the tone and feel of a 62, say. Feel being flexibility under the fingers but not in a loose sense, and without any of the negative aspects (i.e. buzz). They are strange and magical things.

 

[Ben.Last]

I have a .074 on one of my 8s and a .080 on the other, both in drop E. Even the .074 is not close to unusable.

 

[Ben.Last]

Kalium strings previously Circle K have that exact property Not 'way higher' - equal tension at about .0025 less than most brands. But it helps! They also perform better tonally at the same gauge anyway due to their construction so there's another bonus. In short you could say a Kalium 65 has the tension of a regular 68 with the tone and feel of a 62, say. Feel being flexibility under the fingers but not in a loose sense, and without any of the negative aspects (i.e. buzz). They are strange and magical things.

This sounds like the exact opposite of the info on their site and what I was told when I got in touch with them through email. By all accounts, you need to get a larger gauge of their strings to match the tension of other brands. Although it appears this information was removed from the site, as I can't find it on there now, and I didn't save the emails. So, it's possible this has changed, I guess.

 

[Winspear]

That would have been talking about the feel aspect in my last sentence, it sounds. They can feel lighter which some people may not like, while they are infact pulling more tension, alleviating buzz, pitch instability etc. If someone didn't like that you may want to go thicker than usual (which would give you an even more stable tone) I suppose That would have been why that info was on the site, but personally I shoot for a tension for stability rather than feel by itself