Am I a tension freak? (Drop A content)

[DjentDjentlalala]

Hey guys! I had a 59.for low A some time ago.Didnt feel good.Then I put a .65 bass string in it,and...it still feels pretty loose.Maybe playing bass fucked up my feel? for drop A I mean A E A D G B E.All other strings are 10-46 or 9-42.I like the feel of the 9 for higher strings,but I miss the .46 for E.

Anyone has the same problem??

 

[xeL]

There are people on here with .070+ guages for their As and Bs.

D'Addario make guitar singles up to .080 so the set above and one of those could be a nice choice.

 

[spaghettipomodoro]

Scale length? On my Carvin DC727 (25.5") I've got a .68 for D standard (ADGCFAD) and it's more or less ideal for me.

 

[Jason_Clement]

Sort of. 59 was too loose for me. I tried a 68 and it was way too tight. I'm aiming for around a 64-66 for my next string, a nice in betwee 59 and 68 I think playing with a "bass" string would probably fuck it up a little, yes. Try a normal 64 or 66 guitar string.

Also, I found a LaBella set of strings recently since I have the same problem as you -- i like lighter tops and heavier bottoms. It goes from 9-46 and adds a low 64. so I'm thinking about ordering some of those, probably like 5-10 packs and seeing how that goes

Here's the link, Welcome to La Bella Strings! and this is the set
HRS-71 / .009-.011-.016-.026w-.036-.046-.064

 

[Rook]

Bass strings are made differently to guitar strings, try a 64 gauge guitar string. For standard tuning with a B on the bottom I'm currently using an 11-49 set with a 64 on bottom, feels perfect.

 

[spaghettipomodoro]

Really? I mean though the 68 can be uncomfortably thick, it's still not as tight as I'd dream it to be. If I go any thicker though I'll sap more clarity from my tone. :S

EDIT: Awaiting the inevitable that's what she said jokes within this thread

 

[Jason_Clement]

When it comes to wanting more tension, you can only go so heavy before you lose a lot of tone, I find. That's why extended scales are becoming more and more popular these days. I like a bit more tension myself. I used to play with 11s on my 25 inch 6 string, and now that I have a 26.5 scale I use 9-46s

 

[Tranquilliser]

I play in G# with a 70.
tension is whatever you prefer, man.

 

[TRENCHLORD]

I prefer 19-21 pounds for my wounds. (nice ryhm'n eh)
For plains I'm at 14#(.014/A), and 13#(.010/D)

 

[KiD Cudi]

No. Jeff Loomis is a tension freak he used a 10-52+70 set in Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb on a 26.5" scale length guitar.

 

[Bigfan]

10-46+68. It's what I use for drop G#.

Also, never use bass strings on guitar, Gianmaria

 

[Quitty]

13-72 for B standard, ya pansies!

 

[loktide]

it really depends on the guitar as well as personal preference. i've used everything from .54 to .72 for Bb depending on the instrument

 

[Jakke]

I use .56 for #A, but that's a baritone. For my standard scale I use .52, but that one does not go below B.

 

[Blackheim]

Well I find a .064 tight enough and bright enough for a 25.5 scale. So yeah you are a tension freak. Also, the building method on bass strings is different from the building method for guitar string (thus affecting attack, sustain and warmth of the string).

 

[peagull]

Honestly, I think bass strings are deceptive anyway. If I understand correctly, bass strings a re constructed differently than guitar strings by most major manufacturers.

I recently got a guitar using a .090 bass string on a 27" scale. I had it tuned to G, and while there was more tension than the .064 I had on my other 27" scale guitar, not enough to account for such a large gauge difference. To me it felt similar to a .074 guitar string tuned to G.

 

[rythmic_pulses]

.62 for Bb on a 26.5" scale neck, I'm nowhere near as bad as you guys yet HAHA!

The .62 suits me down to the ground, regarding that I tune my 7 to Bb, F, Bb, Eb, F, Bb, Eb these days, the tension is just fine

 

[knuckle_head]

I like the feel of the 9 for higher strings,but I miss the .46 for E.

Anyone has the same problem??

If you like a .046 for E you ought to have that as you second string. If you want similar tension for A as the .046 has at E you are looking at a .073 to do the job.

For drop A I suggest .073 .047 .035 .026 .019 .015 .011 for balanced tension. A light top set that has a .009 on top would be something like .073 .047 .035 .026 .018 .013 .009

 

[quoenusz]

thinner pick's help, i heard nolly uses pretty thin picks

 

[mniel8195]

i use a 74 for my 25.5 its in drop A#