Have string manufactures not caught on to the extended range market?

[Najka]

what is the general consensus on strings for extended range players? Do you often find yourself not being able to find an off the shelf string pack and having to "Frankenstein" sets or buy singles?

what problems do you run into when selecting strings for down tuning, are there any particular string gauge set you wish was readily available off the shelf? or are people generally able to find exactly the set they need right off the shelf?

 

[phillybhatesme]

I just ordered a set of customs from Stringjoy - my first time using them so I'm excited.

 

[AwakenTheSkies]

I don't understand why I have to use light top / heavy bottom strings if I want to tune in Drop something? Why? I'm only down tuning 1 string. Why do I need increased tension on the other two? Why are packs with only 1 thicker string so rare or non existent?

And the common 8 string sets are kinda sketchy too.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

Another question would be, what are your favorite musicians using? I've read/watched vids where some will make custom sets. Other well known Artists have signature packages.

Guess it depends on what you're trying to do...imitate someone or their sound or come up with something unique.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

Even for B standard tuning on 7 strings, standard guitar string sets make no sense at all. The tensions are all over the place. The low string in a standard Ernie Ball set is a 56 which seems absurd to me, and the 59 in D'Addario sets is barely any better. I don't think either company even offers their higher end coated strings in anything other than 10s, either.

So yeah, Stringjoy it is.

 

[nightsprinter]

Is what it is. The String Source and Stringjoy are pretty good. Custom sets just make sense for EGR with all the random tunings people use. I like to craft my own sets based upon what work for me so I can optimize the tension I prefer and get nice tapered .085s and so forth that can fit in tuners without getting all Dr. Giggles with a drill.

 

[Dayn]

I don't really have any problems anymore. In the beginning, over 15 years ago, yes.

Then I used La Bella. Then I used Kalium. Then I used Winspear, which I still do now. I also use Newtone because my 10-string is the only thing that I can't find strings for, and Newtone offers custom strings up to .120 in stainless steel guitar strings, so that's sorted.

But yes, the only explanation for big names and their weird sets is that they must be crackheads. "People use 7- and 8-string guitars? Oh they must want to tune low. How do they tune low? They use big strings. Make 'em big! Err, wait they have more than 6 strings on their 7- and 8-string instruments? Fuck if I know, just throw something on it."

 

[phillybhatesme]

I saw 11 up top and grabbed this set but if I were really smart I would have mimic’ed the gauges of strings 4-6 that I normally use, which are 30, 42, and 52 but not the end of the world.



The Stringjoys are gonna go on soon (I think 90 might be overkill lol).

 

[Lozek]

The struggle is real. I'm currently having to tune to drop C with a low G for an artist I'm working with, getting the low string to be tight for the occasional fast picking but keeping the top strings loose enough for feel and vibrato has been a real struggle with off the shelf packs. I've ended up going for a 9-46 with a single low 64 at 27". It's really unbalanced size wise, but seems to get everything where it needs to be with enough clarity and feel.

 

[Acoustik]

If you think it is bad for electric extended range, try finding strings for an acoustic! I have not ordered in a few years, but have to have a dealer special order single low strings for my Schwartz Pinnacle Fingerstyle 7 string from the manufacturer in bulk, which I add to a standard 6 string set.

For my Strandberg 8 string, I have no issues and order stock "optimized" sets.

 

[PerfectCandor]

I like to craft my own sets based upon what work for me so I can optimize the tension I prefer and get nice tapered .085s and so forth that can fit in tuners without getting all Dr. Giggles with a drill.

Before I say anything else, I want to address the "tuner hole drilling" idea with a replacement tuner option (a lot more costly in the short term but not over a few years and I love them). Tone Ninja has 8 string locking tuner sets starting at $65 (for chrome inline sets) that can fit up to .086 strings on the 7th and 8th strings. I got a gold 4x4 set and they cost me $85 and are fantastic tuners well worth the cost.

The Stringjoys are gonna go on soon (I think 90 might be overkill lol).

Just out of curiosity, what are you tuning to and what scale? I have had good results with 10-85s on a straight 27" tuning to DGDGCFAD. I like CFCFA#D#GC a ton tho and might experiment with your gauges though I may stick with the .085 lol.

In my experience, the main problems are found in what physical stores have in stock since you can find just about anything online. I am lucky, the Ernie November in my town is a heavy-music-and-spiritual-store-with-some-special-glassware-place that has metal shows and tons of metal records so, while they don't carry instruments, they have a decent string selection for heavier stuff in the 6- and 7-string realm. I do have to do some frankensteining though. Even the other small music store in town (mostly for middle/high school band yk) just has 2 Fender and 2 Ernie Ball sets and when I'm at, say, a Guitar Center out of town I'm kind of shocked by how awful/little the big name brand options are.

Most 8 string sets suck for any setup/tuning/scale imo. The Strandberg optimized set actually seems great but I stuck with my Stringjoy custom set and ordered a .085 from Sweetwater for each for not much more. I had good luck with LaBella string sets when I played 7s (only 6s and 8s now). When looking for strings for tuning low on 6s I use DR strings DDT sets which are some affordable and high quality strings that have good tension balance imo.

I tried some of the "better" D'Addario sets for 8s but wasn't satisfied. I have exclusively used Stringjoy custom sets for my 8s for a while now except for the previously mentioned Strandberg string, and in terms of 5 string basses either get a stringjoy custom set or just get a higher tension 4 string set and order a .140/.145 from Stringjoy.

 

[phillybhatesme]

Just out of curiosity, what are you tuning to and what scale? I have had good results with 10-85s on a straight 27" tuning to DGDGCFAD. I like CFCFA#D#GC a ton tho and might experiment with your gauges though I may stick with the .085 lol.

On the 6-string - drop D, so the 52 isn't necessary, but I don't bend a lot and the thicker strings helps prevent accidental bends for me (no, I refuse to get better, i will buy hardware that helps me with my hindrances lol). I also wail with the right hand, so 52 on the D feels a hell of a lot better than 46.

On the 8-string - probably only gonna go as drop E? Is that the right way to word it? I'm so fucking accustomed to playing in drop D though, I'll probably still drop 6 to D, keep 7 as B (minor 3rd relationship between 6 and 7 with this tuning which is really gnarly), and E as 8, but I'm up in the air about this.
But not anything lower, I don't think.

 

[PerfectCandor]

The minor third from 7th to 6th sounds sweet, have to try soon.

 

[crushingpetal]

If you think it is bad for electric extended range, try finding strings for an acoustic! I have not ordered in a few years, but have to have a dealer special order single low strings for my Schwartz Pinnacle Fingerstyle 7 string from the manufacturer in bulk, which I add to a standard 6 string set.

For my Strandberg 8 string, I have no issues and order stock "optimized" sets.

Bad for bass, too. Dingwall makes two sets for 37", but not much else.

 

[gh0styboi]

I never realized what a problem this was until I got an 8 string with a 28.8" scale and a baritone 6 with a 30" scale, but to be fair, I'm tuning down to at least E1 on those, so I get why it's sort of specialized. So many strings in heavier gauges for the lower strings come with long tapers that don't reach far enough for extended scale stuff. For my 8s, I go with stringjoy. I love their strings anyway, but the taper is long enough for my guitars under 29", but for the baritone Gretsch, I have to go with Bass IV sets, which are kinda limiting.

I'm finding that - at least for me personally - a 28" scale is pretty much ideal for 8s or anything that tuning lower than F#.

 

[ErockRPh]

I just ordered a set of customs from Stringjoy - my first time using them so I'm excited.

I wish other manufacturers did custom sets the way Stringjoy does. I use custom Stringjoys on most of my guitars to dial in the tension I like for the tuning and scale length on that particular guitar. I also prefer a wound G on certain guitars. They are good strings, but not my top choice. I would prefer coated strings (usually DR Black Beauties) for my downtuned stuff, and I use 9-42 NYXL's for my Strat in E Standard.

 

[phillybhatesme]

The minor third from 7th to 6th sounds sweet, have to try soon.

You asked and I forgot to answer - 26.5-28” scale.
The minor third is really cool. It forces me into new positions and shapes.

 

[JimboLodisC]

I switched to Stringjoy over a year ago, great strings, made the next state over from me, seem like decent people, and they do custom sets.

Then there's Kalium, The String Source, and Cleartone who also make strings and offer custom sets. And in the UK there's Winspear Instrumental and Newtone Strings.

I'd say these days we've got some options. A couple decades ago it was always me buying a 6-string Ernie Ball set and hoping the shop had a single .066 or .068 in stock or else my 7th string would have to stick around for the next restring.

 

[Hollowway]

We're definitely not the norm, here, with extended range, multi scale, etc. The vast majority of guitars are still 25.5" or 24.75" sixxers. As such, that's what the majority of string packs will be. I pretty much only buy custom or single packs, now. Like, I have a boat load of .008 and .009 packs, because I break those the most. But otherwise I calculate what I need and put in a custom order.

 

[WillyTheMLGPro]

I get my custom sets from Newtone as they're the only company I'm aware of that do the gauges I use in custom sets and custom tapering.