Setting a guitar up for big strings and low tunings?

[GibsonVGuy]

What guitar(six string) are you using for crazy low tunings, like A or below? I'd like to get another guitar to setup for this. What all does it require?

*I am guessing another nut and to drill out the tuner hole to fit the string?
*Modify the bridge saddle to fit the string?
*Something else I am missing here?

My #6 will be probably be a 65...

Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[skeels]

You'd be surprised at how well guitars will accept mega-strings and low tunings. I play sevens mostly and my biggest string is an 85. My lightest is a 17 and that's the only unwound one. I did have to drill out the tuning post a hair but be careful- there's not much there to work with! I use bass strings- usually three or four, depending on the set- and I found that I can unwind the last few inches of the string to expose the next winding underneath; this allows me to feed the end through the peg. Watch the nut and bridge- sometimes the big big strings will sit up enough in the grooves to give them room to vibrate. You don't want the action on the other strings too high and you don't want the bigger strings so low that they buzz up and down the neck. You gotta give 'em room to go "buaaooooooaaaoooooowwwnggggg" when you whack 'em. Also, if you can find a long-scale like an old danelectro baritone or something, that accomodates the strings and tunings a lot better. standard scale you have to be careful with- I had a cheap 6 set up to mimic my tuning as a back-up before I ever had more than one seven and the tension (or lack thereof) gave me problems.
Experiment and you'll find something that works for you!

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

You shouldnt need a new nut, just file it.

 

[SirMyghin]

The biggest issue would probably be action. Biggers strings need more clearance.

 

[Dvaienat]

I have sets of 15-74 gauge strings on my guitars tuned down to C or B. That is quite a bit of tension for C/B tuning. If I was to go to A/Ab then it'd be a 16-80 set. Most guitars take these type string gauges and low tunings very well. I've never encountered intonation or setup problems. Anything up to a 70 fits most tuners, a 65 fits all. If it doesn't, use a .078 drill bit to drill it out. I've never needed to file my nut.

Apart from that, just do the ususal procedures (if they need doing). Intonation, truss rod and action. If you are not adding or taking tension, then the truss rod won't need to be touched. Just reset the intonation. If you encounter fret buzz, then raise the action slightly.

 

[budda]

I run 12-60 on my 25" guitar in Drop Bb (C standard). Widened nut, widened bridge saddles, full set-up. Plays like butter, sounds like a beast:

SLUGEATER | Free Music, Tour Dates, Photos, Videos

 

[Laxdude67]

You'd be surprised at how well guitars will accept mega-strings and low tunings. I play sevens mostly and my biggest string is an 85.

dude that must be RETARTED tension hahahaha, but more power too you! I tried out a 13-68 set in drop A# (a la bjorn gelotte) on my les paul. HATED IT! the tension was still not agreeing with me when i dropped it further down to Ab...

years of thick strings helped a great deal when i switched back to 6's in drop d though

to the OP, some people will recommend you just tune down with .09s, while others recommend bass strings. use a tension calculation to find out numberwise where you're comfortable. For example, if your current set up with 11-54 in drop b is perfect then calculate and find your tension to = A. Use the calculator to find A with your new tuning and string gauges.

good luck finding your "sweet spot" duder!

 

[MikeH]

I'm a floppy string sort of guy, so I use .010-.056 on a 25.5" scale in Drop Bb, so it's all about preference, really. A .065 won't require any sort of modding to the structural integrity of the guitar, so you'll be fine there. I'd just make sure you have a proper set up and adjust the truss rod accordingly. Good luck!

 

[Koop]

I'm in C# standard with 12-60 on my les paul. Feels amazing!

 

[Lucas_061287]

Using a mix-n-match of strings from a 10-60 GHS set and a 13-56 D'Addario XL set on my EC-1000. Intonation is damn near perfect, but the TOM bridge is maxed out on the low string. However, tension on all the strings is fantastic in my Drop-A# tuning, which is such a gnarly sounding tuning BTW!!

 

[Dayn]

If you have the patience, I'd recommend just unwinding the string instead of drilling the tuner out. Worst case scenario, you bugger up a string. Better alternative to worst-case buggering up a tuner, I reckon.

 

[Destroyedbeauty]

Well, I'm using a custom 14-80 string set, for both A and B Tuning, on my guitars, no problem or issues with intonation so far. It works pretty damn good (y)

 

[noob_pwn]

i use a .66 for Bb and a .72 for Ab (the two tunings my band plays in).

I found that it wasn't too hard to set a guitar up for this, some tuners you won't even have to expand for a string as big as a .72

Having a properly cut nut with enough clearance is very important, most saddles will be fine

EDIT: and im mostly using my BRJ's

 

[rotebass]

13-62 on my Standard 24 in Drop A. 14-68 on my Baritone for Drop F#, little bit loose but I like it that way.

 

[chronocide]

I use custom Newtone string sets with thicker cores on the wound strings for more tension, 14-60 for 25.5" guitars in C and 14-70 for 24.75" in B (playing doom, so a bit of a slacker feel is a good thing). Both feel great for me.

 

[Interloper]

I use 11-52's on my NT-II for drop tuning like Sikth (g#, g#, c#, f#, b flat, e flat). Just had to file the nut a tad to fit the 52. Then of coarse, set the intonation, truss rod, action etc.

 

[mtlfrm]

I would file it down so you don't need a new nut.