Should i go to drop G tuning?

  • Thread starter DarklyDreaming
  • Start date
  • This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
20
Reaction score
5
Location
Newark, NJ
so i've been contemplating going to drop G tuning. me and a friend of mine want to start an off the wall just plain rediculous grind band so i think drop G would be perfect for it, but i'm not sure, i've got a locking trem so i can't just try and see. i was wondering if anyone has tried this tuning and what their results where or if they know of any bands that use this tuning.

thanks!

\m/
 

This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.

Daemoniac

Rivethead Magnate.
Contributor
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
9,605
Reaction score
1,599
Location
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
I have drop G# tuning, its great. Personally, the tension in my guitar at drop F or even G was too low, even using 13-80" strings, so i went up to G#, and its fucking great.

Do it.

Oh, and i was using a guitar with a 25.5" scale :yesway:
 

paintkilz

Banned
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
899
Reaction score
67
Location
IOWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
G can be fun...just getting the right tension and clarity is the big issues..


acacia strains first album 3750 was drop g on 6 strings, and this newer band Catalepsy plays 7 strings in drop g with 5150s and vader 4x12/1x15 cabs..check out their myspace for an idea on their tone....its alright, but could go for a bit more clarity..
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
20
Reaction score
5
Location
Newark, NJ
well i've got a 26.5" scale so that'll work in my favor. so what string gauge would you suggest, 12-68? something to that affect?
 

Daemoniac

Rivethead Magnate.
Contributor
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
9,605
Reaction score
1,599
Location
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
^ Maybe, depends how much tension you like. Im a massive tension freak, so the 13-80 works pretty well. Maybe a 12-70"?
 

Harry

Doom man of Doom.
Contributor
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
8,250
Reaction score
744
Location
Melbourne, Aus
What pickups do you have?
You'll need fairly clear pickups too I'd imagine.
 

Daemoniac

Rivethead Magnate.
Contributor
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
9,605
Reaction score
1,599
Location
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
^ Yeah chances are. Im using an X2N7 on mine and it sounds pretty terrible tbh, so a reasonable set of pickups would be nice :yesway:

I think a set of Blackouts would sound epic as with drop G :yesway:
 

Sang-Drax

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2005
Messages
2,212
Reaction score
245
I have drop G# tuning, its great. Personally, the tension in my guitar at drop F or even G was too low, even using 13-80" strings, so i went up to G#, and its fucking great.

And I thought *I* was tough with my 0.70 :lol:

@ the OP: I often tune that 0.70 in my 26.5" to drop G and it sounds all right. I can't say it sounds great, but I've heard that the JB has some issues with ultra low tunings. Is your C7 a Hellraiser (I suppose there are no FR Blackjacks)? If so, it should sound better than my Blackjack does.

Notice, otoh, that Bulb would rather use a lighter gauge for the seventh string, claiming it sounds djentier that way. If djent is what you're after, perhaps you should consider not using an elevator cable like me and Demoniac :lol:.
 

loktide

dotlike
Contributor
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
5,112
Reaction score
989
Location
Germany
i newly started to experiment with my 27" ibby at drop G#. I started with a .59, which is a bit too loose imo, resulting in slightly detuning and too much 'quack' when picking (i'm a hard picker). I currently put a .70 on it, and it sounds and feels a lot better overall. I think something like a .66 or .68 would ideal.

for a 26,5" tuned to G, you might wanna start right off with a .70
 

Demeyes

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Messages
1,478
Reaction score
78
Location
Ireland
I've tuned down to G a few times on my Hellraiser with a .59 and it is really a bit too loose for any definition. I wouldn't be able to riff well on it.
 

Nats

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2005
Messages
2,858
Reaction score
101
Location
jersey
i tried drop g on my 7421 with a reg D'addario .59. I loved that tuning but i mainly used it to write Melvins/Crowbar type stuff so it didn't matter that it wasn't the tightest tension
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
20
Reaction score
5
Location
Newark, NJ
ok so maybe a 12-70? or would a 13-70 hold up a little better? my c7 is just the standard but it's got the duncan actives on it, not blackouts, but they sound almost identical. i've been thinking of swapping them out though for an emg 81-7/60-7 combo to get some more chunk out of the bridge and some more clairty from the neck.
 

distressed_romeo

F'king ............
Forum MVP
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
11,295
Reaction score
1,027
Location
Melnibone (duh!)
so i've been contemplating going to drop G tuning. me and a friend of mine want to start an off the wall just plain rediculous grind band so i think drop G would be perfect for it, but i'm not sure, i've got a locking trem so i can't just try and see. i was wondering if anyone has tried this tuning and what their results where or if they know of any bands that use this tuning.

thanks!

\m/

I've done this on a regular scale guitar with a Blaze Custom in the bridge using the following gauges: 10, 13, 17, 26, 36, 48, 60.

It felt and sounded really good, although I don't actually have a very heavy pick attack. As others have said, using a slightly lighter gauge and adjusting your playing attack can actually help add clarity to super-low notes (think of how Tony Iommi's super-detuned riffs sound if you want a non-djent reference, as he uses stupidly light gauges compared to most people), so the best bet's probably just to experiment I'm afraid.
 

Auyard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
Messages
736
Reaction score
40
Location
Delaware
Abysmal Torment tune to G# on a six string and they sound amazing.
 
Top
')