I've now found my perfect set of strings

[cobhc]

Devin Townsend can (see 6:40 onwards)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLb7sj8ErS0

Honestly, I totally agree with him - once the low strings become too thick, then I find it sounds too muffled, and it's really the pinch harmonic silliness that's the deal breaker for me (I find it so much easier to get a good harmonic and vibrato on a .52 than even a .54, to say nothing about anything thicker). Here's a vid of me playing, I wouldn't say I'm a slouch or a wimpy picker! (and once again, neither is Devin)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao-z8XQTa2Y&feature=channel_page

I get what you're driving at, but I wouldn't call you a very strong picker, and Devin is in Open C tuning, not C.

 

[cobhc]

oh and I almost forgot.... Neeeeeedddssssssss mooooooorreee gaaaaaaaaaiinnn

+1!

 

[Metaltastic]

It's still a C on the low string, regardless of what the rest are! And yeah, I agree on the moar gain part, conservativeness FTL!

 

[AudioPhile777]

Yeah, I use the XL 11's for D-standard, 12's for drop C, Drop B, C standard... and even for B standard...

i did however have to get a .65 bass string for my A standard baritone... that is awesome..

 

[musickey]

Hey metaltastic, how did you remove the diamond plate from your recto?

 

[cobhc]

It's still a C on the low string, regardless of what the rest are! And yeah, I agree on the moar gain part, conservativeness FTL!

In Devin's own words "Fuck Subtlety!"

 

[Metaltastic]

Hey metaltastic, how did you remove the diamond plate from your recto?

Well mine is an old one, serial # 005967, so that dates it around 95-97, and the double stick tape had dried out a bit on one side, so I just got my fingers under there and yanked the living fuck out of it (taking a bit of the top layer of the plywood in the process, as you can see )

 

[jangoux]

Hey metaltastic, how did you remove the diamond plate from your recto?

+1. I was asking myself exactly that.

 

[Joematthews]

For whoever said my strings were verry thick, they are. I play a floyd rose loaded ibanez with a couple of blocks of wood to make it hardtail (as for me Ibanez floyds = fail)

I string up by just taking the high string out which gives me a wound G... nice. It sounds as though it should be way over the top, but it really isn't. I can still pinch with ease and play normally, still nice and sharp sounding.

It might not work for most people but it works great if you play exceedingly hard like I do.

Joe

 

[006]

I use 11-48 in C standard on my EC-1000. Everybody thinks I'm crazy, but I'm the only one who can play my guitar and not sound out of tune And no, I don't pick lightly either.

~006

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, damn dude, and that's on a 24.75" neck as well! Well hey, whatever works!

 

[FULLMETALSPEEDO]

I use 11-48 in C standard on my EC-1000. Everybody thinks I'm crazy, but I'm the only one who can play my guitar and not sound out of tune And no, I don't pick lightly either.

~006

Yeah, I use the same string gauge as Mike on my Hellraiser and my SG. Its all in the picking.

 

[AudioPhile777]

Hahahaha... I think your guitar is French... and schitzo...

 

[KeithTidd]

I have no idea how you guys play such thick strings, maybe i just need to get used to it. How many of you thick stringers are using floyds?

 

[006]

I have no idea how you guys play such thick strings...

That's what I'm sayin'! When I first started everybody told me I need to tune down and use huge strings because only huge strings could hold the tunings and sound good. Over time, though, I have progressively used lighter strings and finally found a comfort zone with gauges for certain tunings. It's just what I personally have settled into, it's different for everyone.

~006

 

[Ermz]

The thicker gauges simply tend to record better. They hold tune better, they flutter less in pitch as the notes decay, the initial attack is less sharp etc. Though I have noticed with my .070 that it robs you of a bit of saturation and high-end on the tone. I think .070 may be overkill on the Bb, but I've yet to try somewhere in between. Prior to that I was using a .060 and it was way too light. Too much fret noise, not enough strength and articulation etc.

 

[cobhc]

Yeah, the thing I always find with lower string gauges is that they seem to float out of tune when you're holding chords, and I personally like to really dig into the strings and play really hard. Which is something I don't personally feel I can do with lighter gauge strings, because I'm always thinking about pushing the strings sharp when playing, or the fact that I have to retune all the time as I've battered one string so much that it's no longer in tune. All this is from a jamming/practicing perspective, not even from recording. And Keith, I once had a set with a .70 low string tuned to Bb on my Jackson PS4L with a Jackson Licensed Floyd, didn't need to make anything wider or anything, it just worked. Something I don't think would happen on my Les Paul, Jacksons just seem to be pretty well set up for huge strings and lower tunings.

 

[Metaltastic]

Alls I know is, I've experimented with up to a .56 for my low C, and the .52 is perfect for me! And for the high strings, as a guy who loves to solo 80s-style (lots of bends and expressive stuff), IME if they're too thin then THERE'S your freakin' "knocking out of tune" syndrome, plus they get all twangy.

I use the EJ21's in C standard too. For B standard I used the EJ22 which were 13-56. To me each set in each respective tuning felt closest to the same tension as 10's in E standard.

BINGO - my thinking exactly!

 

[JeffTD]

BINGO - my thinking exactly!

Too bad it couldn't be further from the truth. A .52 in C has more than 4 pounds less tension than a .46 in E.

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh well, I still like it