Neck Scale VS Low Tunings?

[Nuclear Vampire]

Hey everyone,

Got a question here regarding low tunings.

I have an '87 Charvel Model 3 with the standard "licensed By Floyd Rose" bridge. Currently I keep it tuned to Eb standard, and it sounds wicked and stays in tune great.

I wrote a bunch of songs on another guitar (which has bitten the dust) in C standard, and was wondering if tuning the Charvel to C standard would have any adverse effects on the neck or anything.

Also wondering if the damn thing will be a major pain to tune, or if the neck scale is really an issue at C standard. Anything lower I wouldn't even try.

I have a block for the floating bridge all made up (I used to keep it blocked), and some extra springs too.

Can it be done?

 

[Indiooo]

Sure, you can do it no problem. Just make sure you get thicker strings (12s or something). You might or might not have to put an extra spring in the back. This depends on the difference in tension comparing to Eb. If the tension is lower, the neck will probably go a little bit back. If it does, just tighten the truss rod (1/8 of a turn should be more than enough) so that it keeps the proper curve.

 

[Katalepsy]

Get a 7 string set, and put the 2nd-7th strings on, so all you gotta do, is tune a half step up from 7 string standard to be in C Standard, and you don't need to do anything special to make it easy to tune lower.

 

[Metal is Religion]

Get a 7 string set, and put the 2nd-7th strings on, so all you gotta do, is tune a half step up from 7 string standard to be in C Standard, and you don't need to do anything special to make it easy to tune lower.

would that really work with a Floyd rose? i dont know floyds all that well, and i hate them, but i would think it would fuck up the whole thing. but, then again, i dont know really much about floyds. this was a stupid post.

 

[Katalepsy]

would that really work with a Floyd rose? i dont know floyds all that well, and i hate them, but i would think it would fuck up the whole thing. but, then again, i dont know really much about floyds. this was a stupid post.

I actually don't know a whole lot about floyds either, being that I don't have one. That being the case, I'm really not sure whether it would fuck anything up or not, but I don't see why it would. But also, low tunings aren't very good for a floyd period. Guitars with a floyd usually have a shorter scale, and so the strings will feel kind of loose. I'm thinking that the best way to use a 7 set is to either have a 7 string (obviously) or have a 6 with a stop tailpiece, or a tune-o-matic bridge. I have yet to try this, because I never really felt the need, I always transpose to drop C when I want to learn something that's played in C standard, and on rare occasion, I will tune pretty low.

 

[Hexer]

using string 2-7 of a 7-string set is the exact same thing as using string 1-6 of a heavier 6-string set, so I don't really see any point in buying a 7-string set. just get a set of 12s, 13s or even 14s (depends on how heavy you want the string-tension) tune the guitar to the tuning you want an set it up properly (spring-adjustment, trus-rod adjustment if needed, ...)

 

[Katalepsy]

I have yet to find 13s or 14s...

 

[Sex Machine]

they are everywhere...

also with the floyd, you have to adjust the spring tension for the tremelo. loosen it about 3 or 4 turns to start, then go 1 turn each other time till you get hte bridge parallel to the body.

 

[Hexer]

btw: are there any heavier strings than 14s? I didn't find any so far (had to order my 14s)

the reason I ask is: I'm used to the heavy tension of 13s in D-tuning and need a set of pretty damn heavy strings for C-tuning on my other guitar

 

[Nuclear Vampire]

Thanks guys! I'm gonna do it. A set of 12's should be heavy enough.

 

[chris-o-fer]

uhhhh...my axe has a Floyd Rose on it, and to be honest, you should bring it to your local music shop and have a guitar tech set it up for C for you, so the bridge height, action, and intonation are all correct. Of course nothing is stopping you from doing it yourself, but if it's your first time setting up, I would talk with someone who know's what's up.

 

[nataservant]

I set my my guitar to C and I have a Floyd. I had to raise the action, adjust the bridge and springs and a few other things but it was really no problem.

 

[Indiooo]

Why the hell would someone take a guitar to a tech to be set up? Don't get me wrong, if you guitar needs fretwork or routing of some kind, then by all means take it to a tech. But for a setup? That's something every guitarist should be able to do. And it's the simplest thing ever. Adjusting action and intonation? How hard is it to adjust a couple of screws?

 

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

Why the hell would someone take a guitar to a tech to be set up? Don't get me wrong, if you guitar needs fretwork or routing of some kind, then by all means take it to a tech. But for a setup? That's something every guitarist should be able to do. And it's the simplest thing ever. Adjusting action and intonation? How hard is it to adjust a couple of screws?

It takes forever to properly set up a Floyd Rose. I set all my guitars up myself, except my Jacksons. I payed $1600 for one, $1000 for the other, it seems very cheap of me to be able to put that much down on two guitars and not be able to spend another $50 on having it set up by a professional.

 

[Indiooo]

It could be a damn $10000 Private Stock PRS. I still think basic maintenance is to be done by the guitarist himself. I just find it un-necessary to spend money and not have a guitar for a while just for such a basic thing.

It's understandable if you know how to do it but don't have the patience for it. But taking a guitar to a tech for not knowing how to set it up is just unreasonable IMO.