What is the lowest tuning I can go for without having to use wound 3rd string? I want to tune low but also want to be able to play leads with lots of bends. We're talking about a 24,75" scale guitar.
Question for low tuning guys
- Thread starter korpse pop
- Start date
J.DavisNJ
\m/
Well this depends on gauge and tuning. I play drop C on my Les Paul and do not use a wound G string. But, only my 6th string, which is a 56, is downtuned two steps.
Depends on how low you would like to tune and which gauge you are comfortable with. I can't fathom going any lighter than a 56 on the low E now that I've gotten used to it...at least on a 24.75" scale axe.
-Joe
Depends on how low you would like to tune and which gauge you are comfortable with. I can't fathom going any lighter than a 56 on the low E now that I've gotten used to it...at least on a 24.75" scale axe.
-Joe
ze kink
THE BLACK WIZARDS
I wouldn't go under 1,5 steps down myself, it's still okay in C# standard, but after that it gets pretty horrible.
slashvanyoung
Dopefish lives!
I tried to get a sets with unwound 3rd strings to work at B standard for a long time... It just didn't work out, especially on shorter scales. But I actually like wound 3rd strings, so I had no problem switching.
I think the lowest I've ever gotten successfully with unwound 3rd strings on my 24,75" guits was C standard...
I think the lowest I've ever gotten successfully with unwound 3rd strings on my 24,75" guits was C standard...
MT01
Member
Mike Hickey: Carcass tunes down to B. By that I mean we take a normally tuned guitar and then drop each string down two-and-a-half steps, so they go: B, E, A, D, F#, B, low to high. To counteract the string slackness created by this tuning, we use pretty heavy gauges--.012 to .056, I can't remember the ones in the middle, but the G string's a plain .022. B isn't the most practical tuning in the world, but it's probably the heaviest, and we're stuck with it whether we like it or not!
Steer: It's like playing something that's almost halfway between a guitar and bass, actually. We've tuned this low ever since the band started, because it's so crushing--there's nothing else quite like it. Having said that, it has a lot of shortcomings in terms of tone because it's a very unrealistic tuning; we've really had to struggle to make it work. Since we've been doing it so long we can just about pull it off, but to be brutally honest, I think D, or, at a push C# [C#, F#, B, E, G#, C#, low to high], are the best tunings.
The 25.5 scale length on their Ibanez helped.
There is LP and a Flying V in their Heartwork video, and Heartwork guitar sound kicks ass, did they use Gibson type guitars only in the music video and record with Ibanezes?
Melodeath
Moonbow
Thanks for that info.
Why would a 25.5 scale length help? I don't really understand what scale length influences. Fret spacing?
I'm a n00b when it comes to low tunings, as I pretty much play in Drop D and E standard and make those sound as heavy as possible. I've always found low tunings inconvenient (you have to use higher gauge, then set up the guitar, and almost everyone I used ot jam with was in standard). What affect does having a wound G really have? Less bend, but heavier sounding?
MT01
Member
A wound G sounds fuller and less twangy, which is WAY better for chording IMO. And the 25.5" scale length (rather than 24.75") simply means that the string is being stretched out a longer distance (from bridge saddle to nut) to get to the same pitch, so it's tighter.
And hahahaha, you beat me to it MT01!
Certainly not saying 24.75" with low tunings is unuseable, I did it for years, but now I never wanna go back!
And hahahaha, you beat me to it MT01!
Certainly not saying 24.75" with low tunings is unuseable, I did it for years, but now I never wanna go back!
Jaymz
Stymphalian Productions
Melodeath
Moonbow
So theoretically, you can have a 20" scale guitar, but the strings would be uber-slacked?
Is there any tone difference between 25.5 and 24.75, or is it just a tension issue?
Why do bigger strings (heavier gauge) really help with slack issues?
Perhaps I'm being retarded, but I seek easy answers at the moment.
Is there any tone difference between 25.5 and 24.75, or is it just a tension issue?
Why do bigger strings (heavier gauge) really help with slack issues?
Perhaps I'm being retarded, but I seek easy answers at the moment.
In order: yes, not really (just tension), thicker strings = harder to stretch, thus tighter
J86_Samurai
SevenStringSamurai
Jaymz
Stymphalian Productions
I already have a 27" seven string (Ibanez Rg2077XL) but it's not my thing after all. Playing a Gibson is just much more fun. I had a set with a wound g string some time ago but that sucked ass for leads.
I'm looking to buy a bunch of strings online soon and that's why I'm asking btw
I'm looking to buy a bunch of strings online soon and that's why I'm asking btw
Oh man, if you're going 24.75", with an unwound G I would NOT go any lower than D-standard - twang city
