Ma birfday is in a few weeks and i'm getting new pickups installed in my 7321 (707s) and new strings. I'm trying to achieve a stupid-heavy tone, something that explodes your ballsack as you listen, but i don't want mud. Would thicker strings go well with these pups or will i get muddy? Does it make that much of a difference? And finally, if i get thicker strings, what gauges would you guys recommend? I'm slightly new to all this still, so any feedback is greatly appreciated.
String gauge question
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Rex Rocker
Call me Hugo!
thicker strings = more bass and less treble...
obviously there's much more than that changes tonewise, but I think that's the first thing you'd notice when moving up string gauges.
obviously there's much more than that changes tonewise, but I think that's the first thing you'd notice when moving up string gauges.
mick thompson
AKA: Ross Canpolat! SM!
i use d'addario EXL116's on my jackson and EXL145's on my gibson
jackson is set up in drop c and the gibson is set for drop b tuning
regular 8-9's just don't cut it for drop tuning. a lot of players i know who play metal tend to use light gauge for metal but in my opinion its the pussy option. i prefer to feel some resistance when bending strings and doing staccato styled picking etc and 8-9's just don't cut it. they flop around too much and have a weak tone. players i know choose to use light gauge for drop c and b tuning because its easy on the fingers but don't forget the saying "no pain no gain" or should i say "no tone"
the heavier the better in my opinion - when you start doing low tuning you need some stability in your strings for dynamics control and using weak strings cause bum notes on low tuning.
just make sure you set up your guitar - don't just slap a set of heavy gauge's on it because if she's not set properly your going to have all sorts of intonation problems, neck warping etc - its not hard to do once you get playing around with setups a few times. i suggest you teach yourself how to do it
jackson is set up in drop c and the gibson is set for drop b tuning
regular 8-9's just don't cut it for drop tuning. a lot of players i know who play metal tend to use light gauge for metal but in my opinion its the pussy option. i prefer to feel some resistance when bending strings and doing staccato styled picking etc and 8-9's just don't cut it. they flop around too much and have a weak tone. players i know choose to use light gauge for drop c and b tuning because its easy on the fingers but don't forget the saying "no pain no gain" or should i say "no tone"
the heavier the better in my opinion - when you start doing low tuning you need some stability in your strings for dynamics control and using weak strings cause bum notes on low tuning.
just make sure you set up your guitar - don't just slap a set of heavy gauge's on it because if she's not set properly your going to have all sorts of intonation problems, neck warping etc - its not hard to do once you get playing around with setups a few times. i suggest you teach yourself how to do it
Harry Hughes
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- Apr 25, 2009
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I use 9-54 or sometimes a 56 for my low B and it sounds fine. I tune to B standard btw. If you're tuning lower, you'd want bigger strings than 9-54
I'm planning on taking my guitar to guitar center to get everything installed because i've never done any of this before, so they should know how to do it right (in theory).
http://accessories.musiciansfriend....ric-Guitar-Strings-Mega-Heavy-1356?sku=456011
Anyone got any experience with these?
Harry Hughes
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Don't go to Guitar Center, fuck.
Learn to do it yourself, or at least get someone that knows what they are doing to do it. Just DON'T FUCKING GO TO GUITAR CENTER, PLEASE, unless you want a fuckwit toying with your guitar and getting charged an unnecessary amount for doing so.
Also, you have a 7 string guitar, but you linked to a set of 6 string sets. Just grab some D'addario 7 string sets and be done with it.
Learn to do it yourself, or at least get someone that knows what they are doing to do it. Just DON'T FUCKING GO TO GUITAR CENTER, PLEASE, unless you want a fuckwit toying with your guitar and getting charged an unnecessary amount for doing so.
Also, you have a 7 string guitar, but you linked to a set of 6 string sets. Just grab some D'addario 7 string sets and be done with it.
JEEZ i mean i don't really like the idea of some fuckwit toying with my guitar but i don't know what I'm doing and a friend of mine has taken his there and everything turned out fine. I know thats a 6 string set, i would have to get the last string separately. I NEED ABSURD AMOUNTS OF LOW END TO TRIGGER BALLSACK EXPLOSIONS, AND FROM THE LOOKS OF IT D'ADDARIO DOESN'T MAKE HEAVY GAUGE 7 STRING SETS >:|....i need some sleep.
Harry Hughes
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Why do you need insane amounts of low end?
That's what bass players are for dude, the guitar covers the mid range. Guitars don't do "insane amounts" of low end very well. That's called muddiness.
That's what bass players are for dude, the guitar covers the mid range. Guitars don't do "insane amounts" of low end very well. That's called muddiness.
I see what ya did there. FINE, if it makes you happy, I'll probably end up heeding your advice. I just want a ballsy as fuck tone, but you're right about the bass.
seriously...do yourself a favor and string your shit up by yourself
i can see taking your shit to a shop to have the pickups switched...that can be a bitch sometimes, especially if switching from passive to active
but most anything aside from that, really, you should do yourself...setting up your own instrument will not only make you that much knowledgeable about your guitar and how it plays, but will also save you tons of $$$
do yourself a huge favor, and find online tutorials on the following:
changing strings
truss rod adjustments
action
intonation
and back on topic...i personally don't like really huge/heavy strings on my guitars. i've tried it a couple of times, and was just never a fan. heaviest set i'll usually string up with is the EB skinny top/heavy bottom, which runs 10-52.
i can see taking your shit to a shop to have the pickups switched...that can be a bitch sometimes, especially if switching from passive to active
but most anything aside from that, really, you should do yourself...setting up your own instrument will not only make you that much knowledgeable about your guitar and how it plays, but will also save you tons of $$$
do yourself a huge favor, and find online tutorials on the following:
changing strings
truss rod adjustments
action
intonation
and back on topic...i personally don't like really huge/heavy strings on my guitars. i've tried it a couple of times, and was just never a fan. heaviest set i'll usually string up with is the EB skinny top/heavy bottom, which runs 10-52.
Rex Rocker
Call me Hugo!
D'Addario make a gauge kinda like that: EXL110-7 10-59 set
I've used that set in the past, and I've also used the 13-56 EJ22 set (which is pretty much the same minus the high E and with a lighter low B) in the past, discarding the high-e on the 7-string set, and I thought the low 59 feels a lot better than the 56 to me... the 59 has a tension that's more similar to the rest of the set, while the 56 has less tension than the rest of the set.
You can check out the different tension values here: http://www.daddariostrings.com/Resources/JDCDAD/images/tension_chart.pdf
It's just about personal opinion, of course, but that is right, you don't really need thunderous low-end. I think the biggest benefit you get from thick strings is the increased tension, which helps a lot with agressive-playing, but then again, that is also about preference. The only way to know for sure which set best suits you is trying them.
For a 7-string tuned to B-standard, that looks like a good one to me! (though I'd probably prefer a .58, doubt there's much of a difference though)
PhilTheBeard
"The Beard"
Travis Stewart
6ix Years Dead
Or just use a bass haha. I would use heavier strings, maybe a set of 60's or even 70's if you are going low like drop G or lower, if you are just buy the Zakk Wylde GHS sig set!
