strings feels sloppy on low tuning on my guitar, why?

[aviel]

Hey,
i've decided to downtune my ibanez rg1550 1 tone down, to C G C F A D
it was tuned to E before, so after fixing the tension on the bridge, and chaning strings to no-even ernireball (its 0.12 with thicker bass strings) i still find it quite sloppy and not tight, even when palm muting, it feels to sloppy.

is there something to do? or maybe its because of the neck length and scale?

thanks!

 

[TheWinterSnow]

12-56 feel sloppy in Drop C?

lolwut?

 

[aviel]

well.. they do

 

[Mm1066]

Try raising your action!

 

[aviel]

Try raising your action!

its pretty high already. can it have something with the neck scale? or guitar scale?

 

[Mago]

25.5'' I think?

I also have a 12-56 set on my 25.5'' guitar on now because for a band I recorded they used that guitar (in drop C# tho).
After they finished (its only a single) I tuned it to drop C cause it was unplayable for me in drop C#.
So now its the same as your, and the Low C isn't as tight as the other strings. The others are really tight (altho the higher 3 are still unplayable for me, bending is more than just a pita that way), but the low C
feels sloppier due to drop tuning.
So use a thicker string for the low C? 60 or something could do the job

 

[Robert W]

A heavier gauge strings will give you some increased string tension, but the lower you go, the looser the strings are going to feel. If you still want a tighter feel though at lower tunings, you might want to look into a baritone.

 

[Sweetnothing]

I've encountered that same problem before, I use a 12-60 for drop B and the bottom string feels loose on some guitars more than others. Most of the guitars I use have either 25'5 or 25 inch scale. Sometimes the prs ( 25 inch) is stiffer than the Ibanez ( 25'5) so go figure...

A tech told me something about some guitars being "softer" than others, no matter the action or fingerboard length. The only thing I can do is getting used to play a little softer on that low string or it will go baaaaaaawwwwww

 

[Torgal]

I use a 27" scale baritone with 52-10 for C-tuning and it's just perfect.
As I'm hitting pretty hard I prefer higher string tension so I won't knock the string out of tune on every "Chugga chugga part".

 

[oroinvictus]

I've got 74-13s running in my multiscale 7-string in drop G, absolutely no fret/string buzz at all, no matter hard I trash on 'em. I had 56-12s running on my 25.5" ibanez RG in drop C and the tension was just fine, going any lower than that was problematic though.

 

[aviel]

well.. just got rid of the ibanez. decided to get an esp eclipse, i will have to see if it get any tighter!

 

[drew_drummer]

Well... I've got a Les Paul, and play in drop C... with 52-10's... and there is nothing loose about them. Something is seriously fucked up here.

 

[Executioner213]

I hope you are basing your decision on scale in this subject, rather than brand. I've tried doing lower tunings on an EC1000 and it just didn't hold up as well for me, even with thicker strings (just didn't fix it the right way for me). I think you should check out the Ibanez RGD series, since they come with a longer scale. Might be just what you are looking for.

 

[Executioner213]

...and, it could just be you're preference is different than others. 12's usually would be ok for me in C.

 

[cyril_v]

what size strings were you using when you were tuned to E? Given the scale length and tuning, you should be able to approximate the string tension and match it.

 

[aviel]

I was using just o.10.. and i really liked the feeling on the low e string..

 

[aviel]

I hope you are basing your decision on scale in this subject, rather than brand. I've tried doing lower tunings on an EC1000 and it just didn't hold up as well for me, even with thicker strings (just didn't fix it the right way for me). I think you should check out the Ibanez RGD series, since they come with a longer scale. Might be just what you are looking for.

Well i actually didnt change it because of a the tension. i was planing to buy a 7 string. sechter. but was offered a good deal on the esp + exchange the ibanez so i jumoed on it

 

[Harry Hughes]

well.. just got rid of the ibanez. decided to get an esp eclipse, i will have to see if it get any tighter!

Swapping a 25.5 inch scale guitar for a 24.75 inch scale guitar yet complaints of 'sloppy/looser' feeling strings.
Someone point out the logic here, because I'm not seeing it

 

[Torgal]

Harry is correct, of course.
You can't betray physics :Smug:

 

[aviel]

Well the logic is that soundwise. the ibanez just sucked. i decides i rather get use to the sloppy feeling..