String'em Up Boy's!! part 2
I now have my new Schecter C-1EX 26.5\" scale guitar and set it up with 10's at Eb/Ab/Db/Gb/Bb/Eb tuning. It came with 13's set at a baritone tuning B/E/A/D/Gb/B. It's crazy how well this fits my big fingers so much better. I can still do 3/5/7 fret triplets easily, and no more awkwardly tight frets above the 17th position. In the process of setting this guitar up, I focused allot on string gauge and string tension.
This 26.5 scale is considered a baritone guitar, (mid way between a guitar and a bass) which really isn't true. It's more of a guitar neck, or more accurately an extended scale. Baritone refers to the notes, not really the scale, but to be fair, the baritone guitar neck scales generally run from 27\" scale at the short side to bass length necks. So, in my opinion, the 26.5\" scale is the longest guitar neck, and not really a good \"baritone length.\" That extra 1/2\" really does make a big difference, if you try one.
When I first came to this forum, string gauges and tunings was a subject of interest for me, and I studied it for awhile, but never really found the answers I needed. Well, one thing led to another. There has been some recent talk about hand, wrist, finger fatigue, and finger tip soreness and callous problems, but sometimes the simple answer escapes us. If you haven't been playing for a month or so, or are having soreness problems...just drop down a string gauge, like 10's to 9's...or 9's to 8's. Or simply drop the standard tuning 1 or 2 semi-tones, which will reduced the string tension and help.
I like G strings
My string gauges depend on many things.
What type of music, tuning, guitar, neck scale, guitar configuration, and sometimes personal preference.
I play mainly rock classics, instrumentals, or blues. I dabble in as many other genre to do something different, and pick things up that adds to my main inspirations. I have guitars with 24.75\", 25.5\", and the newly added 26.5\" scale, all electric 6 string. I am planning to add a 7 string 26.5\" scale soon. (The Jeff Loomis signature) I've played acoustics in the past, but for what little acoustic tracks I enjoy now, I use one of my electric guitars with a modeling processor. My last acoustic was an Ovation I loved, but I couldn't resist dropping the action and lowering the string gauge. So I decided...what the hell am I doing?...and bought a Digitech GNX4. That's when I met some of you.
I generally like to play instrumentals and use a whammy bar. Thank God for the locking nut! Once the strings are stretched, you pretty much hold tune until you toss the strings. I like having various floating bridge and fixed bridge guitars set up with strings for certain music I like to play. I don't mind changing out strings, but I try to keep enough setups, so I'm not. I change strings more often than most guitarists. I spoil myself, as I really like fresh, bright sounding strings. I get 12-20 hours of playtime on a set, and I toss them.
Main thing in my string selection is balance. I like to keep the string tension well balanced across the neck. It comes out basically split gauges, like 10 bottoms with 9 tops...as an example. Some guitars do need either the 5th or the 2nd string to be a hand picked gauge. (those are typically the most unbalanced) All guitars are going to react different to the same string, because of stuff like head or tail angles. A Gibson head angle drops steeper than say an Ibanez head. The total string tension will vary between approximately 100 lbs. to 140 lbs. according to scale length, tuning, and gauge, with most important as uniform a tension as I can get with the wound string groups and the plain string groups.
Outside of alternate tunings which require special attention to gauge selection, my standard tuning (or) Eb tuning if a very well balanced tension, will help with harmonics, intonation, and due to uniform string action, improves picking, note voicing and timing.
Any time you change string gauges, you also have to adjust your neck and intonation, string height, and bridge adjustments, on floating bridges.
You can play a set of 10's set up on Eb, and it will have about the same tension as 9's set to E standard.
Lot's of people think a larger gauge string with lower tension may tend to buzz more. Actually, the opposite is true. When you go up in gauge, you can go down in tension. Too low a tension regardless of gauge, will cause fret buzz, as well as poorly set action, a damaged or high fret, or even heavy handed picking. Common bad habit is picking too hard, and blaming your guitar neck or strings. Most guitarists pick too hard...and I'm one of them. I focus so much on all my other flaws, seems pick articulation and finesse is still on my \"to do list.\"
Consider the neck scale too. 10's on a 24.75\" neck will have less tension than the same strings on a 25.5\" neck. Watch how your strings are fitting the nut, when you change gauges. Larger gauge may bind on the nut, and you will have tuning problems, unless you are willing to file the proper relief. Most set ups, anyone can do, but messing with the guitar nut, is best left to someone experienced.
\"Standard\" string sets have always never satisfied me. One size does not fit all. We all have different physical characteristics, or personal preferences and styles of music, as well as look at all the different guitar configurations. I remember back when these lights and ultralight gauges came out. Until then almost all the gauges were 11's, 12's or 13's. Those lights and ultralights meant lower action, and easier bends. Then later came thinner faster necks too.
I began to notice how unbalanced most of these \"standard\" string sets were tension-wise. For quite a while, string companies didn't give a crap about tension balance. What was selling was lower tension...and they just want to take your money. No wonder a couple strings always seemed mushy, or sounded muddy or dull. Again, we were coming out with more and more effects, like distortion, delay, chorus, etc. so no one noticed the loss in tone, or cared really. (except a few) I've known with the popularity in the drop tunings, guitarists have been going with heavier bottoms, even just using a heavier low E (6) string for a drop D or drop C. Now we are getting back to vintage tone, and guitarists are wanting better strings, and string sets. You can buy your strings in singles for $1.00 each, with some of the wound sizes $2.00 each. Some companies have nice balanced out sets these days, close enough anyway, and sets generally run a couple bucks cheaper than buying singles.
Here is my example of tension measured for my new Schecter guitar.
I'll leave the tuning standard, just show the difference in gauges vs. tension
Standard tuning E/A/D/G/B/E at the 26.5in. scale.
10's \"standard set\" [unbalanced, but mainly on the bottoms]
_________________________________________________________
.046--.036--.026--.017--.013--.010 string gauge
20.7--23.1--21.9--17.8--16.1--17.7 lbs. tension for a total of 117.3 lbs.
Heavy/light 10's set [better balance]
_________________________________________________________
.050--.038--.028--.017--.013--.010 string gauge
25.4--25.3--26.1--17.8--16.1--17.7 lbs. tension for a total of 128.4 lbs.
=============================================
Now showing an example in tension difference by lowering the tuning
using my heavy/light 10's gauge set on my 26.5 scale neck
standard tuning E/A/D/G/B/E
__________________________________________________________
.050--.038--.028--.017--.013--.010 gauge
25.4--25.3--26.1--17.8--16.1--17.7 lbs. tension [total tension 128.4 lbs.
drop the tuning 1 semi-tone to Eb
__________________________________________________________
.050--.038--.028--.017--.013--.010 gauge
22.6--22.6--23.3--15.8--14.4--15.7 lbs. tension [total tension 114.5 lbs.
Notice this last set of strings, are a heavier gauge set, but better balance,
with lower overall tension than a \"standard set\" with the tuning at Eb. (my opinion a better tuning)
You can customize this further with single picked string gauges. These are over the counter sets I calculated.
This 26.5 scale is considered a baritone guitar, (mid way between a guitar and a bass) which really isn't true. It's more of a guitar neck, or more accurately an extended scale. Baritone refers to the notes, not really the scale, but to be fair, the baritone guitar neck scales generally run from 27\" scale at the short side to bass length necks. So, in my opinion, the 26.5\" scale is the longest guitar neck, and not really a good \"baritone length.\" That extra 1/2\" really does make a big difference, if you try one.
When I first came to this forum, string gauges and tunings was a subject of interest for me, and I studied it for awhile, but never really found the answers I needed. Well, one thing led to another. There has been some recent talk about hand, wrist, finger fatigue, and finger tip soreness and callous problems, but sometimes the simple answer escapes us. If you haven't been playing for a month or so, or are having soreness problems...just drop down a string gauge, like 10's to 9's...or 9's to 8's. Or simply drop the standard tuning 1 or 2 semi-tones, which will reduced the string tension and help.
I like G strings
My string gauges depend on many things.
What type of music, tuning, guitar, neck scale, guitar configuration, and sometimes personal preference.
I play mainly rock classics, instrumentals, or blues. I dabble in as many other genre to do something different, and pick things up that adds to my main inspirations. I have guitars with 24.75\", 25.5\", and the newly added 26.5\" scale, all electric 6 string. I am planning to add a 7 string 26.5\" scale soon. (The Jeff Loomis signature) I've played acoustics in the past, but for what little acoustic tracks I enjoy now, I use one of my electric guitars with a modeling processor. My last acoustic was an Ovation I loved, but I couldn't resist dropping the action and lowering the string gauge. So I decided...what the hell am I doing?...and bought a Digitech GNX4. That's when I met some of you.
I generally like to play instrumentals and use a whammy bar. Thank God for the locking nut! Once the strings are stretched, you pretty much hold tune until you toss the strings. I like having various floating bridge and fixed bridge guitars set up with strings for certain music I like to play. I don't mind changing out strings, but I try to keep enough setups, so I'm not. I change strings more often than most guitarists. I spoil myself, as I really like fresh, bright sounding strings. I get 12-20 hours of playtime on a set, and I toss them.
Main thing in my string selection is balance. I like to keep the string tension well balanced across the neck. It comes out basically split gauges, like 10 bottoms with 9 tops...as an example. Some guitars do need either the 5th or the 2nd string to be a hand picked gauge. (those are typically the most unbalanced) All guitars are going to react different to the same string, because of stuff like head or tail angles. A Gibson head angle drops steeper than say an Ibanez head. The total string tension will vary between approximately 100 lbs. to 140 lbs. according to scale length, tuning, and gauge, with most important as uniform a tension as I can get with the wound string groups and the plain string groups.
Outside of alternate tunings which require special attention to gauge selection, my standard tuning (or) Eb tuning if a very well balanced tension, will help with harmonics, intonation, and due to uniform string action, improves picking, note voicing and timing.
Any time you change string gauges, you also have to adjust your neck and intonation, string height, and bridge adjustments, on floating bridges.
You can play a set of 10's set up on Eb, and it will have about the same tension as 9's set to E standard.
Lot's of people think a larger gauge string with lower tension may tend to buzz more. Actually, the opposite is true. When you go up in gauge, you can go down in tension. Too low a tension regardless of gauge, will cause fret buzz, as well as poorly set action, a damaged or high fret, or even heavy handed picking. Common bad habit is picking too hard, and blaming your guitar neck or strings. Most guitarists pick too hard...and I'm one of them. I focus so much on all my other flaws, seems pick articulation and finesse is still on my \"to do list.\"
Consider the neck scale too. 10's on a 24.75\" neck will have less tension than the same strings on a 25.5\" neck. Watch how your strings are fitting the nut, when you change gauges. Larger gauge may bind on the nut, and you will have tuning problems, unless you are willing to file the proper relief. Most set ups, anyone can do, but messing with the guitar nut, is best left to someone experienced.
\"Standard\" string sets have always never satisfied me. One size does not fit all. We all have different physical characteristics, or personal preferences and styles of music, as well as look at all the different guitar configurations. I remember back when these lights and ultralight gauges came out. Until then almost all the gauges were 11's, 12's or 13's. Those lights and ultralights meant lower action, and easier bends. Then later came thinner faster necks too.
I began to notice how unbalanced most of these \"standard\" string sets were tension-wise. For quite a while, string companies didn't give a crap about tension balance. What was selling was lower tension...and they just want to take your money. No wonder a couple strings always seemed mushy, or sounded muddy or dull. Again, we were coming out with more and more effects, like distortion, delay, chorus, etc. so no one noticed the loss in tone, or cared really. (except a few) I've known with the popularity in the drop tunings, guitarists have been going with heavier bottoms, even just using a heavier low E (6) string for a drop D or drop C. Now we are getting back to vintage tone, and guitarists are wanting better strings, and string sets. You can buy your strings in singles for $1.00 each, with some of the wound sizes $2.00 each. Some companies have nice balanced out sets these days, close enough anyway, and sets generally run a couple bucks cheaper than buying singles.
Here is my example of tension measured for my new Schecter guitar.
I'll leave the tuning standard, just show the difference in gauges vs. tension
Standard tuning E/A/D/G/B/E at the 26.5in. scale.
10's \"standard set\" [unbalanced, but mainly on the bottoms]
_________________________________________________________
.046--.036--.026--.017--.013--.010 string gauge
20.7--23.1--21.9--17.8--16.1--17.7 lbs. tension for a total of 117.3 lbs.
Heavy/light 10's set [better balance]
_________________________________________________________
.050--.038--.028--.017--.013--.010 string gauge
25.4--25.3--26.1--17.8--16.1--17.7 lbs. tension for a total of 128.4 lbs.
=============================================
Now showing an example in tension difference by lowering the tuning
using my heavy/light 10's gauge set on my 26.5 scale neck
standard tuning E/A/D/G/B/E
__________________________________________________________
.050--.038--.028--.017--.013--.010 gauge
25.4--25.3--26.1--17.8--16.1--17.7 lbs. tension [total tension 128.4 lbs.
drop the tuning 1 semi-tone to Eb
__________________________________________________________
.050--.038--.028--.017--.013--.010 gauge
22.6--22.6--23.3--15.8--14.4--15.7 lbs. tension [total tension 114.5 lbs.
Notice this last set of strings, are a heavier gauge set, but better balance,
with lower overall tension than a \"standard set\" with the tuning at Eb. (my opinion a better tuning)
You can customize this further with single picked string gauges. These are over the counter sets I calculated.
Comments
But why do you run that sissy 10 guage on the 1st string???
hold on...sissy???
That 10 gauge on the 26.5\" neck scale is about the same tension as an 11 gauge on the 25.5\" neck scale.
I won't play those bridge cable 13's like you play. :shock: :P
But you're right, and I did make the change.
The other day, I threw a set of Gibson VR11's on, and I love them.
The same lower strings, with the 11 gauge on top.
(and again on the 26.5\" neck scale, these are like a set of 12's on a 25.5\" neck scale)
Gibson VR11 at standard tuning
.050--.038--.028--.018--.014--.011 gauge
25.4--25.3--26.1--21.1--19.1--21.2 lbs. tension [total tension 138.3 lbs]
__________________________________________________________________________
Gibson VR11 at Eb tuning
.050--.038--.028--.018--.014--.011 gauge
22.6--22.6--23.3--18.8--17.0--18.9 lbs. tension [total tension 123.2 lbs]
Pretty good balance for an over the counter set of strings.
I'm very pleased with them so far.