Extra heavy strings on Floyd Rose?

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

I often tune down anywhere from C standard to Drop A, and I need extra heav strings to do this, and I have heard that heavy strings will give me better tone, but.... I am selling my Ibanez RG1570, to buy a Jackson RR24M, or RR24, and also buying a DK2 used. They have FRT-2000 and Jackson JT580 floating floyds, so can I fit my heavy strings without damaging my bridges?

[Grandturk]

A - Forget that "better tone" bullshit first and foremost.

B - I've got 11's on one of my Floyded Strats tuned down to D. No problems. There's a lot of room in the string lock blocks to accomodate a range of string sizes. Not sure about any licensed bridges, though, as long as they have the same locking mechanism, you'll be fine.

[Trem]

i like the tone of thicker strings better, some may not.
i don't consider it bs at all in fact it's a rule i live by - i would suggest them first to anyone wanting a fatter tone.

so for some people they give do give you better tone think SRV.

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

A - Forget that "better tone" bullshit first and foremost.

B - I've got 11's on one of my Floyded Strats tuned down to D. No problems. There's a lot of room in the string lock blocks to accomodate a range of string sizes. Not sure about any licensed bridges, though, as long as they have the same locking mechanism, you'll be fine.

So will GHS Boomers 11-70 be ok in the floyds?
If I have the money, I will fit an Original Floyd Rose on the DK2, as I expect to pick it up for £275

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

i like the tone of thicker strings better, some may not.
i don't consider it bs at all in fact it's a rule i live by - i would suggest them first to anyone wanting a fatter tone.

so for some people they give do give you better tone think SRV.

I have Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky 12-56 on my Telecaster and they sound awesome!

[vklobucar]

One of my PC1's is strung with GHS 13-54 and tuned down 1/2 a step with no issues at all.

"Forget that "better tone" bullshit first and foremost"

I dunno........

Seems to work for me and many famous players but tone is selective after all.....

[guambomb832]

So will GHS Boomers 11-70 be ok in the floyds?
If I have the money, I will fit an Original Floyd Rose on the DK2, as I expect to pick it up for £275

DAMN! A 70? Well, there really is no need for a 70 on a normal scale size 6 string guitar, and I think a floyd saddle can MAYBE fit all but 60's and over. I think a 58 or 56 should do fine for drop A, I play with 12-54s for everything from Drop C to Drop A. Also, when doing pinch harmonics on a slightly lower gauge than its desired gauge, its easier to put a mega-vibrato on it and make the harmonic scream!

[Chad]

DAMN! A 70? Well, there really is no need for a 70 on a normal scale size 6 string guitar, and I think a floyd saddle can MAYBE fit all but 60's and over. I think a 58 or 56 should do fine for drop A, I play with 12-54s for everything from Drop C to Drop A. Also, when doing pinch harmonics on a slightly lower gauge than its desired gauge, its easier to put a mega-vibrato on it and make the harmonic scream!

A person on another forum was thinking about running a .070" for their low string.....I think they said they wanted to do it because that's what Loomis runs, but I can't vouch for if that's what he actually uses.

Anyway, if you tune to A on a 25.5" scale guitar with a D'Addario EXL .070" string that would be 18.2 pounds of tension, which really isn't that much tension. Comparatively that's very similar to the tension of a .046" string tuned to standard E (17.48#).

I don't know the exact numbers with GHS boomers, but I think the similar relativity would apply.

[rattlehead74]

You might double check but I don't 70's will even fit in the machine heads / tuner pegs. Plus your looking at resetting up your guitar. I think you might be going a bit overboard. Also you may have to add stronger springs or the spring claw may bottom out during setup.

[Chad]

I've heard of several folks drilling out the lowest string tuner to accommodate a really low gauge string.

As far as setup, first look at the change in tension:

Take a set of D'Addario EXL 10-46 strings tuned to standard tuning.....total combined tension is 103.59 pounds.

Now, take a set of D'Addario EXL 13, 17, 26, 36, 46, 70 tuned to drop A. Combined tension is 103.77 pounds.

As far as setup, on a locking nut guitar, the nut would probably be fine. You'd probably have to raise the action a smidge, and adjust the intonation, but the truss rod would probably be fine. I'm guessing the trem springs might have to be tweaked a bit, but you probably wouldn't have to add any springs.

[Trem]

I've heard of several folks drilling out the lowest string tuner to accommodate a really low gauge string.

As far as setup, number of trem springs and so forth....there is so much uneducated urban legend with drop tunings it grows frustrating.

Take a set of D'Addario EXL 10-46 strings tuned to standard tuning.....total combined tension is 103.59 pounds.

Now, take a set of D'Addario EXL 13, 17, 26, 36, 46, 70 tuned to drop A. Combined tension is 103.77 pounds. That should almost require no setup work at all.

True, i swapped out regular 9's on my 7 string for a custom set each string chosen to be able tune down a full step and keep from having to reset up the floyd.

barley had to turn the claw screws and it was set up perfect.

anytime you tune down a step with a floyd, basically the next gauge of strings up per whole step will keep your floyd setup pretty close to perfect.

[rattlehead74]

I've heard of several folks drilling out the lowest string tuner to accommodate a really low gauge string.

As far as setup, first look at the change in tension:

Take a set of D'Addario EXL 10-46 strings tuned to standard tuning.....total combined tension is 103.59 pounds.

Now, take a set of D'Addario EXL 13, 17, 26, 36, 46, 70 tuned to drop A. Combined tension is 103.77 pounds.

As far as setup, on a locking nut guitar, the nut would probably be fine. You'd probably have to raise the action a smidge, and adjust the intonation, but the truss rod would probably be fine. I'm guessing the trem springs might have to be tweaked a bit, but you probably wouldn't have to add any springs.

I see what your saying about the string tension, makes sense. I still think it gonna need a little truss rod tweak. Just adjusting the action at the bridge is just gonna lift alot at the bridge not the headstock, I mean 70 is a pretty thick string.

[straycat]

11-56 is as far as I would go on a Floyd but that's just me.

[DeathThrashAttack]

I have a set of D'addario 13-62s tuned to A on my Ibanez RG470 and the fucker GROWWLLLLSSSSS

No problem with string tension, just balance that floyd out!

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

You might double check but I don't 70's will even fit in the machine heads / tuner pegs. Plus your looking at resetting up your guitar. I think you might be going a bit overboard. Also you may have to add stronger springs or the spring claw may bottom out during setup.

It's just that I had 12-64 on one of my guitars tuned to drop a and they flapped and slapped around like crazy... the guitar was set up properly. So I'm thinking 11-70 will stop the flapping.