Why doesn't anyone make drop tuning string sets?

[potatohead]

And when I say drop tuning, I mean like drop D or drop C, not just simple downtuning.

You have your light top/heavy bottom sets, but these make the "drop" tuning even worse I find because the A and D strings are very stiff compared to the trebles, and then you slacken the low E... It's just weird.

I don't see why companies don't make say, a standard 10 - 46 set, but chuck in a 50 rather than a 46... Or an 11 - 48/49, but use a 52 or 54 for the low E. I realize I can just buy a normal pack and then the singles for the low E but this costs more and you have a wasted string all the time.

I mean, it would seem to be there are a lot of bands using these tunings it would makes sense to produce these sets IMO. I could always order custom sets but as far as I know the only companies doing that are GHS and D'addario, and I prefer EB, or DR if in a pinch :think:.

[Grandturk]

Ernie Ball makes drop tuning sets... so do others...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=drop+tuning

[potatohead]

Ernie Ball makes drop tuning sets... so do others...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=drop+tuning

The KK set is the only one that is doing what I am talking about.

Let's say you tune to drop C, and normally use 11-48 in D. When you drop the low E string down two more semitones to C, the tension is now much looser than the other five strings.

Now, if you switch to a 11 - 54 light top/heavy bottom set, you have solved the tension problem with the low E, but now since the A and D strings are a thicker gauge as well, their tension is much higher than the other four strings.

I am wondering why nobody makes a standard 11 - 48 set, but instead of a 48, include a 54. So the gauges would be 11-14-18-28-38-54. This way when you tune the low E down to C the tension on all six strings should be relatively the same.

Ahh well, I guess most people don't care that much

[Krymson86]

That Slinky drop tuning set also does pretty much what you're talking about. the yellow pack. It has basically a 10-46 type (or close) set of strings for all but the low string which is a 54

Considering individual strings are like less than a dollar, its probably worth it to just get a 10-46 set and the extra string separately, if thats the feel you're looking for.

[potatohead]

Yeah, I've been buying 11-48's and then 54's seperately, but obviously I have a bunch of 48's I'll probably never use. I have that guitar in drop C and another in D which I just use your normal 11-48.

Oh well, not a big deal obviously it just seems like something a lot of people might want.

[gmbob22]

why not just use D addario 11-52's and skip the hassle?

[potatohead]

why not just use D addario 11-52's and skip the hassle?

I have tried the light top/heavy bottoms but the tension on the wound strings is much higher than on the plains when using a "normal" tuning (such as E, Eb, D, whatever), because all the wounds are larger than normal. The problem for me is when you bring the Low E down the two semitones to get into drop D/Drop C#/Drop C, now the low E string is about the same tension as the trebles, but the A and D strings are still higher tension. To me it just feels weird, I like the strings to have similar tensions if possible. By using only a thicker than "normal" low E string, since that is the only string that is downtuned in relation to the others, the tension on all six stays relatively equal.

Standard 11 - 48 is 11-14-18-28-38-48
D'addario 11 - 52 is 11-14-18-30-42-52
Ernie Ball 11 - 54 is 11-15-22p-30-42-54 (this is a weird one)
My "custom" set 11- 54 is 11-14-18-28-38-54
DR also makes 11 - 50 which is 11-14-18-28-38-50

Now, you're probably right in that the D'addarios are close, but to be honest I keep trying D'addario from time to time but I just cannot get myself to like them.

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

And when I say drop tuning, I mean like drop D or drop C, not just simple downtuning.

You have your light top/heavy bottom sets, but these make the "drop" tuning even worse I find because the A and D strings are very stiff compared to the trebles, and then you slacken the low E... It's just weird.

I don't see why companies don't make say, a standard 10 - 46 set, but chuck in a 50 rather than a 46... Or an 11 - 48/49, but use a 52 or 54 for the low E. I realize I can just buy a normal pack and then the singles for the low E but this costs more and you have a wasted string all the time.

I mean, it would seem to be there are a lot of bands using these tunings it would makes sense to produce these sets IMO. I could always order custom sets but as far as I know the only companies doing that are GHS and D'addario, and I prefer EB, or DR if in a pinch :think:.

I think what you need is either a set of Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky 12-56, Elixir Nanoweb 12-52, or something like a baritone set. I use D'addario XL158 14-68 in drop c, drop b, c std, b std, and Ernie Ball Baritone Slinky 14-72 in drop a, drop g and a std. In drop d, d std and e std I use Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky 12-56. It's always good to use super heavy strings even in high tunings, because it gives you better tone and improves your playing.

[potatohead]

^ It seems you can easily adapt to using the same strings in say E, D, and Drop D, without a problem. I can do it, but I prefer if I can to try and keep tensions the same on all my guitars, it is just what I am used to. I use 10-46 in E, 11-48 in D, and the makeshift 11 - 54 in Drop C. If I ever set up a guitar in drop D I'd probably use a 10-46 set but replace the 46 with the leftover 48 from the Drop C guitar sets.

[Newc]

Find a place that has individual strings in bulk and build your own sets from those. Problem solved. Granted it won't be EB or DR - probably made by GHS - unless you can find EBs in bulk.

[potatohead]

Yeah, anyone can order GHS sets in any combination of gauges they already make as long as you order three dozen, I think it is. It is an option, although I wish EB or DR would do that.

[gmbob22]

i really dont understand the need for 14 gauge strings in just about any tuning other than the lowest of lows, i tune to c# standard with 11's, heck even 10's and feel i have plenty o tension still

Mr. Iommi did C on 9's and a short scale gibson, so go figure

hmmm.... like i said, i dont get it

what really irritates me is when i pick up some kids guitar with 14 gauge strings, tuned to some inaudible tuning with a mile high action, ... i just think to myself Why? and how in the eff do you play this? Why not buy a seven? or a Baritone scale? and have decent action and spring tension and that inaudible tuning i mentioned before

[potatohead]

Come on now, thick strings are directly related to the size of your cock. In fact, real men use barbed wire.

Really though, I just use 10's in E standard and try to keep every other tuning around that tension, which obviously needs thicker strings for lower tunings. The lowest I tune to (so far anyway) is drop C which as stated I use an 11-54 makeshift set.

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

i really dont understand the need for 14 gauge strings in just about any tuning other than the lowest of lows, i tune to c# standard with 11's, heck even 10's and feel i have plenty o tension still

Mr. Iommi did C on 9's and a short scale gibson, so go figure

hmmm.... like i said, i dont get it

what really irritates me is when i pick up some kids guitar with 14 gauge strings, tuned to some inaudible tuning with a mile high action, ... i just think to myself Why? and how in the eff do you play this? Why not buy a seven? or a Baritone scale? and have decent action and spring tension and that inaudible tuning i mentioned before

14 guage on standard length 24.75 or 25.5 can be done. I have an Ibanez with an edge pro floyd tuned to drop b with 14-62 strings and the action is very low and plays excellently.

[toejam]

GHS makes a Low-Tunes set 11-53. I use it on my Rhoads for D/Drop C tuning.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/GHS-GBLOW-Boomers-Low-Tune-Electric-Guitar-Strings?sku=100517

Boomers® LOW TUNES GUITAR SET
Larger than usual cores to control vibration

Product ID1st-E2nd-B3rd-G4th-D5th-A6th-EPurchase OnlineGB-LOW.011.015.019.033.043.053 BUY ONLINE