Why doesn't anyone make drop tuning string sets?

[Chad]

Compare now to 10 or 12 years ago and you'll absolutely adore the current selection and availability of strings. At one time, I was using a custom string gauge set that seemed perfect and I kept hounding D'Addario to make a set like that available. But I've come to realize that string gauge choice is so subjective that there is no way they are gonna make everybody happy.

Like others have said, just buy separate strings to create a custom set, combine packs, use 5 strings from one pack and buy a separate string, etc. Lots of options and places like juststrings.com and so forth make buying separate string gauges so easy.

By the way, Toni Iommi used a custom set that was 8, 8, 12, 22 ,28, 38. That's even lighter than a standard 8 gauge pack.

[potatohead]

Compare now to 10 or 12 years ago and you'll absolutely adore the current selection and availability of strings. At one time, I was using a custom string gauge set that seemed perfect and I kept hounding D'Addario to make a set like that available. But I've come to realize that string gauge choice is so subjective that there is no way they are gonna make everybody happy.
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Yeah, I can imagine this is probably the case. D'Addario confuses me though, they have come out with some new ultra thick sets in 12-54 and 13-60 or something like that, and they're even labeled "for Drop D" and "for Drop C". Well, checking their website they have them listed for D and C standard, which makes more sense, so someone messed up wording on the packaging which is going to confuse a lot of people. They even have set like 11 - 54 listed for E standard, which I imagine may be ok on a 24.75" scale but that is a heck of a lot of tension on 25.5 for most people.

In any event, I have settled on buying singles for the Drop D/C guitars and just use 10-46 in E std and 11-48 in Eb std. I would prefer the D'Addario 10.5-48 set for Eb, but they're the only ones that make it and I just prefer EB stuff. EB is adamant they won't ever produce half gauges, so oh well.

It's just makes sense to me to offer sets like 10-13-17-26-36-52, or 11-14-18-28-38-56, and label them as Drop D and Drop C sets rather than just the "downtuning" sets they make now which are designed for some form of standard tune. Marketing is half the battle.

[toejam]

GHS makes the "red" David Gilmour Boomers set that's 10.5, 13, 17, 30, 40, 50. I prefer that one over the "blue" set that's 10, 12, 16, 28, 38, 48.

[Chad]

Compare now to 10 or 12 years ago and you'll absolutely adore the current selection and availability of strings. At one time, I was using a custom string gauge set that seemed perfect and I kept hounding D'Addario to make a set like that available. But I've come to realize that string gauge choice is so subjective that there is no way they are gonna make everybody happy.

Like others have said, just buy separate strings to create a custom set, combine packs, use 5 strings from one pack and buy a separate string, etc. Lots of options and places like juststrings.com and so forth make buying separate string gauges so easy.

By the way, not like anyone cares, but the set that I thought D'Addario should make is 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 49. I'm a big fan of 9-46 gauge, which is comprised of the high strings from a set of 9s and the low strings from a pack of 10s. I always thought it would be logical to do the same thing for a person who wants to go up a notch in thickness to combine 10 highs and 11 lows. For the couple guitars I use those strings on, I do just that.....combine a pack of 10s and 11s....then I keep the leftovers as extras.

[potatohead]

GHS makes the "red" David Gilmour Boomers set that's 10.5, 13, 17, 30, 40, 50. I prefer that one over the "blue" set that's 10, 12, 16, 28, 38, 48.

I was looking for those actually, but my local store didn't have any. I am not a huge GHS guy but they may be worth a try.

By the way, not like anyone cares, but the set that I thought D'Addario should make is 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 49. I'm a big fan of 9-46 gauge, which is comprised of the high strings from a set of 9s and the low strings from a pack of 10s. I always thought it would be logical to do the same thing for a person who wants to go up a notch in thickness to combine 10 highs and 11 lows. For the couple guitars I use those strings on, I do just that.....combine a pack of 10s and 11s....then I keep the leftovers as extras.

Heh, I was thinking the same thing this morning. They'll never make them though because they already have the 10-52's, 10.5-48's and the 11-52 set, but I do agree with you.

[toejam]

By the way, not like anyone cares, but the set that I thought D'Addario should make is 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 49. I'm a big fan of 9-46 gauge, which is comprised of the high strings from a set of 9s and the low strings from a pack of 10s. I always thought it would be logical to do the same thing for a person who wants to go up a notch in thickness to combine 10 highs and 11 lows. For the couple guitars I use those strings on, I do just that.....combine a pack of 10s and 11s....then I keep the leftovers as extras.

LaBella make a medium set 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 48.

And it seems like D'Addario now makes an EXL110+ Regular Light set 10.5, 13.5, 18, 28, 38, 48.

And DR makes medium heavy 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 50.

http://bcstrings.com/rock.htm

[potatohead]

And DR makes medium heavy 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 50.

http://bcstrings.com/rock.htm

Interesting... That they do, never noticed before.

http://www.drstrings.com/catalog/tite-fit

I like DR a lot actually but I don't think they're worth 50% more money than EB's really. I know it's a buck or two here and there, but it's principle

[toejam]

I never noticed DR made that set either. I've used their Hi-Beam 11-50 before (11, 14, 18, 23, 38, 50) and really liked them. They do last a very long time and don't rust as quick as other strings. I once in awhile will use the EB Power Slinky 11-48, but they seem to get dull quicker. I don't change strings all that much anyway, but I do hear ya about the money and principle thing.

[Chad]

LaBella make a medium set 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 48.

And it seems like D'Addario now makes an EXL110+ Regular Light set 10.5, 13.5, 18, 28, 38, 48.

And DR makes medium heavy 10, 13, 17, 28, 38, 50.

http://bcstrings.com/rock.htm

Has to be D'Addario XLs for me. I have tried nearly every model GHS makes (including oddballs like compound wounds), nearly everything D'Addario makes, several EB, most Fender, some Peavey, some DR, some Dean Markley, etc.......and have found that D'Addario XLs are where it's at for me. I considered that 10.5-48 pack, but I don't want my high strings any thicker than 10, 13, 17 for the guitars I use those on. I'm overly anal retentive when it comes to strings. At least buying online, I can get whatever strings I need easily, inexpensive, and fairly quick.

[Grim]

I use 10s for D standard so :S

Work totally fine and they are hardly slack

People tend to think they need super thick strings to downtune and it's just not true

[potatohead]

I use 10s for D standard so :S

Work totally fine and they are hardly slack

People tend to think they need super thick strings to downtune and it's just not true

Meh, everyone has their preference. I find 11's even a hair slack in D (they are between 9's and 10's in E in terms of tension) but they are very playable, if it was a trem guitar I would probably use it like that but with a fixed bridge I like a little more tension, although 12's are too much so D is a weird one for me.

This thread was more geared at drop tunings rather than just simply downtuning to D/C/B standard whatever, but it seems to me there are no strings sets really made for these drop D/C/B etc but you can just buy singles for it.

[Electric]

I've been using Everly Strings for a guitar I keep tuned to Drop C - they make a set of 11-56 that is perfect for that.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Everly-9111-X-Rockers-Lo-Tune-Drop-D-Guitar-Strings?sku=106025

They're only 4.50 and I've been pretty happy with the sound/life.

[potatohead]

I picked up a set of Beefy Slinky's (11-15-22-30-42-54) today on a whim, and threw them on my D std guitar, which is a fixed bridge RG. I replaced the 22 with a 19 ( I still can't figure out why they figure a 22 plain is a good match for this set) but after about an hour of playing, I like them a lot. They're a touch stiffer wounds than my trem guitar in E with 10-46 but this guitar is for rythym and it plays great, I might have to keep these on this one. I'll probably stick with 11-48 for some other tunings/bridge combinations but I do like the Beefy's on this particular guitar.

On another note from earlier in the thread, I also noticed today that Dunlop has some new strings called "heavy core" or something like that, and they have a 10-13-17-28-38-50 set in those, so that makes a second set along with DR with the tops from 10's and bottom from 11's.

I do have a question though, not sure if anyone knows. Are there many lead players out there using a light top/heavy bottom set in a band that has a pretty standard tuning? I keep reading that guys like Hammett or Friedman were/are using a 10 - 52 set but I find that a little hard to believe. Hammett is advertised as using 11's on Ernie Balls website but I just can't see that either, James using them on the short scale makes sense though. Mustaine uses 10 - 52 but obviously a rythym player and I bet Megadeth is playing in Eb live.

[Grim]

I do have a question though, not sure if anyone knows. Are there many lead players out there using a light top/heavy bottom set in a band that has a pretty standard tuning? I keep reading that guys like Hammett or Friedman were/are using a 10 - 52 set but I find that a little hard to believe.

Hammett doesn't exactly count as a lead player

I generally like Light Top/Heavy Bottoms, And I can play fast with them fine, but I just prefer 10s.

If you are't bending, I find heavier strings help me play faster, because they don't slip easily.

[m2pmd70]

I guess I'm not too picky about tension, but I don't like the loose/buzzy sound you get with tiny strings flopping around the fretboard at lower tunings.

I usually use 10s for standard, except on 24" scale I sometimes use 9s. On my LS-1 that I keep tuned to B I use these.