RR3 tuned to B?

[pagemalicious]

Hey guys. I'm fed up with not being able to use my Jackson RR3 at band practices. My band use 7 strings but i just find playing the Jackson to be more fun.

Would Zakk Wyldes GHS Boomers be ok to tune to B?

would you suggest 10 - 60?

or

11 - 70? I would want to have a plain G string as i use the three high strings alot when playing solos.

[toejam]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

If you're gonna go with a ZW set, I'd say 11-70. Usually he only drops the low E string down to B and that's why he's got the other strings lighter for soloing. Try it and see if it's okay for you. The low B will be okay with a 56 or above, but the other strings may be too light for you if you're tuning the whole guitar down to B.

[lantz_c]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

Personally I would go with something a little on heavier high strings. The daddario XL 13-56 Jazz Medium set worked well for me in B tuning on 25.5 inch scale guitars. The high B is a 13 and the low B a 56 on a lot of 7 string sets, so I thought 13 – 56 would work well on a 6 string tuned to B. Try some different gauges and see how you like them.

[IrfaanSE801]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

Ya know it's really all about feel. I have my explorer tuned to B with 10 gauge strings on it. I like it, ya can bend the hell out of it, but my picking is not as aggressive as most, so it suites me well. With the floyd, I'm sure it can be set up, just with A LOT of tweaking

[MHGOLDTOP]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

here is a set I have been using for B tuning for the last 10 years...

.012, .016, .022p, .034, .042, .054

works exceptionally well on a 25-1/2" scale with a Floyd.

[noodlesatf]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

My band plays a lot of stuff in drop-B (C# standard), and I've tried a ton of strings to find something I like. Sure, the heavier sets work, and so does throwing the high-E out of a 7-string set, but they all have the same problem: a wound third string, which drives me nuts. Several manufactures are now making "drop tuned" sets with much heavier plain third strings.

Ernie Ball makes a set that is 12-16-24p-32-44-56, but I really hate their strings. Plus, this gauge might not be beefy enough for you on the low strings. The 56 is a tad to light for me in B.

If you can find a place that sells singles this big, you can get the Zakk Wylde set (10-13-17-36-52-60), and throw out the 10. The heavier set...good luck getting it to work on your guitar without modification. The 60 barely squeaks through a Kahler locknut, barely fits through stock Jackson tuners, and requires drilling the hole open a bit on a Spertzel.

Everly makes three heavy sets with plain thirds: 11-15-20-36-48-56, 12-16-22-38-48-60, and 13-17-24-42-56-65, but I've never been able to find them in a store. You have to order them from Musician's Friend, AMS, etc.

There is also Just Strings, who will sell you strings in bulk, gauged however you want. Because of pricing, they're not allowed to tell you who makes the strings, but since their are only like two or three string manufactures in the world, it is a safe bet that they are either D'addario or GHS.

[RR05xx]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

I had passable success with my kalhered RR tuned to c# with 9s (hey, I like what I like!). So would imagine that 10s or 11s to B should do the trick so long as you get the trem set right.

[pagemalicious]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

Thank for all the help guys, i'll take all your advice into consideration. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[bibz]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

I tried the ernie ball 7-string set recently and really like it, alot more then the not even slinkys. A plain G string just feels wrong to me being that thick (no crotchless jokes please [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ). I use 10-52 in C#, but 56 is a must for the low B. Both on DR3's with floyds.

[kruneh]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

Hey bibz, isn´t that Devin Townsend in your avatar there.
Can´t wait to get the new SYL album!!!!

Ehem, sorry for the hijacking....

[noodlesatf]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

[ QUOTE ]
A plain G string just feels wrong to me being that thick.

[/ QUOTE ]

It does feel a little wrong at first, but you quickly get used to it. To me, it was the trade-off I needed to make for better tone, since a wound third completely throws the balance off when you go to take a solo. The tone is just all wrong, and if you have a pickup with fixed pole pieces (I have a SD Alnico II in the mid position on my Soloist), then you can pretty much forget getting good string to string balance.

[Zerberus]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

Use the GHS seven string set 10-60, leave off the high e [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[bibz]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

I've put an x2n in my B guitar so all strings are way to loud for they're own good [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
kru, its mr hevydevy alright, the new SYL rocks hard [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Ruxspin]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

I have 3 guitars in B. My Jackson Dinky Pro Standard (floyded) is set up w/ D'Addario Plain-wound 13's and sounds great. For my heavy-ass hands, The D'Addarios give me enuff tension for me to do some nice chunky plam mutes (Heavy atk as well) and works fine for soloing and such..

For those using Gibson/TOM bridges, you will notice a difference switching from 13 gauge loaded floyd guitars to a tune-o-matic (SG's, Les Pauls. I found that wraping your strings AROUND the stop bar gives yah less slack and more tension. It Doesn't feel the same as a floyed but does help with the *floppy-ness* you might get.

[Tornet]

Re: RR3 tuned to B?

I have 2 RR1 with Floyds tuned in B and I use .12 - .52, works fantastic!
Spun G string though.
My Dinky and Strat doesn't feel as good as the RR:s, don't really know why, could be the bolt-on.
Any suggestion?

666
JT