.011 to .070

darren wilson · #1 09-07-2003, 03:32 PM

Just a quick message because i have to run out the door to rehearsal.

I just re-strung my Dean Evo Special 7 with GHS Boomers .011 to .070 strings (a .011 to .050 set plus a compound-wound .070 from juststrings.com).

My first impressions are very good. Clear, bell-like tone from the lower strings with fewer muddy overtones (partly the joy of a fresh set of Boomers), but nice and crisp for a 25.5" scale string tuned down to A.

I'll let you guys know more after i've run the guitar through its paces with my rig.

And to think just 18 months ago, i was a die-hard 9-42 user.

Jim Soloway · #2 09-07-2003, 04:43 PM

Tell me more about the 70. What's the make? Compund wound as in a tape wind?

darren wilson · #3 09-07-2003, 08:53 PM

It's a GHS Boomer .070, which is available in the Zakk Wylde signature series low-tune set. I just ordered it from the single string section on juststrings.com.

It's compound wound in the same way that bass strings are... there's the core string, and then two layers of nickel-plated steel alloy wrap. It's actually heavier than the top string on my bass player's bass, but it still has a standard guitar ball-end, so it fits in guitar ferrules, bridges and tuning machines.

It balances nicely with the .011 to .050 set, and gave me the tightest, cleanest bottom end i've felt on a 25.5" scale string tuned down to A. Still not likely to be as good as a 27" scale guitar, but a very good compromise when one is stuck with a 25.5" scale set-neck guitar and a very limited budget.

I just had to widen the nut slots a tiny bit, and i raised the bridge to allow a wee bit more room for string excursion without buzzing and rattling. Slight tweaks to the intonation and i was good to go.

Jim Soloway · #4 09-07-2003, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darren wilson

It's a GHS Boomer .070, which is available in the Zakk Wylde signature series low-tune set. I just ordered it from the single string section on juststrings.com.

It's compound wound in the same way that bass strings are... there's the core string, and then two layers of nickel-plated steel alloy wrap. It's actually heavier than the top string on my bass player's bass, but it still has a standard guitar ball-end, so it fits in guitar ferrules, bridges and tuning machines.

It balances nicely with the .011 to .050 set, and gave me the tightest, cleanest bottom end i've felt on a 25.5" scale string tuned down to A. Still not likely to be as good as a 27" scale guitar, but a very good compromise when one is stuck with a 25.5" scale set-neck guitar and a very limited budget.

I just had to widen the nut slots a tiny bit, and i raised the bridge to allow a wee bit more room for string excursion without buzzing and rattling. Slight tweaks to the intonation and i was good to go.

Thanks Darren. I'll order a couple and give them a try. I use a D'Adarrio nickel round wound .072 now and I'm always looking for something better.

The_Grindfiend · #5 09-07-2003, 11:55 PM

I need to try some, too. I've been using heavy strings for a while now. They just sound so good. Do you think that I'd need to to have the nut widened on my RG 1527 for a .078?

darren wilson · #6 09-08-2003, 08:58 AM

For some reason, i've never really been a fan of D'Addario strings. I've tried them on a couple of occasions and just found them to be lacking tone. Once i tried Boomers, that was it for me.

Jim, is the D'Addario .072 double-wound, or do they just use one layer of really thick wraps? The nice thing about the compound-wound GHS string is that the wrap wires still aren't too thick, so it still feels smooth like a guitar string and doesn't squeak any more than a regular wound guitar string would.

Grindfiend: I have no idea if you'd have to widen the nut slot on a locking nut to accommodate a .078 string... i would imagine you might have some difficulty getting the nut to clamp down evenly on your bottom two strings with such heavy gauges. The other problem is with your tuning machines... my .070 just barely goes through the post hole and wraps around the tuner once. With a .078, you might have to drill out the post hole so it's a bit wider.

The other issue might be with getting a string that thick to lock securely into the bridge and break at a clean angle over the saddle. The guitar i'm using it on has the strings mounted through the body and running over a tune-o-matic style bridge. And Jim uses fixed bridges as well. Does anybody else have experience using super-heavy gauge strings on their Edge trems?

The Dark Wolf · #7 09-08-2003, 12:48 PM

Yeah, Darren, I have some experience with that.
I have an RG2027 and I tune my 7th down to Gb. Obviously, that low, you need some heavy gauge strings. I currently use a .068 on the lowest, and .010-.052 for the rest. (I would maybe use even heavier strings, at least on my 7th, if I didn't have a skin allergy to nickel. So, that limits my choices.

Since I have this condition, I'm real careful on string selection. I use Elixirs now, and they seem to keep me 95% reaction-free. But, as Elixir's thickest gauge GUITAR string is a .068, that's what I use. I used to use a .059 D'addario for the Gb 7th, and it worked our pretty good to be honest, but when I had enough of ANY nickel strings, I switched to Elixir. NO .059's, so I went with .068, and it does sound better to be honest. Thicker is much better with these low tunings.)

No problems with the string and the Lo Pro trem. I string my axe up 'Rich' style, with the ball ends stopping right at the hole to the tuners. (No need to clip'em, and never have to worry about poking yourself when touching the headstock.) The .068, probably similarly to your .072, Darren, just squeezes into the tuner hole, but the wrapped part on the ball end doesn't fit through. Rich advocates cutting it, but I don't. I just leave it, and bend it so that it faces back parallel to the neck. Looks fine, and again, no sharp edges. As for the cut end, where it goes into the locking mechanism on the bridge, no problems with string angle, or flopping, or anything for that matter. The .068 behaves just like any other string does on the bridge.

darren wilson · #8 09-08-2003, 01:42 PM

Cool... i didn't know Elixir made a .068 for electrics. Thanks for the tip!

The Dark Wolf · #9 09-08-2003, 06:05 PM

NP.

juststrings.com!

(No 7-string sets from Elixir)

darren wilson · #10 09-08-2003, 07:43 PM

Ah, i remember now... Elixir does make baritone electric strings, but no baritone acoustic strings. I was hoping to outfit my AJ307 with a set of Elixirs, but they don't go heavy enough in their acoustic gauges.

Incidentally, i also ordered a nice beefy set of D'Addario phosphor bronze strings to throw on my AJ307. I was experimenting with a baritone LaBella set with a high E added, but that setup is just not doing it for me... it sounds relatively thin and weak.

Two hands31 · #11 09-08-2003, 10:51 PM

Interesting to note, both Mike from Taproot and Meegs from Coal Chamber use .70s on their low A-strings (both use drop-A tuning) on baritone scale guitars. Both have great tones, clean, and distorted (my opinion, but check 'em out for yourself. Good examples: Taproot - "Art", Coal Chamber - "Rowboat" Lots of parts with just guitar by itself on that second one)

On the other hand, everyone I'm sure knows that Korn uses 10-60 sets on their standard-scale 7-strings and also have great tone (again, my opinion, but hear them live and you'll understand, also check out the intros to "Alone I Break" and "No One's There" for some straight clean-tone)

The_Grindfiend · #12 09-08-2003, 11:07 PM

How in the world did Meshuggah get everything to work out when they recorded Nothing? Didn't they use a .074 for the low F? I'm not sure whether they used the Universes or the Nevborn 7s to record it, but either way, they used locking trems. It obviously worked. I wonder what they did?

sam669 · #13 09-09-2003, 07:12 AM

i once read vai in an interview say korn used 70s...

anyways, they have so much things that run in their loops that having a sucky tone would be hard

Two hands31 · #14 09-09-2003, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam669

i once read vai in an interview say korn used 70s...

Nope, it's well known that they use .60s

The Dark Wolf · #15 09-09-2003, 08:53 AM

Cool! Hope them D'addario's work out for the AJ307, Darren. I heard that thing can be a pain because of that short scale. (Doesn't stop me from wanting one, tho

)

Yeah, it's wierd like that Two Hands. Like I said, I used to use a .059 at Gb!

It actually worked out OK. Admittedly, the .068 is tighter and cleaner (and I'd have to say an Elixir .068 FEELS maybe closer to a .070-.072 because of that coating. Anywho...) So, I guess you never know what'll work until ya try it. And yeah, I dig Korn's sound ALOT myself. I think dude from Taproot's got sweet tone, too, esp. clean.