7-String Gauges

Two hands31 · #1 12-26-2002, 06:19 PM

Ok, I'm looking for a set of strings for my brand new 7-string, cuz my lowest strings are not quite thick enough.

I play mostly in standard, or drop-A, but I do quite a bit of down a whole-step too. I think they've got it strung with 10-54 right now, but I'm not completely sure. I just know that everything up to the 6th and 7-th string are ok, but the last two could use a bit more to them.

trajectory fish · #2 12-26-2002, 06:24 PM

I reccomend at least a .058 for the B string.

Two hands31 · #3 12-26-2002, 06:41 PM

Yeah, I was thinking of going with a .060 even. Is that too much in standard tuning? What guages should I use for the other 6? (probably 10-??)

Texter · #4 12-26-2002, 06:41 PM

Right now I'm using a .56 ...it's doing well for a year now

Maybe I oughta put on a new one...Sounds like you are ready for a .60

Dylan7620 · #5 12-26-2002, 10:18 PM

10-60, nice tension for chunky not mucky chords in A. but u can still do some string bendin.

Jim Soloway · #6 12-26-2002, 11:30 PM

12 - 72 on a 25.5 inch scale, 11-72 on the 27 inch XL scale. Standard tuning E-E and a low A.

brianboros · #7 12-26-2002, 11:56 PM

I use .10 - .60. I'll buy a .10-.52 set and an extra .60 (sometimes .62). works for me. Tuned to Standard.

Two hands31 · #8 12-27-2002, 12:36 AM

Cool, that's exactly what I was thinking of. Getting a thin-thick (10-52) set, and buying a 60 separate. Thanx! Can't wait to see the guitar shop guy's reaction.

Not too many 7-stringers around here.

guitarkatana · #9 12-28-2002, 11:29 AM

I just buy regular 10-46 6 string sets, then I buy a single .60 string. It works great for low B.

Two hands31 · #10 12-28-2002, 04:53 PM

Stupid guitar shop didn't have a .60 that wasn't a bass string.

I may settle for a .58, but I'm gonna do some searching around to other shops in town (though I doubt they'll have them). So instead, I bought a 7-string set of D'Addarios (only 7-string sets they had) in the same guages I had on it already (just for now, it needed new strings anyways, and a decent setup) 10-56. The action is great on this thing though, 3mm across the board.

Best part is, 7-string sets are $7.99, and 6-string sets are $6.49, the guy at the counter isn't used to 7-strings apparently, cuz he just glanced, saw "D'Addario", didn't see the "7-string" label, and charged me $8.00 ($6.49 + tax).

darren wilson · #11 12-28-2002, 05:25 PM

GHS makes .010 to .060 as a standard set. You can get them at juststrings.com. These are the ones i use.

Wound · #12 12-28-2002, 05:29 PM

I've always just gotten a bass string for the bottom... started with .060, then went to .065 then to .072 or .070...don remember, but went back to .065. I have never seen normal guitar strings thicker then .056...heh

Kim

Jim Soloway · #13 12-28-2002, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wound

I've always just gotten a bass string for the bottom... started with .060, then went to .065 then to .072 or .070...don remember, but went back to .065. I have never seen normal guitar strings thicker then .056...heh

Kim

I use D'Adarrio nickel crome round wonds for my low string. Thet go all they way up to an 80 in standard guitar format. They sell them at as singles at www.juststrings.com. Thomastik Infeld made a great .72, much better than the D'Adarrio. I tested the prototype and then they decided not to bother releasing them. Too bad really. It was a great string.

Two hands31 · #14 12-28-2002, 09:24 PM

Is it possible to use a bass string? Keeping in mind this is a hardtail guitar, and I won't be cutting off the ball end. Will a .058 be good enough? I may end up ordering a bunch of those sets Darren linked to (thanx btw).

darren wilson · #15 12-28-2002, 09:30 PM

Another option would be to get a set of Zakk Wylde low-tune Boomers, which go .011 .014 .018 DY36 DY52 DY70, and slap a .009 on top. The cool thing with that is you'll have an unwound D string.

I don't think a bass string would do any harm, as long as the ball end will fit through the ferrule in the back, and the string itself fits through the loading hole in your bridge, the nut and the tuning machine. Keep in mind that if you do go way up in gauge, you're going to have to get your nut slots widened a bit. I wouldn't recommend going lower than a .060.

I wanted to put the bottom four strings of a 5-string set on my fretless P-Bass, but the thick string diameter wouldn't fit through the hole in the Badass II bridge.