Extreme downtuning...F#?

[revsharp777]

Here's something I've been pondering. Since 94, I've been playing 7 string guitars exclusively. About 90% of the music I write has been in the baritone range & the only time I even use the high E is for soloing. So here's my question...

Has any of you just dropped the high E string & gone with the following tuning with your 7-string guitars? F# B E A D F# B
I know this is an extreme tuning, but for those who have, what did you think? What string gauges did you use? Was there a pre-packaged set on the market that big or did you have to come up with a custom set? Since I'm doing most of my music in the range, I thought a low F# would facilitate some more of my jazzy bass walking runs.

Another reason for this idea comes from the fact that I don't have $2K or more for a custom 8-string guitar. I might as well make due with what I have.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

[darren wilson]

WIth a 27" scale guitar you might be able to get away with that kind of tuning, but you'd need some pretty heavy strings to have acceptable string tension to play anything.

You'd almost certainly have to go with bass strings on the lowest 1 or 2 strings, probably in the range of .075 and up.

Are you playing fixed-bridge or trem-equipped guitars? Each will have its own issues when going to super-heavy gauges.

[revsharp777]

I have my UV777BK & a fixed bridged ESP as my main guitars.

[Jim Soloway]

Originally Posted by darren wilson

WIth a 27" scale guitar you might be able to get away with that kind of tuning, but you'd need some pretty heavy strings to have acceptable string tension to play anything.

You'd almost certainly have to go with bass strings on the lowest 1 or 2 strings, probably in the range of .075 and up.

Are you playing fixed-bridge or trem-equipped guitars? Each will have its own issues when going to super-heavy gauges.

You should be able to do that with guitar strings. D'Adarrio make Nickel woundl XL's up to .080

[The Dark Wolf]

Well, it pleases me to post on this, and lay to rest the speculation. I play a standard 25' scale Ibanez 7, the RG2027, and I tune

eb
bb
gb
db
Ab
Db
Gb (There's your F#)

I use Dean Markley Blue Steel LTHB .10-.60 gauge strings.

I have NO problem with using my low string. Believe me, if I did, the piezo elements would fart out on me if I did. I am VERY curious to try an extended scale length, but as to playability/sound, I don't have a problem at all.
(Jim- you might find this interesting. With this tuning I can get very cool baritone triad voicings, and even nifty 7 string bar chords. 2 finger major/minor triads are a trip in that register! ) Been using this tuning for about 2 years (Just a 7-string variation on dropped D, which I've been playing forever.)

[sam669]

i onced tuned my sixer's two lowest strings to B and F or F#, cant remember.
a friend's sixer is in drop G (all down to A then the lowest to G)

[Drew]

Well, this goes without saying, but Meshuggah's been doing it, and i think they're using standard scale lengths...

I've tuned my strat as far down as drop-G; i forgot the exact tuning, but it was an open tuning i came up with in the key of G. the 10-52 ernie balls i had on it were WAY too light for that register, but the way they rattled against the board was kinda cool, i thought, especially clean.

Incidentally, an alder guitar tuned in that register sounds heavier than God.

I've been thinking of trying F# on my 7620 for a while- need to set it up anyway- but i haven't had the time. Although, you gys finally pushed me over the edge- i've been thinking of doing drop-A for quite some time (hey, the jazz AND metal worlds can't BOTH be wrong), and i don't want to go to bed just yet, so i guess i'm gonna drop the 2027... more later.

-Drew

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by Drew

Although, you gys finally pushed me over the edge- i've been thinking of doing drop-A for quite some time (hey, the jazz AND metal worlds can't BOTH be wrong), and i don't want to go to bed just yet, so i guess i'm gonna drop the 2027... more later.

Man, that's gotta sound sweet, the 2027 in Drop-A. I love Drop-A. It's great. I use it to transpose some drop-C songs (i.e. Drop-D, down a step) and also to play some Coal Chamber and Taproot stuff.

[revsharp777]

Well, I did it to my ESP M-107 last night. I decided to drop it down to Low F to see what it's like. Needless to say, it crunches! I've only heard it through my Fender Bullet practice amp, but I can't wait to try it out with my 1/2 stack on Wed. Here's the gauges I used:
.013 Bb
.017 F
.024 Db
.036 Ab
.046 Eb
.056 Bb
.068 F

I will have to widen the nut slots a little, but my intonation is still dead on.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by revsharp777

Well, I did it to my ESP M-107 last night. I decided to drop it down to Low F to see what it's like. Needless to say, it crunches! I've only heard it through my Fender Bullet practice amp, but I can't wait to try it out with my 1/2 stack on Wed. Here's the gauges I used:
.013 Bb
.017 F
.024 Db
.036 Ab
.046 Eb
.056 Bb
.068 F

I will have to widen the nut slots a little, but my intonation is still dead on.

Nice! Post sound samples?

[BucketBot]

Yeah, I did that to one of my 7s and I only pulled the intonation back on the low string and I seem to be getting away with it. The heaviest gauge of string I used was a .060 for the the low F.

btw, In about a week I'll be sending off the 1/3 down payment needed for Conklin to start building my 8 string!

[revsharp777]

Originally Posted by BucketBot

btw, In about a week I'll be sending off the 1/3 down payment needed for Conklin to start building my 8 string!

Yep...I'm EXTREMELY jealous!!!! Are you going the fanned fretted route too?

Anyway, I don't know how to record sound samples onto the computer. Otherwise, I would post something.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Two hands31

Man, that's gotta sound sweet, the 2027 in Drop-A. I love Drop-A. It's great. I use it to transpose some drop-C songs (i.e. Drop-D, down a step) and also to play some Coal Chamber and Taproot stuff.

Actually, it sounded like crap, and i've since tuned it back up. the .54 was just too thin to really hang with the rest of the strings at A, so it didn't put out enough volume and got drowned out, making the low end actually sound weaker. Although, on position #4 (inner coils of both PU's), it was actually quite good- really defined.

I've decided that, if i drop tune it again, it'll be merely a transposition of standard tuning. For the time being, though, B is low enough for me.

-Drew

[BucketBot]

Originally Posted by revsharp777

Yep...I'm EXTREMELY jealous!!!! Are you going the fanned fretted route too?

Nah, I figured that the 8th string will be enough to mess me up. Maybe if someday I get a second one I'll go the fanned-fret route.

[Joshka]

I use Dean Markley Blue Steel LTHB .10-.60 gauge strings.

I have NO problem with using my low string.

I find that hard to beleive, when I am finding a 60 too lose for an A