Bump up string guage for detuning???

[Scott Smith]

Hello all!

I'm a standard tuning kind of guy. All of my electrics have standard tuning. Lately I've been checking out detuning. I have an Ibanez IC400 that I've detuned to D. But I have .9-.42's on it and they don't seem to sound right. Too much slack in the strings. The question is, will bumping up the string guage help with the string tension? Sorry if this has been asked before or if this is common knowledge but I'm a detuning newbie. I was thinking of .10-52's for it. Would that help? Thanks for the input...

[darren wilson]

Originally Posted by Scott Smith

The question is, will bumping up the string guage help with the string tension? ... I was thinking of .10-52's for it. Would that help?

Yes.

[john1880]

Even if you went with a hybrid 9-46 gage, that would help. There are a lot of choices these days for strings. D'Addario even has an in between gage now. 9.5-44. I Just got a set for the same reason. Haven't tried them yet though.

john

[Algiman]

For tuning down to D you may even want to try 11s.

[sindlei]

i've tuned to D for the longest time, using 10-46, once i used 11s, but i don't remember why i switched back. then again my guitar is curently a non locking tremolo design, so i swtich from E, Eb, D, C#, all the time, within the span of an hour in between i'd say haha. ordered an rg1570 from rich, that'll be my main axe when it arrives.

[john1880]

I just tried the D'Addario .0095 to .044 gage. I love it! For me 10s are just too tight for bending a lot and soloing. This gage works perfect for me. It adds .002 the A and low E, then adds .0005 to the high E and B. The G and D remain standard 9 gage size.
I tune in E flat with a drop D a lot. I think I'll go with this gage on all my guitars eventually.

Hey, Billy G. from ZZ top used straight 8 gage!!!!!

john

[sindlei]

all personal preference. my 10s on my ibanez feel like rubber bands tuned to D, but that's how i like it, while still keeping a fairly fat tone.