Sounds interesting, and probably easier with a hardtail than a floating bridge. I'm not sure, but you'll be ready for the new Meshuggah album if you pull it off. :lol:

 

Yeah... what gauge would you use on that? If you have a trem, you might have trouble getting it to lock in tightly and bend nicely at the bridge. And you may have to drill out the hole in the shaft of your tuner to accommodate a bigger string.

But go for it! That'd be monstrous!

 

Why not just buy a 6 string bass guitar?

 

isn't the low B floppy enough? It'll take one turn on the tuner to get it up to pitch. Your amp won't know wtf to do wtihta freqency that low either. I think it'll be total mud & cheese.

Yuk.
~K

 

Well, I thought it would be cool to have an extra low F# for walking bass lines ala Charlie Hunter. Is this too extreme of an idea for you all? I'm sensing some sarcasm in your posts. :x Funny some of you brought up the bass idea. I have used a 12-string bass (beautiful full-rounded chords) and a Danelectro 6-string bass guitar (lots of twang) in the past through my guitar rig. My rig holds up very well with low frequencies so muddiness has NEVER been an issue.

I use 10-56 gauges for Standard tuning with the Low B. I think a .070 gauge would do the trick for the F#. Thoughts?

 

Yeah, I believe Mike Mushok of Staind uses a .70 for his low G# tuning. I think it's a cool idea, go for it!

 

Sorry if my post came off as sounding sarcastic, I really didn't mean for it to appear that way. 8O

I'm just thinking your sliding so far down into the Bass realm that it would almost be a better idea to get a bass and tune it up a touch. At least that way I think you would avoid some problem that could pop up with the trem being used in a way it really was not designed for.

Then again if we didn't experiment there wouldn't be anything new :lol: to talk about. Will you file out the nut to accomidate the larger string?

 

Well, I should problably try this experiment out on my hardtail 7-string first to see if I like it. We'll see.

 

Well, I should problably try this experiment out on my hardtail 7-string first to see if I like it. We'll see.

If you do it, please send me a mp3 of a few chords (clean and distorted), so i can hear how that sounds. :twisted:

-Drew

 

I've tuned 6strings down to B, which is about what you're thinking of doing here. It all gets a bit floppy, but as long as you use .12's to .14's for the 6 higher string notes it should be OK. You'll have thick strings, but it will work. You may also need to adjust the springs in the claw cavity a bit, but that's the same with any detuning.

The one problem you may encounter is the low f#, which may be too thick to fit through the bridge and tuning peg, but I'm sure it'll be OK. Experiment! Tell us how the pickups cope with it as well

Good luck!

 

I tuned down to Drop-B before (Drop-D down 1.5 steps) using 9s. I had to play really carefully, but it worked.

 

Your biggest issue will be intonating a low F# on a 25.5" scale length. Ever notice how far back the saddle is on the Low B? typically almost as far back as you can get it, you probably won't be able to intonate that string if you do it.

Also, with a string that thick, even beside an .056 for the B, you may have some clamping issues with the locknut. I'm not sure even with an .070 if you would be able to get the tension high enough to keep it from just farting everywhere, but, there is only one way to find out!!!

Oh, and I think you probably would have to drill out that machine head slighty to fit the string in it.

I don't think resetting your trem will be an issue, probably just need an extra spring, but you may even not need that! hehehe