Preface:
ok, so we all used to like when Tom would do this every friday, and we'd all talk gear, setups, what's hot, what's not, and (in my opinion) it was usually one of the best threads every week. so since Tom's not here anymore (unfortunately) I'm rehashing this in his stead.

Todays Topic: Strings and Tunings.

Discuss!

Strings?

It's got to be elixir.

I used to play blue steels and then GHS, but blue steels sound like dick when they are fresh out of the package.

and GHS die to quickly.

With elixir nano webs I get the perfect amount of brightness and crunch, plus the strings last forEVER and feel silky smooth.

Feels like you're playing butter.

Any string that's reasonably priced starting at .012 gauge(ie: not Elixirs)

I only play DRs. Usually Hi-beams or Lo-riders.

For Revocation, I tune a half step down.

For Strappado, I tune the whole bass up a half step and play my "B" string as if it were my "E" string.

D'addarios 10's for standard tuning, 13's for baritone tuning

anthony nli said:

I've been thinking about doing that for C tuning.

Getting a low guage 6 string pack and tuning to C.

what kindof string tension do you get? is it managable?

also, for bass I only play elixirs.

I forgot to mention above that I always tune standard as well.

I think I've bought bass strings twice since I've had the thing. It's not my main instrument and the pickups always buzz since it's such an old bass(a semihollow Hofner that looks like an Epiphone Dot in sunburst) and doubt they even make replacements for it anymore. I know the gauge is whatever medium is(starting at .045 I think) but brand...I've bought GHS before...the last ones I bought were DRs maybe?

Elixirs are nice but I am addicted to DRs.

The string tension is great. The B string sounds great tuned up to C as well. If I were to tune down my E string to C and then my B string accordingly, the B string would be annoyingly low and muddy. With this tuning it sounds tight.

Lamp said:

You tune standard with 12 guage strings?

why?

anthony nli said:

I would be doing this on a 6 string and tuning it to the same as a 6 string guitar in C.

Think the bass will yell at me?

i recently got dean markley blue steel strings as a gift they are 13-56's ... i have yet to open them
i usually get boombers or just ernie ball strings

Niccolai said:

Because other tunings are lame and I don't like having strings flopping around on me anyway so I go with heavy gauges. Same with picks, I hate bendy picks, I always find heavy ones.

Niccolai said:

I think it will sound great. Might be able to do some interesting chordal stuff that way too, if you're into that. Coming from a guitar perspective, it'll be easier for you to find arpeggio patterns.

i agree sometimes heavier strings sound better in standard...

I just started using the GHS Boomers Zakk Wylde's

the ZWLO (11-70) on my Winter tuned to B (for Shroud)

and the reg ZW's (10-60) on my Ibanez tuned to D or C# (for my other guitar)

I used to play Blue Steels, but I could never find 11's or 12's when I need 'em

Lamp said:


I'm with you on the picks.

I can only use picks that are very thick and very sharp.

I use jazz IIIs currently.

DR Roundwound .11's tuned to Drop C.

Tortex .73 picks.....the yellow ones.

my picks vary on what I'm playing, typically I play Dunlop Tortex .88's but the faster I pleay the heavier I need my picks. lighter picks make me feel like a sloppy player.

I have a 3.0 gauge pick I use when playing bass.

Ernie Ball beefy slinky (light top, heavy bottom). I think it goes 11-14-22-34-44-54, but i'm not sure. i replace the 3rd string with a wound, either .18 or .20 gauge, whatever i can find.
we tune B-b.

my other band tunes Eb standard, sometimes dropping the low string to Db. i usually use regular 10-46 or 11-48 for that, i'm not as picky. but still like to have a wound 3rd string, because i play mostly power chords.

picks: Dunlop Nylon, .73 or .88

I am a DR fan as well. With Catalyst I use my 7string tuned A D A D G B E. For Ipsissimus I tune my 6string UP a half step to F. FUCK YOU, I LIKE IT. For both bands I use the 9-46 gauge DRs and just add any random 58 gauge for the 7string.

Strings: Ernie Ball Hybrids (.9 - .46)

Tuning: down one whole step (DGCFAD)

Picks: Snarling Dogs .53mm

When I tune to E standard and play classic rock I use 8 gauge strings. Usually slinky's. If I am playing heavier I try to use 10 gauge strings.

Right now my main guitar is tuned CGCFAD with "heavy slinkys" and I dig them. They might be a tiny bit too light for the tuning (even though prefer light strings on guitar) so I might try some "not even slinkys".

On bass for In Dire Need, I have always tuned C standard. B string tuned up to C that is. So yes Niccolai, it will be fine. Tension is managable.

Strings: D'Addario 11's
Tuning: C#, all standard, not of that drop D shit.
Picks: Dunlop .60 -- the gray ones with the nice grippy surface

Strings: D'Addario .10-.52
Tuning: D
Picks: Dunlop 2.0mm Gators.

Strings'addario 11's
Tuning: Drop C
Picks: Dunlop Tortex 73's (the yellow ones)

i just tried SIT strings for the first time, i really like them. bright and smooth to play on, now i'll see if they live up to their name, ahyuck!

i use 10-52 in DGCFAD

Ernie Ball Skinny Top, Heavy Bottoms

I play in Drop-C and Standard-D(in like two songs) and go apeshit on the lower strings, so the heavier gauges withstand a lot, while the higher, lighter strings have more clarity when i play more melodic stuff and chords.

The gauges are 10-52

I used to play strings around the 10~52 range, but in shroud, I'm tuned so low, that I had shit for tension on the 52.

so I hunted high and low, and found the ZWLO Boomers, with a DY70 for a Low E (B in my case)

I love a lighter top, but heavy bottom strings are the way to go for me.

i started out using ernie ball super slinky strings, but after a while i started hating everything about them. after that i got a free pack of elixirs when they first came out and i was fucking amazing. but i was like 15 at the time and didn't have a job or money, so i wasn't able to stick with them. i tried blue steels and fucking hated them. i tried DRs and loved them, but broke them waaaay too easily for some odd reason. then i tried ghs boomers and thought they were the worst strings ever. for about 4 or 5 years straight the only strings i ever used were d'addario xls 10-46 w/ unwound G. there are ghs boomers on the guitar i play now though, and i dig em. although, the elixir nanowebs on niccolai's guitar are probably the greatest things i've ever played, so that's what i'll be using from now on.

DR 10's hi-beams - they sound great for a long time (don't get dull quickly), and don't turn to rust on me (i'm a sweaty dude)

I tune to E flat standard on all my guitars (les paul, sg) - I dig C# standard, but only on some shit

I can't play GHS strings (boomers at least), they turn to rust so quick I think I'll need a tetnus shot.

shamash nli said:

I've heard that before, but I don't sweat alot, and I always wipe my guitars down after I play them, and oil my strings on a regular basis.

DreamingInExile said:

haha i should start doing that...i sweat more than the fat guy in the "gangsta's paradise" video

it's gotten to the point where my pickups are starting to rust

strings: DR hi-beams .12-.56
tuning: B standard
picks: Dunlop 1 mm
Yeah my pickups are def a bit rusty, I don't take care of my shit as well as I should, but it still sounds good.

strings: d'adario or elixer 8 guages
tuning: standard
picks: Pickboy 1mm or Dunlop .98mm(the glossy ones without the coating) and dunlop thumb picks because i rock that country shit.

Strings: erine ball 10-52
Tuning: C# standardfor Mortalis and D standard for Archaeon
Picks: i have a billion of those green dunlop ones

this thread is making me want to change my strings right now even though i may be getting pickups or something tomorrow.

MarkFuckingRichards said:

I remember someone telling me he bought a pack of those and broke five strings on the same day, one of them while just strumming a chord lightly. I guess they really do suck.

Lamp said:

there is NO way that was the strings fault. I hate them as much as the next person, but if that really happened earnie ball would be out of buisiness soooo fast.

Also, I believe earnie ball, D'adario, SIT, and EXR strings are all made by the same company.

Likely the same string too with just tiny differences.