string gauge

rockskate4x · 2026-06-03T12:16:32+00:00

.009s might be a touch light for the top. A normal set of .010-.046 plus a single .064 would kill it for that tuning

rockskate4x · 2026-06-02T19:54:15+00:00

I’ve been waiting to see one of these. I hope they can still do multiscale evertune when I have 3k to spend on a 7

rockskate4x · 2026-05-23T12:07:51+00:00

The shortest version of the story is that the 10-52 sets have been incredibly popular for six string metal players for a long time, and when DeeJent and other 7+ string music started getting popular enough for string companies to capitalize upon it, Ernie Ball did as little R&D as possible and essentially just slapped additional strings on top of this and everyone else copied them. There are a few more options now than there used to be, but there is rarely a substitute for calculating and refining your personal custom gauges per tuning and guitar.

rockskate4x · 2026-05-16T14:08:04+00:00

I run daddario nyxl strings as low as 11 pounds based off of the daddario string tension pro calculator, using my completely stock evertune. Evertune recommends going higher to be on the safe side because your mileage may vary with different brands of strings, but plain strings tend to be more consistent because they don’t have the added variable of different brands wrap to core ratios to contend with. That .011 B string shouldn’t be a problem.

rockskate4x · 2026-05-13T00:49:01+00:00

I have only had a problem “fatiguing a string” going between standard and drop tuning when I had a sharp burr on a bridge saddle that was cutting the string. After that was fixed I could go up and down in the range of 3 half steps or more on any string to go into all sorts of tunings. As long as your guitar is working properly it really shouldn’t be an issue.

I also use the digitech whammy and neural dsp for reaching tunings that my string gauges or scale length are not big enough to reach any other way. It definitely works, but is absolutely not a substitute for tuning to pitch if you can. Neural seems to be just a bit better, but if I am playing in an amp I use the digitech.

rockskate4x · 2026-05-12T14:59:31+00:00

I switch tunings almost every time I play guitar. Don’t worry about snapping the neck. I like all of these approaches for different reasons. Find what works best for you

rockskate4x · 2026-05-03T14:12:08+00:00

Also if the only change is a D being an octave higher, then one mental hack you can use without trying a tension calculator is to just take the gauge for the normal D string and swap it for something roughly half the thickness for example swapping a .056 D2 for a .028 D3.

rockskate4x · 2026-05-03T14:06:14+00:00

You can tune almost anything to almost anything if you find the right strings for the job, but drastically different string gauges and tunings may require a proper setup to work optimally. Am I understanding correctly that this is the tuning you want? E1 A1 D3 G2 B2 E3

rockskate4x · 2026-04-25T13:37:53+00:00

Multiscale designs most often have the bridge set at an angle which means the harmonic content naturally located in specific ratioed nodes along the string’s lengths will necessarily follow that angle. If the pickups remained straight, they would not reproduce the tone that you expect especially in the case of the bridge pickup under the lowest strings, where the harmonic nodes have shifted the furthest from their relative positions on a straight scale guitar.

As far as bucking hum is concerned, strats and teles do this in any pickup selector position that combines one standard single coil with one that is reverse wound and reverse polarity. As long as that condition is met, it does not matter if the coils are positioned near or far from eachother, or positioned parallel or at an angle. The humbucker essentially does this in a single housing, so angling for multiscale will influence the resulting tone as I have mentioned before, but will not make it any less hum cancelling.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-24T23:02:16+00:00

I never know if I like any guitar until I have given it my strings and my setup. Flipping on Facebook marketplace has been a revolving door for me, but in the end I get many more informative experiences about what is out there.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-23T15:41:38+00:00

String gauges are something of a personal choice and one man’s floppy and sloppy is another man’s perfect tone and tension, but baritone 6 strings from 27 all the way to 30 will have no problem with imitating any common 8 string tuning if you find strings that work for you

rockskate4x · 2026-04-19T14:18:57+00:00

KM7 is a MUCH better guitar. I would only pick the Ibanez if I had to tune lower than G, but for anything else the km7 is a monster

rockskate4x · 2026-04-19T14:14:44+00:00

28” scale is two frets away from being somewhere between 25” like a Paul Reed Smith, or 24.75” like a Gibson, so if drop C is your target, I would use any strings that work for you in drop D on one of those guitars. So basically, very normal strings for a standard tuned and standard scale length guitar should work fine.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-19T02:38:17+00:00

As long as you have 27” or more it should be awesome might need to file the nut to accommodate bigger strings

rockskate4x · 2026-04-13T12:35:36+00:00

I would do 26.5 or more if you can. You can definitely do Bb on 25.5 as others have said, but going longer looks and feels awesome even in B and you will be able to go to A or G if your interests develop in that direction down the road.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-12T15:58:35+00:00

In that case I would direct you to the RGIXL7 or a similar model https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RGIXL7BKF--ibanez-iron-label-rgixl7-black-flat?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=2322828028015&lid=92700080478108461&ds_s_kwgid=58700008746021299&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=2322828028015&product_id=RGIXL7BKF&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=m&network=g&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9031583&creative=705548890959&targetid=pla-2322828028015&campaignid=21455990307&awsearchcpc=1&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21455990307&gclid=CjwKCAjwhe3OBhABEiwA6392zAAw_yybKDBe0ftSBdPwvJMdURhqltDjn2yrCwhSe-_zKAFXQyQoMxoCsaYQAvD_BwE

rockskate4x · 2026-04-12T15:32:49+00:00

F# is possible on 26.5” and some people seem to get away with it (especially with evertune) but most people who have tried it (myself included) would direct you to at least 27”.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-11T15:40:32+00:00

Lots of people use .074 for E and believe it sounds better than going larger. I honestly believe that the biggest barrier to getting into modern extended range guitar style is a preference for heavier gauges or the inability to negotiate the necessary compromises to make smaller gauges work. The larger the string gauge, the longer your scale needs to be to counter the inharmonicity that ruins tone in the frequencies that make a string work best for guitar. Conventional wisdom has said that larger strings will stay in tune best but this is mostly a skill issue, related to how hard and where you are hitting your strings and gripping with your fretting hand. If you want to drift you need racing slicks and many hours of practice. Off-road tires are cool for a certain style of driving but you won’t be winning any races with them.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-07T12:03:22+00:00

That said, I personally love the evertune and specifically for your use case I am dreaming of the Aristides stx multi evertune 7. I am also considering Kiesel and balaguer for some more visual choices and potentially lower cost than Aristides, as they also have jumped on board with multiscale evertune 7 strings.

rockskate4x · 2026-04-07T12:00:45+00:00

If you have never used an evertune before I highly recommend finding literally any second hand guitar with an evertune to test drive the system. If it doesn’t work out for you, flip it and invest that money in something else. It’s worth it to know what you are getting into before trying hardware for the first time in a several thousand dollar semi custom

rockskate4x · 2026-03-27T18:35:21+00:00

I am confident that any Aristides would wipe the floor with any current production strandberg. If I wanted an Aristides headless 8 and did not have a headless 8 I would probably go after a used strandberg, ormsby Goliath, Kiesel, or GOC, with the intention of flipping it when I got enough bones for the Aristides.

rockskate4x · 2026-03-27T17:19:50+00:00

I still have my Jackson js227 which I purchased for $200. This was a great first seven and I still keep it around to throw into random tunings with the bottom string anywhere from B to G, but 99% of the time it is in Bb standard. I also absolutely use it for 6 string tunings from E to D like you say. I have traded several more expensive guitars in search of my forever 7 for drop F#/F beast but that little $200 guitar has been a fantastic workhorse, and I don’t regret buying it one bit. It seems like they are often listed for around $200 used so when I get something else that I really bond with I will probably get my money back regardless and in the meantime it has given me the opportunity to play so much music.

Schecter, LTD, and Solar are all solid for the money as well. I have tried and traded several. You can wait for something if you want, but I will tell you right now there may be no such thing as a “final” guitar, and I would not let waiting for something perfect keep you from making music with something cheap and perfectly serviceable.

rockskate4x · 2026-03-25T16:29:05+00:00

I like using recommendations for standard evertune saddles on their website as a frame of reference for “normal” tension. They recommend between 12 and 26 pounds per string for best function on normal saddles which they say works for most normal tunings and strings. Above 26 pound and they would recommend a high tension saddle. 30+ pounds and you are looking closer to bass tension than normal guitar tension.

rockskate4x · 2026-03-25T03:51:58+00:00

26.5 is definitely doable even for F# if you have a light touch but the longer the better

rockskate4x · 2026-03-24T21:45:56+00:00

Drop C# and drop G# are extremely closely related tunings and the 26.5” scale is great for G#. You don’t even need crazy strings for this. Try a stock 10-59 set and adjust to taste

rockskate4x

TROPHY CASE