String gauges for low tunings

[SteveXFR]

I've decided my Thunderbird will only be used for C or C# tunings so I want to set it up with appropriate strings. My usual 105 strings are a bit slack tuned this low.

Is there a method for working out which strings to use?

[Downunderwonder]

There probably is, but what I would be looking for is a 'light' 5 string set since C is a lot closer to B than E.

 

If you are doing some weird 'guitar shaped' tuning you're on your own.

 

It would not be too hard to plot frequency vs gauge for a given scale length and draw a curve. It might look better if you used the area of the string instead of the gauge. Have fun.

[Thump]

I know when Brian Beller plays Dethklok stuff he is in C and uses the 4 lowest strings from a 5 set 

[bassbloke]

You might get away with a 4 string set with a heavier E, like Billy Sheehan rotos.  Or dadarrio exl160bt would probably fit bill perfectly. 

[Delberthot]

It won't be super accurate if you don't use D'addarios but look at the D'addario string gauge tension chart.

 

Write down what the tension is for your current strings and then look to see what a similar tension would be in the different tuning. If there is a set in those gauges then go for it othewise you could build a set using singles

[Skybone]

DR Strings DDT?

[Doctor J]

I would start by looking at what I use in E. For example, if you're using .105 for E, .85 for A, .65 for D, .45 for G then, since you're only going to be a tone or semitone up from having E, A and D anyway, I'd use them as reference and go with a slightly lighter standard tuning set - .100 for F, .80 for Bb, .60 for Eb. For C, I'd go with at least a .125, but I don't like floppy strings and have found greater definition and tuning accuracy at lower tunings comes from bigger strings. My first downtuned-to-C band started back in 1992 when string selection wasn't quite what it is now, so I've tried all kinds of setups over the years. Personally, I much prefer playing aggressive music on strings with decent tension and trying to match the tension I like in standard is a much better option than trying to get away with loosening a standard set and living with something you wouldn't choose in standard tuning. Unless you have plastic fingertips, of course 😉

[christhammer666]

when ive been in stoner/doom type bands  i prefer 45-105. when i had a t-bird i tried 50-110 but felt like the neck was going to snap, there was no middle ground that i could find 

[SteveXFR]

3 minutes ago, christhammer666 said:

when ive been in stoner/doom type bands  i prefer 45-105. when i had a t-bird i tried 50-110 but felt like the neck was going to snap, there was no middle ground that i could find 

 

It's stoner and doom stuff I'm playing on my tbird so super clear and defined notes aren't really what I'm looking for. Maybe I'll try 110-50, I'm finding 105-45 a little too slack.

My Thunderbird is only an Epiphone, not the real thing so I'll take the risk.

[Bolo]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

DR Strings DDT?

These are my absolute favourite strings and have been using them exclusively for six or seven years. Mine are these for AEADG tuning: https://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-Acoustic-Guitar-DDT5-55/dp/B003JFTE00

 

[Jonesy]

When I'm in drop C I go for rotosounds 66 in 50-110. Had them on my tbird and jazz without any problems.

[thodrik]

Trial and error played a big role in my quest for the optimum strings for downtuned four string basses. 

Generally I like sets of 100-40 in standard tuning and I generally try to get a set that gets somewhere close to the tension of a 100-40 set in standard whatever the tuning. 

Since D'addario's String Tension Pro has gone dead, I have been using https://stringtensioncalculator.com/. It isn't exact science but yellow = loose, white = standard, red = high tension. Start with something close to the gauge you prefer in standard and try to approximately match the tension in your chosen tuning. Tension isn't the be all and end all but it at least gives a starting point. Personal preferences and issues like action, fit of the bridge, compliance all play a role. It is essentially a bit of trial and error and lots of guesstimates as to what will work.

For C sharp standard, D'addario Balanced Tension 120-50 are my go to 'set' or a set of Elixir singles of 120-50 but they are in short supply at the moment. Personally I didn't like the DR DDTs as I felt they were too unbalanced in that the low strings were too loose and the high strings were really high tension.

Edited February 8, 2022 by thodrik

[Dood]

5 hours ago, bassbloke said:

You might get away with a 4 string set with a heavier E, like Billy Sheehan rotos.  Or dadarrio exl160bt would probably fit bill perfectly. 

 

 

YES the D'Addario EXL160BT are brilliant for drop tuning to C#! Will do C as well, but I preferred the slightly tighter feel up a semitone. 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I always used 50-110 in my drop C days. Plenty of rattle but I liked that - I was playing COC/Down-esque metal so that extra growl and flexibility was great when improvising under the guitar solos

 

I'll admit, I only went for that gauge as they were heavier than normal. I didn't realise you could get heavier sets back then, but I was perfectly happy with them.

[Wilson_51_]

For both c standard and c# I use dr lo rider light 5 string set at the moment.    120 on the thickest string. Seems to work for me well enough. Not too much flab but not super tight. Obviously throw away the top skinny string!

Edited February 8, 2022 by Wilson_51_

[Jono Bolton]

I used to play in C# standard (C#, F#, B, E) for a few years in an old band. I used to buy 5-string D'Addario sets with a .130 as my bottom string. I liked the tension of them on my P Bass and got a decent action out of them. 

[SteveXFR]

I think a 130 string tuned to C# might snap the neck of a Thunderbird 

[thodrik]

27 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I think a 130 string tuned to C# might snap the neck of a Thunderbird 

According to https://stringtensioncalculator.com/, a 130 string tuned to C# on a 34 inch scale would yield a tension of about 45lb. This isn't much different a tension to tuning a 105 or 110 string to a standard low E and much less tension than tuning a 50 gauge and 65 gauge string up to G and D in a standard tuning 50-,65-85-105 set. 

 

A 130 gauge probably wouldn't fit in the nut without some work though, so if you are going for that gauge of string it requires a bit of commitment knowing you are not going to simply go back to a standard gauge set anytime soon.