How low can you tune a 25.5" scale guitar and still get great clean tone?

[Baloney Balderdash]

As the thread title says how low can you tune a 25.5" scale guitar and still get great clean tone?

 

I really would like to tune it down to C standard tuning, but afraid that would effect the tone negatively.

 

Also what kind of gauge strings should I look at for this kind of tuning?

 

[MichaelDean]

I've got two guitars at drop C at the moment strung with 10s, one 25.5 (Tele), one 24.75 (LP). The Tele feels tight compared to the LP at this tuning. But, if the other strings were going down that extra couple of steps then I think 11s might be the ticket. I was playing lots of post-rocky bits the other day and it was lovely on the Tele!

 

Whatever you've got on there already, just give it a whirl. 

[Doctor J]

C is just fine, but I'd be looking to use a set of 11s or 12s. My last gig was on guitar in a band who tuned down to A, sometimes dropped G. I used a home-assembled 25.5" scale strat using D'Addario 68-14 strings. While we usually did the heavy stuff, it sounded very nice clean. I used the same setup to record this a few years later, with some clean in there, tuned to A.

 

 

 

Edited January 2 by Doctor J

[Pea Turgh]

I wouldn’t go any lower than sea level without specialist equipment.

[pete.young]

I have my Fylde in Bb Sus 2 with D'Addario lighs - 11 gauge. Sounds incredible. Can't take any credit for this, it was Nic Jones' idea.