Drop Tuning Guitar Strings: What Gauges Are Best? 

*When ur in Slipknot drop B with .009 strat strings*

man did the whole vid without touching a guitar... impressed

The string tension calculator is so fun to play around with. I had fun discovering the gauges for my Strat (25.5 scale length tuned down a half step) that have similar tension to my 335 (24.75 scale length tuned to standard). Thanks, Scott!

As always, thanks for watching y'all! There's a lot to cover here, honestly we didn't even cover everything and this video is 15 minutes long already-so if you have any lingering questions just holler at us: support@stringjoy.com

Great to see someone that cares about this topic. Light top / heavy bottom sets really aren't good for drop tuning in terms of the d and a string... It has been fun calculating string tension the past few months and ordering custom sets from you. I have my gauges nailed down pretty nicely. If only you guys had a 57 though, that would balance my rhythm strings out perfectly.

Thanks for this video, it's BY FAR the best video on this topic. As a science guy myself, your way of thinking about this is deeply appreciated.

Dude, this was super helpful, thank you!! I've been considering downtuning to C# but have always been afraid of changing the setup and, of course, the issue of strings and tension

This is awesome, thank you for doing this, and making the sheet downloadable! What I really like about this is how looking at the total tension I'm able to get an idea of how string gauge changes will affect tremolo adjustments.

Really helpful information. Thanks!

Good information. Thanks

Damn good informational video thanks man

This video and your calculator is very helpful. I couldn't get the time of day to ask these kind of questions at the guitar store. Ordered some off website, can't wait to slap them on.

excellent video on this subject!..you're using data as opposed to opinion or personal preference..thanks,this helps a lot..thumbs up!

thank you a lot for this tension calculator! it's easier to use than the Seymour Duncan one

Super informative and a mega overlooked topic. Great information and great tips. Over the years I combine my own sets of strings. My favourite strings are the d'addario nyxl and ernie ball paradigm and that is not for the obvious marketing reasons (durability, strength, smoothness). But merely for there extra string tension, because of there metal combination. So you can get away with smaller gauges

Meanwhile Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath is down tuning shorter scale Gibson SGs to C# standard using 42-9s.

I usually play in Drop C# and I got light gauge strings because I thought they would be easier to press. But when I strum hard it rattles and buzzes more compared to the medium gauge strings I had on before.

cool video. Whats your recomendation for a D standard tuning in a Ltd 25.5 scale with floyd rose???

Scott, have you seen the Santa Cruz parabolic tension strings. What is different about these strings than other sets?

Is there a minimum that your total tension should add up to? Or a minimum tension for individual strings?

can anyone recomend a string that could do standard and still perform ok for drop tuning?

I want to tune all my strings to 1/2 step lower so what I should use?

I cant find the drop 10 or 9 option in your website.

Any special gauge for Open D tuning? I own a Maton Ebg808 that came wiith gauge 12 , but i only play in Open D. Will the Open D tuning compensate the extra tension of 13 gauge? Thank you

Cool video, thanks for posting it. One question I need to ask you. I'm going to be sending in my wooden resonator for a setup and I want to pick a good gauge of strings while it's being adjusted. I like to play finger and slide and I usually play in open D, open G, open E, and sometimes standard. In your opinion what would be a versatile gauge that can handle these tasks? I I know that this is a lot to ask, but I'm at the learning and experimental stage of messing around with multiple styles of tuning, so I'm not ready to purchase multiple guitars until I'm past the experimental stage so optimal tone in a specific tuning is less important than the versatility of tuning to the different tunings.

Can I use 10-46 in C standard? I want to play some In Flames. I don't mind the strings being a little bit loose. I have a Schecter 25.5'' scale.

Is 11 guage ok to use for d standard

I play a 6 string, 28" baritone. It came from factory with 72-14, but those were too big for me. I've been using the top 6 of a 7 string set 59-46-36-26-17-13 (i have a bunch of .010 stashed away. Ha) Always play in B E A D F# B tuning. Any suggestions? I'm not a shredder, but i'd still like for the plain strings to be easier to bend? Is this realistic? Thanks.

One thing to note, he didn't adjust the scale length for the 7 string guitars. Most 7 strings have a longer scale length that can help with the tension

It also depends on intonation and how it’s setup

Best string gauge for E standard, Drop D and Drop c#?? Pls recommend....

Personally using Ernie ball “not even slinky” set has a 56-13

What about the old blues guys who use 8-38 strings in e standard? I use 10-46 for a cgcfad tunings on my metal guitars and it behaves just as well as my blues guitars

I have a 26.5 scale length seven string. What string gauge should I use for Drop G. I currently have 10-56s

for drop D tuning (DGCFAD) which strings do I need?

Can a 56 be tuned to a E standard?

Is the string tension calculator available for use/download?

For Drop D, why not simply reduce the 4th string to a .026w and the 5th string to a .034w? This comes way closer to balancing tension than anything that was shown here. The only drawback I can see is that .034w to .052w is a pretty big jump in terms of how it would feel. OK, so use a .038w instead. (I understand I can order a custom set -- I'm just trying to understand the thought process here.)

Hm, I want to use both of my Tremonti SE guitars for live use (25.5" scale) however i'm unsure how to figure out which set of strings would be beneficial to me... I'm currently using one guitar in Drop B (B/F#/B/E/G#/C# - Low to High) using the following gauges .60/.46/.34/.20p/.16/.12 (low to high respectively) however during a recent recording session I had to put a 62 on the low B because of pitch issues (probably down to me picking harder as well as the use of Jazz IIIs) and yet I liked how the .62 felt to play too! With regards to the second guitar I am looking to tune it a whole step lower, Drop A (A/E/A/D/F#/B) BUT I like the tension I get with Drop B using said gauges, so what gauge strings might you suggest for me to achieve a similar tension in the lower tuning? Many thanks!

I only have one guitar what gauge is best for E standard, Eb standard, D standard?

Any recommendations for standard E tuning and drop c?

I am new to guitar and have been learning multiple metal songs in different drop and standard tunings like Drop D, Drop B, D standard, Etc. Is there a gauge or certain type of strings that is good for switching between all different tuning but sound equally as good. Right now I have basic strings that are pretty old I don’t even know what gauge the are but it seem like they are losing their tone consistency like they sound dull. Any recommendations

Im looking to open c gauge 17-56 for slide what gauge for those other strings would u recomend

What strings should I use for Drop A?

mamooth slinky does this job so good dude (12)-(16)-(24W)-(34)-(48)-(62) you can drop this DOWN TO THE HELL

finally, it's incredible that the big players in the string game can't do this. boggles my mind. do you guys ship to switzerland? how much shipping will i have to pay roughly?

Agcfad recommendations?

What would you recommend if I normally prefer 10's for my Tele, but want to play detuned a whole step 100% of the time?

Science 🧪 good video 🤘🏻

What would be the recommended set for me? I mainly play a strat tuned down a whole step or half a step. I’m looking for something that would feel as if I’m playing in standard, or at least as close as possible.

Ive watched the balanced video and now this one.... whats crazy is that Ive never needed to change my strings for Drop D. now mind you, im also a guy who can take that 10-48 set and play in drop C lol..... i pick very lightly

Hey there! I have a question about string gauges. I have 2 seven string guitars where I seem to have a problem with tuning stability with the low B string. When I have a set of strings with 10-56 both my guitars sound great in tune (I tune down half a step to A#....now the problem is, when I put on a set of strings with 60 or 62 or even 64. The low B string sounds very “unstable” like it’s out of tune with itself!?....all the other strings sound fine with power chords but not the low B, it sounds completely out of tune with power chords....I then put on a 0.74 on the low B and then it was stable!?!?. It’s the same problem on both my guitars! I have a schecter loomis with a new nut installed by a pro and a custom made guitar with Zero fret install and Evertune. So I don’t think that the nut is the issue. I have tried to put on new strings 3 times with a 0.64 with the same result!?....056 and 074 the tuning and power chords sounds perfect! I’m really confused! Hope you can help Cheers!

Steve Vai uses: 7, 10, 14, 24, 32, 42

What string gauge do you recommend for tuning in Drop A or Drop A #.. I Want to try with StringJoy for this case..

Link for the tension calculator seems to be gone 😢

I have a PRS Mike Mushok signature guitar that has a 27.7 inch scale. I took it to my local music shop and gave them a set of Ernie Ball baritone strings (13-72) and asked them to tune it to drop F#. So the 72 gauge string would be used for the F# and the 56-13 remaining strings are used for essentially C# standard tuning. When I went to pick my guitar up, it sounded horrible. The 72 gauge string was so wobbly, and even the lightest gauge strings had so much annoying fret buzz. The guitar tech told me there was nothing else he could do and that I would need thicker gauge strings if I wanted it tighter. I told him there's no way that can be true when other people have told me they tune to F# on baritone guitars and they're using string gauges lighter than 72. And often times they're using standard 25.5 scale guitars. It makes no sense to me at all. Why should I need to use higher than a 72 on a baritone guitar, when endless other players are using 72 or lighter gauge strings on a standard length guitar? Also, this is a baritone guitar, where the longer neck naturally increases string tension. So I was absolutely in awe when he told me there was nothing more he could do. When I brought the guitar back home I fooled around with the bridge saddles a little bit and I was able to get the 72 gauge more tense and firm, but not entirely to my liking. Did my guitar tech not do his job? Or is a 72 gauge truly not thick/heavy enough for F#? And if its not heavy enough, then how are other guitarists able to tune to that note using a lighter gauge string than a 72? I own 3 other baritone guitars that have the same set of strings on them (13-72) and they are tuned to G# on the 72 string. So technically 2 frets higher than F#. The G# plays like a dream and no complaints at all. I don't understand how dropping the tuning 2 frets automatically turns my 72 string into a rubber band and all wobbly. I am hoping you can help me out with this situation. Do I need to try a 74 gauge? Or should I go straight to 80? 80 just seems overkill to me for going to F#. I would've thought you would use an 80 gauge for doing like a low E or something. The reason I specifically brought up a 74 and an 80 is because those are the only other options for Ernie Ball strings that I could find that are lower than a 72. Ernie Ball has 2 different sets of 8 string guitar strings. One of the sets comes with a 74 for the low string, and the other set comes with an 80 for the low string.

also i have played with increasing tension every stiring, i personally love it cuz i can get a bendy medium-light on the highs and really bite into the ultra-heavy lows without note wobble, and i did notice that problem with volume, so i just tilted the crap out of the pickup. adjusted the high really close and the low side a little back and it sounded just fine. lil screwdriver and 5 minutes of double plunking was all. most pickups for metal are flat anyway because of the fret radius (or lack thereof, talking to you ibanez, lol) so its just a matter of tilting a flat pickup to balance the volume of a fairly flat string set. yes, you can end up with pickups like a quarter inch difference in height from one end to another but it sounds good. so that is super easy to fix and avoid volume inconsistencies. if you have multiple pickups you can even skew them differently if you want a lead sound and one flatter for a heavier rhythm. my strat bros know what i'm talking about already.

Me: *uses 10-46 for drop e*

Please make a drop tuning set for 7 string 🙏

Do you guys have flatwound strings

Any recommendations for D Standard/Drop C on a 26.5” scale guitar? 🙂

OMG Ty so much for the calculator I hate estimating these things cuz im noobish. In fact im such a noob that to play better in drop tunings i bought a 7 string set and yup u guessed it...

I would think that over time the "progressive" tension would put a twist in the guitar's neck?

😍🙏🏽

I think that the worst guitar sets are EB 8 string sets and ZW boomers (52 for an A and 60 for an E... good god). Some of those companies would really benefit from buying a calculator... ;)

Hey my man good video. I have a question. I am starting a band and want to play in drop B, drop A/A#, and in drop C. I only have one guitar (Schecter Damien Platinum 6 - Satin Black ) and would like to be able to switch between those tunings. Is that possible and if so what strings would you recommend? I was thinking gauge 12 but I'm not sure

I really disagree about multiscale. If you take a 10-56 set and a multiscale 25.5"-27", the plain strings will be ok but not the wound strings. They will be too tight, at least in comparison of a 25.5" scale. And once again the lower string (B in that case) will be too small to drop A.

I swear to god I have a Gibson SG standard 2008 its 24.75" scale I play Drop D with 0.46 and its tight . using elixir strings. I have no idea how , but it is ! not flop , why is that ?

52, my high E string is a 52!!!!

Try this set: 7, 10, 13, 22w, 30, 40

I play down to B and A with 9s. Not a big deal. I rip on my guitars and they don't buzz or flop around at all whatsoever. It's an absolute bullshit myth that you NEED thicker gauge strings. All 3 of my guitars have 9s. A Tele, Strat and a Mustaine Sig Zero VMNT.

ive been playing metal far too long. lol. i think the lightest set i have is for my strat in C and i'm fairly sure its a 70-14 or something. i once tuned my strat to drop d...um, but the D in the bass range, (wanted to play some 12ft ninja covers) and i ended up with a 135 on the bottom of a standard strat. like 31 pounds of tension. it was like playing bridge cables. good fun. and hey, Stringjoy, if i like your tension calculator, i can delete Kalium from my favorites, cuz that is all that company is good for...a really good tension chart. lol.

This might be a bit too obvious as an answer for it actually be a solution, since I'm sure someone else might be doing exactly this, but the problem of the huge gauge disparity might be lesser if you made the lowest string more dense. You said that manufactures have their own "secret sauce" as far as density (I don't get how that could be secret when there's probably a scientific way of determining any string's density, but maybe that was a joke), but I'm assuming they like to keep most strings the same density. Maybe don't? Lowest string more dense, allows for a smaller gauge than it would be otherwise, while achieving similar tension to a thicker gauge that's less dense. Ya know since the mass would be the same.

7 string guitars dont have 25,5 scale, its usually something longer like 26,5 or 27 soo you should consider that

Call me a fool but I love 09s for Drop D

OMG whered the beard of justice go?

You've convinced me to stick with standard tuning or down a half step. Alternative tunings just aren't for me.

So what is a recommend gauge for drop C tuning?