Favorite Strings for Low-Tuned Metal?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to figure out which strings I like for low-tuned metal. Which ones are your favorites?

Thanks!

 

[Nitrobattery]

how low are we talking? i tune down to C# and use Ernie Ball Skinny Top/Heavy Bottoms. They're a 10-52 gauge set.

 

[Anonymous]

how low are we talking? i tune down to C# and use Ernie Ball Skinny Top/Heavy Bottoms. They're a 10-52 gauge set.

Cool, I've heard of those. Probably around Drop B, which those strings might work well for since I'd go back and fourth between Drop B and Standard C#.

 

[Nitrobattery]

you might want to even look into 11-54 or 12-56 sets.

 

[PG13]

Make sure your peg holes on the tuners are large enough in diameter first... especially the 6th string... I made the mistake of trying to push a .056 through a Sperzel tuner... no dice. I'm not sure you can even ream the hole larger. Also watch the neck deflection... this will throw your intonation out when you bump up string diameter.

 

[ketiov]

I use Not Even Slinkies for tuning to C Standard, and I think they work very well.

 

[Thrash Till Deth]

I like D'Addario EJ22 Jazz Medium .013-.056 Strings for B Flat tuning.

 

[Empty Uranus]

It's according to what sound you want. A lot of people think that big strings are going to give you a bigger sound. Just the opposite. The lighter gauge the string - the bigger distorted sound you're going to get. Iommi tunes down to C# using .09's and tiny big strings as well. I tried both routes, and the lighter strings definitely give you a heavier sound. Sure - you've got to lighten your touch and play with a very thin pick, but there is a noticeable difference!

 

[iFreedom]

It's according to what sound you want. A lot of people think that big strings are going to give you a bigger sound. Just the opposite. The lighter gauge the string - the bigger distorted sound you're going to get. Iommi tunes down to C# using .09's and tiny big strings as well. I tried both routes, and the lighter strings definitely give you a heavier sound. Sure - you've got to lighten your touch and play with a very thin pick, but there is a noticeable difference!

I agree. I restrung with 12-56 earnie ball Not Even Slinky for C tune and it took the edge away i.e. hard to maintain that pick attack sound. I am going to try light strings again.

 

[Empty Uranus]

It's according to what sound you want. A lot of people think that big strings are going to give you a bigger sound. Just the opposite. The lighter gauge the string - the bigger distorted sound you're going to get. Iommi tunes down to C# using .09's and tiny big strings as well. I tried both routes, and the lighter strings definitely give you a heavier sound. Sure - you've got to lighten your touch and play with a very thin pick, but there is a noticeable difference!

I agree. I restrung with 12-56 earnie ball Not Even Slinky for C tune and it took the edge away i.e. hard to maintain that pick attack sound. I am going to try light strings again.

I tuned the E all the way down to an A one time. It was a royal pain to keep from "sharping out", and I was playing the guitar like a feather - strings were like spaghetti noodles! BUT - the sound was impressive as hell. Definitely one of the heaviest sounds I've ever heard!

 

[Strategy500]

I've always used .009-.042 or .046, even when I was tuning down to B (in my death metal days). To my ears, the heavier gage strings tended to sound muddy with my set up.

 

[iFreedom]

Got a chance to restring to 10-52 (c-tune) and BINGBONG! What a difference, cleaned the mud right up plus much better pick attack. Wish I would have clued in sooner, I wouldn't have wasted so much time eqing.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks very much for all these replies! I plan on restringing tonight. I just don't really understand what the purpose of the heavier strings are, other than if you're going for a muddier sound? Anyway, it makes sense to me that the lighter gauge would sound better. I think 10 - 52 would do well for drop C or B.

 

[Turumbar82]

It's according to what sound you want. A lot of people think that big strings are going to give you a bigger sound. Just the opposite. The lighter gauge the string - the bigger distorted sound you're going to get. Iommi tunes down to C# using .09's and tiny big strings as well. I tried both routes, and the lighter strings definitely give you a heavier sound. Sure - you've got to lighten your touch and play with a very thin pick, but there is a noticeable difference!

I'm with you on this. I think it all has to do with tension. A set of .09's in standard tuning on a 25.5 guitar have a specific sound and feel. When you lower those strings a half step, or whole step or more the sound gets darker and heavier because those strings won't sound as bright as they did because the tension has changed.

But if you put .10's on a 25.5 scale and tune down a whole step then the tension is really almost the same as .09's at standard tuning at that same scale. I know when I did that on my Xiphos I barely had to mess with the floating tremolo to get it to balance.

I personally didn't really think that the .10's at D sounded any different than .09's in E only that I could hit lower notes on my guitar.