Guitar String Gauge

[Shawn Lennie]

I've been getting more in depth with string gauge, always been a 10-52 or 10-46 person. I stumbled across a couple of forums stating that "hybrid" gauges like 10-52 put uneven tension across the neck and can cause rotation warping over time. Is this a legitimate thing or just elitist gate keeping? I know syn uses 10-52 on his custom and I am wanting to change my syn custom to that as well. But before I delve into the world of Floyd tinkering any thoughts? I'll be essentially leaving it in drop D, always found 10-46 too floppy on the 6th string but then the tension on the A and D are higher than needed in a 10-52.
@Ed Seith potentially could have insight??
Thanks in advance!

 

[juiceellish]

I like 9-46 all around. I love bending 3rds

 

[Ed Seith]

Gate keeping and elitism. I used 9-46 for DECADES and then 10-46, 10-48, 10-52, 9.5-44, and an 11-52 set on my old 91 540R. Now, I'm 9-42 on standard, 9-46 on Drop D, 9.5-44 on Eb Standard and, I think, 10-48 on Drop C#.

Never heard of hybrid strings warping a neck. These things are hard wood reinforced with metal, lately titanium and carbon fiber, depending on the axe. They're made for it.

Hell, Stringjoy will make you a set any way you want it, and their business is booming.

Find the strings that feel comfy for you, then set it and forget it. Nothing to worry about.

GREAT QUESTION!!

 

[Shawn Lennie]

Gate keeping and elitism. I used 9-46 for DECADES and then 10-46, 10-48, 10-52, 9.5-44, and an 11-52 set on my old 91 540R. Now, I'm 9-42 on standard, 9-46 on Drop D, 9.5-44 on Eb Standard and, I think, 10-48 on Drop C#.

Never heard of hybrid strings warping a neck. These things are hard wood reinforced with metal, lately titanium and carbon fiber, depending on the axe. They're made for it.

Hell, Stringjoy will make you a set any way you want it, and their business is booming.

Find the strings that feel comfy for you, then set it and forget it. Nothing to worry about.

GREAT QUESTION!!

Thank you so much!! Pretty much the answer I was expecting but now I have the reassurance to just do it.
And how do you find the 9-46 in drop D? Not too floppy and good tone?

 

[Ed Seith]

I think it’s fine. Some may think it’s a bit floppy, but it’s good for me!

 

[Andrew Milner]

Huh, love how this question sorta answers one I had. I want to put some light/heavy strings (10-52) on my guitar si I could play Drop D and Drop C more easily and I was worried it might affect the neck. Drop D might work on my 9-42 or 9-46 ones but you do NOT want to go lower than that on such strings, else you'll be riffing on some spaghetti bolognese (or carbonara, or pesto, depending on the color of your guitar).

 

[Sinisnuthear]

He also uses the Floyd rose setup. That might change how the neck gets “warped” as you say.

 

[Forgetabull]

Roughly translated, each step you go down goes down an equivalent string gauge. So 9-42 standard tuning is basically 8-38 in E flat. You'd need to work out what normally geeks comfortable for you and work it out from there. I use 8-38 in standard so for something like drop d, I'd probably replace the 38 with a 46.

 

[owen817]

I keep my guitar between Drop D and Drop C. I figured out that the Ernie Ball Skinny Tops Beefy Bottoms and Skinny Tops Heavy Bottoms are great for drop tuning. Between the 2 you have to pick what one feels better to you.

 

[TrentNWM]

I've been getting more in depth with string gauge, always been a 10-52 or 10-46 person. I stumbled across a couple of forums stating that "hybrid" gauges like 10-52 put uneven tension across the neck and can cause rotation warping over time. Is this a legitimate thing or just elitist gate keeping? I know syn uses 10-52 on his custom and I am wanting to change my syn custom to that as well. But before I delve into the world of Floyd tinkering any thoughts? I'll be essentially leaving it in drop D, always found 10-46 too floppy on the 6th string but then the tension on the A and D are higher than needed in a 10-52.
@Ed Seith potentially could have insight??
Thanks in advance!

When I first began guitar, I found out what string gauge used by SynGates at that was my first gauge. Ever since, I've only ever used 10-52s and I've never had any issues, other than that they're a little more expensive. In my opinion, the warped neck is just the average amount of truss rod change over time, or someone trying to blame the issue on the string gauge rather than regular truss rode adjustments.

 

[TrentNWM]

Gate keeping and elitism. I used 9-46 for DECADES and then 10-46, 10-48, 10-52, 9.5-44, and an 11-52 set on my old 91 540R. Now, I'm 9-42 on standard, 9-46 on Drop D, 9.5-44 on Eb Standard and, I think, 10-48 on Drop C#.

Never heard of hybrid strings warping a neck. These things are hard wood reinforced with metal, lately titanium and carbon fiber, depending on the axe. They're made for it.

Hell, Stringjoy will make you a set any way you want it, and their business is booming.

Find the strings that feel comfy for you, then set it and forget it. Nothing to worry about.

GREAT QUESTION!!

Thanks for all your advice and knowledge! Wish I could’ve had you as a teacher

 

[scoennen]

I found the cure for all FR tension dtuning problems (besides hardtailing it).. The "hipshot tremsetter" is just what the doctor ordered.. I own over 20 guitars and play every one at some point.. Half have FR's.. Even if you dial the tension in for the current strings you are using for a specific tune when you change strings, even if the exact same gauge, the tension is different.. I have tried most of the "stabilizers" on the market and most fail.. The esp tremloader (looks like the black box or the actual FR branded one) works ok if you keep it really stiff but the hipshot tremsetter is affordable, easy to install (after watching a video from hipshot that is) and has never failed even when I dropped my esp kh-2 from standard Eb-2 whole steps down my FR stayed in place even dropping the low E (C) an extra step to play some A7X. I just learned Bullet4my❤ uses a drop tune octave pedal to go 2 steps and baritone and just keep all their guitars in D.... It's an expensive option but so is 20 guitars I guess.. Lol

 

[Ed Seith]

I found the cure for all FR tension dtuning problems (besides hardtailing it).. The "hipshot tremsetter" is just what the doctor ordered.. I own over 20 guitars and play every one at some point.. Half have FR's.. Even if you dial the tension in for the current strings you are using for a specific tune when you change strings, even if the exact same gauge, the tension is different.. I have tried most of the "stabilizers" on the market and most fail.. The esp tremloader (looks like the black box or the actual FR branded one) works ok if you keep it really stiff but the hipshot tremsetter is affordable, easy to install (after watching a video from hipshot that is) and has never failed even when I dropped my esp kh-2 from standard Eb-2 whole steps down my FR stayed in place even dropping the low E (C) an extra step to play some A7X. I just learned Bullet4my❤ uses a drop tune octave pedal to go 2 steps and baritone and just keep all their guitars in D.... It's an expensive option but so is 20 guitars I guess.. Lol

It works, but it takes the float (and ability to pull sharp) out of the realm of possibility. Worthwhile trade for some, not for others.

 

[scoennen]

It works, but it takes the float (and ability to pull sharp) out of the realm of possibility. Worthwhile trade for some, not for others.

Hey Ed, not to sound like a know it all our correct a player of your magnitude but the hip shot device I'm taking about (as well as the esp term loader) are both devices that not only provide stable tuning on any trem system (that uses a block that is) but alsos you to dive flat but also also you to pull any note as sharp as you could without this being installed in your spring cavity. The only difference is that when you drop tune the positive tension from the trremsetter keeps your floating trem from floating anywhere else than the 0 point it started at... Even strong string bends that would pull the rest of the backing notes flat because it would pull the tension on the tremmy are completely stable.. I previously tried a tremel-no device and like you said there is no way to pull up making my FR useless.. I'm telling you give this one a try you won't be disappointed...

 

[Ed Seith]

Hey Ed, not to sound like a know it all our correct a player of your magnitude but the hip shot device I'm taking about (as well as the esp term loader) are both devices that not only provide stable tuning on any trem system (that uses a block that is) but alsos you to dive flat but also also you to pull any note as sharp as you could without this being installed in your spring cavity. The only difference is that when you drop tune the positive tension from the trremsetter keeps your floating trem from floating anywhere else than the 0 point it started at... Even strong string bends that would pull the rest of the backing notes flat because it would pull the tension on the tremmy are completely stable.. I previously tried a tremel-no device and like you said there is no way to pull up making my FR useless.. I'm telling you give this one a try you won't be disappointed...

I've got age, not magnitude

And yeah, the specific model you're talking about does do that. I'd forgotten about them. I tried a couple of those once, maybe 8-10 years ago, and I wasn't crazy about it, but it is an after-market ZPS (zero-point system). Then again, if memory serves, it was a pain to set up properly and it might have done better had I let a real tech do it, pride be damned.

I'm thinking hard about buying an Ibanez J Custom with one built in shortly - I hope that will be better. It will certainly be already installed properly!

Thanks!