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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Les Paul - Tuned To B - Need To Bend Still

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 02:03 PM

I have an Epiphone LP Standard that is tuned to B.

What strings do you recommend for metal playing? I'm not a really heavy picker. And I want the higher strings to still be bendable....

Any suggestions?

Post links to the string sets if you can.

Posted by: ZakkWylde Oct 8 2008, 02:04 PM

11-54 set for a feeling like you're using 9s in standard tuning

...drop b or b standard tuning?

Posted by: fatb0t Oct 8 2008, 03:15 PM

13s and a new setup

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 03:17 PM

Standard B.


I really fear 13's will be too big.


Posted by: ZakkWylde Oct 8 2008, 06:46 PM

Then 12's and a new setup.

Posted by: Noangels Oct 8 2008, 06:58 PM

11/54 set up on drop C they feel like 9's on standard tuning

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 07:35 PM

I grabbed some 12-60's at lunch today.

We'll see how they work.

Fortunately with the fixed bridge there isnt as much setup stuff to do. Its been tuned down to B for a while. I'm sure I'll need to tweak the intonation. Hopefully that'll be it.


Posted by: Muris Varajic Oct 8 2008, 07:41 PM

My goodness,I tuned my Musicman to drop D
and I thought it was pretty deep...but you guys! huh.gif

Metal ON cool.gif

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 07:51 PM

Personally I'm not a fan of it being this low.

C is plenty low. I feel there is a big drop off in definition at B and below.

But the band wants to try out some stuff at B.......

Whatever..... rolleyes.gif

Posted by: Noangels Oct 8 2008, 08:23 PM

Those 12 to 60's should do the trick,and agree with you on drop c being as low as it should be with it sounding good!
My band plays in natural tuning and drop D and want to do some Killswitchy drop C stuff as well!all very well but it means I have to carry around a lot of guitars=I try my hardest to remember what guitar I am playing before we play,been lucky so far but there is going to be a day when I'm playing a song out of tune!lol

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 08:37 PM

Yeah, its a pain to have to haul that many guitars to practice.

one for some covers we do in E. One for C. One for B.

Sheesh.....

The good news is I have the guitars to be able to do that. I'd be complaining more if all I had was one guitar. I remember those days.....


Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Oct 8 2008, 09:01 PM

13 set can be good, they will not be hard at all, on B everything will be soft. They will only be thicker than 11 set, that's all.

Posted by: steve25 Oct 8 2008, 09:25 PM

Perhaps get a 7 string? =]

Posted by: berko Oct 8 2008, 09:27 PM

QUOTE (steve25 @ Oct 8 2008, 10:25 PM) *
Perhaps get a 7 string? =]


Was thinking the same wink.gif

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 09:37 PM

That would make sense.

And I did have one for a little while.

Hated it.

Never wanted to play it. Uncomfortable.

Its just not for me.


Posted by: Ian Bushell Oct 8 2008, 09:39 PM

.11 - .56 would be ideal, light on your fingers and easier to control in Drop B tuning. If i remember correctly SIT strings are the only brand that do that, other brands are do .11-.54 which is okay but the Low B is hard to control and keep in tune as you play, also as the low B string gets older the intonation starts going out the window.
Also lighter strings tuned low just flop around the pick which leads to a messy sound when trying to play fast or tight metal rhythms and riffs.

.12 gauge is also just fine to..we are talking millimeteres here anyway what's one millimetere between strings haha

A new setup would also be a good idea don't set the action to low. Give the strings a little play for wide vibrato and fat Zakk wylde pinches:)

Posted by: jer Oct 8 2008, 09:42 PM

I think thats one reason I havent liked 12's and low tunings as much.

I prefer lower action.

Maybe if I raised it a bit I'd be happier.

Does low action and dropped tunings just not mix?


Posted by: Ian Bushell Oct 8 2008, 09:52 PM

QUOTE (jer @ Oct 8 2008, 10:42 PM) *
I think thats one reason I havent liked 12's and low tunings as much.

I prefer lower action.

Maybe if I raised it a bit I'd be happier.

Does low action and dropped tunings just not mix?


In my opinion... Not a good Combo. My main reason is the fretbuzz that occurs...not a good sound:)
I also use to prefer a lower action. It hasn't raised a heck of alot but what a difference in any tuning or string gauge.

I find the tone is slightly better and easier to control along with the strings themselves.

But it's what you are comfortable with at the end of the day.

Posted by: botoxfox Oct 8 2008, 10:01 PM

QUOTE (jer @ Oct 8 2008, 08:51 PM) *
Personally I'm not a fan of it being this low.

C is plenty low. I feel there is a big drop off in definition at B and below.

But the band wants to try out some stuff at B.......

Whatever..... rolleyes.gif

24.75" scale lenght isn't optimal for tuning in B.

Posted by: Ian Bushell Oct 8 2008, 10:38 PM

Many Apologies jer is see you are STANDARD B tuned not Drop B tuned.
You can still get away with a lowish action and a set of 13's i don't know what the low gauge of a normal set is.
But D'addario make a 7 string set which is .10 .59 a 7 string is standard B tuning. So take out the .10 gauge and you'll have a .13 .59 set. You have to still watch out for fret buzz on the low B though.

Posted by: Marcus Siepen Oct 9 2008, 11:01 AM

I would definitely go for thick strings with this tuning, otherwise the strings will get very sloppy. I would go for 13's for sure.

Posted by: jer Oct 9 2008, 12:29 PM

Well I got the strings on last night while watching the World Series of Poker.

Besides cutting the high E too short and ruining it (and thus having to throw an .11 on there from a set of 9's I had laying around) it went fine.

Stretch, tune, stretch, tune, stretch, tune......

Intonate.

Stretch, tune, stretch, tune, stretch, tune.

This morning I checked it and it stayed in tune overnight so I should be good to go.

What little playing I did on it while tuning felt good.

I think this size will do me ok.

I still need to plug in and give it hell though.

But not now... Now I have to go to work. sad.gif

Posted by: jer Oct 9 2008, 01:25 PM

One more question:

With these strings on the guitar, the 6th and 5th do not fit in the nut. Is this going to be a problem? They sit on the groove but not down in it.

If I somehow alter the nut so they fit better will it cause trouble if I ever go back to a thinner string?


Posted by: RIP Dime Oct 9 2008, 01:44 PM

QUOTE (Marcus Siepen @ Oct 9 2008, 11:01 AM) *
I would definitely go for thick strings with this tuning, otherwise the strings will get very sloppy. I would go for 13's for sure.


Yea that's pretty low, I've also noticed that once you go to B and below, you're not playing a guitar anymore, it's like playing a baritone. But I agree with Marcus here, I wouldn't dare to go lighter than 13-56 for fear of sloppiness, and at B it should be plenty bendy.

But if lighter strings tend to work for you, you can try 12's. A 60 would actually be a little too thick for my taste, sometimes when the low strings are too thick the sound can get woofy, and lack crunch, but try stuff out and find what's best for you.

And yea, you may have to make some augmentations to the nut with a gauge that big, I'm no expert on that kinda stuff tho.

Posted by: Noangels Oct 9 2008, 09:07 PM

QUOTE (jer @ Oct 9 2008, 01:25 PM) *
One more question:

With these strings on the guitar, the 6th and 5th do not fit in the nut. Is this going to be a problem? They sit on the groove but not down in it.

If I somehow alter the nut so they fit better will it cause trouble if I ever go back to a thinner string?


Bingo!

thats the problem I had putting Fat strings on my Parker/LP and strat-they didnt fit in the groove at all on those strings!And raised the action a lot on the 1st few frets!I didnt want to alter the nut so............................

I restrung them with normal gauge strings and then set up my Jackson SL1 with the same fat strings in drop C-

Mind you the bass strings must be realy fat,like cable wires!I didnt even think about my guitar nuts when I restrung them I could have saved myself a lot of hassle by looking at the nut 1st!

Posted by: Ian Bushell Oct 9 2008, 10:15 PM

QUOTE (RIP Dime @ Oct 9 2008, 02:44 PM) *
Yea that's pretty low, I've also noticed that once you go to B and below, you're not playing a guitar anymore, it's like playing a baritone. But I agree with Marcus here, I wouldn't dare to go lighter than 13-56 for fear of sloppiness, and at B it should be plenty bendy.

But if lighter strings tend to work for you, you can try 12's. A 60 would actually be a little too thick for my taste, sometimes when the low strings are too thick the sound can get woofy, and lack crunch, but try stuff out and find what's best for you.

And yea, you may have to make some augmentations to the nut with a gauge that big, I'm no expert on that kinda stuff tho.


Totally agree with a .60 an over being to much. Tone on the distortion starts breaking really funny.


QUOTE (jer @ Oct 9 2008, 02:25 PM) *
One more question:

With these strings on the guitar, the 6th and 5th do not fit in the nut. Is this going to be a problem? They sit on the groove but not down in it.

If I somehow alter the nut so they fit better will it cause trouble if I ever go back to a thinner string?


I had the same problem with the thicker strings. So i got the nut on my new ESP horizon
Sorted out. I don't know if leaving it like that will affect the nut but it will definately affect the tuning.
Rather get it setup to be safe:) Not sure if it will cause problems when going back to thinner strings....
that's why i got 2 esp's now, didn't want to find out haha:P

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