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Message |
< Music Gear ~ Tuning a 6-string to B |
| Leather Mike |
 Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:53 pm |
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Joined: 18 Sep 2008
Posts: 2755
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Righto. I want to learn some stuff that was written on a 7-string, but I dont have a 7er as I've never been able to play them. So I'm proposing to tune one of my 6-strings to be the same as the bottom 6 strings of a 7er and sacrifice the highest string. i.e
B (high)
G
D
A
E
B (low)
so, what i want to know is this. First off, can it be done? Further, What string gauge will i need (my preferred is .10-.52, tuned to D standard if it matters) and what changes beyond the usual setup will I have to make. (i.e will i need to file the nut, drill the tuners, tweak the truss rod etc.)
I'm probably gonna use a Les Paul for this as it's the most solidly built of my guitars, though I'd love to do it with my JRR 94 Concept as it has the nicest neck of all my guitars and its my favourite to play. But I don't know if such a flat, slim neck would take sufficiently heavy strings/tuning tension to do it.
The LP is a set-neck with TOM bridge and stop-bar tailpiece and the JRR94 is bolt on, strung through body, if that makes any difference.
All advice/suggestions gratefully received. (Apart from "buy a 7 string"  ) |
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| skadk666 |
| Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:26 pm |
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 2723
Location: Ah hayer, leave it bleedin ouh!
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Yes it can be done.
String gauge, its all preference but to start why not buy a standard 7 string set, .10-.59(or .60) and take away the higher string?
You shouldnt need to file or drill anything unless your going up to the .70 mark and your tuners are fairly small. Your intonation will need to be checked and you might need a very( and I mean very as its highly unlikely) truss adjustment.
No need to worry about if a guitar neck can handle heavy strings, thats what they are made for. I think you over thinking things in that department.
Finally, just buy a 7 string!! Haha! |
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| Juggz |
| Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 11:11 pm |
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Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 1251
Location: Under A Lesbian Moon
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I used baritone strings for that tuning, always felt anything below .60 was like spaghetti an if you're using a .52 for D you'll probably feel most comfortable with something on the heavier end too. After trying loads I settled on Elixir's baritone set - .012 .016 .022 .038 .052 .068
Don't worry about your neck not taking it. The tension of the baritone set in B is about the same as a set of 10s in E.
You will probably need to file your nut slots to widen them a smidge, not a major thing. If the biggest string doesn't fit into the hole in your tuner just remove about 1 cm of the outermost wind, it won't affect the string, put that through the hole and tune up.
It's very straightforward to do this on any 6 string. |
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| Poley_Sorrowfall |
| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 10:47 am |
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Joined: 08 Jan 2006
Posts: 3740
Location: Berufasuto, Airurando
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| Also, that G will be an F#. |
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| skadk666 |
| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:13 pm |
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 2723
Location: Ah hayer, leave it bleedin ouh!
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Not if he is going for standard 7 string tuning on a 6 string and leaving out the High E.
B standard on a 6 string would mean the G would be an F#. |
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| buttercore |
| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 2:44 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2008
Posts: 271
Location: Belfast
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| We took a guitar down to A and the truss rod definitely needed adjusting. Though I would get a pro to help you with that as I know its not a novice thing to do. But yeah as mentioned before, heavier gauge strings is the first step. |
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| kranog |
| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:16 pm |
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Joined: 17 Jun 2010
Posts: 125
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I do this for the Type O stuff I play.
Kenny Hickey tunes to B Standard which is basically normal guitar tuning for chords but it's all dropped down to B (B, E, A, D, F#, B)
But...like you- I'm used to 7-string (but never liked the feel of them) - so I just sacrifice the high E and go with B, E, A, D, G, B
I always buy these and just keep the .10 for anotehr guitar should I ever need it - I've about 30 of then damn things now!!!
http://www.strings.ie/daddario-exl110-7-string-guitar-strings-10-59/ |
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| open face surgery |
| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:08 am |
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Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 7272
Location: ...from the east and to the WESHT
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| Always play in B standard and never did any adjustments to my guitar. Current strings are 12-52 and they are heavier than I've been using for the last well. Wouldn't be into using a 68 for the low B at all at all. |
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| Stephen BroMalley |
| Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 3:26 pm |
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Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1241
Location: digging a neghole
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open face surgery wrote: Always play in B standard and never did any adjustments to my guitar. Current strings are 12-52 and they are heavier than I've been using for the last well. Wouldn't be into using a 68 for the low B at all at all.
I think it depends on your scale length and what kind of feel you like to the strings Matt. Just started using 13-72 for Drop A and I really like them. |
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| Chooch |
| Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 8:26 pm |
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Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 211
Location: Maigh Eo
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| 72 is ridiculous! Used a Zakk Wylde signature 11-70 set once before and the 70 had to be forcibly squeezed into the tuner peg hole. Did you have to file the hole or something to make it fit? |
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| Juggz |
| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:11 am |
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Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 1251
Location: Under A Lesbian Moon
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Filing the hole is the wrong way to approach the problem.
When I first tuned down for a band about 20 years ago the heaviest strings I could get in Dublin were a set of Ernie Ball 13's and the low string was a .056 but it was really a set designed to be played in E. They served their purpose at the time, but these days being able to get sets designed for downtuning is such an advantage. If you're looking for the same kind of tension in a low B string as you do when you play with something like a .042 in E, then you need something over .060. If you're dropping to A occasionally, then you need something around .070 to really get a nice bit of resistance from the string. |
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| Stephen BroMalley |
| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:30 pm |
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Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1241
Location: digging a neghole
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Chooch wrote: 72 is ridiculous! Used a Zakk Wylde signature 11-70 set once before and the 70 had to be forcibly squeezed into the tuner peg hole. Did you have to file the hole or something to make it fit?
No, it fit just fine. You can't really get more than a couple of wraps around the tuning peg though but the surface area in contact with the tuner is so much greater that it seems to stay in tune pretty well. |
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| skadk666 |
| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:00 pm |
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 2723
Location: Ah hayer, leave it bleedin ouh!
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I use a .70, sometimes a .72 or .74, depending on whats available, for the Low G on my 7 strings. Works fine, fits the tuner, not too tight as I like a little loosness in my strings but holds the tuning well and sounds huge!
I also use a .68 for A on my 6 strings, now that can be a hassle as sperzel tuners are tiny so I have to unwind the string a little to get it through, but they are locking tuners so i can lock it in so it wont move. There are plenty of ways around this sort of thing, small adjustments may be needed. if your goin low you'll need higher gauges or longer scales, simple as! |
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| spoderman01 |
| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:11 pm |
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Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 1898
Location: Limerick
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Chooch wrote: 72 is ridiculous! Used a Zakk Wylde signature 11-70 set once before and the 70 had to be forcibly squeezed into the tuner peg hole.
Were they the GHS Boomers? Had the same problem, couldn't get the 70 in....and that was on one of the Zakk Epiphone models. Those strings are still sitting around somewhere. Cheers Zakk, ya prick |
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| Chooch |
| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:06 pm |
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Joined: 03 Apr 2012
Posts: 211
Location: Maigh Eo
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Aye they were the Boomers! Back in the metalcore phase when everything was in Drop C.
No guitar I've ever owned retained the tension below D (even with the Boomers), so after years of fighting the tuner and fret buzz, finally returned to E standard.
The other guitarist in the band abides by 10-52, wont play anything else. Could never tell the difference between a few thousandths of an inch meself so usually threw on any set, adjusted for intonation and jogged on. |
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