Best strings to use for 35" Scale Dropped Tuning?

[Vitosus Bassist]

I play an ESP F-414FM (4 String) and I am looking for the best strings to use. I use it in drop C tuning and can never find strings that are long enough to use through body and be able to handle the dropped tuning. It has a 35" scale. The ESP Guitar Company | 2011 USA Website <-- Specs here. Any suggestions?

[tylerwylie]

Circle K .118 Drop Tuned Standard Length Set

[ixlramp]

For CGCF you need a set designed for drop tuning, that has the gauge of the C increased to compensate for it being dropped. Using a conventional 4 string heavy set will result in a very floppy C.

Circle K Strings - Circle K Strings sell 'drop-tune' sets that are designed to have equal tension on each string in the drop tuning. There's a finely stepped choice of gauges here: vStandard Drop-tuned 4 Strings.

I recommend the .118 .124 .130 .136 sets (extra light to medium heavy) depending on your tension preference.

Do you have the option of top-loading the string? The Circle K's have a short taperwound section of 1.625" that may not work with through-body stringing. There is no advantage to through-body stringing.

Alternatively you could design a custom set from single strings. Or use a 5 string set and discard the E string, but that is more expensive and a waste of a string.

[AmadeusXeno]

Originally Posted by ixlramp

There is no advantage to through-body stringing.

Yes there is unless you don't want more sustain.

[Vitosus Bassist]

Yah im looking for the added sustain of through body stringing so i need something long or extra long. sometimes the long dont even work for through body. but i will look at the circle k strings. any other suggestions?

[ixlramp]

Circle K also sell sets for 36"-37" scales, they'll certainly be long enough: Circle K Strings - Medium Drop-tuned 4 Strings. Although the taperwound section won't reach the saddle and the thicker strings may not like to bend over the saddle at full gauge if there is a steep break angle.

Well yes it's certainly debatable if through-body stringing has advantages, there are threads here on that subject. Many people believe there is no advantage in most circumstances It's certainly a pain in the @$$ when trying to find strings

[darkstorm]

The esp basses with string thru option are good enough high mass bridges that string thru body option does nothing but create a slight feeling of more tension. Something the 35 scale does anyway compared to 34. So first Id stop string it thru the body and go with stringing it thru the bridge instead. Rotosound swing66 of next higher gauge then youd use for regular tuning could be great choice imo.

[ixlramp]

Technical drawings of the 3 Circle K string lengths showing the winding lengths are here: http://circlekstrings.com/CKSIMAGES/CircleKspecs.pdf

D'Addario Super Long Scale have a 38" winding, which gives you 3" behind the saddle.

Using a 5 string set minus the E works well since almost all string sets have 'traditional tension' with the B slightly floppy and the ADG strings really tight. Tuning the B up to C, and detuning the ADG to GCF therefore creates a reasonably tension-balanced set.