Question regarding downtuning/string tension.

[anesthetist]

Hello, does anyone know how much tension is lost tuning down a whole step?

at the moment i've strung my bb414 with d'addario chromes 45-100 and have it tuned in standard E. I would however prefer to tune DGDG but feel the E string getting a bit too floppy when doing so.

so my question is this: if i would get a thicker gauge chromes (50-105) and tune DGDG how much tension would i lose, would it be the same tension as the 100 tuned E or would it be even less?

thanks, A.

[Roland777]

Gotta use flatwounds? Get a set of 50-110's - DR makes 'em. The tension will be crazy unbalanced, but that's more because of the tight high-end. The low-end holds up with the 110 tuned to D.

[The Craw]

Originally Posted by anesthetist

Hello, does anyone know how much tension is lost tuning down a whole step?

at the moment i've strung my bb414 with d'addario chromes 45-100 and have it tuned in standard E. I would however prefer to tune DGDG but feel the E string getting a bit too floppy when doing so.

so my question is this: if i would get a thicker gauge chromes (50-105) and tune DGDG how much tension would i lose, would it be the same tension as the 100 tuned E or would it be even less?

thanks, A.

It would be less. D'addario has a master .pdf chart here, you'll find the Chromes on page 11. You can see the tension of each gauge in different tunings.

[greenboy]

Half step: .8909 the tension

Whole: .7935

[anesthetist]

Originally Posted by The Craw

It would be less. D'addario has a master .pdf chart here, you'll find the Chromes on page 11. You can see the tension of each gauge in different tunings.

cool, thanks.