String gauge for DGCF?

IvanHardy · #1 09-26-2010, 10:10 PM

hey guys. i'm thinking about setting up my one of my stingray's for DGCF. i currently use Ernie ball Power Slinky's on them for E standard but i want to set it up for DGCF so i can play in that tuning for my band and occasionally go CGCF as well. I want to remain using Ernie ball strings. What gauges do you guys recommend i use for that set up? my gauges currently are 55,75,90,110.
By the way i like strong tension when i play since i use a pick mostly and play pretty aggressive.

steelhead2 · #2 09-26-2010, 11:09 PM

that's a full step?,havent droptuned in months,played with it last winter on a couple dif. basses and can state DA Chromes will do a full step down,the`C' on the E may be floppy for your tastes,never went that far so i'll step back and let others step in and comment,,,

if i was liking roundwounds i'd look at circle K strings,i think they offer some true technologie/support for those that DO,but i'm liking flats a whole bunch more right now(at standard tuning,at least this week)=have fun!

knuckle_head · #3 09-27-2010, 12:09 AM

If you slip in to drop C your best bet is to pick a gauge that is right for C# - that way when you drop you aren't too loose and when you up-tune you aren't too tight.

Consider a set that is either;

.124 .088 .064 .046
or
.118 .084 .061 .043

IvanHardy · #4 09-27-2010, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knuckle_head

If you slip in to drop C your best bet is to pick a gauge that is right for C# - that way when you drop you aren't too loose and when you up-tune you aren't too tight.

Consider a set that is either;

.124 .088 .064 .046
or
.118 .084 .061 .043

Hmmm is possible to select gauges from Ernie ball sets? Would a 135 be too much for D and C?

BROKEN OHMS · #5 09-27-2010, 06:12 AM

You don't have to change a thing except maybe a setup. I've been using that gauge of EB Power Slinkys for years in DGCF and CGCF on a few different basses.

MrGotBass · #6 09-27-2010, 06:19 AM

Power Slinkys are fine for D-Standard, and but the E string may be a little loose for your taste in drop-C. A 135 for a D would probably hurt like a mothertrucker trying to press down; way too much tension going on.

IvanHardy · #7 09-27-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGotBass

Power Slinkys are fine for D-Standard, and but the E string may be a little loose for your taste in drop-C. A 135 for a D would probably hurt like a mothertrucker trying to press down; way too much tension going on.

hmmm i guess your right. i'm just trying to find a gauge that would be the equivalent of how i left my power slinky's in E standard. perhaps a 120?

ixlramp · #8 09-27-2010, 12:47 PM

By calculation a .125 D will be at a similar tension to the .110 E you like. I've tried a .125 at D, it's tight and punchybut not excessively tight.

I recommend building a custom set from Ernie-Ball-Nickel-Wound-Bass-Singles

A tension balanced set at 50 pounds of tension would be .130 .095 .070 .050. As you can see the 2 high strings are thinner and will be looser, that's because your 110 90 75 55 set has the high strings a lot tighter than the low strings.

Or, if you want the closest tension match to your current EADG set go .125 .100 .080 .060. However I strongly recommend the tension balanced set, it will be a revelation.

LiamPodmore · #9 09-27-2010, 12:52 PM

A .125 will be good for D and E, the stock fender strings on my new Squier went up into D fine and that was a .125, so i reccomend either that or a .120.

Liam

IvanHardy · #10 09-27-2010, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixlramp

By calculation a .125 D will be at a similar tension to the .110 E you like. I've tried a .125 at D, it's tight and punchybut not excessively tight.

I recommend building a custom set from Ernie-Ball-Nickel-Wound-Bass-Singles

A tension balanced set would then be .125 .095 .075 .055. As you can see the 2 high strings are unchanged and will be looser, that's because your 110 90 75 55 set has the high strings a lot tighter than the low strings.

Or, if you want the closest tension match to your current EADG set go .125 .100 .080 .060. However I strongly recommend the tension balanced set, it will be a revelation.

yeah someone on the ernieball website said i should go with 60-125. but to have it nice and evenly balanced i guess i could go with the 55-125. thanks alot. i'll post my thoughts on said gauges. i didn't know that with power slinky sets the 2 higher strings were tighter.

ixlramp · #11 09-28-2010, 03:39 AM

Ooops sorry

I make mistake.

A tension balanced set at 50 pounds of tension would be .130 .095 .070 .050. Even at C the .130 will have 40 pounds of tension which is medium tension.

Previous post edited.

fretlessguy · #12 09-28-2010, 08:05 AM

I have used a GHS Boomers set that has .50-.110 gauges for that purpose. It worked out well, especially since I am not a boomers fan per se. Fender makes a set in about the same gauges, and you may also want to check out the new strings by DR that are made for drop tunings.

diechris · #13 09-28-2010, 08:19 AM

i like 110 for C and 105 for D.. with proper set up... no floppy string issue for me...

IvanHardy · #14 09-28-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixlramp

Ooops sorry

I make mistake.

A tension balanced set at 50 pounds of tension would be .130 .095 .070 .050. Even at C the .130 will have 40 pounds of tension which is medium tension.

Previous post edited.

wow. well i don't want to decrease the 55 and 75 gauge. it'll feel too floppy for me. what gauges can be used along with the 55 and 75?

ixlramp · #15 09-28-2010, 02:16 PM

Yes I thought you may not like that!

I double checked that the closest tension match, string for string, to your current EADG set go .125 .100 .080 .060 (not tension balanced).

A tighter tension balanced set using .055 and .075 is:

F .055
C .075
G .100
D .135

As you can see that D .135 will be tighter than your current E, the G .100 will be similar to your current A, and the C .075 and F .055 will be looser than your current D and G.

Wow you use the tightest strings of anyone I know of.

That power slinky set has such badly designed gauges, possibly the worst I've seen. Extreme tension on the high 2 strings and much less on the lower 2. This could cause neck twist. High tension sets especially should spread their extreme tension evenly over the neck to even out the stresses.

IvanHardy · #16 09-29-2010, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixlramp

Yes I thought you may not like that!

I double checked that the closest tension match, string for string, to your current EADG set go .125 .100 .080 .060 (not tension balanced).

A tighter tension balanced set using .055 and .075 is:

F .055
C .075
G .100
D .135

As you can see that D .135 will be tighter than your current E, the G .100 will be similar to your current A, and the C .075 and F .055 will be looser than your current D and G.

Wow you use the tightest strings of anyone I know of.

That power slinky set has such badly designed gauges, possibly the worst I've seen. Extreme tension on the high 2 strings and much less on the lower 2. This could cause neck twist. High tension sets especially should spread their extreme tension evenly over the neck to even out the stresses.

wow a 135. someone mentioned that would be really hard to fret in D. i'm getting my bass set up by a luthier so i'll at first how my power slinky's feel then.

ixlramp · #17 09-29-2010, 12:36 PM

Yeah it makes me feel dizzy recommending a .135 for D

I guess it may possibly be difficult to hold down due to the momentum of the string. It would have no more tension than your current .090 A though.

ixlramp · #18 09-29-2010, 08:02 PM

Okay so here are the tensions for your perusal

Current tensions using D'Addario tension chart pdf

G .055 62.9 lbf
D .075 67.7 lbf
A .090 54.4 lbf
E .110 46.2 lbf

Proposed balanced tensions using D'Addario tension chart pdf

F .055 50.0 lbf
C .075 53.7 lbf
G .100 51.6 lbf
D .135 50.9 lbf tension balanced
D .130 48.7 lbf
D .125 44.3 lbf

Proposed balanced tensions using Circle K Strings tension chart pdf

F .055 53.3 lbf
C .076 56.8 lbf
G .100 54.7 lbf
D .136 55.4 lbf tension balanced
D .130 50.8 lbf
D .124 46.6 lbf

Even with a .135 the total tension of the balanced sets is lower.

Perhaps a .130 would be an optimum compromise, slightly tighter than your current E .110, slightly looser than a tension balanced string.

YoMomma · #19 09-30-2010, 02:43 AM

Or, you could get a 5-string bass.... just a thought.

Lowpro · #20 09-30-2010, 02:53 AM

Lol I use 110's and I drop BF#BE with no problems and that's with my sterling; i would NOT put a 135 on there unless you plan on doing a setup for the tension (yes the argument you think'd go both ways but I swap from dropped B to dropped D often for practices and there's no issue with sound or bass neck problems.