Advice needed on gauges.

[XPS73]

I own a LTD F414FM(4 string) & my band plays using drop a tuning plus in the area I live they only got d'addarios & ernie balls so that limits my choices. I tried .135 d'addarios & it was not really that good so what should I try next for drop a, .125 or 130??
The .135 gave out a really dull sound & used to touch the fret board even though the setup was adjusted.

 

[ixlramp]

So you're tuned AEAD? You actually need a tighter low A to brighten it's sound and not flop about. I've used D'Addario Prosteels .145s tuned to A, they sound great, are super-flexible and bright, you can buy them as singles online. If you buy singles .145 .095 .070 .050 that will be tension balanced.

Alternatively Link Removed sell excellent 4 string drop tune sets that are designed to be tension balanced. Perhaps the .150 .100 .76 .55 set?

 

[XPS73]

yea the d'addarios flopped around alot hahaha which got on my nerves.
woah i didnt kno their were gauges exceeding .135, ill try the pro steels sounds really good if it doesnt work out ill try circle k.
thanx dude

 

[knuckle_head]

At A - truly - you are better served by a .150 or .158.

A .145 will get you around 34 pounds of tension and I bet you'll appreciate the improvement.

Post up when you've tried heavier gauges and fill us in.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

Where do you live? Ordering online will be your best bet.

I wish people would put their location, even just country, in the profiles and make them public. It's hard to give advice when location plays such an important role.

 

[eyecandy]

whoa that thick strings and it still flop?

 

[Hollywars]

Well, he appears to be in Bahrain, which is in the middle east.

 

[knuckle_head]

whoa that thick strings and it still flop?

A .135 is a decent B string - at A it only has 31 pounds of tension on it.

 

[XPS73]

In Bahrain we dont got many options so that kinda sucks, ordering tru the internet is a good solution thought it takes alot of time.
Im gona try more heavier gauges & ill soon find "The One", circle k's looks really good so ima go wd them & see what happens.
btw what tuning is .130 good for?

 

[knuckle_head]

C or a light tensioned B

 

[ixlramp]

Sorry, I should have added that a D'Addario .145 at A on a 35 inch scale has low tension and needs a light touch.

Also I would recommend Circle K instead of D'Addario, their strings are of better design