String gauges

[StratFreak]

If i was to drop tune a guitar to C# (C#, G#, C#, F#, A#, D#) whats the perfect string gauge ? my favourite string gauge for Standard E is 10-52 (D'Addario to be specific). The guitar scale length would be 25.5.

[octavedoctor]

There's probably no perfect gauge, and with 10 to 52 you are heading in the right direction.

What you have to remember is that the string's natural frequency is proportional to the square of the tension, so that if you are reducing the pitch by 10% then you are dropping the tension by 21%. This is somewhat offset by the square relationship between string gauge and linear density, which also affects resonant frequency. So a .011 string contains 21% more mass than a .010" string over the same length.

I think you could comfortably detune by a semitone with 10 - 52 and not suffer any ill effects

[Bludave]

Go to 12's... you'll love the thickness of your sound.

[StratFreak]

11-56 seem like a smart decision. The website suggests even thicker but there is no way you need more then 11-56 for C#

[ExplorersRock]

11-56 seem like a smart decision. The website suggests even thicker but there is no way you need more then 11-56 for C#

+1 Floppy strings are a nuisance. When I do Drop C# like you're doing here, Drop C, or tune down a whole step, I bump a gauge up (I like 10-46 but will go to 11-50 for these tunings). If you're gonna do a whole step or Drop C, my experience is going up a gauge is still floppy. There you might want to investigate 12s. But for Drop C#, you should be ok with 11-56.

[StratFreak]

thanks

[zenmindbeginner]

Go to 12's... you'll love the thickness of your sound.

I tune down to dropped B (C#) and use 12s... anything less and they won't feel right. 12 gauge at C# feels like 10 gauge in Eb IMHO.