Tuning Down One Whole Tone On Six String Electric

Tony Palmer · From: St Augustine,FL

I have a Fender strat with .09 to .42 light gauge strings, which I like.
I will be spending some time playing with a vocalist/guitarist who has learned to play with his acoustic tuned one whole tone down.
Yes, I can transpose, etc., but since I will be spending the next few weeks jamming with him, I might as well tune down to match his guitar.
Question: what gauge strings should I use once they're lower (and I imagine will have a loose sloppy feel to them)?

Also, I should prob post this question in electronics, has anyone used the pitch changer pedals for this same purpose?

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

9-42 tuned down a whole step would be very slack to me. If you really like 9-42 tuned E-to-E, then I guess I'd suggest trying a standard 10-46 set tuned D-to-D. Brand sometimes matters, since different brands may use different core gauges, which affects tension at a given pitch. I've measured various cores, SITs measured slightly smaller (and feel slightly more slack to me) while Everly B-52's measured slightly larger (and feel slightly tighter to me), lets say in comparison to comparable gauges of, let's say, Ernie Ball or D'Addario. If 10-46 feels too stiff, there are a few choices that go 9.5-44 - e.g., I think GHS makes such a set.

One should filter my comments by the fact that I rarely use anything lighter than 11-48 on anything, even a Strat or Tele, and usually heavier on something like an archtop. I would be using pretty heavy strings on a D-to-D tuning - certainly not lighter than 11-48 and probably more like 12-52 - or even heavier if I was playing slide.

Tony Palmer · From: St Augustine,FL

Thanks Dave, that was helpful.

robert kramer · From: Nashville TN

Lonnie Mack tunes down a whole step: (0.52 - 0.13) He also tunes his Epiphone acoustic down a whole step.
Hendrix tuned down a half step. One of the reasons Hendrix did this was so he could play in horn keys.
On acoustic - tuning down a whole or half step and then capoing back up will give you another sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDmVmw41I2k

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

OK, I'm going to tune down one of my t style guitars a whole step. The reason for that is that I have a song I want to sing in Dm and play the main riff in an Em first position.

This guitar has the fender scale 25 1/2. Before I spend lots of time and money on restringing, I'd like to get a little advice from players that have been there.

It has a 9 set on there and I know for sure that won't work down a whole tone.

I also use a D drop Hipshot tuner on the low string [-whole tone] and a 2 step + bender on the 2nd string with a BBlender on a Bigsby trem so...

Do you think a 10 set will work going down 2 frets or should I expect to go to a 11? I'm planning to employ a capo to move the tuning up to E standard most of the time too.

Meantime, I'm going to surf around the net and explore the good info at Stringjoy while waiting for some replies.

Thanks all for your input.

ajm · From: Los Angeles

If you go and Google some of the string manufacturers, some of them post string tensions for various gauges.

If you take a set of gauges that you normally use, you might be able to chart out a set that feels adequate.

For reference, when I use a Strat stung with 9-42, I sometimes tune the low E to a D.
When I do that, I'll replace the low E with an 046.
It feels closer to "normal" when I do that.
So the suggestion to use a set of 010 or 011 may be about right.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Yes, I found a variety of opinions and options ranging from Stringjoy's balanced set of 10s to everything else from 11s to 13s sets.

I browsed the tdpri discussions as well as a few others.

I also went back and reread this thread.

I'm still uncertain, but I'm thinking since I already have sets of 10s on hand, I'll just string it up with them with the possibility that a heavier 6 may be needed with the D drop.

I want a nice T twang but don't want too heavy a string that's going to be too hard on the fingers, hard to fret or require a different setup.

John Larson · From: Pennsyltucky, USA

I have about half a dozen guitars in different lowered tunings. I use 9-42 in E standard on 25.5" scale length guitars and I use this handy calculator to figure out the best gauges for the other guitars. I usually go up a set or use a heavy bottom set if it's a Gibson scale length.
https://tension.stringjoy.com/

Edit: I primarily play D'Addario strings usually NYXLs.
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Thanks John. I've looked at their calculator a few times, but still unsure...FWIW, they show the 10 set in your example link as one recommendation for drop D tuning as they use the heavier strings on 2 and 6

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

I'm comfy with 0.010 on Telecaster, would try 0.011 or 0.012 for two frets lower. Since you're playing a Stratocaster, I'm guessing you might encounter some de-tuning issues with the whammy bar springs if the string tension was too low.
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Sorry, clarification is in order. It's a cheap chinese Tele® copy with all the same dimensions. The trem is a B5 Bigsby F® with a B Blender® string bender. Guitar also has a Zero Glide® nut and a peghead Hipshot® 6th string drop.

If any of this makes any difference. Thanks D.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Jerry, start with 11’s for the reasons sited in Dave M’s post. You’ll still have plenty of twang. They’ll be stable enough to produce good tone and sustain, and you won’t pull or bend strings out of tune unintentionally. I wouldn’t be able to use 10’s, since that is my gauge for standard tuning. Even in Drop-D with a 46 I tend to bang string 6 out of tune here n there. I would probably go with 12’s in DGCFAD, but you and the Bigsby + Benders are used to 9’s in standard E so 11’s should do it.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Thanks for you input and experience Fred.

John Larson · From: Pennsyltucky, USA

Since that's the Bigsby where the strings go under a retaining bar I don't think you'll have string tension issues if you figure on a similar tension or even if you go lighter. I've had issues with my Gretsch only because there is no retainer bar if I put 9s or 8s on it I can pop the lower strings out of the saddles if I strum too hard. Similar to the issue Fender Jazzmaster/Jaguars were plagued with their bridge designed for heavier strings before light strings became common.

_________________
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Give praise to the Lord with the harp, chant unto Him with the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing unto Him a new song, chant well unto Him with jubilation. For the word of the Lord is true, and all His works are in faithfulness. The Lord loveth mercy and judgement; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
- Psalm 33:1-5

Gary Mahalak · From: Michigan, USA

For tuning down a whole step, consider going up a gauge or two, like .10 to .46 or .11 to .48. As for pitch changer pedals, they're handy for adjusting without messing with your strings.

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

If existing strings are tuned down a whole step without different string guagess, check ithe ntonation to see if the saddle (electric) needs to be adjusted.
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Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Disclaimer: disregard if your Strat is a hardtail.

Doing what you suggest will most likely have an adverse effect on not only the intonation, but the entire bridge/tremolo system will likely need adjustment (unless you have the whammy blocked off, immobilized, and disabled). Plus, you'll need to do it once again if and when you change it back to how it was.

Jacob Yergert · From: Centennial, Colorado, USA

I generally use .11-.56 and I am typically tuned to C standard. I like DR Pure Blues nickels for that.

If you have the guitar set up correctly, you shouldn't notice the change in tension much.