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Extra heavy strings on Floyd Rose?

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  • Extra heavy strings on Floyd Rose?

    I often tune down anywhere from C standard to Drop A, and I need extra heav strings to do this, and I have heard that heavy strings will give me better tone, but.... I am selling my Ibanez RG1570, to buy a Jackson RR24M, or RR24, and also buying a DK2 used. They have FRT-2000 and Jackson JT580 floating floyds, so can I fit my heavy strings without damaging my bridges?

  • #2
    A - Forget that "better tone" bullshit first and foremost.

    B - I've got 11's on one of my Floyded Strats tuned down to D. No problems. There's a lot of room in the string lock blocks to accomodate a range of string sizes. Not sure about any licensed bridges, though, as long as they have the same locking mechanism, you'll be fine.
    -------------------------
    Blank yo!

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    • #3
      i like the tone of thicker strings better, some may not.
      i don't consider it bs at all in fact it's a rule i live by - i would suggest them first to anyone wanting a fatter tone.

      so for some people they give do give you better tone think SRV.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Grandturk View Post
        A - Forget that "better tone" bullshit first and foremost.

        B - I've got 11's on one of my Floyded Strats tuned down to D. No problems. There's a lot of room in the string lock blocks to accomodate a range of string sizes. Not sure about any licensed bridges, though, as long as they have the same locking mechanism, you'll be fine.
        So will GHS Boomers 11-70 be ok in the floyds?
        If I have the money, I will fit an Original Floyd Rose on the DK2, as I expect to pick it up for £275

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Trem View Post
          i like the tone of thicker strings better, some may not.
          i don't consider it bs at all in fact it's a rule i live by - i would suggest them first to anyone wanting a fatter tone.

          so for some people they give do give you better tone think SRV.
          I have Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky 12-56 on my Telecaster and they sound awesome!

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          • #6
            One of my PC1's is strung with GHS 13-54 and tuned down 1/2 a step with no issues at all.

            "Forget that "better tone" bullshit first and foremost"

            I dunno........

            Seems to work for me and many famous players but tone is selective after all.....

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            • #7
              Originally posted by ibanezjacksonline6engl View Post
              So will GHS Boomers 11-70 be ok in the floyds?
              If I have the money, I will fit an Original Floyd Rose on the DK2, as I expect to pick it up for £275
              DAMN! A 70? Well, there really is no need for a 70 on a normal scale size 6 string guitar, and I think a floyd saddle can MAYBE fit all but 60's and over. I think a 58 or 56 should do fine for drop A, I play with 12-54s for everything from Drop C to Drop A. Also, when doing pinch harmonics on a slightly lower gauge than its desired gauge, its easier to put a mega-vibrato on it and make the harmonic scream!
              Is that a banana in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by guambomb832 View Post
                DAMN! A 70? Well, there really is no need for a 70 on a normal scale size 6 string guitar, and I think a floyd saddle can MAYBE fit all but 60's and over. I think a 58 or 56 should do fine for drop A, I play with 12-54s for everything from Drop C to Drop A. Also, when doing pinch harmonics on a slightly lower gauge than its desired gauge, its easier to put a mega-vibrato on it and make the harmonic scream!
                A person on another forum was thinking about running a .070" for their low string.....I think they said they wanted to do it because that's what Loomis runs, but I can't vouch for if that's what he actually uses.

                Anyway, if you tune to A on a 25.5" scale guitar with a D'Addario EXL .070" string that would be 18.2 pounds of tension, which really isn't that much tension. Comparatively that's very similar to the tension of a .046" string tuned to standard E (17.48#).

                I don't know the exact numbers with GHS boomers, but I think the similar relativity would apply.
                Last edited by Chad; 03-22-2010, 08:25 PM.

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                • #9
                  You might double check but I don't 70's will even fit in the machine heads / tuner pegs. Plus your looking at resetting up your guitar. I think you might be going a bit overboard. Also you may have to add stronger springs or the spring claw may bottom out during setup.

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                  • #10
                    I've heard of several folks drilling out the lowest string tuner to accommodate a really low gauge string.

                    As far as setup, first look at the change in tension:

                    Take a set of D'Addario EXL 10-46 strings tuned to standard tuning.....total combined tension is 103.59 pounds.

                    Now, take a set of D'Addario EXL 13, 17, 26, 36, 46, 70 tuned to drop A. Combined tension is 103.77 pounds.

                    As far as setup, on a locking nut guitar, the nut would probably be fine. You'd probably have to raise the action a smidge, and adjust the intonation, but the truss rod would probably be fine. I'm guessing the trem springs might have to be tweaked a bit, but you probably wouldn't have to add any springs.
                    Last edited by Chad; 03-22-2010, 09:54 PM.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Chad View Post
                      I've heard of several folks drilling out the lowest string tuner to accommodate a really low gauge string.

                      As far as setup, number of trem springs and so forth....there is so much uneducated urban legend with drop tunings it grows frustrating.

                      Take a set of D'Addario EXL 10-46 strings tuned to standard tuning.....total combined tension is 103.59 pounds.

                      Now, take a set of D'Addario EXL 13, 17, 26, 36, 46, 70 tuned to drop A. Combined tension is 103.77 pounds. That should almost require no setup work at all.
                      True, i swapped out regular 9's on my 7 string for a custom set each string chosen to be able tune down a full step and keep from having to reset up the floyd.

                      barley had to turn the claw screws and it was set up perfect.

                      anytime you tune down a step with a floyd, basically the next gauge of strings up per whole step will keep your floyd setup pretty close to perfect.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Chad View Post
                        I've heard of several folks drilling out the lowest string tuner to accommodate a really low gauge string.

                        As far as setup, first look at the change in tension:

                        Take a set of D'Addario EXL 10-46 strings tuned to standard tuning.....total combined tension is 103.59 pounds.

                        Now, take a set of D'Addario EXL 13, 17, 26, 36, 46, 70 tuned to drop A. Combined tension is 103.77 pounds.

                        As far as setup, on a locking nut guitar, the nut would probably be fine. You'd probably have to raise the action a smidge, and adjust the intonation, but the truss rod would probably be fine. I'm guessing the trem springs might have to be tweaked a bit, but you probably wouldn't have to add any springs.
                        I see what your saying about the string tension, makes sense. I still think it gonna need a little truss rod tweak. Just adjusting the action at the bridge is just gonna lift alot at the bridge not the headstock, I mean 70 is a pretty thick string.

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                        • #13
                          11-56 is as far as I would go on a Floyd but that's just me.
                          Really? well screw Mark Twain.

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                          • #14
                            I have a set of D'addario 13-62s tuned to A on my Ibanez RG470 and the fucker GROWWLLLLSSSSS

                            No problem with string tension, just balance that floyd out!
                            "Yet, every little piss ant wanna' be death metal wiener will just carbon copy the next phase.." Kam Lee/Massacre

                            LEFTY METAL HEAD!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by rattlehead74 View Post
                              You might double check but I don't 70's will even fit in the machine heads / tuner pegs. Plus your looking at resetting up your guitar. I think you might be going a bit overboard. Also you may have to add stronger springs or the spring claw may bottom out during setup.
                              It's just that I had 12-64 on one of my guitars tuned to drop a and they flapped and slapped around like crazy... the guitar was set up properly. So I'm thinking 11-70 will stop the flapping.

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