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Permalink Reply by Clock The Wolf on June 18, 2013 at 1:01pm

that's strung kinda light. What gauges are the strings in the pack? Is it a medium set of acoustic strings?

You might want to try something @ .32 .24 .16 or if you want all wound somewhere @ .42 .32 .24

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Permalink Reply by Groucho on June 18, 2013 at 1:09pm

I'm not exactly sure what I've got on there now. 

 

I have one pack of "Regular Slinky" strings that are 10/13/17/26/36/46 and the other is "Beefy Slinky" 11/15/22/30/42/54.

 

I'll probably start with the Beefy 42/30/22.  Thanks! 

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Permalink Reply by Clock The Wolf on June 18, 2013 at 1:06pm

The strings you have on there might sound better tuned GBD by the way...

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Permalink Reply by Clock The Wolf on June 18, 2013 at 1:08pm

DGDGBD, D(GDG)BD, DG(DGB)D, DGD(GBD)

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on June 18, 2013 at 1:16pm

It all depends on the scale length, no one can recommend a particular string for a given pitch without that info..
I'd use the lowest (fattest) three. You can use the remaining three on a second three string and tune to the same key an octave higher so they're pleasing to hear together.
You may or may not get to g depending on the scale length, but you just adjust the middle note to fit and it'll all work. For example if the outer strings will only reach to E and you fear going higher for breaking one or cracking your top / overstressing you're neck (both will probably handle a bit more than you'd expect) then the target middle note (was D for a G tuning) will be adjusted down to B (3 frets worth) you'll find it is the lightest string which limits things first.

You can pretty much do this with any consecutive three from a regular set of strings but using the lowest makes for a nice pleasing register and of course leaves a second consecutive three which is good, in time you have a small box of loose unused strings which is sucky to have to dig thru to save a dollar

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Permalink Reply by Groucho on June 18, 2013 at 1:36pm

It's 25.5" from bridge to nut.  Thanks for the help.

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Permalink Reply by Will King on June 18, 2013 at 5:24pm

I love your bridge/saddle with the hinge over top.  You could see that on my next build!  Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on June 18, 2013 at 7:25pm

you can buy strings singly on ebay, use Ernieball slinkys 32-24-16 (-:

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on June 18, 2013 at 7:49pm

Don't buy packs of strings, buy singles to get the exact gauges you need. 042, 032, 024 - that will get you a deep growly sound with G- D - G if you are on a regular-ish guitar scale.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on June 19, 2013 at 4:38am

Some people poopoo online string calculators but I've had some good success with them.

Standard guitar tuning, low to high is E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 (middle C on a piano is C4).

on http://wahiduddin.net/calc/calc_guitar_string.htm

You can input your scale length, the note you want in the octave you want and even desired string tension (I like 16lbs per string).

So a G2 with 16lbs of tension would be 0.03483 or around a 35, rounding up. 

Rounding up (or down depending) a G2 D3 G3 set for a 25.5" scale at 16lbs tension would be:

.35 .23 .17 or thereabouts (which is around what a few have suggested)

Your mileage may vary.

If you want a lower sound, maybe go to DAD?
D2 A2 D3 : .46 .31 .23 (or thereabouts) 

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on June 21, 2013 at 12:31am

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Permalink Reply by jeff maurer on June 24, 2013 at 3:10am

i get my strings at the guitar junkyard and can get em in singles. i use a w36, w26 and a plain 18. the A, D, and G strings if you buy in a pack of six. if you drop the A string down one step you have an open G tuning, but i leave it alone and tune the D and G string up one step so im in open A E A

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