A-bomb in Drop B

[Dave Sloven]

So, I'm liking the sound of my A-Bomb equipped Epiphone Ebony Explorer in drop B.  I need to turn the volume and tone right up, and even engage the volume pot bypass sometimes, but I'm getting great evil crusty sludgy tones from it in this tuning.

Any recommendations on string sets?  Currently I am using Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom because that's what was on there (in D standard), but I am thinking of trying this set of D'Addario EXL117 Nickel Wound, Medium Top/Extra-Heavy Bottom, 11-56 strings that I have lying around.

I am putting together a new band doing Amebix, Asphyx, and Celtic Frost influenced crusty punk death doom stuff.

[Kiichi]

Well for Drop Bb I still use the custom gauge of the In Flames guitarist Björn, which is 12,16,22,38,52,68. Perfect for that tuning for me. So that gives you kind of a ballpark at least as to what others play. Essentially for just Drop B maybe an 11er set still, but a bit heavier on the bottom would be the adjustment there I think.

[CommonCourtesy]

13-62 maybe? Or 14-70 perhaps, tempted to play in drop c with 13-62's! F**k it go for an 80 on the low string!!

[Dave Sloven]

Ha ha no way would I use 13-62 or an 80!  I know why you use them though.

For this style of music I basically need a compromise between ability to Celtic Frost style palm muted alternate picking and big (but not too big!) expressive wide vibrato, including on the lowest string. A tighter low string would help with all of that, and even with pinch harmonics.  The 52 is just too slack for B. I will try the D'Addarios first.  I fear going to a 60 low string will require some filing of the nut and a new setup and even notching of the bridge saddle, so I will see how I go with the 56 gauge first.

This is the kind of music I am aiming at.  Not that I know exactly what this is tuned to or want to mimic it exactly, but it gives some idea of style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt13o6CGOss

Basically if I could play something like that then I'd have my requirements covered

[ericsabbath]

I used to mix a 011 set with a 013 set when I played in drop B
so it was 011-056
I hate how anything above 056 sounds

[Dave Sloven]

I used to mix a 011 set with a 013 set when I played in drop B
so it was 011-056
I hate how anything above 056 that sounds

Well that's basically what that D'Addario set is.

11P 14P 19P 32W 44W 56W

If you could get by with that I will give it a go.  I don't need metalcore style chugging.  I agree that the sound and feel of 60 gauge strings is quite different and I'd rather avoid that if possible.  I would rather change to drop C.

[HEadoftheAges]

Honestly, i would go slightly heavier for drop B than 11-56. Rotosound makes a wonderful set of Michael Amott Signature strings that come in at 11-59. My band tunes to Open B (BF#BF#BD#) at 25.5" scale and those strings work perfectly. Food for thought.

[OceanMachine]

I use daddario NYXL 11-56 set and I swap out the 56 for a 60.
Pain in the neck to buy that separate string as NYXL strings aren't cheap, but in my opinion 11-56 is perfect for c# standard and then the low 60 just keeps the dropped b nice and taught.
I play 25.5 scale though. They do a 12-60 too, worth a look.

[Dave Sloven]

I fitted the D'Addario EXL117 Nickel Wound, Medium Top/Extra-Heavy Bottom, 11-56 string set last night, after giving the guitar's fingerboard a good cleaning and oiling. Initially tuned to Drop B, but found the low string to be too floppy.  So then I tried tuning to Drop C, which sounded good but the unevenness of string tension still bothered me.  Then I tried C# standard with these strings, and while I found I could adapt to play the riffs I had written in drop tuning C# standard sounded kind of choked compared to drop C, and the strings all felt a bit too heavy.  So I changed tuning to C standard and I found that the strings felt better and the sound seems more open than at C# with these strings.  I demoed the new riffs on a video for my new bandmates and I think everything sounds and feels pretty good, so I am going to be arguing for using C standard tuning for this band.

[CommonCourtesy]

Just man up and put 13's on haha.

[Dave Sloven]

I want to be able to actually bend the strings!  The D'Addario set seems to be working well in C standard.  I gave up on drop B