Need help with guitar string choices.?

Question

i play in drop c alot but the top c strinng(usualy the low e) is so tight it is unplayable. how do i fix that and what gauge strings should i use?

Answer 1

First of all, *highfreeknfive* for playing the awesomest instrument ever.

Before you choose a gauge and brand of strings, as well as when you choose a different tuning than standard e,a,d,g,b,e, you absolutely need to take your guitar into a reputable music/guitar store and ask for a service called a guitar setup. They will ask you what tuning and string gauge you want the guitar to be setup for so that the guitar is both safe and playable for you. When I say that this will make the guitar "safe", I mean this will make sure that you guitar neck will not bow in, bow out or warp (a very devastating and expensive complication, yet very common) due to the tightness and high tension in the strings.

What they will do during setup is they will tighten and loosen the truss rod, which is very well explained in this wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_rod

They will also make other adjustments at the bridge and nut so that the strings are playable and so that the amount of tension the strings are applying to the neck are not irreversibly damaging your guitar.

Again, because your guitar is being told to play a different tuning that what is was designed at the factory to do, its experiencing different amounts of tension that it cannot compensate for. Also, because you are probably going to use a different kind of string than what you're using now, its all the more of a reason to protect your investment.

Once you get the setup thing taken care of, string choice is just a matter of what your willing to deal with and what kind of sound/style you want to play.

Because you seem to enjoy the low, deep and bassy tuning style of drop c, I would very much so recommend a string gauge set known as a "hybrid".

This involves heavier gauges for the three lowest-pitched strings, giving a very full, rich and heavy tone for an already bassy tuning. Lighter gauges are then applied for the three higher-pitched strings, making those strings easier on your fingers and more playable for soloing and to voice sustaining,  complete chords that really ring out with ease.

The typical "hybrid" string set gauges usually look like this:

09 (lightest string)

11

16

26

36

46 (heaviest string)

As for choosing a brand, there are many good values out there. I have found Ernie Ball to be the best choice for me, as the strings are very consistently manufactured, inexpensive,  keep a good tone for a long time, and they seldom break prematurely.

Start by finding strings that fit your budget, and if the brand doesn't work for you and/or you're not satisfied, try another brand. I have found that price in electric guitar strings rarely ensure you're getting a good quality string.

Elixers are a prime example, as they claim to last long and keep good tone for their very high price, but i have experienced otherwise, as well as most of my guitar playin friends. This is opinion, however, and you may discover otherwise.

Just take care of the guitar setup and choose a string set from there. I would highly recommend trying out those "hybrids" I was talkin about, I really think you'll enjoy it a lot.

hope that helps. RAWK ON

Answer 2

How the h**l can be any string in dropped C tight?? LOL.

Answer 3

I echo Slayer's question. If you're playing in drop C, your low E string should be flopping around and quite loose. As for string choice, I always recommend Elixir. They last a long time and sound great.

Answer 4

Maybe this ones:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/GHS-Dave-Mus...

The thickest string is 52, like a bass string.