open g guitar tuning

Subject: open g guitar tuning
From: johncharles
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 04:36 AM

in open g guitar tuning is there an optimum string gauge for the best sound?
john

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 04:48 AM

not in my opinion, i just use medium or light strings, both produce a good sound, it is a useful tuning although i tend to use its close relation dadf#ad more frequently these days, simply because you can play banjo tunes on it and treat the top string a bit like the top string of the 5 string banjo, to some extent it depends on your vocal range, which you use.
the next step is other 5 string banjo tunings, the sawmill tuning becomes dadgad, or in [g]dgdgcd, and two c banjo tuning becomes in [g] cgcgcd or possibly in the other tuning dgdgad or even cgcgad, it is when you are tuning down to c that you might have to consider different string gauges

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 05:05 AM

It always depends on what you want to do Charles. if you want to bash it hard like Paul Brady for instance - then a very light gauge string will vibrate right out of tune. I would imagine a medium set.

Ernie Ball do do skinny top -heavy bottom set - which would be excellent for something harpsichord style picking, like picking Stefan Grossman's arrangement of the house carpenter.

I play a sort of dog Latin version of Robert Johnson in G, and I favour a set of lights 12-54, or thereabouts.

Depends also on if you're electrifying the guitar. If you've got a tiny bit of chorus on the strings - it can stop them sounding as though they've gone out of tune, as they inevitably will - if you bash them - or if you have the sort of guitar that enjoys humiliating you in public!

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 06:17 AM

Yes, there are optimum gauges (for what you play) in any tuning.

In a logical world you might think that all string tensions ought to be at equal tension (in the tuning you are in). If you tune to standard tuning, then Newtone does a number of sets that produce the same tension in each string. The heaviest are I think 12-51. However, many players (including me) tend to hit the bottom strings harder, and prefer both a higher action on the lower strings and greater tension in the bottom strings. IF a string moves through too great an amplitude end effect makes it sound sharp. This is the same end effect that means guitar saddles are often slanted with a "B notch". So I usually use normal string sets - sometimes 12-53 or 12-56 (bluegrass set). When I was young and strong I sometimes used 13-58s. In concert.

If you play DADGAD then the bottom D needs to be thicker, because otherwise the tension is lower. Same for the B that is down to A and the top E that is down to D. This is why good string makers offer DADGAD sets that will emulate usual tensions but in the different tuning.

So if you play DGDGBD the bottom D and top D should be as thick as a DADGAD set, the B should be as usual, and the lower G should be thicker than if it was an A.

Of course if you want equal tension on all strings the answers will be different but the principles are the same.

There are tension tables on the D'Addario site that will let you work it all out.

When I was sorting out my electric mandobass (3/4 scale bass guitar strung GDAE two octaves down from a mandolin) Strings Direct got me custom string sets - very helpful they were.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 07:41 AM

You might get a slight improvement in tone and less of a tendency toward buzzes and rattles by going one or two gauges heavier on strings 1,5 & 6, but I wouldn't do it unless you plan on dedicating the guitar to open G tuning. Tuning the heavier strings up to standard tuning could produce stress issues.

If you're using a medium gauge string set and your guitar's action isn't set too low, making string gauge modifications would be more trouble than it would be worth.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 07:43 AM

I use medium strings on my guitar. As a sometimes bluegrass player, I like the strong sound of a .056 on the low E.

When I played guitar in an Irish trad band for a few years, I often went to low E .058 because I used dropped D tuning a lot. Even experimented with .060 for a while, but didn't like the sound as much.

A lot depends on the guitar, and your personal attack...

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 07:56 AM

well i play in dgdgbd as well as standard, and dropped d, and have never had to use anything but standard medium strings.
a lot of players play in drop d and never bother to use anything but medium strings, in my opinion and my experience playing in drop d or double drop d does not require using anything other than medium strings, but then ifinger pick and do not thrash the guitar, the only difference between dgdgbd and double drop d[dadgbd] is one string

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 11:58 AM

It's all getting to be a bit faith versus science. The tension tables are there on the D'Addario site.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: johncharles
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 12:09 PM

Thanks Yes the tension tables are a useful guide.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 01:12 PM

give me faith any time particularly if she is in to old men

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 01:26 PM

Shurely better if they are into her!

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 02:33 PM

As for me, I use .013 to .056, but I play a lot of slide and fatter the better when it come to slide...

B~

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: GUEST,gibsonboy
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 04:48 PM

Lighter gauge strings tend to pulled out of tune if you capo up alot

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 06:31 PM

Capo-ing is a whole different ballgame. It's MOSTLY (but not entirely) about capo placement and the capo arch matching the frets and the capo rubber being soft enough, but guitar intonation comes into it too. The late great Fielding of this parish gave very goo d advice.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: GUEST,Gibsonboy
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 06:59 AM

Your are to a large extent quite right Richard. Capo placement can help, shifting to immediately behind the fret is good but can in some shapes impede the playing hand alittle. Softer rubber is very good. As for intonation, that shouldn't happen on quality guitars Martins, Taylors etc, but can be a problem on the Budget ranges. I have always found the 6th string tends to pull aliitle sharpe, not a problem to correct.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 07:04 AM

Different geetars play different when it comes to capos... Frets tend to wear down more on the high E end and therefor the capo will work better at a slight angle... But, yes, as close to the fret that works...

B~

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: johncharles
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 07:18 AM

I use a schubb capo and find getting the tension right is really importatnt
john

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 10:04 AM

Best advice I was ever given was find something that suits you and stop worrying about it. Hence been using same guitars with same gauges for 30 years.

There are so many variables including the guitar, the action and whether you play with thumb/finger picks that there are no rules about 'best' gauges other than use higher action/ heavier strings for slide (Open G is the classic slide tuning). You can find a compromise for regular playing and slide but two guitars set up differently is much better.

F.w.i.w. I never found any problem tuning my regular gauge set 12-16-24-34-54 for normal or Open G. My slide instrument stays in G and has 14-18-26-36-46-56. As Ry Cooder pointed out in an interview years ago, playing in D (out of 7th fret) in G tuning has the funkiest thing going. And G min is a great variant too - D G D G Bb D

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Mooh
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 10:19 AM

Usually I use lights as they are on my guitar for standard tuning. However I have a couple of guitars that routinely get tuned to open G or dadgad, and for those I use lights for the strings that are the same as standard and mediums for the strings which are tuned down.

D'Addario EJ16 and EJ17.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: open g guitar tuning
From: Nick
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 06:14 PM

Personally play 13 - 56 mostly (or 12 - 54 if I've been doing the washing up too much or the arthritis is kicking in too much) and play in drop D a lot and open C too - though open C often capo between frets 2 and 5.

On my cheap and cheerful guitar it's happy with a drop D on either gauge.