String Gauge for Tonemaster Long Scale
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
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Jim McConnell
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 6 Jan 2012 9:21 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
String Gauge for Tonemaster Long Scale
I need advice on string gauge recommendations for a 25 3/4" scale length Oahu Tonemaster, tuned to C6th. My local guitar shop has set me up with D'Addario XL Extra Heavy Nickel Wound (.012/.016/.020/.034/.046/.060) I broke the 5th string (.046) attempting to get it to E and still have quite a bit a tension on strings 4,5,6 to the point where I'm tentative to bring it to the G,E,C tuning respectively. Strings 1,2,3 feel light, particularly the 1st. When I mentioned that other recommendations found on PS Forum recommended lighter gauge strings (.014 thru.038), the local shop disagreed. Any further direction would certainly help.
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Karl Fehrenbach
- Posts: 111
- Joined: 7 Dec 2011 4:55 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Jim, the shop is recommending gauges too heavy for a standard C6 tuning.
Try these gauges going LOW to HIGH:
C .036W, E .030W, G .024W, A .021, C .017, E .014.
W = wound. Varying a thousandth one way or the other will not cause any problems. This discussion comes up quite bit on the forum and I had a similar inquiry myself regarding a 25" scale 8 string lapsteel I have where I thought going a little heavier than this was an option. I was quickly educated by others who chimed in with great advice. This forum is really very helpful. Good luck.
Try these gauges going LOW to HIGH:
C .036W, E .030W, G .024W, A .021, C .017, E .014.
W = wound. Varying a thousandth one way or the other will not cause any problems. This discussion comes up quite bit on the forum and I had a similar inquiry myself regarding a 25" scale 8 string lapsteel I have where I thought going a little heavier than this was an option. I was quickly educated by others who chimed in with great advice. This forum is really very helpful. Good luck.
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Jim McConnell
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 6 Jan 2012 9:21 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
Mike and Karl,
Thanks! I just put on lighter strings and wow! what a difference.. I ended up putting on C .038W, E .030W, G .024W, A .021, C .017, E .014. Buying individual strings, they were out of .036w, but the .038's sound fine. Ya, the shop's recommendations were way off. Tension and sound is nice. Thanks again!
Thanks! I just put on lighter strings and wow! what a difference.. I ended up putting on C .038W, E .030W, G .024W, A .021, C .017, E .014. Buying individual strings, they were out of .036w, but the .038's sound fine. Ya, the shop's recommendations were way off. Tension and sound is nice. Thanks again!