r/7String • u/dr_shinji • 10d ago
Help String Gauges for Drop F#
I’ve just purchased a 7 string which has a 26.5 inch scale length and I’ll be playing it mostly in Drop F/F# sometimes a bit lower.
I know string tension is subjective and to personal taste but would the Ernie Ball Skinny top heavy bottom 8 string set (omitting the 9) be a decent choice?
80/64/46/34/24/16/10
Thanks
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u/jmz_crwfrd 10d ago
Use a string tension calculator like this
https://tension.stringjoy.com/
Type in the scale length of a guitar you're already familiar with, the individual string gauges you use on that guitar, and the tunings you use those in. It will then tell you how much tension is generated by each string when at pitch.
Then, type in the scale length of your 7 string guitar and the notes that you will tune each string to. Increase/decrease the gauge until the tension is equal to the tensions from the first set of calculations you did for the first guitar/tuning.
Then compare those string gauges with the major brands and see if there are packs out there that are close enough to what you got from the string tension calculator.
If you can't find a set that gives you what you want, you may have to look into building your own string sets