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Topic: Open D String Gauges |
Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 7 Dec 2021 8:03 am |
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Wondering what everyone is useing for string gauges for open D on a short scale 22 1/2" DADF#AD. 
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I have a Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic. Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider, and an Allan tailpiece .Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD, using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal, set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. Recently got a Sho-NUFF 6 string pedal steel in open G.Still learning. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 7 Dec 2021 9:42 am
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The string gauges for open D DADF#AD on a 22.5" scale guitar tend to get pretty heavy for a reasonable tension (for me, at least 25 lb/string on a steel). Look at a string tension calculator like this one - https://tension.stringjoy.com/
To get in the vicinity of 25 lb/string, these gauges would do it - hi-lo, tensions rounded to nearest lb:
| Code: |
Pitch D2 A2 F#3 D3 A3 D4
Gauge 15 20p/22w 26w 34 46 70
Tension 25 25 25 26 26 26 |
I often go for closer to 30 lb/string, which is gonna be problematic - the low D would be pushing 75, unlikely to fit in the tuner hole on most guitars without reaming it. Even a 68 or 70 can be problematic.
If you can live with something more like 22-23 lb/string, this type of set would work:
| Code: |
Pitch D2 A2 F#3 D3 A3 D4
Gauge 14 19p/20w 24w 33 42 62-64
Tension 22 22 21 23 22 21-23 |
Anyway - I tend to prefer a longer-scale guitar for open D, which I use a lot for slide guitar.
[Note - string gauge charts edited to fix out-of-order lysdexia.]
Last edited by Dave Mudgett on 7 Dec 2021 3:40 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 7 Dec 2021 3:02 pm D
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Thanks guys,
I am going to try the Addario exl 158s and sub a couple of strings.
Thanks again.
Carl
_________________
I have a Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic. Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider, and an Allan tailpiece .Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD, using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal, set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. Recently got a Sho-NUFF 6 string pedal steel in open G.Still learning. |
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John Burton
From:
Manassas, Va
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Posted 10 Dec 2021 6:46 pm
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all great advice and info.
I'll add that I tend to only use open D on Acoustic instruments that are longer scaled then my lap steels.
I do keep one lap steel in open E, however. I use GHS strings for that one. They sell a set just for open E. It runs low to high: 58-46-34-22-18-14
works great for E, which is the same intervals as open D, just pitched a step higher.
In fact, that set is a little "soft" for 22.5" scale, but it does work and sound pretty good.
I keep meaning to order a set for open D. The set that GHS makes for G would work well for open D. It runs low to high 58-50-40-26-18-16
Anyway, thought this may help as you don't have to mix and match strings, you can just order a set if you want to. |
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Joe A. Roberts
From:
Seoul, South Korea
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Posted 10 Dec 2021 11:59 pm
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| Usually electrics, and especially 22.5” scale ones, sound and feel a lot better in open E, IMO. Certainly less muddy at least! |
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JB Bobbitt
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2021 6:14 am
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[Note - string gauge charts edited to fix out-of-order lysdexia.][/quote]
"Old MacDonald was dyslexic
Oh Eye E Eye E"
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"Time is an enemy"
-Bob Dylan |
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Steven Pearce
From:
Port Orchard Washington, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2021 1:26 pm
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As follows:
D-18
A-22P
D-28
F#-38
A-48
D-62 *make sure you stretch this out, pulling from above the pickup, 12th fret, 5th fret.
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http://www.fentonstwang.com/fr_home.cfm |
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