Downtuning an acoustic guitar

[kbit]

makes it sound better.

For those of you who do this, do you use any particular strings?
I need a new set soon & I usually tune in the C#/Db standard range.
Thinking of picking up some Elixir mediums (heaviest they have), but I've never purchased new strings for an acoustic before.


I'm in love with the woody growl from low-tuned acoustic instruments. & that metal clank from hitting my strings too hard.
Discuss your love.

[WeHuntKings]

i have such an awful bow in the neck of my acoustic, i usually end up tuning that low as well. i have a few songs recorded that way. i never buy a brand of strings consistently, but i remember liking martin strings.

[Noise...]

I have my acoustic with Elixers on it at the moment. While they still sound the same as they did new, they never sounded great. I usually prefer D'addario strings for electrics and acoustics.

[amorphous]

Search out dobro strings for low tuning on your acoustic - they work wonders!

[DallasLemonade]

Search out dobro strings for low tuning on your acoustic - they work wonders!

^^^I never really thought of this! All I've ever done is put 13's on mine and tuned down to D. I usually have that and one in standard

[Psyre]

I just recently started playing in B standard and couldn't be happier with the sound my Taylor Produces in it.

[dubkitty]

i may take the Blueridge BR-140, which is a dreadnought-sized spruce/mahogany guitar, and set it up to D standard soon with the dropped-C option. i've used that tuning enough over the years due to my Neil Young influence--you can hear him doing this on his solo acoustic tracks on 4 Way Street--that i have one original written in dropped C which is too high to sing in standard tuning. i do like those big woody low notes. i prefer John Pearse strings on acoustic, but don't know if they'll work for dropped tuning and would definitely go to something with a .013 on the top and .056 on the bottom; normally i'm a wuss and use acoustic lights that are like .011 or .012-.052.

[Gone Fission]

I used to use Pearse 12-54's on a Seagull Grande parlor-type guitar when I mostly kept it in an open C tuning that tended to drift down towards a B tuning. Sounded killer. I found I liked D'Addarios enough for the cost and ease of getting 'em, tho.

[Chankgeez]

Search out dobro strings for low tuning on your acoustic - they work wonders!

^^^I never really thought of this! All I've ever done is put 13's on mine and tuned down to D. I usually have that and one in standard

I've done this. I put a set of groundwound resophonic strings on one of my flat tops. BE VERY CAREFUL. Make sure the guitar is braced heavily enough to take it. It puts a lot of stress & tension on the top. I think the high string is a .016. It's currently tuned to Open B or something ridiculous like that.

[dubkitty]

i'd forgotten that i already have medium-gauge strings on the BR-140, so i tuned it to dropped C and it sounds so good i might go down another half-step. the lower tuning is so much more comfortable for my raggedy old voice to sing over. i did have to let the truss rod out about a third of a turn, though, because i was fretting out on the middle strings at the 7th fret.

[UisceBeatha414]

I think I had GHS 'white bronze' strings (atleast I think that's what they were called) in..uh..what, maybe 12's or 13's?
Worked pretty well, but then again I was going for the tone of the acoustic sample in that "I'm a Loser, Baby" song by Beck..so take that with a grain of salt..

[madmax1012]

I just recently started playing in B standard and couldn't be happier with the sound my Taylor Produces in it.

mmmmm Taylor. i love mine to death. i usually throw Elixers on it. they sound incredible, at least i think so

[Adoom]

Mine can handle pretty much anything up to a Low A on one of the more exotic tunings I get up to, but anything lower needs some bending as the low string won't intonate properly otherwise.

But yes.

Deeper is always better.

[DarkAxel]

acoustic in C# sounds nice if you've got a good instrument i'd go with 13s or something like that

and elixirs are a great choice, just beware of the bad ones without the coating on bare strings that have came up recently. You can also try Cleartones

[dubkitty]

the BR-140 has been sitting for awhile now in the lower tuning...i'll get it out today and see how it's settled in.