Long time no hear! Sorry but I totally forgot about this blog. I guess blogging is not part of my DNA :-)
I got a problem the other day. I have had my Charvel model 6 tuned down a half step for a project a while ago. Since then I have used it for solos in The Mörkret and to simplify things I decided to take it down to standard D tuning, i.e. the same tuning, down one step, as on my 7-strings I play in The Mörkret. When I set it up I was unable to do it in a good way. The problem was that the distance from the tremolo block to the spring holder became so short with three springs mounted that the Tremmory did not fit. The first attempt to fix it was to remove one of the springs but then I was not able to get it in tune without tilting the Floyd Rose forward way too much. The spring tension was not enough. The only solution I came up with to solve this was to change the string guage from 010-052, which I normally use when downtuning a whole step, to 009-046, which I use for standard tunings. Since this reduces the string tension I was able to use two springs and setup a normal angle for the bridge.
I thought this setup would be very loose to play but it felt supricingly nice. I really liked it so I decided that I should try to go down a step in string gauge on one of my 7-strings, the 8-string and one of my standard tuned 6-string. For the downtuned 7-string that means going down to a 009-set. For the 8-string which is tuned E-B-E-A-D-F#-B-E and the normal tuned 6-string this means to go down to a 008-set. I used an Yngwie Malmsteen 008-set in Dusch once when I tuned the guitar up a whole step, but not in a normal situation. But everything should be tested in the quest for the best guitar experience. Next step is to find suitable strings to order.
Bye for now! I'll be back this time, I promise :-)
