Anybody using a drop tune pedal?

[Whizzercone]

I don't understand this. When you're playing electric guitar thorough a loud amp - you hear your strings?

I refuse to play anywhere I can hear my strings.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I don't understand this. When you're playing electric guitar thorough a loud amp - you hear your strings?

Read what I wrote again.

"The thing that I found with any drop tune pedals is you need to have enough volume that you can't hear yourself acoustically."


I thought it was obvious that I meant low volume. I don't get what you're not getting.

Now just to be a smart ass, YES, I do hear my strings through a loud am[plifer. That's the point. I don't hear them acoustically while playing through a loud amp though.

 

[gtpvfr]

I like to drop tune sometimes, but (so far) not enough to set up a guitar for it. I just recently found out these are a thing, but I wonder if they really work.

I like to drop tune sometimes, but (so far) not enough to set up a guitar for it. I just recently found out these are a thing, but I wonder if they really work.

I have too many guitars with locking trems to go through the effort of an entire setup/intonation just to try. I bought a DigiTech Drop and couldn't be happier. Half of my guitars are Eb except for the 7 but the rest are standard. By utilizing the Drop pedal, I can get an idea of how it will sound but it may take some experimentation to get the right feel for me should I decide to go all in. One of my friends was over and I let him play some of my stuff but he was a little lost because most of what he plays is a step down. The latter was reason enough for me to get one.

 

[blackcloud45]

I have one I use at home for learning / practicing Van Halen / Hendrix / Sabbath stuff. It works fine for me and that use. Never needed it live. I will say it tracks fine, but as you get further away from the original tuning the tracking starts suffering.

 

[Dave47857]

To

I use dropped tunings in my band's current live set. Have always done so using a down-tuned extra guitar. Recently, I thought I'd try the Digitech Drop pedal. Bought it, tested it for an hour, then returned it. The pedal takes quite a bit of your high end, and sounds and feels artificial - even if just dropping one full step. So, I went back to using an extra guitar. It was too good to be true.

To each his own. I don’t think anyone will notice in a live setting. Or even in a live mix I would not recommend recording with it. All I know is that I use mine nearly every time I practice and it’s helped me more than hindered me. And I will continue to use this product and tell people to try it out. And my next question is was it the pedal or the money that was the problem. Because one hour is not really much time to try something like this especially if it’s the whammy dt.

 

[Deftone]

I've tuned guitars down in the past but I always seem to run into set up issues and have problems staying in tune.

For those who tune down, can you speak to set up tips and tricks and string gauges? I pretty much just use Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky .009-.046 for everything. Works ok for tuning down a half step (D#) but not much more.

I had my Charvel Model 2 tuned down a half step for some time but recently tuned it back to Standard E because my Drop pedal works pretty well.

 

[anitoli]

I've tuned guitars down in the past but I always seem to run into set up issues and have problems staying in tune.

For those who tune down, can you speak to set up tips and tricks and string gauges? I pretty much just use Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky .009-.046 for everything. Works ok for tuning down a half step (D#) but not much more.

I had my Charvel Model 2 tuned down a half step for some time but recently tuned it back to Standard E because my Drop pedal works pretty well.

No magic to it just a few things to consider.

1, i do up the string gauge a bit from 10 - 46 to 11-50 and adjust action as required.

2, You will get more low end so that needs to be considered with choice of amp, not all amps are killer drop tuning units. I find older style single channel amps work much better for drop tunings. Guitars made with some mahogany seem to adapt better that alder/maple guitars. SG's really take to it.

3, the guitar will need to settle if it's been tuned to say e standard for years. The tension will drop and it won't resonate correctly for a spell, you need to work it in. Once you're past that you are good.

 

[Deftone]

No magic to it just a few things to consider.

1, i do up the string gauge a bit from 10 - 46 to 11-50 and adjust action as required.

2, You will get more low end so that needs to be considered with choice of amp, not all amps are killer drop tuning units. I find older style single channel amps work much better for drop tunings. Guitars made with some mahogany seem to adapt better that alder/maple guitars. SG's really take to it.

3, the guitar will need to settle if it's been tuned to say e standard for years. The tension will drop and it won't resonate correctly for a spell, you need to work it in. Once you're past that you are good.

The only thing I ever really missed here was the string gauge. I have de-tuned my SG's and I think I'm going to try a fatter string gauge on my SG Standard and maybe drop a whole step.

I'll add to your list and say some Distortion pedals work better for drop tuning as well as amps.

I gotta say, the Digitech Drop works pretty great, despite being able to hear the strings acoustically. No issues when the amp volume is high enough or using headphones.

 

[anitoli]

One step down shouldn't be much of an issue but if you're dropping down to say C# or B standard that's getting pretty loose. Thicker strings help a lot here. Technique needs to be adjusted as well, it takes less effort to bend and do vibrato so it's easy to over exaggerate it and make it sound weird.

 

[Ned74]

I've always played in open E or drop D tuning, as I'm into heavy music and want to go low, I wasn't even aware such a pedal was in existence.... I've typed with the idea over the years of a 7 string, but I have smallish hands, and the strings are too thick and neck too wide, but I recently solved this problem when I purchased a 6 string ,25-27" fan fret guitar with a reverse head stock, man I can tune soooo low now, without losing clarity and fret slaps and buzz! It does exactly what I need.... But I'm saying that I'm at some point in the future going to make my own baritone with a 28"scale neck with a reverse head stock

 

[tallcoolone]

Sounds like you need another guitar.

I have a few, but none I want to dedicate to drop tuning.

And there's the problem. You need another guitar.

I have the guitar

 

[Guitaraficionado74]

To

To each his own. I don’t think anyone will notice in a live setting. Or even in a live mix I would not recommend recording with it. All I know is that I use mine nearly every time I practice and it’s helped me more than hindered me. And I will continue to use this product and tell people to try it out. And my next question is was it the pedal or the money that was the problem. Because one hour is not really much time to try something like this especially if it’s the whammy dt.

Of course no one in the audience will notice/care. Just like nobody notices/cares whether I play through a '69 JMP or a Crate amp. But I hear the difference - and A/B-ing the Drop pedal with an actual downtuned guitar, the difference in tone and feel is huge.
On your second question: give me a break - are you serious??

 

[Dave47857]

Of course no one in the audience will notice/care. Just like nobody notices/cares whether I play through a '69 JMP or a Crate amp. But I hear the difference - and A/B-ing the Drop pedal with an actual downtuned guitar, the difference in tone and feel is huge.
On your second question: give me a break - are you serious??

Let me guess edge of break up is where you live.

 

[Deftone]

The only thing I ever really missed here was the string gauge.

Of course....I would think Hybrid Slinky's would be fine for D#. 9 11 16 26 36 46

 

[Dave47857]

Of course....I would think Hybrid Slinky's would be fine for D#. 9 11 16 26 36 46

Ryan fluff Bruce has an awesome you tube video on what Ernie ball strings for what tuning I think he is a little heavy on the string gauges but he will have you in the ballpark

 

[DirtySteve]

Ok so I've decided to dedicate a guitar to drop standard tuning. I know I need to up my string gauge and set up my action. Thanks to Anitoli I know that once I do this it may take a while for the change to settle in and I didn't know that, that's probably why I didn't like it when I tried it before, I didn't give it enough time. I'm still not sure what string gauge I should go to, but that might take some experimenting on my part. I know that I'm going to have to adjust my nut slots to accommodate thicker strings, I have nut files for that, I haven't used them yet, but I have them.

Something that just occurred to me is pickup choice. Do I need higher output pickups? Will the PAFs work? Will they thicken up with the lower tuning? Do I want brighter pickups if that's the case? Just stuff I'm thinking about now because it's in my nature to think it to death before doing it, no matter what it is.

 

[StrummerJoe]

Ok so I've decided to dedicate a guitar to drop standard tuning. I know I need to up my string gauge and set up my action. Thanks to Anitoli I know that once I do this it may take a while for the change to settle in and I didn't know that, that's probably why I didn't like it when I tried it before, I didn't give it enough time. I'm still not sure what string gauge I should go to, but that might take some experimenting on my part. I know that I'm going to have to adjust my nut slots to accommodate thicker strings, I have nut files for that, I haven't used them yet, but I have them.

Something that just occurred to me is pickup choice. Do I need higher output pickups? Will the PAFs work? Will they thicken up with the lower tuning? Do I want brighter pickups if that's the case? Just stuff I'm thinking about now because it's in my nature to think it to death before doing it, no matter what it is.

Careful with the nut files. You only want to barely widen the slot, not make it any deeper.

PAF style pickups are great for a lot of different genres. If you are looking to go DOOM you may want higher output pickups.

 

[anitoli]

Stock Gibson, DP103's, Super Distortion/ Super 2 neck are all pretty good. Super 2 for the real low stuff because its designed to be trebly.

When i first dropped the LP to B i had to work it for almost two weeks to get it staying in tune and sounding right. At first it sounded like shit.......lol

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Anybody using a drop tune pedal?​

I haven't but I did drop a tuner pedal once...

They do sound cool I should try one.
To be fair I can do that with either of my Godin using the guitar synth but it doesvtake up a lot more room. It allows for single string detuning.

 

[Deftone]

Ryan fluff Bruce has an awesome you tube video on what Ernie ball strings for what tuning I think he is a little heavy on the string gauges but he will have you in the ballpark

I believe I have seen that. I was also reading this thread:

https://www.marshallforum.com/threads/string-gauge-sets-for-lower-tunings.131627/

I've since tuned my Jackson for D#, I like it, mostly for AIC. Not the 1st time I have done it but I'm remembering now that since I bought the Drop pedal I didn't feel the need to have anything other than standard tuned guitars. It works great for me and I can have the same strings on every guitar. Pros/Cons to both, IMHO. YMMV