Drop tuning

Drop your guitar’s tuning without compromising performance

Drop tuning can be great fun but the string rattle you get with a lower tension isn’t as enjoyable. So, let us show you how to keep your axe happy when sporting some beefcake strings.

The first decision you need to make is which tuning to choose… you have to make your mind up as the set up can be specialised around that tuning’s tension. Whichever tuning you decide to go with will have a recommended size of string, some packs are designed and advertised for specific tunings, which makes it easy, but for more off-thewall tunings you will have to be creative. D’addario’s String Tension Pro is a useful web page, you can choose a reference set like 10-46s and figure out what size set you’ll need to keep a similar tension. Visit them at stringtensionpro.com.

Our ESP here is getting a set of 12-60s and it will be tuned in drop C (C G C F AD). Those big-boy strings will provide the necessary girth to handle anything the player throws at it. Djent ’n’ all.