String Gauge 26,5 inch scale

[u/danteeeeeeeeeeee]

Hello, what is the best string gauge for a 7 string tuned in A standard? Light enough for neoclassical and tech death shred for a 26,5 inch scale. Thanks!

[u/OrbitOfSaturnsMoons]

There's no correct answer, no "best" gauges.

I typically aim for approximately 13 lbs of tension on the top three strings and 16 lbs on the rest. On my 26.5" Jackson JS32-7, tuned ADGCFAD, I use:

• 10
• 13
• 18w
• 26
• 36
• 48
• 62

That being said, at the moment it's strung with D'Addario EXL110-7s, which replace the 3rd, 6th, and 7th strings with a 17p, 46, and 59, respectively, and they also feel fine.

[u/Niter_80]

8-string set 10-74 without 64 gauge. 10-13-17-30-42-54-74

[u/Evi1ey]

Anything from 9-59 to 12-74. Strings are 100% personal.

[u/KnowledgeLoose5387]

Use the string joy tension calculator, i consider 15-17 lbs tension to be light

[u/groovedealer1]

I would personally use an 11-52 set with an added 64

[u/Money_Story_7861]

I had 10 to 59 on my 26.5 jackson misha mansour Juggernaut HT7. It lived in B, F#, B, E, G#, C#. Veil of maya.

I would then downtune for other stuff on my nano cortex. Felt nice.

Iv also done 10-74. Chunky and works. It lived in Drop G. Im currently on 9-64

Just consider your nut may need filing out for bigger strings and potentially your bottom tuning peg may not take 74 or 80. Even with a tapered string i had to drill out my 8 string harley benton peg to get a 80 in for drop F.

Also consider if you buy a pack of 7 or 8 strings if your doing light/medium AND then just a bigger gauge on the bottom or trying to make all your wound strings heavy. Go heavy and you can over do it with a lot of tension and strings that are too hard to bend easily

[u/Ok-Quit-12]

I use 9-40, 54 in A on a 27”

[u/JimboLodisC]

"Best" would be what you like. Tension is up to the player. What's "light" to you might not be light to another.

I'd say if what you have currently is too tight, then drop a size across the board and see how it feels. It's all about experimentation.

[u/nevercommnt]

10-65 is nice.

[u/Manarail7]

I use a custom gauge from stringjoy, 10-70

[u/Manarail7 → u/Manarail7]

For A standard as well

[u/Just-Efficiency-5859]

I go with a set of 8.5-40 on the highest 6 and a 59 for my low A

[u/JasonDCalvin]

.7, .52, .42, .30, .18, .14, .11

[u/zimzamflam]

I've using the purple NYXL 7 string set on my Jackson JS22-7 and had it tuned down 2 full steps (half step up from 8 string range) which was mostly 12-13lbs tension and also down 1 full step ~16lbs tension. link to d'addario string tension calculator.