Shortscales and alternate tunings

[jc808]

I've started messing around with alternate tunings for the first time in my guitar life. Open D at the moment. My Tele seems to be OK with it, but my Duo Sonic sounds like it's out of tune, no matter how carefully I try. It was perfectly intonated for standard pitch, so I'm surprised it's being so uncooperative. Low E especially.

I'm playing 10.5 on the Duo, 10s on the Tele. Do I need to bump up to 11s for the Duo? Or is this a quirk of shortscales, being more sensitive about tunings/intonation?

[GreenKnee]

Thicker gauge strings help 100%. I've got a Jaguar tuned to C standard and I have to use 12s for a decent tension. I imagine with a thicker gauge the guitar should intonate just fine

[Thom]

I used to play my Jagstang in drop B with 10s and it was fine (if a bit floppy on the E). I’d look at the nut in the first instance, and then yeah bigger gauge - but again check the nut allows the right movement for thicker strings.

[Ankhanu]

You’ll probably have to intonate for the new tuning

[Noirie.]

Put elevens on it.

[Mattsican]

A fun one that i do is Open D add9 (i THINK). Its basically Drop D, then take the G down a half step to F# and the B down a step to A... So its D-A-D-F#-A-E..... Super fun. You can do a lot of chords and different things while letting the two high strings ring out. I do it on my Duostang with 10-46 and it works pretty well.

[jc808]

A fun one that i do is Open D add9 (i THINK). Its basically Drop D, then take the G down a half step to F# and the B down a step to A... So its D-A-D-F#-A-E..... Super fun. You can do a lot of chords and different things while letting the two high strings ring out. I do it on my Duostang with 10-46 and it works pretty well.

That's open D with the high E left alone. I'll have to try that.

BTW, just to follow up since I posted this thread...I went to 11s on this guitar for the open tuning. I still hate the feeling of thick strings, but at least it sounds more in tune. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Fakir Mustache]

I've tried drop D with 10-46 on my Squier VM Mustang and it worked really well.

[dots]

11s or 12s depending on the tuning i'd think. i mean, zz top detune their strats w/ 8s, so to each his own on the whole string tension debate.

[Bacchus]

I used to play my Jagstang in drop B with 10s and it was fine (if a bit floppy on the E). I’d look at the nut in the first instance, and then yeah bigger gauge - but again check the nut allows the right movement for thicker strings.

Haha, fucking hell. 10s on my Jag-stang feels lovely and floppy at standard.

I have my Jazzblaster in drop B but with the six heavy strings from a seven string set.

[Thom]

Haha, fucking hell. 10s on my Jag-stang feels lovely and floppy at standard.

I have my Jazzblaster in drop B but with the six heavy strings from a seven string set.

haha yeah it was pretty floppy, but it really sounded great!