I've been wanting to learn some Deftones and Machine Head riffs in drop-B tuning, but I've never tried tuning my guitar below D before. I know that Stef Carpenter from the Deftones uses a seven string, and I think the Machine Head guys use 6-strings with really heavy string gauges. However, I have only a 6-string with an average string gauge. Do you think it would be "safe" (for want of a better word) for me to tune down to B?

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nah, not such a great idea unless you get your entire guitar set up for it. tuning that low with a normal string gauge and truss rod alignment for normal tuning would just mess your guitar up.

...plus it would sound like you're playing rubber bands, not strings.

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JK

-Agile Guitars Enthusiast

Most guitarists that record anythign below drop D tuning use something called a baritone 6 string... It's a guitar with a longer scale than a regular 6 string... It allows you to use higher gauge strings and to tune them lower.

Drop B tuning witha standard 6 string would require A LOT of tweeking of your guitar... So I personally wouldn't recommend it unless you get a guitar that you can just keep in drop B tuning all the time.

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My Own Summer by deftones is in Drop Db tuning, so thats one song out of the way .

I drop my guitar down to be at leasttwice a month or so to play a couple of Throwdown songs, Damageplans "Crawl," And a few songs off of Slayer's more recent cd's (which is the B tuned to standard at that pitch.) The bottom strings buzz like crazy, but with headphones and distortion, I don't here it. When I tune that low I usually leave my first 3 strings in standard since the songs I play don't use them, so I geuss that helps with any truss rod issues. What I'm doing could be bad for the guitar, or I could be okay for now, but its up to you. I haven't had any problems yet (knock on wood.)

I use 10's and it sounds great, not like rubber bands. I've tuned to Korn's tuning (Use ADGFAD since mine's a 6 string, not a 7) and that sounds like rubber bands cause of the light strings.

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Thanks guys.

__________________
"It's all folk music... I ain't never heard no horse sing!"
- Attributed variously to Leadbelly and Louis Armstrong

If at first you don't succeed, you are obviously not Chuck Norris.

l337iZmz r@wk o.K!!!??>

The biggest advice I could give you if you wanted to try to see how low you could tune your guitar without having to do much truss rod work... I suggest getting a set of Zakk Wyldes GHS Boomers... He has two different sets... One set is for half step down, drop d, and standard tuning.... The other set is a bit thicker and is for anything lower than that. So i suggest picking up a set of those. You'll have to put some more tension on the truss rod and possibly grind out your nut a little to accomodate the large gauge... But they sound awesome and it should give you enough tension to tune low without getting a full setup.

I don't recommend tuning your low strings down and leaving your high strings in standard... This causes a torquing action on the neck and can lead to twisting of the neck... and in extreme cases cracking or it can push frets out..... If you don't need them... I just suggest tuning them down a half step or so.... The torquing won't be as severe that way.

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Didn't realize twisting was a possability. Thanks for the info, aint gonna be doing that anymore.

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