What's the best set of strings for a Guild F512? I tune down a full step.

bones4fido

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Do 80/20's sound better on these than phosphor bronze? What gauge?
 

Brucebubs

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I tried D'Addario Nickel Bronze on my F-412 for the 1st time recently, sure it's not a 512 and I only tune down a 1/2 step but boy, I love these.

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chazmo

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Long time fan of John Pearse Phosphor Bronze here. D'Addarios are fine too. PB on my F-512 makes it sound like angels (to me). And, I don't even believe in angels! :)

With strings, it's all about the hunt, bones. There is nothing you can do to your axe that affects tone more than finding the right strings. I was recently turned on to Phosphor-Silk strings which I haven't tried but intend to.
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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I like to tame down my 12 string.
I use PB strings and even go one step farther and replace the octave G string with a second wrapped string.
This combination gives me more of a bottom end.
 

ezstrummer

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I have a question for those of you who tune down. It sounds like it would be confusing playing in tune with others?
 

fronobulax

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I have a question for those of you who tune down. It sounds like it would be confusing playing in tune with others?

Speaking as one of those others it is doable but it is a PITA. If you are not playing in concert pitch ('what you see is what you hear') then I have to transpose. So (if I have this right) when you are tuned down a step and play a G chord I have to do the mental math to know I need to play an F. Same thing happens when you use a capo except that the problem can be made to go away if I also have a capo. A simple solution for being tuned down would be for you to use a capo when playing with others. But it can be done as long as people realize that when you say you are playing a B minor seventh they will need to play something else.
 

adorshki

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Speaking as one of those others it is doable but it is a PITA. If you are not playing in concert pitch ('what you see is what you hear') then I have to transpose. So (if I have this right) when you are tuned down a step and play a G chord I have to do the mental math to know I need to play an F.
True in a way but it helps develop your transposing skills.
If you're experienced enough it's a non-issue, not that I'm pretending to be able to do it easily on the fly, myself.

A simple solution for being tuned down would be for you to use a capo when playing with others.
For me a capo is worse than transposing, simply because I have so much motor memory using scales that go all the way down to the first fret.
But it can be done as long as people realize that when you say you are playing a B minor seventh they will need to play something else.
I'm sure you're talking about the "shape", for verbal shorthand.
Just in case anybody's scratching their heads, though, technically a Bmin7th is a Bmin7th, it's just that the person with the lowered instrument needs to play it in a different position.
If you're the person playing the whole-step detuned instrument, when you're playing a G shape, it is in fact an "F" as described above.
Or if you want to play a Bmin7th you need to play the shape traditionally associated with an Amin7th..


I have a question for those of you who tune down. It sounds like it would be confusing playing in tune with others?
It's much easier if you tune down a whole step.
It simplifies the position transpositions.
If your buddy's playing an "A" chord then you play a "G".
It's also much easier if you're playing scales.
Where it can actually be kind of fun is if it's your buddy who's tuned down a half step, like mine used to do with his 12-string.
It gave me an opportunity to stretch out and experiment a little with scale patterns I wouldn't normally use.
It's good development exercise.
Eventually though he started tuning full step down when he was in regular practice sessions with a group, for their ease of transposition.
 
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fronobulax

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Al's mileage varies from mine mostly because the guitarists I work with don't transpose and will use the term "G chord" to refer to a particular shape at a particular distance from the nut (or capo) without acknowledging that their instrument is tuned or capo'd so that the pitch is almost certainly not a G.

My experience has also been that the person with the detuned guitar or capo expects people to adjust to them. "Because of my voice range I need to raise this up so I'm going to play G, C, D, capo 2 and you folks can follow me." Note the use of shapes and a reference position and NOT concert pitches.

But the better the "other guys" understand music theory the less of a hassle it is to adjust to a detuned or capo'd instrument. Even I can figure out but something you need to give me 10 minutes to do so before we can play.
 

adorshki

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But the better the "other guys" understand music theory the less of a hassle it is to adjust to a detuned or capo'd instrument. Even I can figure out but something you need to give me 10 minutes to do so before we can play.

Yeah basic 3-to-5 chord songs pretty "easy-peasy" but some of the more "elaborate" chords would need time as you say.
Barre chord forms come in really handy there....but we get to used to waiting around for the bass player anyway.
And then there's the drummer.
Some of 'm actually tune their tops.
:friendly_wink:
 

crank

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When I bring my 412 to a jam or gig I tune it up to concert pitch. At home it mostly stays a 1/2 step down.
 
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