Guitar String Guage Question

Factual Questions
1

I routinely bop between Standard, Dropped-D, and DADGAD tunings, but when I lower my low E it starts acting as if it’s worn out, even if the string is brand new.

What I mean is that if I give it a healthy strum, the lowest string bends flat (like Dbb) for a few seconds and as the energy dissipates it returns to “true”. This doesn’t happen if I’m very gentle with the string.

I don’t notice this phenomenon when I’m in standard tuning.

I’m guessing/hoping that increasing the string gauge will alleviate this problem? I currently use Blue Steel Regulars (10-46) - if I opted for sets that have 52 or 54s on the low E, would that help? I know I’d have to adjust the action, but that’d be worth it if the D would stay in tune. . .

2

10-46? I assume that this is an electric guitar then, right? Heavier gauge would probably help the problem. I use 12s on my electric and I don’t notice any problems when I go to dropped D.

3

Increasing the 6th string gauge would probably help but you may not like the tradeoff of beefing up the entire set. Too bad Ernie Ball doesn’t sell custom gauge anymore. I think you would have to go to at least 12’s to get a 6th string that fat, maybe even 13’s. Check out www.juststrings.com.

From a physics standpoint the ideal string is infintely thin, infinitely long and under infinite tension, so I guess we’ve got a tradeoff here.

4

As it turns out, Blue Steel also has 10-52, and 11-54, here

Thanks for both your input!

5

Are you just swapping out the low E string for something heavier or are you restringing the whole guitar? If you’re restringing the whole guitar to heavier, make sure to adjust the truss rod as well. (If you’ve never done it before, please take this to a qualified guitar tech).

I play in a lot of alternate tunings but always return my guitar to standard tuning when I put it away. I guess I’m a little paranoid about neck warpage.

6

Rather than have to deal with a bunch of extra unusable strings every time I change 'em out, I’ll restring and just change my default -

I have set guitars up before - well, basses actually, so I’m familiar with the process. I’m no master, however, and if I get really frustrated I’ll definitely turn it over to more experienced hands. . .