Tele - going drop tunings

[ZeeW]

Hi,

I'm planning on building a Tele for some shredding and going down to drop B and A with some heavy gauge strings.  As you will guess this guitar will be used for some meta riffing.  So my question is given I want to purely use this guitar for heavier material 'chugs' - is mahogany the only way to go and for it to be a solid body?

Thanks.

 

[AutoBat]

the body wood shouldn't matter too much.  you may consider a baritone conversion neck to keep the strings from going all floppy on you.

 

[ZeeW]

Sorry if this is a dumb question (s) - how does the Jim Root Tele and the John 5 manage to use massive strings on a regular sized neck without strings flapping around?

 

[ezas]

What do you mean flapping around?

A heavier gauge string is going to take more tension to reach a give pitch over a lighter gauge string. I'm assuming you are using a 'Fender' scale length neck . . . a long neck (long compared to a Gibson)  and heavier gauge strings is all you can do to control "Flapping"

You can use a page like this to calculate your string tension for a given gauge, scale length and tuning: http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html to see how it compares to a different gauge string.

 

[ZeeW]

ezas - great link and very helpful.  Thanks.

Yes I'd be using a standard Fender Tele neck.

 

[Tonar8352]

I have my Blackguard Tele set up with 13-56 and tuned down to D. It was set up that way from the get go so the nut, action, intonation, and truss rod were all set for that gauge of strings. It feels like playing a guitar that is set up with 10's.

As far as woods go I think the ash body with a maple boat neck works fine but for a heavier sound you should put your pickups of choice in.

 

[ZeeW]

I have my Blackguard Tele set up with 13-56 and tuned down to D. It was set up that way from the get go so the nut, action, intonation, and truss rod were all set for that gauge of strings. It feels like playing a guitar that is set up with 10's.

As far as woods go I think the ash body with a maple boat neck works fine but for a heavier sound you should put your pickups of choice in.

Tonar - my plan is to have the Tele set up for drop tunings from the get go like you.  I want to totally blow people away when they see me with a Tele and I smash those power chords and watch their faces melt  :guitarplayer2:

 

[Patrick from Davis]

This is a common metal set up.  Basically a way to get the strings of a seven, without having to mess with seven strings.  Korina is alternative to mahogany, similar is sound but often referred to as edgier.  That being said, the pickups will be the lion's share of the sound you are after.  Find some that are good with the lower frequencies and you should be fine.  Ken from Roadhouse Pickups here on the boards (Troubled Treble) made me some seven string pickups that are divine, and there is also your standard larger companies metal offerings.  I would focus on that to find the sound you are looking for.  Mahogany or Korina will definitely make a nice guitar in the style you are after.
Patrick

 

[DangerousR6]

I have my Blackguard Tele set up with 13-56 and tuned down to D. It was set up that way from the get go so the nut, action, intonation, and truss rod were all set for that gauge of strings. It feels like playing a guitar that is set up with 10's.

As far as woods go I think the ash body with a maple boat neck works fine but for a heavier sound you should put your pickups of choice in.

I keep one tele  in dropped D, and the other in open E, both with 10's. Both good for either metal or blues.... :headbang1: