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I recently came across a song by The Offspring called Denial, Revisited and while my idea might sound a bit like it, just a tad, it was in a tuning I never thought about using before which is F Tuning. For you fellow guitarists out there, would tuning my SG Special to F Tuning on regular guitar strings (in this case the ones the guitar came with) be fine to do? I know you have to have lighter gauge strings, but its only a half step up from Standard. Transitioning back and forth I wouldn't think would put much stress on the strings, and I don't have a capo or of the like. But I'm not a guitar noob.....as of yet that is.

What is your guys' say?

Hi there.
I am a Strat player and have had no problems with mine when tuning up to F or F# for slide purposes for example. Should note that the bridge on mine is anchored and not floating by the way.
Not sure about an SG though? To be on the safe side, I'd check with a luthier.
Why not get a capo in the meantime?
regards
Steve

SteveJCurtis wrote:Hi there.
I am a Strat player and have had no problems with mine when tuning up to F or F# for slide purposes for example. Should note that the bridge on mine is anchored and not floating by the way.
Not sure about an SG though? To be on the safe side, I'd check with a luthier.
Why not get a capo in the meantime?
regards
Steve

Thanks for the tip, but what is a guitar "luthier"? And what does it mean when the guitar is anchored? I'm an idiot when it comes to these type of things so bear with me.
I don't have money for one at the moment.

maybe TMI (too much information): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luthier

re: capo - certainly personal preference: Kyser is the cheap way to go and works okay;
Dunlap is an upgrade...and very satisfactory for most guitars; and there are others.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_ ... uitar+capo

NOTE:
when purchasing your first capo, be sure to identify which one fits for a left-handed or right-handed guitar set up.
hth,
Peter R.

ps: check your PM (personal message)

I think you'll be fine tuning up to an open F chord. Won't hurt the guitar a bit.

I actually snapped my B string on my Ibanez the other day, although it would part of my fault for turning the wrong knob. Since then, I've been weary about tuning to F Tuning and instead have bumped everything up a fret for now (since I don't want to risk snapping the B string on my brand new Gibson from last Xmas).
While I look into capos, this leads me to my next question. What gauge of strings would be appropriate for tuning up to F back to standard, maybe tune the low E to D at times?

PS: While I don't doubt using capos in the studio, live they probably wouldn't look that attractive on a electric so that's why I'm asking about strings.

i checked out the song in question (cause I am obsessed that way i guess) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKlQcOnJ0dI

and I think they are actually practicing the well-worn rock trick of tuning DOWN a half-step to Eb instead of tuning up to F. Like Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughn etc.

Listen to the guitars in the intro starting at 0:12 - not the lead guitar that is in octaves, but the rhythm guitars that are panned L+R (of course the bass is in the center which might be distracting). The are playing a chord that on the down tuned guitar would be equivalent to open E (power chord) and then they switch to an F# (power chord).

just my 2 cents.

as far as string gauge, you should be able to tune up to F or down tune to Eb or even D on a standard light gauge set of strings - 0.10 gauge for the E. Downtuning more than D is going to get a little floppy so some people go with a heavier gauge. Uptuning the three strings to an open E chord for slide I don't worry a bit with 0.11's on my strat.

as far as snapping strings. it doesn't mean anything. just buy another string (okay sometimes if your nut is poorly cut or bridge has some sharp parts on your guitar that might make one string break more often - but I have found the more I play (like in years), the less I break strings).

I would agree with Andy on the tuning down thing.

Also, along with the string breaking comments...I don't know if it is totally just in my head, but I broke SO many strings (I use a lot of alternate tunings) when I was using the coated Elixer strings. (Really great strings though and I even got them for free). I had my guitar looked at to make sure my bridge didn't need some sanding down or a truss rod adjustment, but it all checked out. As soon as I switched to a non-coated string I rarely break them. I tune down a lot as well and prefer a medium gauge string for that reason. (I like DRs because they are not pricey and last me a while).

andygabrys wrote:iand I think they are actually practicing the well-worn rock trick of tuning DOWN a half-step to Eb instead of tuning up to F. Like Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughn etc.
).

or the last band i played in... made my keyboard performance patches fun to set up

Russell Landwehr wrote:

andygabrys wrote:iand I think they are actually practicing the well-worn rock trick of tuning DOWN a half-step to Eb instead of tuning up to F. Like Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughn etc.
).

or the last band i played in... made my keyboard performance patches fun to set up

or: PTL for the "transpose" button, I say...