5 string gauges ?

[fox]

I have a 25" scale 5 string tuned CGDAE .10 .17 .30 .40 .68 but, I really cant get on with it! The C sounds all wrong... any suggestions?

[ajh]

That jump from 40 to 68 on the C seems a bit/lot steep....might drop that down to low-mid 50's. Also, check to see if intonation is good at open as well as the octave......then check to see which way the tuning goes off as you walk up from first fret to the twelfth. That'll at least give you some direction. Keep in mind that if you change string gauges, the intonation will also shift.
Good luck.....have chased that down on a couple instruments and finally gotten it, but it can be pretty frustrating.

[Seonachan]

I've tried stringing a 25" and a 27+" baritone acoustic in CGDAE, and I've seen recommendations on the C string for anywhere from 54 to 70. To my ear, the 70 sounds to tubby and dull, and the 54 if I remember sounded thin and weak. I put a 60 or a 62 on the baritone at that sounded pretty good, much better than the 70. It might work on the shorter scale too. But to be honest I never a gauge that really growled like I wanted it too, though I was probably asking too much of the cheapo guitars I tried them on.

[fox]

Thanks guys, the thing is, the guitar sounds great with just four strings!
I have only tried the .068 because that was the recommended string but I can order something lighter. Perhaps I should order a few - .58 .60 .62 & give those a try.
I built, or rather converted a big body 6 string a few years ago but put it in the cupboard out of sight because it frustrated me so much!
It has a solid top & a narrow neck.

[Tom Wright]

D'Addario and others maintain a gauge ratio of approximately 1:1.5 for fifths tuning, like their set for tenor guitar (a short-scale one, I guess)---.010, .014, .022, .032 (ADGC).

For your scale, if you like .040 for your G, the C should be .060.

[fox]

Thanks Tom, crazy that I have missed that basic if approximate formula!

[Explorer]

I have a 25" scale 5 string tuned CGDAE .10 .17 .30 .40 .68 but, I really cant get on with it! The C sounds all wrong... any suggestions?

Here's the gauges I've been using for years.

E4 - .010
A3 - .016 pb wound
D3 - .030 pb wound
G2 - .042 pb wound
C2 - .059 pb wound

The tension is progressive, and the sound is balanced.

Good luck!

[fox]

Ok looks promising, I like the idea of a wound A string, better order a few of those as well

Here is the guitar in question ..... it has three formats of string attachment although it seems to work best with the strings attached to the bridge. The bridge it's self is in two components with the saddle sitting on a floating component.