Guides

The reference layer of the site. Tension math, install how-tos, gauge-by-tuning lookups, and the long-tail questions that don't fit inside an individual string review.

Pillar references

String gauge and scale length, the complete reference
Which gauges fit which tunings at Gibson, Fender, and baritone scale lengths. Tension math, break-point warnings, and when to step up a gauge.

All guides

3D-printed guitar maintenance tools, what works and what doesn't
Which guitar maintenance tools 3D-print well, which ones don't, what material to use, what print settings to dial in, and whether printed tools can damage your guitar. Pillar D of the Change Your Strings advanced-setup pillar topology.
7-string guitar string gauge guide: the tension math for B standard, Drop A, and extended lows
The gauge-and-tension targets for every common 7-string tuning on 25.5", 26.5", and 27" scale guitars. Plus the sets that actually ship in 7-string form.
8-string guitar string gauge guide: F# standard, Drop E, and the lowest playable extended-range tunings
Tension targets and string-gauge picks for 8-string guitar in F# standard, Drop E, and the rare-but-shipping E standard / Drop D 8-string tunings. Plus the actual sets that ship in 8-string form.
8-string high-tension setup, the working configuration for Drop E and lower
How to configure an 8-string electric guitar for high-tension drop tunings without flapping or intonation drift. Scale length math, gauge selection, nut slot widths, truss rod compensation, pickup output, bridge intonation, action, and the nut-binding diagnosis. The Pillar A reference for extended-range setups.
Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky gauges explained: the full 12-set lineup, picked by tuning
All twelve Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky 6-string gauges compared: from Extra Slinky .008–.038 to Mammoth Slinky .012–.062. Pick by tuning first, scale length second, hand strength third.
Drop C string gauge and tension chart: pick the right set for 25.5", Gibson, and baritone scales
The gauge-and-tension targets for Drop C tuning across Fender 25.5", Gibson 24.75", and baritone 27" scale lengths, plus the three Ernie Ball sets that actually work and the two that don't.
How to change strings on a Floyd Rose locking tremolo, the procedure that doesn't ruin the setup
A step-by-step Floyd Rose string-change procedure for double-locking tremolo bridges. Block the trem, unlock the nut, clamp at the saddle, tune up, stretch, re-lock. Includes recovery procedure for when the trem tilts and intonation drifts.
Switching to heavier electric guitar strings: the truss-rod-aware install guide
Going from a .010 set to .011s, .012s, or a Drop C rig? Here's the full install and setup walk-through, truss rod adjustment, nut slot check, bridge height, and intonation, so the guitar plays right from the first note.
The history of guitar strings: from sheep gut to cobalt
Four centuries of strings in one timeline: gut from Salle, Italy, Martin's 1922 steel shift, Segovia's nylon, the 1962 Slinky, roundwound bass, phosphor bronze, coatings, and cobalt.
Pick gauge by genre: thickness and material picks for every guitar style
Match guitar pick thickness and material to your genre. Acoustic strumming wants thin celluloid; metalcore wants 1.14mm Tortex or Ultex; jazz wants the Jazz III shape; country wants medium with snap. Sourced from documented player rigs and Dunlop's signature catalog.
Precision nut filing for heavy-gauge guitar strings
How to file a guitar nut for .062 and heavier strings without ruining the guitar. Tools, slot-width math, depth measurement, back-angle technique, and the recovery procedure if you over-file. Step-by-step HowTo with full schema markup.
Top 10 7-string guitar players: who plays 7-string and what strings they use
The most influential 7-string players in metal and prog, from Korn's 7-string pioneers through Dream Theater to modern djent. Documented strings, gauges, tunings, and signature rigs.
Top 10 8-string guitar players: who plays 8-string and what strings they use
The most influential 8-string players in metal, djent, and prog, Tosin Abasi, Fredrik Thordendal, Stephen Carpenter, and the rest. Documented strings, gauges, tunings, and signature rigs.
Who plays Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky strings: the documented pro users
The full ranked list of guitarists and bassists with documented Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky use, 17 confirmed with primary-source citations plus 12 provisional Ernie Ball artists where Cobalt use is inferred.