Anyone know what gauge strings Steve uses for "Bad Horsie"?

[JamesEden]

I'm wanting to learn this and with it being in drop C tuning I'm wondering what gauge strings are best.

[JamesEden]

...or if anyone else has had experience learning/playing this, what strings did you use? I am presuming 10's-42's but they could be heavy top/slinky bottom. Would be cool to know for sure, thanks.

[Pape]

He's quoted as using 10s sizes 10-52 strings on this forum somewhere. A lot of people prefer 11s for dropped C but do what feels best to you!

[JamesEden]

He's quoted as using 10s sizes 10-52 strings on this forum somewhere. A lot of people prefer 11s for dropped C but do what feels best to you!

I can imagine that 11's would be OK for mostly rhythm playing but a little stiff for playing stuff like Vai. Just found this post by Mikey on an old thread:

On most of Steve's guitars, he uses Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9s - 42s, (with the hot pink packaging.)

Every once in a while, Steve puts 10s on a guitar or two, especially when he wants a lower tuning. 10s are on one or two of his Universe guitars right now because they are tuned down a whole step, and the low B string is tuned another whole step further.

Peace,

Mikey
vai.com

So I presume he also used 10's to record Bad Horsie seeing as that's in a lower tuning.

[Santi Rigolizio]

Gauge 10-46 when tuning down. 9-42 standard. And when Steve mentions 52 is the Low B on the 7 strings.

[Pape]

I didn't realize he used a seven string on bad horsie, it's just a regular Jem strung 10-52 He says.

This from "Vai Himself"
'Bad Horsie' was inspired by the riff from the guitar dual section in 'Crossroads' when I'm imitating the train. In the 'Crossroads' film I had my sixth string tuned to 'D' but in 'Bad Horsie' it's tuned to 'C' [that is, dropped 'D' tuning but all the strings tuned down an additional tone] - a little heavier. I used a natural finished Jem with Evolution pickups and strung 10 through to 52 to give it more support - if you use light strings and tune that low they get kinda flabby. There's no overdubs on the album but in 'Bad Horsie' I use a delay unit towards the end. I play a riff and then hit a hold button and that repeats and then I play another riff and hit the hold button and that repeats. So it's actually one guitar.

[JamesEden]

I didn't realize he used a seven string on bad horsie, it's just a regular Jem strung 10-52 He says.

This from "Vai Himself"
'Bad Horsie' was inspired by the riff from the guitar dual section in 'Crossroads' when I'm imitating the train. In the 'Crossroads' film I had my sixth string tuned to 'D' but in 'Bad Horsie' it's tuned to 'C' [that is, dropped 'D' tuning but all the strings tuned down an additional tone] - a little heavier. I used a natural finished Jem with Evolution pickups and strung 10 through to 52 to give it more support - if you use light strings and tune that low they get kinda flabby. There's no overdubs on the album but in 'Bad Horsie' I use a delay unit towards the end. I play a riff and then hit a hold button and that repeats and then I play another riff and hit the hold button and that repeats. So it's actually one guitar.

I don't think it implies that he used a seven string on Bad Horsie. Just that he uses heavier guage strings for drop tuning in general. Awesome quote though - now I know for sure that he used the 10's-52's on it which is what I've string my guitar with for the drop C tuning. Just need to tighten the springs to balance it out though.