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I got a 10 string solid body electric guitar in the shop for a fret dress followed by a setup. Fret dress went without a hitch but the problem is the setup.

I was instructed by the customer to tune the first 6 strings like a normal guitar, but the bass (really heavy strings) is tuned (10th to 7th): G#, C#, F#, and B

The problem is, the 10th string is .110", 9th is .090", 8th is .074", and 7th is .054. I tuned the 10th to G#, which seems really tight and felt like it was at the breaking point. In fact when I tuned the 9th to C# it was fine, but as soon as I loosened it and returned, it broke. The 10th string wouldn't even work (very loose) until it got to something like C but tuning them up to G# seems to be wrong, so I tried tuning it to G# the octave below, and the string couldn't even vibrate at all.

Can someone tell me how 10 string guitars work? The tuning as instructed by the customer failed to work and resulted in broken strings, and I need to tune the thing up before I can even set it up... Problem is there are very limited information on 10 string guitars, and one maker of 10 string guitars used really thin gauges for the 10th-7th strings rather than massive bass gauges.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

A friend had a 10 string BC Rich back in the day. It was tuned like a 12 string, in octaves, for the double courses. But that doesn't sound like it applies for this instrument as it appears there are no double courses.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

It's this one:

http://www.rondomusic.com/septorelt1027 ... mahog.html

10 individual string, single course.

I just found out the guy's tuning is not good, at least not at the gauge of the string he supplied. That's for one of those 10 string guitars of Yepes. I read from that site, at least a similar guitar but different finish that they are designed for bass guitar tunings on the bass strings, and standard guitar tuning on the guitar strings. It is essentially a 30" scale guitar and bass on the same neck.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I thought the heavier bass strings were to be tuned as a standard bass - E-A-D-G. That tuning would put the 10th string right in between where you said it started to work and where it felt wrong.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

G#, C#, F#, and B wanted, normally bass strings are tuned E-A-D-G.
I thought about finding individual bass stings suitable for that scale length and using the A-D-G bass strings in the 10th 9th and 8th positions (then you are only detuning them a 1/2 tone each from their normal tuning)?
Then find an individual string thickness suitable between the (now) F# and the E (6th) to use for the B in 7th position.
But 27" scale length it says on the web - 30" is a normal short scale on D'addario site?) and that's a bug difference.
http://daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf has formulas to work out sting tensions for scale length/tunings if you want.
Or you could e-mail them a query if no-one else has suggestions.
Best of luck, I can see customers with strange tunings could be a pain.
I would be tempted to ask him to come back with suitable strings as these ones don't work for that tuning.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I informed him that the guitar is designed to be tuned E-G then E-E and if he wanted that tuning then he will have to supply suitable string gauges for that, the current one will not work. I said I will set it up as E-G then E-E unless he supplies the right gauge for his tuning.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Why not contact Rhondo to find out the intended tuning