F# standard tuning: gauges, tension, and strings for 8-string guitar
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
F# standard on an 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E) is the factory tuning of most production 8-strings. On 27-inch scale use .009–.074 (Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt 8-string) or .010–.074 for firmer feel. On 28.625-inch Ibanez RG2228 scale, step to .009–.068, the longer scale handles the gauge math without structural compromise. Multi-scale 8-strings (25.5"–27" or 26.5"–28") run similar gauges.
What F# standard is for
F# standard is the factory tuning of 8-string electric guitar. It extends the instrument's low-end range a perfect fourth below 7-string B standard, giving composers access to pitches that previously required either a bass guitar or a de-tuned guitar with structural compromises. The tuning is the default for prog-metal, djent, and instrumental extended-range composition, Tosin Abasi's Animals as Leaders catalog, Javier Reyes's parallel work, most of the Sumerian Records djent-prog roster.
Unlike 7-string B standard, F# standard requires specific hardware considerations: 8-string-spaced bridges, 8-string-specific pickups (the pole-piece spacing of a 7-string pickup is wrong for an 8-string fingerboard width), and scale lengths of at least 27 inches to make the low F# hold pitch under picking attack.
Tension targets
The low F# is the entire story on 8-string. Get the low-string gauge wrong and the string either flaps under medium picking or feels like a piano wire under your fingers. Target: 14–18 pounds of tension on the low F# at F# standard pitch.
Recommended sets
Slinky Cobalt 8-string (.010–.074)
Why this one: The 8-string Cobalt reference. Low .074 holds F# standard cleanly on 27-inch scale. Wes Hauch's base gauge (with custom heavier 8th); Jason Richardson's documented 8-string gauge.
For D'Addario: NYXL 8-string sets at .009–.074 cover F# standard with NYXL's high-carbon-core firmness. For coated: Elixir Nanoweb 8-string .009–.074 is the only major coated 8-string set.
For custom: Stringjoy's online builder lets you spec exact gauges for your scale length, almost every signature-rig 8-string player ends up on a Stringjoy custom set eventually, because off-the-shelf 8-string gauge options are limited to two or three SKUs.
Scale length adjustments
- 27" (Ibanez RG8, Schecter SLS Elite 8, most production 8-strings): .009–.074 default. Step to .010–.080 for heavy-hand players.
- 28.625" (Ibanez RG2228, Iron Label): .009–.068. The longest standard production scale; lets F# standard feel comfortable without extreme low-string gauge.
- Multi-scale 25.5–27" (Strandberg Boden 8, Kiesel Vader 8): .009–.074. The longer bass-side scale carries the tension math.
- Multi-scale 26.5–28" (Mayones Duvell 8, some Kiesel models): .009–.068. Functionally equivalent to the 28.625-inch Iron Label scale.
- 25.5" (rare, early Schecter Hellraiser C-8): Not recommended for F# standard. Structurally borderline.
Genre notes
- Animals as Leaders-adjacent prog-metal: F# standard default. .009–.074 on 28.625" scale is the Abasi lane.
- Djent on 8-string: F# standard or Drop E, depending on whether the material needs chord-shape parity with 6-string Drop D. Djent that sits in Drop E needs a heavier low string (.080 minimum).
- Instrumental technical metal: F# standard is the composing default. Rusty Cooley, Wes Hauch, Keith Merrow all track in F# standard for most material.
- Deftones-adjacent heavy alt-metal: Carpenter's ESP LTD STEF-B8 uses a 27.5"-scale 8-string. Carpenter tunes lower than F# standard on most Deftones material, but F# standard is where the guitar sits for any unedited tuning.
Setup checklist
Moving to F# standard from a higher tuning (or changing gauge on an F#-standard 8-string):
- Truss rod: Heavier low strings add forward bow. 8-string necks typically have dual-action truss rods with more margin than 6/7-string, but adjustments are more consequential because the necks are longer under tension.
- Nut slots: The 8th-string slot is cut for the factory gauge. Stepping up from .074 to .080 will require slot widening. Stepping down from .080 to .074 creates slot-buzz potential.
- Bridge saddle: 8-string bridges have specific 8-string saddle slots. Intonation reset at 12th fret harmonic is non-negotiable after gauge or tuning change.
- Pickup height: Drop the 8-string-side pickup 2–3mm lower than the treble side. 8-string low strings produce strong magnetic pull that will cause wolf notes if the pickup is too close.
- Bridge saddle position: The low F# saddle will sit further back toward the bridge than any other saddle. Expect to max out the saddle travel on some 8-string bridges.
Next steps
- 8-string lane: 8-string gauge guide, Top 10 8-string players.
- Other tunings: Drop E, Drop A, B standard.
- Individual rigs: Tosin Abasi, Fredrik Thordendal, Stephen Carpenter, Wes Hauch.
- Strings: Ernie Ball Cobalt review.
- Producer context: Ermin Hamidovic (prog-metal mix lane).
String gauge by tuning + scale length
Safe gauge ranges by tuning across Gibson (24.75"), Fender (25.5"), and baritone (27"+) scales. A dash in any cell means that scale length isn't recommended for the tuning, not that data is missing.
| Tuning | Gibson scale (24.75") | Fender scale (25.5") | Baritone (27"+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E Standard | 10–46 | 9–42 | – |
| Drop D | 10–52 | 10–52 | – |
| Eb Standard | 11–48 | 10–52 | – |
| Drop C# | 11–54 | 11–48 +52 | – |
| D Standard | 11–54 | 11–48 | 10–52 |
| C Standard | 12–56 | 12–56 | 12–56 |
| Drop C | 12–56 | 11–54 +56 | 11–56 |
| Drop B | 12–64 | 12–62 | 11–54 |
| B Standard | 13–68 | 13–64 | 12–54 |
| Drop A | 13–70 | 12–68 | 12–62 |
| Drop G | – | – | 13–70 |
Source: CYS in-house tension-and-scale reference, built by Phil (luthier) and Wright (tension/scale). For scale lengths between categories (e.g., 25" PRS), split the difference between the two nearest columns.
Frequently asked questions
What is F# standard?
F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E (low to high). The 8th string is a low F#, a perfect fourth below the low B of a 7-string. The top seven strings remain at 7-string B-standard pitches. F# standard is the factory tuning of virtually every production 8-string, Ibanez RG8, Schecter Damien-8 / SLS Elite 8, Jackson DK8, ESP LTD SC-608B.
What gauge for F# standard on 27-inch scale 8-string?
.009–.074 is the reference, Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt 8-string (EB 2732) and D'Addario NYXL 8-string both ship at this gauge. The low F# sits at ~16 lbs of tension on 27-inch scale. For firmer feel, step to .010–.080; for lighter feel, Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 8-string (.009–.065), though the .065 low F# on 27-inch is borderline floppy.
What gauge for F# standard on 28.625-inch Ibanez Iron Label?
Step one gauge lighter across the board. .009–.068 handles F# standard on 28.625-inch scale at similar tension to a 27-inch scale running .009–.074. The longer Iron Label scale is the engineering benchmark for 8-string, it's the scale that lets F# standard feel natural rather than finger-fatigue heavy.
Who plays in F# standard?
Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes of Animals as Leaders, both on 28.625-inch Abasi Concepts Larada 8 signatures. Rusty Cooley on his Dean 8-string. Wes Hauch on 8-string material. Most 8-string production guitarists sit in F# standard unless the material specifically calls for Drop E or lower. Meshuggah's Thordendal and Hagström tune lower than F# standard on their 29.4-inch Nevborn 8-strings.
Is F# standard lower than a bass guitar's low B?
Close but not quite. Bass guitar's low B (5-string bass standard tuning, B-E-A-D-G) is B0, approximately 30.9 Hz. The 8-string's low F# is F#1, approximately 46.3 Hz, a perfect fourth higher than bass low B. However, F#1 is lower than a standard 4-string bass's low E (E1, 41.2 Hz). So the 8-string low F# sits between standard bass low E and extended-range bass low B in pitch.
For context on bass-guitar harmonic content in 8-string mix contexts, see producer pages, mixing is where this overlap becomes a real problem.
Can I play F# standard on a 7-string?
No. F# standard requires an 8th string. A 7-string has only seven strings and cannot be physically tuned to include the low F# without adding hardware. If you want to play in F# standard without buying an 8-string, the answer is: buy an 8-string. Some players tune their 7-string to A standard or Drop F# to get some of the low-end range, but those are different tunings with different chord voicings.