Tunings
The evolution of Stephen Carpenter's tunings, from standard E to a very low C-sharp on nine strings, in chronological order of appearance alongside the guitars and albums where they were documented.
Standard / Drop C#
6 strings
Reference tuning of the foundational six-string era, on the ESP Mirage Custom Pearl White.
Drop C
6 strings
Tuning of the White Pony era, on the ESP Horizon Turquoise and the newly released LTD SC-500.
Standard G# (7 strings)
7 strings
Tuning used on tracks such as “Hexagram” and “Minerva”, on the newly released LTD SC-607.
Drop A#/B (7 strings)
7 strings
Tuning variation documented within the same cycle of the Deftones (2003) album.
F# (baritone, 7 strings)
7 strings
The LTD SC-607B's 27" baritone scale allows this tuning without losing tension or intonation.
Standard F# (8 strings)
8 strings
Factory tuning of the STEF-B8 / LTD SC-608, the start of the eight-string era.
Drop E (8 strings)
8 strings
Inspired by the Drop E tuning of Animals As Leaders (Tosin Abasi); it lowers the seventh string to E.
Drop B (recurring live)
6 strings
Recurring tuning on tours and on certain later songs; the exact recording context is not fully confirmed in the sources.
Standard C# (9 strings)
9 strings
Factory tuning of the 9-string Custom Shop prototype, featured on “The Spell of Mathematics”.