set up questions

[IvanHardy]

I have 2 Stingray basses and i use them for my band. my band mostly plays in Drop D tuning. So far that's what we've written to thankfully. I use my Stealth Slo Stingray which is kept at standard tuning and tuned to Drop D for the band or when i feel like playing Drop songs then i tune back up when finished. For that bass i use Regular Slinky gauges.

For my recently bought used Stingray(black/black/maple) i put Power Slinkys on them for when my damn guitards write in Drop C. I'm planning to downtune to c only to play for my band or to learn a few songs and then tune up back to standard when im done. Do i have to get this stingray set-up to keep it in drop c? because i really dont want to have it permanently in C. Or should i just do what i had planned and down tune to "C" when needed and then back to standard when done? and if were to set up my bass for drop C what would i have to do to set it up?

 

[kevins]

i would have invested in a 5 string if you're tuning down to c honestly. drop tunings have no real purpose on bass other than to hit the lower octave of the equivelant note on guitar. in that case a 5 string would be able to do that and even go lower than a guitar tuned to drop c without having to deal with the asskicking the neck would recieve from constantly going back and forth from standard to c.

 

[IvanHardy]

i would have invested in a 5 string if you're tuning down to c honestly. drop tunings have no real purpose on bass other than to hit the lower octave of the equivelant note on guitar. in that case a 5 string would be able to do that and even go lower than a guitar tuned to drop c without having to deal with the asskicking the neck would recieve from constantly going back and forth from standard to c.

personally im not a fan of fivers. i'm gonna talk with my singer to see if we could just stay in the standard and drop d range. but he keeps saying that with the post hardcore and hardcore scene here we'll eventually hav eto tune to C. aside form the 5 string what would you suggest.

 

[Steamthief]

A new singer?

 

[five7]

Tune down to C on one of your basses and the other one tune to E and drop tune it to D when necessary.

 

[cellkirk74]

Use a stringset for a fivestring, but without the g-string on one of your basses and change basses instead of tunings.

 

[Kirby]

I agree, tune one of your fours B E A D and that should solve your problem. I have done this on some of my older EB's, but not a newer compensated nut. You may have to file the slot of the E string a small bit to get the B to set correctly, depending on the gauge you use.

 

[IvanHardy]

I agree, tune one of your fours B E A D and that should solve your problem. I have done this on some of my older EB's, but not a newer compensated nut. You may have to file the slot of the E string a small bit to get the B to set correctly, depending on the gauge you use.[/QU

how would going to that tuning help? plus if i use a 5 string set wouldnt that be too much tension? also as i said before. with my stealth slo stingray i use it only for standard and drop D never for C. the Blaack/Maple one is th eone going to be used for c. Again though wouldnt a 5 string set be too much for when i tune back up? or are u suggesting i use the 5 string set to leave it in C? plus the black Maple stingray has power slinky's as of yesterday.

 

[danny-79]

Set one up using a 5 string set tuned B-E-A-D and leave it that way.
Set the other up with your preferred gage of strings tuned E-A-D-G an leave that one that way.
That should cover all of your bands tunings just change basses when needed.

 

[Bloodfist]

You should be able to drop C with no problem using the Power Slinkys. I would keep your other bass tuned to drop D (if thats the other tuning you use) and have both of them set up for those tunings to ensure no problems will arise. Steamthief actually makes a valid point. Although it is typical for most bands that play your genre to use drop C, your tunings should be based around your vocalist capabilities. Your singer sounds like the type of person who thinks you have to join the masses to fit in, when it's actually those bands who don't try to sound like everyone else are the ones who stand out. Case point- My drummer wanted us to try drop C tunning for some odd reason one night, and we obliged him for the fun of it. Our singer has a hell of a voice range, go to our facebook and listen to songs like Breaking the Vibe, Champion, and In Vain and you'll see what I mean. He could not hit a single note in Drop C tuning. If your singer cant sing in that tuning, no matter how cool you think the guitars sound, the band as a whole is going to suck. Find your tuning based on his range, and go with that.

 

[IvanHardy]

if you would like you cam check my band out on facebook. we recorded a song 2 weeks ago in Drop D. there you can hear my singers vocal abilities. plus i can't change singer as me and him started the band together. i'll definately talk to him about the tunings though. he sings well in C though i think. it's just in the old band we were in the guitard we had could only write in drop C as that was how he learned and only knew what to play in. these guitarrists these days are all about C with bands like BFMV and ADTR. our songs so far have been in Drop D because of my persistency to convince them. Drop C has taken over with these guitarrists nowadays and it's all about damn breakdowns. im happy my singer sees it a bit differently.

To danny: is BEAD a step lower than CGCF?

Everyone check my bands song out on our facebook. www.facebook.com/madeinmarch
the song: A Martyr on St. Valentine.

 

[danny-79]

To danny: is BEAD a step lower than CGCF?

That is standard tuning for a fiver -the 'G' string.

 

[sitonmybass]

personally im not a fan of fivers.

About 10 years ago I was only playing 4-strings and anytime I picked up a 5-string I felt disoriented. Now that I play 5-strings exclusively, I'm disoriented whenever I pick up a 4-string.

Adapting to and getting comfortable with a 5-string is something that you should at least consider. The longer that you play 4-string exclusively the harder it is to adapt. Until 10 years ago I had only played 4-strings (for 25 years) and then switched to 5-string.

 

[IvanHardy]

About 10 years ago I was only playing 4-strings and anytime I picked up a 5-string I felt disoriented. Now that I play 5-strings exclusively, I'm disoriented whenever I pick up a 4-string.

Adapting to and getting comfortable with a 5-string is something that you should at least consider. The longer that you play 4-string exclusively the harder it is to adapt. Until 10 years ago I had only played 4-strings (for 25 years) and then switched to 5-string.

i see where you're getting at. i'm usually open and i did try a soundgear 5 and wanted it. the thing is i'm really into 4's and i love my slim necks so the extra string would bug me.

also so i were BEAD is the b like Drop B or a Standard type B? and from there would i tune down or up?

 

[Vintage7]

My band tunes down to D#.
I have a bass that's only used to learn songs on (mp-3, youtube etc.).
It's tuned standard (E,A,D,G).
I set the truss rods accordingly, and the basses are left in that tuning.
My suggestion is to leave one bass tuned standard and the other drop tuned.
Better for the neck.

Jim

 

[IvanHardy]

My band tunes down to D#.
I have a bass that's only used to learn songs on (mp-3, youtube etc.).
It's tuned standard (E,A,D,G).
I set the truss rods accordingly, and the basses are left in that tuning.
My suggestion is to leave one bass tuned standard and the other drop tuned.
Better for the neck.

Jim

hmmm. i'll leave that as my last resort. i'll first put a hell of a fight to stay in D and standard with my band. but just in case should i do the BEAD thing or drop C? man i don't even like Drop C.

 

[Kirby]

BEAD is the standard tuning just like EADG. The point of doing BEAD (which is the lower 4 strings on a standard 5 string) is that you will not have to tune up or down. All of the fingerings you have learned will work without having to alter them since the strings are still tuned in 4ths like the strings of a 4 string EADG. I have had zero problems with the necks of EB's not being able to handle this. The only issue as I mentioned earlier is that the B string may be a bit snug in the E nut slot which can be easily fixed by yourself with a nut file or by any qualified repair person. You will have to re-set up your bass though with these new strings if you decide to do this, but that is an easy job with that great truss rod wheel.

 

[IvanHardy]

BEAD is the standard tuning just like EADG. The point of doing BEAD (which is the lower 4 strings on a standard 5 string) is that you will not have to tune up or down. All of the fingerings you have learned will work without having to alter them since the strings are still tuned in 4ths like the strings of a 4 string EADG. I have had zero problems with the necks of EB's not being able to handle this. The only issue as I mentioned earlier is that the B string may be a bit snug in the E nut slot which can be easily fixed by yourself with a nut file or by any qualified repair person. You will have to re-set up your bass though with these new strings if you decide to do this, but that is an easy job with that great truss rod wheel.

ok let's see if i get this right. so if im in BEAD you said i won't have to tune down? how does that work? would i be able to play standard stuff and others on it or just BEAD and have to tune down? and if you wouldn't mind describing the nut filing process like what exactly is it

 

[Aussie Mark]

ok let's see if i get this right. so if im in BEAD you said i won't have to tune down? how does that work?

Because the low C is the first fret on the B string. Simple.

 

[IvanHardy]

Because the low C is the first fret on the B string. Simple.

wow it comes down to that? i don't know my frets like that unfortunately. hell at least it looks better than playing opens. C people are so lazy. if i had that set it wouldn't be a good idea to tune to standard or Drop D ever right?