Sterling and Down Tuning?

[Billygoat]

Hello,

I have about one month's wait left (hopefully) on my new Sterling HH and I just have a question. I play in a sort of instrumental ambient metal band and much to my dismay, tune down either a whole step or a step and a half. I think down-tuning really sucks as I hate that floppy, ****ty sound but that's just my opinion. I also happen to know that some basses handle down-tuning much better than others and I'm wondering if anyone can let me know how I could expect the new Sterling to sound. Any info or opinions would be great.

Thanks,

Tha Goat

 

[TSanders]

Low notes? Get a 5 string.

Otherwise, dont be surprised if a 4 string bass dosent suceed at a mission it wasnt designed to.

*Im referencing tuning lower than just to D all you D-tuner guys.

 

[Mobay45]

Low notes? Get a 5 string.

Otherwise, dont be surprised if a 4 string bass dosent suceed at a mission it wasnt designed to.

*Im referencing tuning lower than just to D all you D-tuner guys.

That's exactly the suggestion I was going to make.

I played with some guys who only detuned a half step but I didn't change a thing. I just played my 5 string in the same key they were playing.

 

[barkatozz]

For those tunings I always used the pitch shifter in my Digitech BNX3 rather than tune the bass.

 

[phatduckk]

im sure its doable ....

id call EB support and ask what string guages theyd reccommend for that and/or if the nut slot is gonna be wide enough for that.

the guys in thrice tune down to C (i think) and their bassist uses a 4 so it has to be doable... but then again he prolly has a tech make sure its all setup right for him.

another thing youd have to do is deal with the action and possible change the pup height to compensate for the extra movement of the strings

maybe Jon will chime in w/ an expert opinion soon

 

[todd4ta]

I used to play in a band where I had four basses tuned differently: a standard tuned to E, then a Drop D, Drop D-flat and Drop C. I had to do a little setup work on the two lowest tuned basses, but they played fine. I think I used 45-105 strings on all of them. It's best if you can leave a bass setup for the lower tuning, so you don't have to keep tweaking the trussrod each time you shift the tuning. I found a trussrod adjustment was necessary when you go lower than D tuning. Fortunately, with the trussrod wheel, it only takes about 5 seconds.

I could have played the songs on a five, but found them easier to play on the detuned fours.

 

[maddog]

Power.





Slinkys.

 

[barkatozz]

I used to play in a band where I had four basses tuned differently: a standard tuned to E, then a Drop D, Drop D-flat and Drop C. I had to do a little setup work on the two lowest tuned basses, but they played fine. I think I used 45-105 strings on all of them. It's best if you can leave a bass setup for the lower tuning, so you don't have to keep tweaking the trussrod each time you shift the tuning. I found a trussrod adjustment was necessary when you go lower than D tuning. Fortunately, with the trussrod wheel, it only takes about 5 seconds.

I could have played the songs on a five, but found them easier to play on the detuned fours.

.......BUT when you don't have 4 basses, the pitch shifter works nicely.

 

[Randracula]

MY SR4 handled C-G-C-F tuning just fine. I just added a little relief to the neck and it wasn't floppy at all.