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5 string bass for drop tuning?
- Thread starter Bukkar
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MDBass
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It's not redundant at all.
It allows you play entirely different chord voicings and open note riffs than you can in B standard, and you can even tune your G string up to A (or even B if you're really into the open tone thing) for even more options.
madbass6
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+1 for the Digitech Drop. I use it on a few songs. I never need a note lower than B, but it's easier to play some songs dropped a half/whole step.
to OP, if you're looking for a 5 stringer in that range, you have a bunch to choose from if you wanna go used. the spector legend series is a solid choice and can be had for less than your budget.
Probably to make it easier for the bassist and guitarist to play the same or similar parts and to teach each other how to play particular parts by using the same tuning, assuming the OP plays metal or some other heavily riff-focused music.
This all depends by band, but in some bands it would be a nightmare to try to play their riffs without the two lowest strings matching on all stringed instruments due to factors such as a heavy emphasis on palm-muted open strings and jumping quickly between open strings and notes on other strings.
madbass6
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I have a 4 string jazz that I tune to drop A. I gave it a setup myself and put 105s on it. Works perfectly fine....actually it sounds awesome.
Exactly. It's a valid approach and common in the genres you mentioned.
Thing is, calling it "drop B" on a 5 string bass doesn't make any sense.
"Drop B" on a guitar makes sense. You take drop D and drop all the strings down 3 more half steps. Everything lower than standard tuning. BF#BEAbD.
Same for a 4 string bass. BF#BE.
But for a 5....you'd either be keeping the B the same and uptuning all the other strings by two half steps OR dropping the B by 12 half steps and everything else by 10. The former is easily done, but can't be called a "drop" tuning. The later is laughable, as you'd end up needing a .280-.080 set of strings.
I'm still waiting on OP to clarify what tuning he's trying to achieve.
That's what I meant by redundant. I was replying on my phone and didn't really phrase it correctly.
Definitely correct that you don't 'need' an extended scale however I have played a Musicman 5 string bolt on and neck through model and preferred the tone of the Dingwall on the 4th and 5th strings. This was tuned standard, 1/2 and Full step down.
So like everything it's subjective to the player. No hype involved.
Coupla things:
IME, you do not need 35" for a solid B. Been there, done that, my 34's are just fine. Though the only marginal B string I ever had was on a Washburn 34". You are better off to focus on comfortable string spacing, IMHO. There is no nest or better measurement for that, it's 100% personal preference As far as strings, use what you like. I use untapered light gauge strings, usually in the .120-.125 B string range and love' em. Play a bunch if you can.
IME, you do not need 35" for a solid B. Been there, done that, my 34's are just fine. Though the only marginal B string I ever had was on a Washburn 34". You are better off to focus on comfortable string spacing, IMHO. There is no nest or better measurement for that, it's 100% personal preference As far as strings, use what you like. I use untapered light gauge strings, usually in the .120-.125 B string range and love' em. Play a bunch if you can.
Ltd F 415FM if I had the money the first time I would have got it instead of my Ltd F 155, awesome bass guitar, the F155 is a close second but go big if that's your price range
And usually 5 strings are already at BEADG sooo your good. But if you wanna go to A then I advise a 150 to 135. Depending on how slinky you want the string
I'm guessing what you're saying is you need a low B string and rather than playing in Drop B (with floppy strings) you want a 5 string bass with a tight B string.
My suggestion is if you can deal with the body, you should grab an ibanez BTB. I do not like the body, but the neck and the low strings are amazing.
I have a Warmoth 35 inch scale 5-ver that tunes down to low A (A0 D1 G1 C2 F2) quite nicely with 135 as the low string. (stainless roundwounds) Bought it especially for a gig, played 3 songs on it, all of them needed that open D, but played a lot up the neck on the big fat sounding A string... (odd time down to open A, even!)
I actually bought a little heavier set (down to 145) but never got around to putting it on... (decided I don't like 5s after all)
I actually bought a little heavier set (down to 145) but never got around to putting it on... (decided I don't like 5s after all)
'Drop B' always means BF#BEA, whether or not the strings are higher or lower than standard tuning is irrelevant. I assume the OP means an octave below guitar drop B tuning.
You need to design and build a set from single strings, i only know of 1 manufacturer with a 5 string set for drop B (Kalium Strings).
Tell us what gauges you like for BEADG, we can't recommend gauges if we don't know what tension you like.
As for the bass, you choose, why would anyone else know what you like or what is suitable for you? especially since you haven't given any information in your post about what you require.
Some advice though, make sure the bridge has the option to top-load the strings, string-through-body only can cause problems for B strings or taperwound strings.
You need to design and build a set from single strings, i only know of 1 manufacturer with a 5 string set for drop B (Kalium Strings).
Tell us what gauges you like for BEADG, we can't recommend gauges if we don't know what tension you like.
As for the bass, you choose, why would anyone else know what you like or what is suitable for you? especially since you haven't given any information in your post about what you require.
Some advice though, make sure the bridge has the option to top-load the strings, string-through-body only can cause problems for B strings or taperwound strings.
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Agreed. People can try to apply logic to this however they want, but in the day-to-day hard rock/metal world, people tend to use the phrase "drop D", "drop C", etc. to refer to the tuning that results from taking typical "drop d" tuning on a six-string guitar and detuning all of the strings the appropriate amount from there. To apply the tuning to another instrument, like a bass or 7 string guitar, you simply add or remove higher strings from the tuning as needed, since the name of the tuning dictates the lowest string (i.e. the "B" in "drop B"). Regardless of whether anyone thinks this makes sense due to the typical tuning of basses and other instruments, it is what the phrase is commonly understood to mean and is an easy shorthand that works for those in these types of bands.
Tuning higher or lower is exceedingly relevant in this case. If the OP wants to tune down an octave from the 31 Hz B then the advice we would give him would be very different than the advice we would give if he wants to keep the B at 31 Hz and uptune the other strings.
The tuning you describe is what a guitarist would call a drop B tuning and BF#BE would be what a four string bassist would call a drop B tuning. But a drop B tuning makes no sense to a five string bassist because dropping the B by an octave puts you in territory that requires rather extreme measures to make practical and a tuning that requires four strings to be uptuned is not a drop tuning at all to a five string bassist. It is an unusual alternate tuning, a scordatura, and you need to make the pitches clear to us. Even saying what you said, an octave below a guitar's drop B tuning would have been sufficient.
Assuming that as you say the OP wants to tune an octave below his guitarist's drop B tuning then any five string bass he likes and any light gauge five string set should work for the tuning. If he is picky about string tension then he should have given us more information!