Trying 5 String EADGC without buying new strings

Nov 12, 2016
788
1,040
5,096
Maryland
I play with DR 40-100s on my 4 string basses and found myself with a few extra sets so I'm thinking of trying this setup on my 5. It's a standard fender jazz. Can I get away with doing 100-80-60-40-40 or is this a stupid question?
 
I play with DR 40-100s on my 4 string basses and found myself with a few extra sets so I'm thinking of trying this setup on my 5. It's a standard fender jazz. Can I get away with doing 100-80-60-40-40 or is this a stupid question?

Tuning a .040 to C probably won't break the string or damage the bass. But it will definitely sound and feel very different from the other strings.
 
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I wouldn't recommend it. A few things to consider:

1. The added tension will put stress on one side of the neck. To raise the pitch from G to C, you will be increasing the tension from about 35 pounds to over 65 pounds.
2. With that level of tension on the string, the stress on the tuner will be excessive. This will lead tp premature tuner failure.
3. The added stress to the truss rod may cause issues. It's not that the rod will break, but adjusting it to compensate for the added tension will have high demands on the truss rod's threads. You can overcome some of the stress by loosening the strings before adjusting the rod, but it's going to be hard on the rod anyway. And if it's a regular compression rod, the wood under the rod's nut may well compress and that can give rise to another set of problems, including a cracked fingerboard.

No, not recommended.
 
I was only considering it so I wouldn't have to wait for some new strings to arrive as I don't have an easy way of grabbing them locally.

@Turnaround Thank you. All those things went through my head so I'm glad to hear I wasn't being overly paranoid.

On the plus side I don't think I'll need a new nut, but I will wait for some new strings to arrive and give it a proper set up afterwards. Thanks everyone for the help.