Warwick Infinity SN4 tuning - Mad idea or not?

[Lfalex v1.1]

I have an ' 02 Infinity SN4. It's a good bass, but I have plenty of others in 4,5, and 6 string formats. All are tuned to their "normal" tunings of EADG, BEADG and BEADGC.

The Infinity has 26 frets, so how about if I tune it DGCF and use it that way, and also periodically put a capo on the second fret to give me the equivalent of a 32 inch scale 24 fret bass tuned EADG. The only issue I can see is neck dive ouf I use a hefty capo. Are there any set-up tweaks I need to consider- Or is it just too daft for words in the first place? I'd appreciate your thoughts on the matter...

Thanks in advance.
Alex.

[LukeFRC]

warwick bridges... make sure you get tapered strings otherwise the fat strings won't work.
Otherwise... if I had to stick a bass in DGCF, I'm not sure I would choose that one.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1328965284' post='1535355']
warwick bridges... make sure you get tapered strings otherwise the fat strings won't work.
Otherwise... if I had to stick a bass in DGCF, I'm not sure I would choose that one.
[/quote]
I was going to keep the current strings on it. They're 40-100 Elixirs. It sounds fine and remains fairly playable down to CFBbEb....
Any reason you'd not use the Infinity?

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1328965812' post='1535366']
I was going to keep the current strings on it. They're 40-100 Elixirs. It sounds fine and remains fairly playable down to CFBbEb....
Any reason you'd not use the Infinity?
[/quote]
just purely looks, in my head a bass tuned lower wouldn't have f-holes,

[Lfalex v1.1]

That's ok, the SN4 doesn't have f-holes. It's got a chambered Zebrano body, not the semi-hollow of the Neck-thru...

[LukeFRC]

oooooh.... *goes to look at warwick website*

[Lfalex v1.1]

It's one of these...

[IMG]http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m248/Evilex1/P1000893.jpg[/IMG]

Discontinued nowadays.

[mart]

I've got almost all of my basses tuned DGCF, with regular strings on (TIs, 43-100 IIRC), and never had any issues. I'd recommend it.

If you do put a capo on at the 2nd, bear in mind the effective scale length will be more like 30" than 32".

[warwickhunt]

I've done this (with my Infinette) and the capo doesn't affect the balance as the capo needn't be any chunkier than a standard guitar one (I bought a capo designed for the slightly wider neck of a 12 string guitar). Go for it.

[Lfalex v1.1]

Thanks for all the input! And there I was thinking it was a fairly original concept..... I shall indeed give it a whirl.

[TRBboy]

I think it sounds like a great idea! Might give it a go myself.........

Of course, you could buy 4 Hipshot detuners and do a Michael Manring!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1329165745' post='1538311']
I think it sounds like a great idea! Might give it a go myself.........

Of course, you could buy 4 Hipshot detuners and do a Michael Manring!

[/quote]

But the infinity has 26 frets, not 36 un-frets like his Zon Hyper bass!
Er.... And a capo's a bit cheaper than 4 hipshots!

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1329206017' post='1538605']
But the infinity has 26 frets, not 36 un-frets like his Zon Hyper bass!
Er.... And a capo's a bit cheaper than 4 hipshots!
[/quote]

Doesn't matter about the number of frets though does it? Especially if you're only talking about going down 1 tone....

Yeah, Hipshots would be an expensive option! I think I would just try playing in the D-standard tuning like mart suggested.

[siderocks]

I also have an Infinity SN4 tuned to DGCF with D droppable to C (.125). Works like a charm.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1329224602' post='1539022']
Doesn't matter about the number of frets though does it? Especially if you're only talking about going down 1 tone...

[/quote]

Not particularly, but having 26 and then "losing" 2 to the capo still leaves a round double octave fret-board, in spite of the (now) shorter scale, which I thought would be quite familiar. No other reason.