Possible stupid question about Drop D

[Evil Undead]

So, very reluctantly, I've decided to learn a couple of songs in drop D, despite my aversion to down tuning.

I'm wondering if just dropping the tuning on my E string now and then is going to have a negative effect on the neck of my bass? What I mean is, less tension on that one side and then back again all the time.

Any thoughts on this? Just don't wanna booger my neck up.

[Dood]

You'll be fine, I've never heard of a problem with this on a modern bass.

[fender73]

It'll be fine. ps...did you sort out your truss rod issue??

[Evil Undead]

I swapped back to the rounds and loosened the rod off a bit. Hopefully it's fine and I'm just a weakling and/or too chicken to turn it properly.

[rOB]

it'll be fine.

If it turns out you need to play in two tunings during 1 set I'd recommend a Hipshot de-tuner.

[Dingus]

To the best of my knowledge, tuning down your E string to D won't cause any damage to the neck of your bass, but be sure to retune back up to E before you put your bass away for any length of time ( i.e. a few hours or more ) to avoid any long-term problems that might arise from an uneven tension on the neck for prolonged periods of time.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Dingus

[thodrik]

You won't damage the neck by downtuning one string down. You would maybe damage it if you started tuning up to G.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Done it for years, never had any problems.
Why the aversion to down tuning? A P bass in drop D is a brutal experience!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1351196007' post='1848655']
If it turns out you need to play in two tunings during 1 set I'd recommend a Hipshot de-tuner.
[/quote]
^This.

[WalMan]

Ditto.

Never had a problem with this using the Hipshot in getting on 20 years on the Wal.

Hipshot D Tuners rool

[L_Bass_Dog85]

I have been looking at getting a hipshot d-tuner too. Only thing is that the prices I found are bloody scary!

[MrTaff]

I've never had a problem with drop D effecting the neck, I'd guess if you're changing the tuning all the time you'll shorted the life of the string.

The price of the hipshot d-tuner was enough to put me off buying one, doesn't seem worth it to save the few seconds that it takes to retune.

[WalMan]

But they're so much fun Mind it knackered me when I got my first 5 & took it to a gig that night. I had all our songs sorted using the D tuner to flick down & back up during songd - need the low D for the chorus, but E is fine for the verse, so flick down for the chorus & back up for the verse. Smashing

[hollywoodrox]

a very good question, I have often wondered this, also one of my bass I have tuned half a step down but still set up the same as for E tuning.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1351196598' post='1848673']
To the best of my knowledge, tuning down your E string to D won't cause any damage to the neck of your bass, but be sure to retune back up to E before you put your bass away for any length of time ( i.e. a few hours or more ) to avoid any long-term problems that might arise from an uneven tension on the neck for prolonged periods of time.
[/quote]


chances are that the strings you already use are nothing close to being even tension (at least if the data provided on the D'Addario site are representative), so I would not worry about that.

A Hipshot bass extender (D-tuner) is soooo convenient and fun, if you think of switching often between the two tunings. Highly recommended.

[gafbass02]

Used hip shots for years on virtually every bass I've ever had. No worries at all.

[popoctave]

I'm sure your other 3 strings will keep the neck straight...

[StephenFerguson]

P Bass at drop D is thunder. No use to you this here statement but it has to be said.