6 string gauge help required!

[Yorgo]

Hi guys,

I recently purchased a Carvin XB76 and as my band is tuned to drop-B, I'd like to raise the tuning of the bass by 2 semi-tones from the drop-A it is currently in. As i've just bought it, i'll be changing the strings during this set-up and wondered if anyone knows of a good place to get custom 6 string bass string sets and if so, what gauges I should be looking for.

I would guess (from low to high);

B - 130
F* - 95
B - 75
E - 60
A - 40
D - 28

...or thereabouts, but I'm not 100% certain, hence the post for advice. I'm also open to making my 2nd lowest the "drop B" and tuning to F*, but I wouldn't even here the fundamental!

Thanks in advance for any help,

George.

[CamdenRob]

I wouldn't bother with the drop tuning and I'd just play it in standard BEADGC tuning, don't really see the point of drop tuning a bass...

[Matt P]

i'm going to agree with CamdenRob, i'd just put a decent set of standard strings (130-25 ish i'd guess) and tune it BEADGC, this should give you all the options you will need, anything below a low B is going to drop off the bottom of most bass amp/cabs anyway and sticking to a "regualr" tuning will make life easier if you ever need to use it in another band or swap over to a 4 or 5 string (playing a spare or a friends bass)

the only thing to watch out for is that the xb76 is slightly longer scale at 35.5" so make sure that whatever strings you go for are long enough. most "long scale" strings should fit but worth double checking before you buy, some manufacturers quote the length from ball end to taper and i know that Strings Direct have the info in the descriptions.

[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings-c1/bass-guitar-strings-sets-c34#t96:page1:infscr1171:t172:t173"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings-c1/bass-guitar-strings-sets-c34#t96:page1:infscr1171:t172:t173[/url]


Matt

[chrismuzz]

I wouldn't be comfortable tuning up more than a semitone. In my covers band all the drop B stuff the band play I just use a 6 string in BEADGC tuning and it works fine

[ambient]

Why alter the tuning on a 6 ?

The 135 B seems a bit big compared to the rest of the gauges, personally I wouldn't go about a 125 for a B string, and even that seems a bit big compared to the 95 E string.

[Yorgo]

Thanks for the help,

I am a drummer to trade and have only just learned the band's riffs in drop B, so transposing to B standard will be my next challenge by the looks of things!

Kind regards,

George.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Yorgo' timestamp='1405936089' post='2506584']
... transposing to B standard will be my next challenge by the looks of things!
[/quote]

Thats what I'd do to be honest

There is really no right or wrong way of tuning your bass, I just feel it's easiest in the long run to play everything in standard.

[AttitudeCastle]

Counter argument though, depending on who what where when, drop tuning on the 6 may be best.

9/10 on the 6 I learn stuff in B standard, it's just easier and makes more sense, (once you get the hang of it!) but look at Karnivool, some of that stuff isn't possible on a regular 6, and I found myself tuning to Drop B for an album cycle tour as some of the chords, breakdown riffs and harmonics etc simply weren't possible in standard tuning.

Speaking of Low F# that bass is now tuned to drop E