Tuning to F#

[chimp_spanner]

Hey all - newcomer here *waves*. I'm not primarily a bassist but, writing/recording kinda dictates that I need to play it. And so that's how it goes. I'm trying to match up my bass with my Ibanez RG2228 (great guitar) and, as you might expect, I'm running into some serious issues.

Currently on a Schecter Diamond Series 5 string (Stiletto I think). Nothing to write home about, 35" scale length, not too shabby. Purely functional. The bridge on it is pretty crummy and won't take anything above a 135-ish gauge. To tune to F# would take seriously thick strings (170 and beyond). Now, I got Newtone to make up a multi core F# in a 138 gauge but, it's just not working. The first 5 frets are useless. The tone is disgusting. It's just not cut out for it. B to D are just fine (even moved down a position) but the F# makes me do a cry.

So first solution - a new bass. What kind of bass am I gunna look for that'll be able to handle F# tuning? Does such a bass exist or will any production instrument need modifying?

Second solution - new parts for my old bass. I'm thinking a bridge that'll accomodate thicker strings. Any suggestions? Thicker strings still might not work on the lower frets so I'm also thinking a custom-made neck too, 37" perhaps?

Sorry for the long first post. I'm just a little bummed out that my strings have arrived and it just sounds horrendous. I know the sound I want in my head, but getting there with this bass just might be impossible...

Cheers,

- Paul

[Murph_Orpheus]

Hey man, what you need is this

[url="http://www.warwickbass.com/basses/vampyre_darklord.htm"]http://www.warwickbass.com/basses/vampyre_darklord.htm[/url]

[d-basser]

what you need is to sit down and chat to dood

Edited August 7, 2008 by d-basser

[Sibob]

Paul here is a good mate of mine, I'm glad that people just suggested the two things I did....makes me feel warm and.....well....right lol

I know Dood uses Darklord strings on Doodle (his 7 string paul), but I pointed him in Dood's direction more for advice on bridges.

Si

Edited August 7, 2008 by Sibob

[Mr. Foxen]

Top load bridge and tapered strings solves the bridge problem. Tuning that low is never going to be that fun. New nut cut higher maybe?

[Sibob]

By 'top-load', do you mean something like this?:

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

And yeah, I mentioned tapered strings, although I don't know much about them. There's a review of an F-Bass in last months 'Bass Guitar Magazine', and that had some crazy tapered strings on it!
Here it is:

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Si

p.s
I've just literally noticed that the F-bass is using that HipShot bridge.....a solution paul?? That bridge with some tapered strings, or at least a tapered F#

Edited August 7, 2008 by Sibob

[bass_ferret]

They look like rotosound Piano Strings where just the core goes over the bridge - not the same as tapered.

[Sibob]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='256992' date='Aug 7 2008, 10:19 AM']They look like rotosound Piano Strings where just the core goes over the bridge - not the same as tapered.[/quote]

Ya learn something everyday!

Si

[peted]

Warwick Darklord strings are taper-wound at the bridge so they should fit most standard bridges (meaning that you won't have to replace it!). That'll give you a .175 string for the F# which Dood has previously endorsed.

[alexclaber]

Longer scale - I use a 36" to get a good low B. I'd go even longer to get a satisfactory low F#:

[url="http://www.knuckleguitarworks.com/size.html"]http://www.knuckleguitarworks.com/size.html[/url]

Alex

[chimp_spanner]

Hey again - cheers for the replies all. Yeah Si, I sent 'dood' a message on the ol MySpace, so hopefully he won't mind me pestering him!

That Darklord bass looks just incredible. I guess ultimately the best solution is to buy a bass built for the task. £1000 is a lot of money (about £902 than I currently have ) but I managed to get the cash for my 8 string...nothing is impossible.

In the meantime, I'll admit I'm looking for a fix on a budget. Peted; that's interesting about the Darklord strings. My bridge at the moment looks like [url="http://www.gitarhuset.no/Images/2008/schecter1big.jpg"]this[/url], so even with a tapered end, I'd still need to replace it as the actual body of the string wouldn't physically fit through the hole, short of me making some destructive and irreversible changes. But that would definitely be cool if I could find the right bridge.

Speaking of which, on that image of the silver bridge, do they slide down the gaps and then across into place? If so that'd be perfect for the tapered ends.

Now to see how I play with a completely redundant string on the top of my bass *sniff*

Oh and just for giggles, I uploaded a sample of how bad it sounds. If you listen closely in the background you can hear me sobbing.

Edited August 7, 2008 by chimp_spanner

[Mr. Foxen]

Yep, sounded like that when I started tuning down to A, took a bit of tinkering to get any definition. Got there in the end, all learnin innit?

[Cernael]

If you're thinking of switching the bridge anyway, why not try sawing "access grooves" or whatever you'd call them, to accomodate tapered strings, in the old one (like on the bridge Sibob showed)? Sure, it might not work, but if it does, hey, cheaper!

Edited August 7, 2008 by Cernael

[metalmickey]

I love low tunings, and tune a whole step down. But a whole new bass for F is out of the question for me so the best advice I could give is.........

Why not try a synth? Works for me!

[Dood]

[quote name='d-basser' post='256880' date='Aug 7 2008, 08:08 AM']what you need is to sit down and chat to dood[/quote]


[quote name='Sibob' post='256937' date='Aug 7 2008, 09:27 AM']Paul here is a good mate of mine, I'm glad that people just suggested the two things I did....makes me feel warm and.....well....right lol

I know Dood uses Darklord strings on Doodle (his 7 string paul), but I pointed him in Dood's direction more for advice on bridges.

Si[/quote]


[quote name='peted' post='257015' date='Aug 7 2008, 10:38 AM']Warwick Darklord strings are taper-wound at the bridge so they should fit most standard bridges (meaning that you won't have to replace it!). That'll give you a .175 string for the F# which Dood has previously endorsed.[/quote]


Ahhh Hello! Yes! I saw your post to my MySpace! I know what you're after now!

Well.. as above, I am using my 'sig' Jon Shuker 7 string and my F# is a Warwick Dark Lord. I can't really add any more to the discussion about bridges, as the Dark Lord .175 will fit into a standard top loading bridge and this would be the best way to go. Have a look at my review here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=137"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=137[/url] for some pictures! ;o)

When it comes to making the note sound.. my bass is a bit spesh, despite being a 34" scale that I have been told 'shouldnt' sound any good lol.. Sounds massive!

You mention NewTone! Excellent strings, but the guys made me a standard (higher tension) 145 gauge F# string and that worked very well! I'm not sure if I have any spares now though. Basically, we told them that the string was going to be tuned down, so they made the string to suit the required tension to get the set feeling good across the neck. I reckon you should try that too!

Here's some more info about my 7 string with said strings! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3746"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3746[/url]

[chimp_spanner]

Hey again! Yeah I got your message as well dood! Figured I might as well reply on here. Well first of all the other 4 strings are fantastic - the tone and feel are just fine, and having a slightly thinner low B makes it perfect for faster picking, even muting. So that's cool. And Neil, the guy I've been dealing with at Newtone, has been very helpful. We're going to give the 138 another try after my coming to the conclusion I probably damaged the core in the process of forcing it through the hole and up over the saddle. When I took the F# off (it was just getting in the way), I had to remove the saddle and sure as anything it just slid right through the hole. So a damaged core would explain the lack of tonality from the string...and the massive kinks in it when slack!

He did offer the option of a 145 but I think I'll run into nut and fret clearance problems, and I'm a little sketchy about filing my bridge. Bit of a wimp! At least this way if it doesn't go to plan, I can just put my bass back in B and live with it until I can afford something else.

Like a Warwick

Or a cheapy toploading Rondo. Gotta love shopping on a budget!

[Owen]

This might be obvious to all apart from me, but when I tried it first I forgot to do anything with the nut and it sounded like you say yours does.

[chimp_spanner]

Hmm, I dunno - the nut might need a little tweaking but could it be responsible for making the string entirely unmusical? The actual thickness of these strings is so similar to my B tuning; I mean B through to D are sitting exactly as my E through to G normally would. Didn't even have to re-intonate, which was nice Likewise the F# itself sat in the groove of the nut much as my B would do. All of that said, the string is so much tighter it's bound to behave differently, so I dunno. Hopefully I won't butcher the replacement. Anyone fancy coming to my house and putting it on for me? I'm scared! I'll pay you in hugs! And petrol money. Spose it's only fair...