bassbiscuits Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 hi all got to dep for a band next month which uses e flat tuning, down a half step from concert pitch. I use 40-100 strings, which are a bit too floppy when tuned down. I know for guitar, roughly one half step down = one string gauge up, but they come in such small increments (0.10, 0.11 etc) For bass, is it roughly the same - i.e. moving straight on to 45-105, or even heavier? I don't really want to alter my action or set up too much as they're beautifully set up for concert pitch. any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Just try your regular string for a day or two ? I don't use concert tuning, I'm not quite as low as you though, but have never found the strings too floppy, depends on how hard you play though I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 i use 50-105, ive never had an issue with strings swapping between E standard and Eb. even with 40-100 i've never had an issue. but if you are concerned or feel they are to floppy, 45/50-105 should be more than enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I'm in a band that also tunes down a semitone, and I play 45s. I hardly notice any difference.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I too use 45-105' and we tune down a semitone. I also have a Hipshot D Tuner so I end up going to D Flat on my E string. No problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 cool. yeah i sometimes tune down to D for a couple of tunes on my 40-100 set and its not the greatest fat low D on earth by any means! Hopefully the string tension of some 45-105 tuned to E flat should be about the same as the regular 40-100 at A440. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I was once in a band that insisted on Eb tuning (dodgy singer) and found 45-105's were fine, still playable. Probably would have handled a whole tone down but we didn't go that far. Used to do 'Slither' in another band in drop-D and the 105 gauge was just about OK for that (on a jazz). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Thanks all - i reckon i'll get away with a 45-105 set for the E flat gig then. you never know, i might even get to like them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) If it's a short term dep I'd stay with the strings you've got I play in E flat all the time with 45-105. I have always used that gauge even in concert pitch Edit: Bear in mind you might need to fettle the nut if your current strings are a snug fit Edited June 23, 2015 by Norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Cheers Norris Yeah your T Bird and Rick both felt comfortable to play with 45-105s from what I recall. I hadn't thought about the nut issue either. Bugger. Nothing's simple is it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1435090916' post='2805437'] Cheers Norris Yeah your T Bird and Rick both felt comfortable to play with 45-105s from what I recall. I hadn't thought about the nut issue either. Bugger. Nothing's simple is it! [/quote] Given that 45 is pretty much standard, then if your nut is original (and thus also standard) then I wouldn't expect a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 thats true Ras. Its only in recent years i've settled on 40-100, and i've had that bass for over 20 years, so it'll probably be fine. I'll get some 45-105s and I'm sure I can use them for something - playing with uber floppy tuned down strings just sounds and feels a bit crap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I use standard 45-105's for D standard, as well as for E standard, and they're fine. I used a Hybrid 9--46 set for D standard on guitar, with no issue, string tension was a wee bit lower, but manageable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Le Cragg Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 We play in D and I use 50s on my Jazz bass and 45s on my Washburn. I found 40s went way to floppy and ill defined on the low E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 [quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1435090916' post='2805437'] I hadn't thought about the nut issue either. [/quote] I mentioned it because I had to fettle the nut on my Ric when I first strung it with my "standard" gauges (and then had to glue it back on when I was over-vigorous in my fettling!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 [quote name='Norris' timestamp='1435144651' post='2805871'] I mentioned it because I had to fettle the nut on my Ric when I first strung it with my "standard" gauges (and then had to glue it back on when I was over-vigorous in my fettling!) [/quote] That's why I sold my Rickenbacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I'm in a band that does everything in Eb tuning .045" - .105" does it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 As a footnote to this, I did bite the bullet and strung up my old precision with 45-105 last night and it sounds lovely. No probs with the nut, and the intonation etc seems to be unaffected. I didn't particularly choose to play lighter gauge strings in the first place - I didn't even realise strings even came in different gauges when i started out, and just ended up using whatever gauge there was. 45-105 seem more versatile if they can handle various tunings a bit better than the 40s... i could learn to love them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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