4 string BEAD?

[Cuzzie]

Ha!

i did do this on one bass, G&L ASAT semi hollow, it tolerated it very well, and played fine, but everyone is different

[wulf]

8 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

Try detuning all your normal strings down to BEAD and see how it plays, like crap I'll wager.

I did that years ago and didn't stick with it. On medium light strings (can't remember exactly what - this was the best part of 30 years ago) they get very loose. Also, if you are producing notes that low you need a system that can cope with it and I seem to recall the amp I was using at the time got a bit farty even down at a regular low E.

However, it is worth noting that strings might be sold as, say, an E string, but it is really all about the tension they reach when tuned to different pitches and that is principally based on the gauge. A medium light 'E' tuned down to B is floppy but a heavy 'E' will probably cope with it even if it feels more like a light gauge string by the time it gets there. By the time you get that low, there are other physical factors that come into play, like scale length, tapering and how the string is anchored at the bridge so you might not get such a good result as a quality bass designed for that range but, with suitable strings it is feasible.

Mind you, you have to decide if it is worth it for one song. Either decide learn a lot more songs that want extra low notes or perhaps just concentrate on other tunes before putting time and money into either the 'new strings' or 'new bass' solution.

Wulf

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnach they have D tuners with the dial on the Treble side so you could flip everything down.

i know it’s a lot but it could work, and 4 d tuners are less expensive than a whole new bass probably.

Or getbthe new Schecter Apocalypse Baritone 4 String bass!

 

I just don't think that amount of detuning is going to result in anything good. Fine to detune everything a couple of semitones or three, at most... beyond that it's going to feel terrible and sound not much better. Making it all the way to B on the E string? Try detuning your bass and see if you like the result. I don't.

If you want a decent low B, you need a thicker string: that's a 5 string or a BEAD (for example) tuning dedicated bass. You don't need to spend lots to get a decent 5-string.

 

[mcnach]

21 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Ha!

i did do this on one bass, G&L ASAT semi hollow, it tolerated it very well, and played fine, but everyone is different

 

So clearly there's a market for those things then!  

I don't mind a certain degree of floppiness (for example, the Labella white nylon strings I have on my Jazz) but my Stingray with DR Fat Beams is terrible if I detune it so much. 

[Cuzzie]

@mcnach no arguments from me there with anything you have written, it’s all good stuff, I was just presenting possible alternatives without changing the bass which was my impression of the OP.

i did throw in there the new Schecter Apocalypse bass which is a 4 String designed to be tuned BEAD, which is out and will be at NAMM about now, and certainly looks good. They also have a 4 and a 5 in the same flavour

[Cuzzie]

I did put extra Heavy DR DDTs on that bass which probably helped it to hold, the only nut I had to file was the G String, all  Others were fine.

i loved that bass dearly, it was beautiful, only problem was I could not take those MFD pick ups, they were all power and no subtly, it looked amazing, one of the best necks, a G&L #8 is super skinny and lovely, much better than their #12 they stick on everything which is sort of a PJ size

[stingrayPete1977]

If you're going to put specific strings on that only suit the lower tuning then there's no point putting the d tuners on is there?

[Cuzzie]

I put a heavy set on specifically when I tried BEAD, but why could you not put on DR DDTs for normal tuning as an example of a string?

When yo drop it/them down there may be some benefit to their design to help.

Personally I like DR DDTs, one bass is down half a step, the other is normal, I like the way they sound and play. I would have no qualms in putting a heavier set on no matter the tuning if I preferred their feel and sound.

Can you expand a little please?

[stingrayPete1977]

I just can't see any strings being able to do a good job of EADG and BEAD at the flick of four D tuners.

I'll stick with the Stingray 5s.

[The59Sound]

Thanks for all the help so far guys. I think I may try it out to see how I get on. I've come across these Dunlops which look like they should have no problem with the BEAD tuning - 60-120 gauge! 

https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/dbn60120-7-10137-04570-5.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&page=2&refType=&from=fn 

[mcnach]

3 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

I did put extra Heavy DR DDTs on that bass which probably helped it to hold, the only nut I had to file was the G String, all  Others were fine.

i loved that bass dearly, it was beautiful, only problem was I could not take those MFD pick ups, they were all power and no subtly, it looked amazing, one of the best necks, a G&L #8 is super skinny and lovely, much better than their #12 they stick on everything which is sort of a PJ size

 

Oh yes, that probably helped a lot.

I can't remember what gauge I have on my Stingray, but it's either a 100 or 105 for the E, I suspect it's a 100 (I had various sets of each, and I can only find one set now, and several of 105)