is it dangerous?

[Donici Mihail]

can i put the thickest strings from a 5 string set on a 4-string bass guitar?

i can play only 4 string and i dont want to go for the 5 string version of this bass:

https://www.thomann.de/intl/md/marcus_miller_m2_tbk_2nd_gen.htm

can this bass get damage from smth like this?

[Kevsy71]

If you are tuning B E A D then I do not see the problem, although the nut slots are likely to be too small as they will be cut for E A D G gauges. You will probably need to adjust the truss rod to account for a different string tension. 

A cheap way to try us buy a single B string and give it a go. 

[BigRedX]

If you need to adjust the truss rod you will have the slacken it off. The B-string is considerably lower tension than the G.

[hubrad]

You can do this, but as above you'll need to change the nut slots and the setup. I even turned 4 string into 5 string, but I'm told that isn't possible..

I could have saved so much money if I'd done this all those years ago! 😄

[fretmeister]

BEAD tuning is quite popular. Sometimes even lower these days.

It's not dangerous at all. Just get it set up right.

 

Sometimes it's easier to get a new nut and keep the old one for putting back on in case you ever want to sell it.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Actually the tension on the neck will likely be a bit lower with the B-E-A-D tuning than the E-A-D-G tuning, as the low B string typically will have lower tension than the high G string typically would.

So not dangerous at all.

You might need to file the nut slots a bit bigger though to accommodate the thicker gauge strings, and you would most likely have to adjust the relief of the neck, due to the changed overall tension, as well as the intonation. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Baloney Balderdash

[Shaggy]

Thread title instantly took me back to "Marathon Man"..........

[Jono Bolton]

I used to play in a band that tuned to C#. I used the bottom 4 strings from a 5 string set; I think the low string was .130 and had no issues at all.