How do I know if my bass is tuned to the right octave?(without risking snapping the stringa)

[TJ1]

Sorry this is a really basic question.

The reason I ask is that the G open string of my new bass sounds much higher than the D string fretted at the fifth fret: when relative tuning guides say they should sound the same.

Any help appreciated - I am frightened to turn up the tuners too much for fear of breaking the strings.

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

3 minutes ago, TJ1 said:

Sorry this is a really basic question.

The reason I ask is that the G open string of my new bass sounds much higher than the D string fretted at the fifth fret: when relative tuning guides say they should sound the same.

Any help appreciated - I am frightened to turn up the tuners too much for fear of breaking the strings.

 

If it were tuned an octave too low it would be hanging off. I very much doubt you could even tune a bass string an octave too high. 

I always find the open G sounds very different to the fretted G. It's not a difference in pitch so much as in tone.

The open G always sounds to me, for want of a better word "twangy". 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Newfoundfreedom

[TJ1]

Thanks - I also tried tuning against my acoustic guitar(which I know is in tune), when fretted at the 12th the bass seems to produce the same sounds as the open strings of the acoustic(allowing for tonal differences)

[PaulWarning]

15 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

If it were tuned an octave too low it would be hanging off. I very much doubt you could even tune a bass string an octave too high. 

I always find the open G sounds very different to the fretted G. It's not a difference in pitch so much as in tone.

The open G always sounds to me, for want of a better word "twangy". 

this is the case with all open strings I've found, I prefer the sound of open A because it's twangy, whereas some prefer the dull thud of the E string fretted at the 5th fret, it is a very different sound, more than once I checked my tuning to confirm they are indeed the same note

[Newfoundfreedom]

1 minute ago, TJ1 said:

Thanks - I also tried tuning against my acoustic guitar(which I know is in tune), when fretted at the 12th the bass seems to produce the same sounds as the open strings of the acoustic(allowing for tonal differences)

That would make sense, as fretting at the 12 fret would put the bass at the same octave as the open guitar string. So you're good to go. 

[ped]

Try this

https://www.fender.com/online-guitar-tuner/bass-guitar-tuning

[LeftyJ]

Try comparing the 5th fret harmonic of the D-string to the 7th fret harmonic on the G-string. When tuned correctly, they should sound the same. You can play these harmonics by just lightly touching the strings above the fret (don't actually fret the note) and plucking the string like you normally would when playing. 

[fleabag]

2 hours ago, TJ1 said:

Sorry this is a really basic question.

The reason I ask is that the G open string of my new bass sounds much higher than the D string fretted at the fifth fret: when relative tuning guides say they should sound the same.

Any help appreciated - I am frightened to turn up the tuners too much for fear of breaking the strings.

 

Have you checked the intonation ?

Check the open G with a tuner,  and then fret the G at the 12th fret.   The tuner should show no difference.  If there is, you need to adjust the intonation at the bridge.   The adjustment screw can move the saddle forwards or backwards depending on whether the string is sharp or flat

[ead]

5 hours ago, LeftyJ said:

Try comparing the 5th fret harmonic of the D-string to the 7th fret harmonic on the G-string. When tuned correctly, they should sound the same. You can play these harmonics by just lightly touching the strings above the fret (don't actually fret the note) and plucking the string like you normally would when playing. 

This

[Lfalex v1.1]

On 05/02/2021 at 10:26, ped said:

Try this

https://www.fender.com/online-guitar-tuner/bass-guitar-tuning

My phone speaker really didn't like that low "E"!

Just as well they don't do a five- string tuner!

[Frank Blank]

On 05/02/2021 at 09:53, TJ1 said:

Sorry this is a really basic question.

It’s a great question and one I’ve wondered about for years.