6 string Bass tuned EADGCF

[GuyB]

Can a 6 string bass be tuned EADGCF?

If it can, are the strings available?

I mostly play guitar tuned in fourths, so I find that the low B on a 6 string bass very confusing, as I know all the notes on the fretboard in EADGCF tuning without thinking.

Thanks

[nige1968]

Could start here: https://kaliummusic.com/shop/strings/electric-bass/

If you can get an F-string long enough I don't see why it wouldn't be possible with some fiddling about with bridge, nut and truss.

This guy uses a banjo string for his top end (scroll about 3/4 of the way down to where he talks about strings): https://smartbassguitar.com/the-brian-gibson-interview-lightning-bolts-low-end/

I keep meaning to do this myself, so please do post results if you try it.

I guess if you can get string sets for 7-strings you're laughing: https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Ibanez-BTB747-7-String-Bass-Natural-Low-Gloss/28R5

Edited July 10, 2021 by nige1968

[ambient]

I used to play a 7 string bass with a high F. I used D’Addario strings, they sell singles. I think I was using a 0.020, though I’m not 100% sure now, it was a few years ago. 

You probably won’t get a wound string to go that high, at least I didn’t manage to find one. 

[Sambrook]

A set of D'addario piccolo strings tuned down to D work well as the top four strings, then the E and A of a similar D'addario 'normal' set complete the Sox. This has worked well for me in the past, and isn't too expensive...

[Elfrasho]

Not 6 string, but I strung a 5 string EADGC. didn't like it though as ultimately most of the playing gets played on the E and A strings and I found the stretch to the E where the B would normally be too much like hard work. 

If youre a soloist and the majority of you're playing will be in the higher strings then it makes more sense. Not for my style of play though

[Woodinblack]

Pretty close to the Bass VI tuning

[Hellzero]

I've did it a lot of times. Finding wound strings for the F is the main issue, but Kalium in the USA provides almost anything you want. LaBella and D'Addario 0.020 F strings are plain.

In the U.K., you can have a set made to measure by Newtone : https://newtonestrings.com/shop/custom-bass-string-configurator/

In Germany, Pyramid will do the same for you : http://pyramid-saiten.de/de/custom-shop/custom-shop.php

All these manufacturers make excellent strings.

[Crawford13]

3 hours ago, GuyB said:

Can a 6 string bass be tuned EADGCF?

If it can, are the strings available?

I mostly play guitar tuned in fourths, so I find that the low B on a 6 string bass very confusing, as I know all the notes on the fretboard in EADGCF tuning without thinking.

Thanks

The distance from B to E is also a 4th, so if you think of it that way it may help. Relate the B string to the E string the way you relate the E to the A, now you have an extended lower range. 

[GuyB]

Many thanks for the good info, yes, I was thinking about getting  a custom set of strings from newtone, whom I have had good strings from before, I'm just wondering what gauge to order.

As a quick guess, I'm thinking about these for a light gauge set for a 34 inch scale bass:

E 0.100
A 0.080
D 0.060
G 0.040
C 0.030
F 0.020

Obviously, it's the high C and F string gauges at 34inch scale that are a concern, will they break at that tension.

On 10/07/2021 at 12:29, Sambrook said:

A set of D'addario piccolo strings tuned down to D work well as the top four strings, then the E and A of a similar D'addario 'normal' set complete the Sox. This has worked well for me in the past, and isn't too expensive...

That's a very interesting option, great info, D'addario piccolo string gauges 52-42-32-20.

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, GuyB said:

Obviously, it's the high C and F string gauges at 34inch scale that are a concern, will they break at that tension.

That's a very interesting option, great info, D'addario piccolo string gauges 52-42-32-20.

The F is only a semitone above the 8th string of a chapman stick in classic tuning and that doesn't break (and on a railboard is also 34", or 36 on a standard stick).

[ambient]

2 hours ago, GuyB said:

Many thanks for the good info, yes, I was thinking about getting  a custom set of strings from newtone, whom I have had good strings from before, I'm just wondering what gauge to order.

As a quick guess, I'm thinking about these for a light gauge set for a 34 inch scale bass:

E 0.100
A 0.080
D 0.060
G 0.040
C 0.030
F 0.020

Obviously, it's the high C and F string gauges at 34inch scale that are a concern, will they break at that tension.

That's a very interesting option, great info, D'addario piccolo string gauges 52-42-32-20.

I think you’ll be fine with those gauges. My high C is a .028. I’m pretty certain I used a .020 gauge for a high F - my 7 string was an overwater 35 inch beast of a bass, I never encountered any strings breaking. Just tune slowly.

This is one of the great things about extended range instruments, there’s no right or wrong.

[Sambrook]

Michael Manring uses D'addario piccolo, and finds them very responsive to his wild and wacky tunings.

I have a cut down set on an Ibanez Mikro ; the G string tuned down to F makes it nice and bendy without being floppy.

(And that's the only way to get me and MM mentioned in the same post...)

[EssentialTension]

On 10/07/2021 at 12:33, Woodinblack said:

Pretty close to the Bass VI tuning

I had a Bass VI tuned in fourths - EADGCF - for a while, but soon went back to B and E on the high strings.

[Crawford13]

For the C string I would recommend 0.32, I believe that's what D'addario use. I used to get Warwicks that had 0.30 and the C usually felt a bit too Trebley compared to the 0.32.

[Bilbo]

My seven string is tuned BEADGBE, not CF. I think guitar tuning with the low B so guitar chords are transferable. 

[GuyB]

2 hours ago, Bilbo said:

My seven string is tuned BEADGBE, not CF. I think guitar tuning with the low B so guitar chords are transferable. 

Do you know the gauge for each string you are using?

Thanks to everyone for the info.

[Bilbo]

9 hours ago, GuyB said:

Do you know the gauge for each string you are using?

No idea 😄

[Dood]

My old 7 string was tuned with the high C and high F. The C was either a .30 or 32 and the F was a 0.20 - on a 34" scale. At the time I was using either Elite or Rotosound strings. Rotosound only did a plain 20 though iirc.

These days I use D'Addario who do a wide range of single strings (I'm not tuning to high F anymore though) - but if there's any string they can't make, then its absolutely Newtone Strings for custom winding.

[GuyB]

Eventually, I ordered the 5 string piccolo set from Newtone and an extra 95 for the low E.

 

6 String set is:

 

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

0.070

0.095

 

https://newtonestrings.com/shop/diamond-piccolo-5-string-bass/

[Hellzero]

That will be very light tension.

[Hellzero]

A standard gauge would have been : 0.020 (F), 0.028 (C), 0.045 (G), 0.065 (D), 0.085 (A), 0.105 (E).

 

But it seems @GuyB wants a light tension and opted for a very light tension.

[Sonic_Groove]

I'm sure it said "Hi Tension" a minute ago! Lol 😀 But Yes quite light

Edited November 26, 2021 by Sonic_Groove

[Hellzero]

2 minutes ago, Sonic_Groove said:

I'm sure it said "Hi Tension" a minute ago!

Nope, it didn't. 😉

[Sonic_Groove]

1 minute ago, Hellzero said:

Nope, it didn't. 😉

My bad reading LOL 👍🏼

 

But for Me if I tried E to F it would be 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 not sure if one company would offer that set

[BigRedX]

If I was going for a long scale set for a bass tuned E-E I'd be looking at getting Newtone to make me a 34" version of the Axion Bass VI strings.

 

The gauges are .024 .034 .044 .056 .080 .100 which IMO is a good balance and gives a bit of additional weight to the higher strings, which can have a tendency to sound like bad jazz guitar with some of the more "conventional" sets.