5 string conversion, low b to high c.

[evan47]

Has anyone here converted a 5 string bass from a low b to a high c?

Just wondering about any pitfalls after stringing.

 

[mattbass6]

You would just need to look at the neck relief, and of course either change the nut, or get a tech guy to “refashion” the slits to accommodate the string width, depending on current gauge, tension, and type of string. I’m a perfectionist, so I’d want every aspect covered. That’s just me. Either way, try it and if things aren’t right for you, it shouldn’t be too much hassle in the hands of the right person. I can point you in the right direction if you want some help. 

Edited April 28, 2022 by mattbass6
Added personal experience.

[haruki]

I did it once - just slapped the strings on and it seemed to work fine to my limited ears.

Didn't change the nut. Hardest part was sourcing the right high C.

[Sambrook]

Try it and see!

I've done it many times, and adjusting the relief was the only thing needed ( and not every time, either).

[chris_b]

Just restring it and see how it goes. You won't damage anything.

 

If you are moving from a low B to a high C, you probably won't have to change the nut. The tension of all the strings is within a few lbs of each other, so swapping a B for a C should be OK.

[BigRedX]

18 hours ago, chris_b said:

If you are moving from a low B to a high C, you probably won't have to change the nut. The tension of all the strings is within a few lbs of each other, so swapping a B for a C should be OK.

 

For most standard bass strings, high C is significantly higher tension than low B. As a rule of thumb, the D string is usually the highest tension with the tension decreasing as the strings get higher or lower; however the decrease in tension between each string going down in pitch is greater than that for the high strings (high C will probably be closest in tension to the A string). Depending upon the stiffness of the neck, you might not notice anything, but be prepared to tighten the truss rod very slightly.

[ezbass]

Did this to my Rob Allen MB2. I contacted Rob beforehand to check if it would be OK, he mentioned nut slots and truss rod adjustment, but it'd be OK. Tried it, didn't need to change the slots and the relief was rock solid. However, I changed back to B-G as the C wasn't as useful as I thought it might be and I missed the low D.

[bnt]

I did this on a Hohner B2V years ago, which doesn’t have a nut at all, so there wasn’t that to worry about. I got double ball strings from Status Graphite, I just specified the gauges and they called it a custom set. Bass Centre Elites are another option today.