Low tunings

[SteveXFR]

I've recently got myself a Fender P bass and got together with a couple mates to try and write some stoner metal. Drop C is kind of where it feels right on the guitar but even with .110 - .055 strings, the low C on my P bass sounds crap. The other strings are nice and bright but the low one just sounds dull and lifeless. How can I get it sounding decent in this tuning, I know plenty of people play P basses for stoner and doom lower than drop C.

My old 5 string Ibanez sounded much brighter at drop A so maybe I should trade in the P bass for a 5 but then I'd have to tune it up a semitone

[Merton]

I’ve just ordered a custom set of Newtones for exactly the same tuning for some recording I’m doing for a friend; gone for their lightest B string for the C, which is a .115, so can report back in a week or two

[miles'tone]

Nick Oliveri (KYUSS/QOTSA) used/uses GHS Bass Boomers .115 and .095 for his C and F strings mixed with Ernie Ball Power Slinkys .075 and .055 for his Bb and Eb strings.

 

[SteveXFR]

4 minutes ago, miles'tone said:

Nick Oliveri (KYUSS/QOTSA) used/uses GHS Bass Boomers .115 and .095 for his C and F strings mixed with Ernie Ball Power Slinkys .075 and .055 for his Bb and Eb strings.

 

 

Thanks for the top tip. There's nothing wrong with his bass tone. Odd bloke, great bassist

[Bass4real]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

I've recently got myself a Fender P bass and got together with a couple mates to try and write some stoner metal. Drop C is kind of where it feels right on the guitar but even with .110 - .055 strings, the low C on my P bass sounds crap. The other strings are nice and bright but the low one just sounds dull and lifeless. How can I get it sounding decent in this tuning, I know plenty of people play P basses for stoner and doom lower than drop C.

My old 5 string Ibanez sounded much brighter at drop A so maybe I should trade in the P bass for a 5 but then I'd have to tune it up a semitone

I use alternative bass tuning alot

Drop D Drop A

Drop C

 Drop B is crazy low but I like it 

 

[SteveXFR]

19 minutes ago, Bass4real said:

I use alternative bass tuning alot

Drop D Drop A

Drop C

 Drop B is crazy low but I like it 

 

 

In my last band I used drop A. I had a multi scale 5 string Ibanez SRMS805 which did it really well. In our live set, I used the G string for three notes and could have played them on the D string but still wouldn't have swapped it for a 4 string. 

[Bass4real]

52 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

In my last band I used drop A. I had a multi scale 5 string Ibanez SRMS805 which did it really well. In our live set, I used the G string for three notes and could have played them on the D string but still wouldn't have swapped it for a 4 string. 

I have a 4 string A/E

I've been playing 5 & 6 stringers (Bass) for a long time 

I got my 1st 5 string IBANEZ  ROADSTAR II

in like 1984 and never looked back 

I also bought a KRAMER XL8 string in 1978

Damn time flies 

It got stolen 2 yrs later. 

I like 6s but 

My favorites are definitely 5s 

I play my 4 string acoustic bass every day.

I'm a metal player also 

Always have been 

Playing The 4 str makes me remember no matter how many strings 

First and foremost They're are all still BASSes 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 19 hours ago by Bass4real

[MichaelDean]

I'm using a Newtone set of .125, .09, .07, .05, .03 for CGCFC on my Dingwall. I'd recommend something in that ballpark. 

[cocco]

Is it definitely strings related? I ask because I have a P bass with 45-105s that sounds huge in C# standard. 

 

What's the rest of your signal chain? 

[Jackroadkill]

11 minutes ago, cocco said:

Is it definitely strings related? I ask because I have a P bass with 45-105s that sounds huge in C# standard. 

 

What's the rest of your signal chain? 

 

My thoughts too; I used a Squier J tuned C F A# D# and had no problems through a 2x15 and I used the same 45-105 strings (Roto's) that I used in standard tuning.

[Owen]

Check your nut. When I went super low (F#) it was deeply lacklustre until I opened up the nut slightly so the string (.175) sits in it properly. I had tried low F# before but had not got it to work. This was the answer for me. Take the next string up, put it in some sandpaper and slowly open the nut up. YMMV

Edited 17 hours ago by Owen
because of the spelling. Always because of the spelling.

[Bass4real]

2 minutes ago, cocco said:

Is it definitely strings related? I ask because I have a P bass with 45-105s that sounds huge in C# standard. 

 

What's the rest of your signal chain? 

If you're meaning effects 

Bass to DARKGLASS B7kv2 to boss 50B to amp I don't really need to use both effects 

The boss  alone gives me a sound I like 

But I when I do both effects the B7kv2 gives my sound and an extra punch and better distortion than the boss by itself.

The B7kv2 is a badass Preamp I'm starting to use it without the boss .

I'm not alot of effects kind of Bass player 

My fingers are the effect I used for years 

But of course fingers have limitations : ? )

If you didn't mean effects 

Exactly what do ya mean signal chain 

We call alot of the same things completely different from UK to USA.

Maybe what you call a signal chain isn't the same as what I call a signal chain.

: ? )

Strings I use roundwounds 

GHS BASS BOOMERS (LIGHTS)

and ROTOSOUND 66 SWING BASS standard

 

 

[SteveXFR]

8 hours ago, cocco said:

Is it definitely strings related? I ask because I have a P bass with 45-105s that sounds huge in C# standard. 

 

What's the rest of your signal chain? 

 

At the moment it's just a 2006 Fender MIM P bass straight in to an Ashdown ABM600. 

I've also been playing in to Reaper with a BOD (Sansamp plugin) and a bit of EQ

[BigRedX]

Low C is only a semitone higher than low B on a 5-string, where I would consider 125 to be the absolute lightest string that has any chance of sounding decent. So I would suggest ditching the 110 in favour of a 120 and see how that sounds and feels. Also try lowering the pickup slightly further away from the lowest string as the chunkier strings are more affected by the magnetic pull.

[LeftyJ]

11 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

I'm using a Newtone set of .125, .09, .07, .05, .03 for CGCFC on my Dingwall. I'd recommend something in that ballpark. 

 

I'm using Status stainless steel .125, .100, .080, .060 and .040 on a regular 34" scale headless tuned down to A. Feels somewhat loose but not floppy, but still sounds nice and articulate thanks to the rigid graphite neck on my S2 Classic. 

[MichaelDean]

3 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

 

I'm using Status stainless steel .125, .100, .080, .060 and .040 on a regular 34" scale headless tuned down to A. Feels somewhat loose but not floppy, but still sounds nice and articulate thanks to the rigid graphite neck on my S2 Classic. 

I like a high-ish tension. My open low C just slams, as confirmed by other bassists! The guitarists in my band are quite happy with 10s tuned down to drop C too. I much prefer the tension of 11s on my les paul copy.

[thodrik]

I use a set of D'addario 120-50 balanced tension strings for D standard/drop C on a P bass and they work fine. They also work great for C sharp standard. The 120 however does get floppy if start tuning to drop B. For C sharp and drop B I generally up the low string to a tapered 10. 

 

Some of the classic low tune stoner metal bass tones have however been obtained with comparatively light tuned strings. The loose tension plays a part in the tone, so if you want to nail the 'vibe' of those early recordings a P Bass with slightly looser strings might be better than a multi-scale bass with really heavy high tension strings. It does come down to personal taste though and I like heavier tension strings (I use 12-62 strings on a guitar for lower tuning stuff on a Les Paul)

 

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

Also try lowering the pickup slightly further away from the lowest string as the chunkier strings are more affected by the magnetic pull.

 

For a Precision type bass especially, this is a very good idea. 

 

[LeftyJ]

1 hour ago, MichaelDean said:

I much prefer the tension of 11s on my les paul copy.

 

Can imagine, on a 24.75" scale! I would too. I use 11s on my Tokai ES335-copy tuned to regular E. 

[cocco]

8 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

 

At the moment it's just a 2006 Fender MIM P bass straight in to an Ashdown ABM600. 

I've also been playing in to Reaper with a BOD (Sansamp plugin) and a bit of EQ

Fair enough, assuming it's the same result through both that's my hypothesis disproven.

Could it be a dodgy string or pickup?

 

*edit* or something set up related?

Edited 53 minutes ago by cocco

[Dood]

For Drop C and Drop C#, the best off the shelf strings available in a packet, everywhere are D'Addario Balanced Tension Medium / Long Scale Set EXL160BT 

 

 

Newtone custom strings are very good too!!