B,E,A,D???

[Ghosts Over Japan]

ok so im getting a new bass soon for the band im in (yes a metal band)

the tuning is drop B

the bass ill be using is 34" scale and a four string and i brought a five string set of strings and used the B,E,A,D, would the strings be tight?
or would the 34" scale make the B really loose?

thanks guys

Edited October 5, 2007 by cai!

[Ghosts Over Japan]

does anybody understand that?

[Steve_K]

17.5?

[Steve_K]

*ahem*
But really - by Drop B tuning do you mean BEAD? If so then the lower 4 strings in a 5 string set will be fine on a 34" scale, as the strings will almost certainly have been designed for that scale anyway.

[Paul Cooke]

I'm confused...

Drop 'B' is that B, A, D, G

if so, you'll want just the B string from a five string set... (I think you can buy single B strings, not sure though)

Otherwise use a five string set and only use the B, A, D & G strings...

[Ghosts Over Japan]

hahaha i need a new set of strings anyways thats why im buying a full set
lol yeah drop B is like B F# B E

parkway drive and bring me the horizon use it i think, but our guitarist can write some mental stuff in B

but i figure it would be easier to use the B E A D strings so youve helped cheers guys

[MacDaddy]

I use B-E-A-D on y passive SUB. Works fine, but I had to file the nut and bridge saddle for the wider B string to fit.

(well actually I got Jon Shuker to do it LOL)

[Ghosts Over Japan]

ahhhhh cheers i thought i might have to adjust the nut.. oh theres an idea il buy an adjust a nut :]

if use a file

[Mr. Foxen]

I'm using that tuning at the moment, band plays in drop D, didn't like the slackness of downtuning a step, so took the BEAD route instead. I found I only had just enough adjustment in my bridge to get the intoation on the low B right, although I'd never play high enough on it for it to matter.

[charic]

How well does that work mr foxen? Ive got similar issues myself, i find drop D causes my Pbass to lose that punch that is the sig of a pbass rele.

[Mr. Foxen]

Its pretty much like a 5 string, without the confusing, the cheapy 5 set I got to try out suffered from slack B syndrome, that is common, the elicir set on my new BC rich sound pretty even, although being very second hand they are dying. I'm itching to steal the Dean markley tapered set of my unplayed Peavey, but it wouldn't have a good set on to demo to buyers then. Might have to score some more.

Course the other root is some .50s and tune to D, got some Ken smith strings on the way to try that, the open D will allow more goat throwing while riding the root.

When I was drop tuning my guitar, I just picked up a guage hevier low E to even it out.

[Ghosts Over Japan]

hahaha enjoying your convo lads?

haha its a gravy anyways, it works:)

cheers for the help

[Delberthot]

I'm playing in a rock covers band and there's a couple of Paul Rodgers songs that we do - one requires a low D and the other a low B - both using fretless so i put together a parts bass for this.

Its a cheap jazz knockoff with a mighty-mite neck with ebonol fretboard - I have it tuned B E A D and used a set of DR Marcus Miller Badmofo strings.

i had to adjust the action (string height, intonation, truss rod) but other than that it was a walk in the park. really straightforward if you are used to setting up basses - if not then get someone else to do it or at least show you how to do it