Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows

[danweb22]

Not sure if this is in the right forum but anyways,

I will be playing this in my covers band and I see that the tuning for a 4 string bass is C-F-Ashrp-Dshrp (low to high)

Obviously I get some very loose strings with this tuning

Is it best to put some slightly heavier gauge strings on OR use the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set?

I wonder wether the B string from a 5 string set would fit in the nut OK?

Cheers

[Conan]

Guess it depends on the gauges! A light gauge "B" might be the same diameter as a heavy gauge "E" from a four string set!

I take it you don't have a five string bass? Are you talking about tuning down your regular bass for that one track, or tuning a different bass down and only using it for No-one knows?

[danweb22]

[quote name='Conan' post='776948' date='Mar 17 2010, 08:10 AM']Guess it depends on the gauges! A light gauge "B" might be the same diameter as a heavy gauge "E" from a four string set!

I take it you don't have a five string bass? Are you talking about tuning down your regular bass for that one track, or tuning a different bass down and only using it for No-one knows?[/quote]

Thats right I don't have a 5 string, but I am hoping to tune my other bass down and just use it for that track. What sort of gauges should I be looking for?

[Conan]

Depends what you're used to! It would need to be something pretty heavy to tune down two full tones and still get the "feel" that you like, but my idea of heavy may not be the same as yours...

Also, different brands of string behave differently with respect to tension and feel.

Getting a bit out of my depth on that one as I have only used a small number of string brands myself! I'm sure others will be along later with more experience in that field!

Edited March 17, 2010 by Conan

[danweb22]

Thanks for the advice! I currently use 45 - 105 so something along those lines. To be honest for just the one song I'm not too bothered about feel, just as long as the strings aren't flapping about all over the place! (and they fit in the nut)

[Sibob]

If it's just for one song, just transcribe it for standard tuning!?
You'll lose the low C and Low F, but with the right EQ, Joe Bloggs won't notice

Si

[BottomEndian]

Using the good ol' [url="http://www.daddario.com/Resources/JDCDAD/images/tension_chart.pdf"]D'Addario tension chart[/url] as a rough guide (in other words, using their figures for their nickel rounds), if you're running 45-65-85-105, you're currently used to the following tensions (assuming 34" scale length):

G : 45 : 42.8 lb
D : 65 : 51.3 lb
A : 85 : 48.4 lb
E : 105 : 40.3 lb

To try and match those tensions as closely as possible when tuning down two tones, you'd need something like:

Eb/D# : 55 : 39.7 lb
Bb/A# : 80 : 47.2 lb
F : 105 or 110 : 45.3 or 52.0 lb
C : 135 : 40.4 lb

(And I've done a bit of maths to get the tensions for the top two strings there.) That's a pretty impractical string set unless you make it up from singles. When you're into the realms of down-tuning, you tend to get used to a different feel anyway. When I tuned C-G-C-F (drop C), I used a 55-75-90-110 set, which was much lower tension than a sensible set in standard tuning, but it was generally fine.

Like Sibob says, if it's just for one song, I'd probably re-voice it for standard tuning. Or bite the bullet and just flap around on your standard string set tuned down.

[Adrenochrome]

I tried this in standard tuning and it sounded terrible as the main riff is played against an open low C. Throw some 110s on and go for it in the proper tuning.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='777443' date='Mar 17 2010, 02:31 PM']I tried this in standard tuning and it sounded terrible as the main riff is played against an open low C. Throw some 110s on and go for it in the proper tuning.[/quote]
Then capo at fret 4 for the rest of the set.

[danweb22]

I have to agree with standard tuning it doesn't sound right, I have just ordered some singles so we will see what happens! Thanks for all the input!

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='danweb22' post='777482' date='Mar 17 2010, 02:56 PM']I have just ordered some singles[/quote]
What gauges?

[danweb22]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='777484' date='Mar 17 2010, 02:58 PM']What gauges?[/quote]

55-80-105-135 as suggested by your good self!

[Sibob]

If you're looking to tune down long-term, and want to set your bass up accordingly, I can't recommend Newtone Strings enough.
When my band FSOF was playing in Drop C exclusively, I had two basses set up in Drop C standard (C, F, Bb, Eb) with their High Tension strings. The extra tension meant that I could have my strings in normal guages 45-105, and a low action too, nothing flapping or buzzy!

Just to re-iterate, I used 45-105 guages in Drop C Standard with pretty normal action.
The only negative with high tension strings is that Newtone taylor them to the tuning you want, so although you'd probably be able to take them up to Drop D standard, getting them to E standard would probably make them too tight to play comfortablely. This obvisuly isn't an issue if you're in Drop C all the time.

Si

[Doddy]

If you have to tune down you should be able to do it by dropping your low E to a C
and keep the rest in standard.
If you are going to string up another bass differently I'd suggest tuning it like the
bottom 4 of a 5 string-BEAD. To me it makes more sense than CFA#D#. I've played
the song comfortably on a standard tuned 5 string with no problems.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='danweb22' post='777495' date='Mar 17 2010, 03:03 PM']55-80-105-135 as suggested by your good self! [/quote]
Well, this should be interesting. Let us know how it pans out. I've done loads of tension calculations in my life, but I've never gone to the effort of ordering singles to try it out! I always just go for the nearest thing I can buy off the shelf.

Sibob, I'm intrigued by the Newtone High Tension strings. They might suit my plan to string the Hondo low A-D-G-C -- saves me having to drill out a bridge and completely ream a nut to accommodate a 145-gauge A-string. If I can happily tune, say, a 115-gauge to low A without flapping like a twat... well, that'd be awesome. What's the price per set (I can't find a mention of High Tension strings on the Newtone website)?

Edited March 17, 2010 by BottomEndian

[Protium]

I would go with a heavy set of 4 strings maybe a 110 max, most of the QOTSA tone comes from massive downtuning and the rest from a valve amp cranked to 11.

[chriswilliams666]

Can someone point me in the right direction for buying some 45-105 high tension strings? I am struggling to find them, and this is exactly what I am looking for too!



[quote name='Sibob' post='777500' date='Mar 17 2010, 03:06 PM']If you're looking to tune down long-term, and want to set your bass up accordingly, I can't recommend Newtone Strings enough.
When my band FSOF was playing in Drop C exclusively, I had two basses set up in Drop C standard (C, F, Bb, Eb) with their High Tension strings. The extra tension meant that I could have my strings in normal guages 45-105, and a low action too, nothing flapping or buzzy!

Just to re-iterate, I used 45-105 guages in Drop C Standard with pretty normal action.
The only negative with high tension strings is that Newtone taylor them to the tuning you want, so although you'd probably be able to take them up to Drop D standard, getting them to E standard would probably make them too tight to play comfortablely. This obvisuly isn't an issue if you're in Drop C all the time.

Si[/quote]