Tuning Question

[Bobby K]

Hello bass friends

Just wanted to ask about a tuning issue.

For future gigs I'm planning on having one of my two Precisions tuned up a whole step (in F# as it were)

I'm normally using standard gauges (45-105) but am considering using a lighter gauge for the [i]tuned up[/i] bass, maybe 40's, or even 35's.

What are the implications of tuning up a whole step, i[i]s it safe to do so[/i], with regard to the neck etc?

I'm in a Smiths tribute. Andy Rourke was often tuned up a whole step on his bass, back in the heady days of The Smiths in the early/mid 80's. I've never bothered with this tuning before now but have discovered that it would make some of the lines a lot easier to play

Any thoughts would be much appreciated....

[Conan]

I would have thought that if you use lighter strings, the tension will not change that much? So the pull on the neck should be about the same?

[Paul_C]

[quote name='Bobby K' post='814950' date='Apr 22 2010, 01:29 PM']Hello bass friends

Just wanted to ask about a tuning issue.

For future gigs I'm planning on having one of my two Precisions tuned up a whole step (in F# as it were)

I'm normally using standard gauges (45-105) but am considering using a lighter gauge for the [i]tuned up[/i] bass, maybe 40's, or even 35's.

What are the implications of tuning up a whole step, i[i]s it safe to do so[/i], with regard to the neck etc?

I'm in a Smiths tribute. Andy Rourke was often tuned up a whole step on his bass, back in the heady days of The Smiths in the early/mid 80's. I've never bothered with this tuning before now but have discovered that it would make some of the lines a lot easier to play

Any thoughts would be much appreciated....[/quote]

according to the D'Addario charts [url="http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf"]http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf[/url]

with a std. set tuned E A D G, the tensions are :

E 40.3 / A 48.4 / D 51.3 / G 42.8

with the tuning raised to F B E A the tensions for a 40-100 set are:

F 41.7 / B 52.9 / E 54.1 / A 42.5

and a 35-95 set are :

F 38.7 / B 47.8 / E 44.5 / A 32.4

those numbers wouldn't necessarily apply to another make of strings, but it gives you an idea of the differences

[Paul_C]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='814971' date='Apr 22 2010, 01:49 PM']according to the D'Addario charts [url="http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf"]http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf[/url]

with a std. set tuned E A D G, the tensions are :

E 40.3 / A 48.4 / D 51.3 / G 42.8

with the tuning raised to F B E A the tensions for a 40-100 set are:

F 41.7 / B 52.9 / E 54.1 / A 42.5

and a 35-95 set are :

F 38.7 / B 47.8 / E 44.5 / A 32.4

those numbers wouldn't necessarily apply to another make of strings, but it gives you an idea of the differences[/quote]

just noticed that they do a 40-95 set which would be the closest match to the original tensions

[Bobby K]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='814971' date='Apr 22 2010, 01:49 PM']F 38.7 / B 47.8 / E 44.5 / A 32.4[/quote]

When you say "F" do you mean F#?

(I'll be tuning the E string to F# after all...)

(Actually, just looked at their charts and there is no F#)

Edited April 22, 2010 by Bobby K

[Bobby K]

So the concensus seems to be lighter gauge is the way to go, to try and recreate the same amount of string tension as the standards.

Cheers guys, i thought so

[BottomEndian]

Spanner in the works here... what about a capo at the 2nd fret?

[Bobby K]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='815022' date='Apr 22 2010, 02:47 PM']Spanner in the works here... what about a capo at the 2nd fret?[/quote]

I did consider it, but abandoned the idea

It's interesting that Johnny Marr was capo'd on the 2nd fret on loads of Smiths songs - perhaps one of the reasons why Andy was tuned up a whole step.

I wonder if he ever considered the capo...

[BottomEndian]

The beauty of the capo is that, of course, you can take it off to quickly get back to standard tuning. No second bass needed!

[Bobby K]

Yes, that was considered, but the beauty of having two basses there is that one of them can ultimately be a back-up anyway.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Bobby K