Downtuning bass guitar

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LeadPaint

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I am about to borrow a 4-string bass guitar (Epiphone Les Paul Special Bass) from a friend and I wish to tune it to B. (B E A D) One of my electric guitars is also tuned to B (B E A D F# B) using the 6 lowest strings of a 7-string set. For the bass guitar, I plan to do the same, buy a 5-string set and use the 4 lowest strings.

I don't know which gauge I should get. I know how to fix a guitar's intonation, but I don't know how to adjust the neck and whether that will be necessary. Please help me decide which gauge I should get. I don't know which gauge is on the bass now, since it still has the strings from the factory.
 
Basically, you will be going to a thicker set of strings. The nut's grooves may need to be widened in order to accomodate the string thickness changes.
 
mjbphotos said:
The nut's grooves may need to be widened in order to accomodate the string thickness changes.
Click to expand...

Do not do this if you're borrowing someone else's bass unless they say it's okay. There's no coming back from that without a new nut.
 
mjbphotos said:
Basically, you will be going to a thicker set of strings.
Click to expand...
That's why I thought of buying a 5-string set and only using the 4 lowest strings. :) I'm not sure which gauge to get.
The nut's grooves may need to be widened in order to accomodate the string thickness changes.
Click to expand...
Is it likely the grooves are too narrow when I place a B string in an E groove? I'll have to check with my friend if he is okay with me filing the nut.
 
LeadPaint said:
Is it likely the grooves are too narrow when I place a B string in an E groove? I'll have to check with my friend if he is okay with me filing the nut.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is very likely. I'm no luthier so I don't know what's the worst that could happen with running much larger strings in a standard nut. I can only assume that the action might be a little high and tuning stability could potentially be an issue. The low B could possibly even slip out of the nut. Higher action might actually be beneficial though in this scenario.

As for gauge, I'd bet a "light" 5-string set would work best maybe with a standard nut. I don't know. I'm just spitballing ideas.
 
LeadPaint said:
That's why I thought of buying a 5-string set and only using the 4 lowest strings. :) I'm not sure which gauge to get.Is it likely the grooves are too narrow when I place a B string in an E groove? I'll have to check with my friend if he is okay with me filing the nut.
Click to expand...

Having done this with 3 basses so far, very yes. I've had to file down the nut every time.
You'll also want to double-check the hole at the bass of the guitar where the string runs through. On one of my basses, it's a little bit narrow, so cheap strings where the wound starts to get a bit wonky don't fit very well.

As to gauge, intonation, and adjusting the neck: Basses are pretty durable instruments. I've been playing my primary bass using this tuning for almost a decade. I never adjusted the neck or fine-tuned the intonation, and so far it hasn't had any problems. No warping; no tuning issues. (That being said, when I did this to a more expensive bass this year, I did bring to to a professional to adjust it)
Use whatever gauge string you normally use. The scale of the instrument is the same, so your old strings should sound pretty similar.
 
What do you use to file the nut's grooves? I don't think I have a file fine enough, except for a nail file. :p
 
DON'T DO IT to a borrow bass.
If you can afford that sort of fiddling & bass strings to boot you can afford a cheap bass.
I would never forgive you if you did it to my basses - There's no way the owner will really comprehend the changes you're making & the end result.
Experiment on your own gear!
 
The owner is fine with it, he even told me to file out the nut if the strings wouldn't fit. :)
 
How long does it take before the extra string tension bends the neck? Does this happen immediately or after a while?
 
I usually just use the ends of the strings to file the nut. Not probably the most pro, but it works well enough for a hack like me.

There shouldn't really be any extra tension unless you went up in relative gauge. That is, if the E string is the same size as before, the tension should be about the same. If you DID go way bigger, it'll usually take a few days for the neck to stop moving.
 
You might want to be on side of caution when deciding how far to let the strings drop into the nut or basically how deep the grooves are to allow for the new strings. The nut will dictate the string height at that end, a B string is obviously thicker and oscillates further in every direction it travels and is more likely to buzz on the frets than the original E which was the lowest prior to the mod. It's better to have the nut correct than find yourself having to shim it as that adds additional areas where the string vibration energy can dissipate rather than passing into the neck which can result in reduced sustain and harmonic output.
 
LeadPaint said:
How long does it take before the extra string tension bends the neck? Does this happen immediately or after a while?
Click to expand...

Once you tune it up, the extra tension will immediately cause the neck to bow a little more. And this may continue to bend the neck gradually over time. Different necks behave differently, so it's good that you have someone experienced to look at it.
 
LeadPaint said:
I am about to borrow a 4-string bass guitar (Epiphone Les Paul Special Bass) from a friend and I wish to tune it to B. (B E A D) One of my electric guitars is also tuned to B (B E A D F# B) using the 6 lowest strings of a 7-string set. For the bass guitar, I plan to do the same, buy a 5-string set and use the 4 lowest strings.

I don't know which gauge I should get. I know how to fix a guitar's intonation, but I don't know how to adjust the neck and whether that will be necessary. Please help me decide which gauge I should get. I don't know which gauge is on the bass now, since it still has the strings from the factory.
Click to expand...



Do you have dial calipers?

You really should measure your string sizes, before modifying a nut.


https://www.google.com/search?q=ver...34,d.aWc&fp=955f48f7217a44cd&biw=1429&bih=940
 
I wouldn't fuck with the nut at all. Just buy some bass strings and put them on. I switch out between strings for both bass and electric and I have never had any problems. I tune down to B standard for all my metal stuff. Keep in mind that when you tune down to B you end up with much less string tension. So, you need a thicker gauge to pick up the slack. It still feels nice and easy to play due to the lack of tension, but it wouldn't hold such a low tuning very well with out the thicker string gauge. I've only seen a few 6 string guitars that have a hard time accommodating larger string gauges, but they still did fine. The best way to describe it is like the difference between using light gauge and medium gauge. And there are various different gauge sets.

I like to use LTHB (Light Top Heavy Bottom) for E standard. I have some friends who think it's too thick because they think only light gauge should be used on an Electric guitar and I've even had a guy at a music store ask if the reason I was buying LTHB was for drop tuning. They actually told me you can't tune it up to E standard, which they were completely wrong about. I like the thick chunky rhythm and light easy lead abilities you get out of the LTHB strings :D

Now for tuning a 4 string bass down to B, I use strings that are actually made for doing so. I also use the same brand for turning my 6 string guitars down to B.

These are the ones I use on bass :D

DR Strings Drop-Down Tuning Extra Heavy Bass Strings | Musician's Friend

DV016_Jpg_Large_585430.jpg
 
Its going to need a set up and the 135 gauge low B may not fit through the bridge
 
I've only done it on a couple of different basses, but I've never had trouble getting the low B through the bridge. I did once break a nut on a bass trying to go up from like medium to heavy strings. There may well have been a fault in that nut to begin, but it cracked right through on the "outside" so that the low E wanted to fall off the neck.
 
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