Tuning a bass

[Richard Monroe]

28 pages?!!? 599 posts ?!!? If you mofo's stopped putting post-it notes on a dead horse, by now you'd be Stanley Clark! THink I'll go play some bass...maybe I'll even tune it.-Richie

 

[mishagolin]

i might buy a bass today. i'm thinking about a fender jazz.

i was just wondering if there were any tunings i should avoid. . . like F#(46.25Hz), G(98Hz), Bb(58.275Hz), F(176.4Hz)

so if anyone can help me out with tunings that didn't work for them i'd be thankful.

(this might keep the thread alive for a while)

 

[lpdeluxe]

Avoid all tunings where the frequency ends in 3, 7, or 0. That's the most basic (ha, ha) rule.

 

[Toki987]

I enjoyed changing the calibration on one my guitar players digital tuner just before a pretty intense rehearsal, with visitors. He never questioned my tuning again, or anyone else in the band, after that frenzy was over....

 

[Reggie]

Hey gang, I found this fantastic resource for bass tuning. Check it out. Anyone know of any good periodicals on bass tuning?

Also, what is the standard bass tuning in the UK? I assume it involves the metric system or something, right? (In the USA, E=41.2Hz, A=55Hz, D=73.42Hz, and G=98Hz)

Thanx

 

[lpdeluxe]

Also, what is the standard bass tuning in the UK?

It depends on whether you are speaking of metric units or Imperial units; there are conversion tables available online. Of course, you must evaluate the political leanings of many of the participants in order to arrive at a meaningful conclusion. Warning: "Hertz" is a German term. I don't wish to alienate persons of the Teutonic persuasion reading this, but facts are facts. Be aware of the hidden agendas of persons purporting to **help** you tune your bass.

There, I've said too much!

 

[Garry Sharp]

A website devoted to bass tuning!! That's even better than the one which tells which direction the luggage carousels in all each of the world's airports go round.

And an Englishman never tunes his bass, it's just not the done thing. Smacks of showing off you know, playing in tune

 

[lpdeluxe]

And an Englishman never tunes his bass...

Yes, I wondered about that.

 

[cannabis]

seriously

how do you tune it?

 

[ez_willis]

So it's agreed. No one is listening to the bass anyways, therefore it need not be in tune.

 

[Reggie]

Just make sure you roll off the highs and mids quite a bit. As long as there is something rumbling around there in the low end, everyone is happy. Although it never hurts to tune just in case someone is paying attention closely.

Here is a great video on tuning a bass: http://hobbies.expertvillage.com/videos/bass-tuning-by-ear.htm

 

[Reggie]

ha, whoa. double

 

[toad_uk]

I once saw a bass in a shop and I think I heard one played on a recording sometime.

 

[32-20-Blues]

Fair enough. I also seem to recall that 60 cycle hum is in the key of B flat.

C'mon. I just know you all wanted to know THAT!

Brad

p.s. I know a guitarist in Indiana named Matt.

Did ya know that 95 percnt of toilets flush somewehere around Eb?

 

[Creamyapples1]

I suppose I can lend my assistance towards 100 pages:

I got my first bass in 1992. It was a Dixson, or some-such. Came with a 30 watt practice amp. In late 1993 I picked up a Fender M-80 Chorus, Bass combo (still going strong) and an external cab with a 15 and a horn. When I graduated High School in 1997, I used my Graduation presents (money) to get a Sunburst Fender Jazz Bass, which I've had ever since. Love it, Love it, Love it! I am in the market for a new bass rig, but I can't make up my mind.

 

[Dogman]

I have a bass. I play it sometimes.

 

[Reggie]

I got my first bass in 1992. It was a Dixson, or some-such. Came with a 30 watt practice amp. In late 1993 I picked up a Fender M-80 Chorus, Bass combo (still going strong) and an external cab with a 15 and a horn. When I graduated High School in 1997, I used my Graduation presents (money) to get a Sunburst Fender Jazz Bass, which I've had ever since. Love it, Love it, Love it! I am in the market for a new bass rig, but I can't make up my mind.

So......
How does it tune....?

 

[NL5]

I don't know how to tune a bass, but there sure fun to catch......

 

[Creamyapples1]

So......
How does it tune....?

E-A-D-G, I'm not very original or different -

 

[lpdeluxe]

It's good to see this valuable thread brought back to life. It will provide instruction and entertainment for generations to come.

So I'm back to playing bass full time in a band...at an early rehearsal, I said, "Is this bass line OK?" The singer looked at me in astonishment: "YOU're the bass player," he said.

Gotta love it. Now, if I could just figure out how to tune the stupid thing....