JustAverageMax Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Im learning a lot of stuff in Drop C lately and i want a bass thats going to be able to give that real low end thump. Any sugestions PLEASE:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Hang on, do I get this correctly, a 4 string bass that's tuned... how? Low C on what used to be the open E string, and what are the other open strings tuned to? I still don't see the point (hooray for 5-stringers!), but I'm genuinely curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1347390315' post='1800205'] Hang on, do I get this correctly, a 4 string bass that's tuned... how? Low C on what used to be the open E string, and what are the other open strings tuned to? I still don't see the point (hooray for 5-stringers!), but I'm genuinely curious. [/quote] I would guess C, G, C, F or C, F, Bb, Eb if you went the whole hog. I've also seen C, A, D, G as well but for the life of me I don't get that particular tuning. Some people get on better on 4's than they do on 5's, personally I'd just buy a 5 I reckon. Back to the OP, perhaps if you offered a bit more about the music you like to play you might get a bit more in the way of informed answers from a few members! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Ah, thanks for that. I guess the strings on mine would hang loose, let alone be able to produce any kind of tuned sound... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1347391686' post='1800241'] Ah, thanks for that. I guess the strings on mine would hang loose, let alone be able to produce any kind of tuned sound... [/quote] Not if you used the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set,tuned up a semitone. Pretty much any bass will work for that if you get it set up well...although personally I'd get a 5 string (I don't like playing in drop tunings,other than the odd drop D-thanks Hipshot extender key) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 That makes sense but yes, I fully see your point as I'm a 5-string addict and hate non-standard tunings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Any 4 string bass within reason can work with Drop C tuning, I've done it on my ACG and on my Fender. The trick is to find the right strings. If you give the guys at [url="http://www.newtonestrings.com/"]Newtone[/url] a shout then they'll sort you out [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1347390315' post='1800205'] Hang on, do I get this correctly, a 4 string bass that's tuned... how? Low C on what used to be the open E string, and what are the other open strings tuned to? [/quote] CGCF FWIW I have tried playing the Cerberus Cell tracks on my 6er but as my guitarist writes the songs in Drop C I would be holding down the first fret of the B string an awful lot and sacrificing a lot of speed in the process... (not something I can afford to do, I'm just not good enough for that ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Yeah, I know, quite a lot of modern metal is written in drop D or drop C. (I'm not even fast enough to play most trad metal in normal tuning on a 4 - but that's a different matter! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) Most basses will sound good CGCF if you have a heavy enough string. Nothing less than a .110 on the low string (in my opinion) Then again, you cold also try a 5 string tuned to CEADG which is a bit funny to get used to at first but works very well! And if you want a bass in standard tuning, just whack the C down to B and voila! Edited September 11, 2012 by chrismuzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomWIC Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 My Epi Thunderbird handles drop C absolutely fine, as does my Ibanez GSR200 and virtually any other bass I've played over the last year. I use Dunlop Stainless Steels .105 gauge for my low string and it sounds brilliant. As chrismuzz said, I wouldn't go any less than a .110 gauge string though - I'm purely using a .105 as I haven't found the time to file down the nut on my Thunderbird so a .110 would actually fit through. Getting a decent setup done would be extremely beneficial too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I've never done it, but I'd imagine a Dingwall 4 would suit this sort of tuning - the extra scale length helps a lot with the tension - I've just dropped my 105 from E to C to see how it feels (the drop D is great), and it's not bad at all, so I'd imagine a 110 would be perfect down to C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderjazz Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 String gauge is the important thing for this, especially if you're going to be on a 4 string neck with a 34" inch scale. If you look at the following link http://circlekstrings.com/CKSIMAGES/CircleKtensionChart.pdf you can calculate the tension you currently have your strings at with your current tension, and what you would need to increase the gauge to to get an equivalent tension in C. For example, if you're tuned to E on your low string with a 0.105 gauge string, there will be approximately 43" pounds of tension. To get the equivalent tension in C, you would need a 0.130 to 0.135 gauge string. I have my bass tuned in drop C, and I was using the low 4 strings in a 5 string set (130, 100, 80, 60), but I found the tension in the high C and F strings quite high, so I'm currently getting the bass set up with a 0.125 set, but using the low B string for the C, ignoring the E string, and using the other strings in their respective places (0.125, 0.85, 0.65, 0.45). This should hopefully lead to a balanced tension set, with the string tension roughly the same across the strings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I use heavy GHS 115-50 that manages drop C alright. The 'use the bottom four strings of a five string set' is fine for C straight, but is a bit tight for drop C. DR DDTs 115-55 works fine but a pricey as hell, hence my use of the GHS, as would a custom set around 120-50 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Any normal long scale bass (34") with a heavy 4-string set ie 110 or 115 has worked for me in the past. For playing music written this way I find it more authentic sounding than jumping down to a fretted C, especially if there's a pedalled open C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Another who's used an Ibanez GSR200 here, as well as my Precision. I've actually taken my Ibanez down to BEAD when my 5 string was f*cked, without any issues whatsoever. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomWIC Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 [quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1347523657' post='1801874'] Another who's used an Ibanez GSR200 here, as well as my Precision. I've actually taken my Ibanez down to BEAD when my 5 string was f*cked, without any issues whatsoever. Liam [/quote] My Ibanez is currently in BF#BE and it's fine - I am using the lowest four strings from a 5-string set though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.