Matching tension with drop tuning

[alstocko]

Hey guys,

Basically, I currently have a 35" scale Lākland JO5 strung with his signature flats. I'm really pleased with the tension and would like to try and match this with my new bass, a P.

However, (here comes the tricky part!) the P is standard 34" scale and I want to try drop tuning it (with flats) to C# or D but want to keep a similar tension to my Lākland. Anyone know how to approach this?

I was looking at getting some heavy gauge labellas (like Pino, who inspired me to try this!) but I'd rather not take a £40 shot in the dark!

Thanks for any help given!

[Guest bassman7755]

Well you cant buck the laws of physics so if you want a higher tension at any given tuning point on a particular scale length then you need thicker strings.

--- edit

OK be more precise you need more "mass" in order to raise the tension, so strings made of a higher density (i.e. heavier) material would also increase tension.

Edited July 1, 2013 by bassman7755

[miles'tone]

Edit:
Forgot about the Roto 77LE's (.50 - .110)!
I remember them being great in D natural (all 4 strings down a whole tone) , you can really hammer them hard and they cut through fantastically. Only 25 quid-ish here!..
://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0002GNYA0/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&tag=shopwiki-uk-


Ernie Ball Group 1 flats are a bit cheaper (.55 - .110 gauge).
They work very well tuned to D natural.

Edited July 2, 2013 by miles'tone

[miles'tone]

Crap link above.

Here 'tis.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/s/ref=is_box_?k=rotosound+77le

[BigRedX]

Unless both the companies who's strings you are using produce tension figures for their strings there is no way you are going to be able to do this except by trial and error. Different types and makes of strings have different unit masses, so just because you know the tension of one particular type of string at a particular pitch and gauge doesn't mean that another type of string of the same pitch and gauge will be at the same tension.

Added to this the fact that the feel of the string is not just the tension but also its compliance which is affected by other things such as break angles over the bridge saddles and nut, and the extra length of string between the witness points and the where it is ultimately anchored, and you can see that matching the feel of one bass to another with a different scale length and tuning is a very inexact science.

Good luck though, and please let us know if you are successful.

Edited July 2, 2013 by BigRedX

[alstocko]

Thanks guys for all the contributions so far!

I knew that it couldn't be an exact science, but what would you guys recommend going for between the standard 760FM (49-109) or their vintage 760M? (even heavier gauge 54, 73, 95, 110)

Any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks,

Alec

[Sibob]

Call Newtone strings and tell them what you're trying to do!!

http://www.newtonestrings.com/

Si

[iiipopes]

You can consult something like the D'Addario or CircleK string tension guides. Find out how much tension is listed for a given string at a given pitch, then go to the column where the same tension has the lower pitch, and cross reference that to the new string diameter. It doesn't have to be exact; close is good enough since most strings are made basically (pun intended) the same way.

Edited July 2, 2013 by iiipopes

[Prime_BASS]

Warning though!

If your lackie is tuned standard getting the same tension at lower tunings (on any bass) is going to cause a lot of stress on the standard nut.
I tried to achieve this with just going a semi tone down,(using d'addario matching is easy) I ended up using a 120 gauge LOW E and I've cracked two nuts

Only through my own dusky though

[alstocko]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1373141066' post='2134148']
Warning though!

If your lackie is tuned standard getting the same tension at lower tunings (on any bass) is going to cause a lot of stress on the standard nut.
I tried to achieve this with just going a semi tone down,(using d'addario matching is easy) I ended up using a 120 gauge LOW E and I've cracked two nuts

Only through my own dusky though
[/quote]
Thanks for the warning man!

I'm going for the classic "Jamerson" set of La Bellas (110-52 I believe) because after some sleuthing I found that these are the ones Pino uses on his drop-tuned basses. The tension probably won't be as high as hoped, as Pino likes lower tension strungs,but I'll see whether D or C# suits best (I'm hoping C#)

I'll let you guys know after I take the P back to Steve Robinson (of Manchester guitar tech fame - highly recommended by me)

Should be epic.

Thanks for all your help, I'll get sound clips up soon enough!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1372774152' post='2129760']
I knew that it couldn't be an exact science, but what would you guys recommend going for between the standard 760FM (49-109) or their vintage 760M? (even heavier gauge 54, 73, 95, 110)
[/quote]

Thinking about it logically the standard increase in gauge in a set of strings is 20 per 5 semitones (i.e. the D string is 20 thicker than the G). Theoretically then for each semitone you want to tune down by you will need to increase the gauge by 4. Add to this the fact that you are trying to match the feel of a 35" scale neck on a 34" one, I doubt an increase of just 5 per string is going to give you what you want. I'd start off by looking at increasing the string gauge by 10 per string for dropping down 2 semitones (and maybe a bit more for the lowest string since string tension always reduces as the strings get thicker). For dropping down 3 semitones you are going to looking at even heavier gauges.

[alstocko]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1373271961' post='2135396']


Thinking about it logically the standard increase in gauge in a set of strings is 20 per 5 semitones (i.e. the D string is 20 thicker than the G). Theoretically then for each semitone you want to tune down by you will need to increase the gauge by 4. Add to this the fact that you are trying to match the feel of a 35" scale neck on a 34" one, I doubt an increase of just 5 per string is going to give you what you want. I'd start off by looking at increasing the string gauge by 10 per string for dropping down 2 semitones (and maybe a bit more for the lowest string since string tension always reduces as the strings get thicker). For dropping down 3 semitones you are going to looking at even heavier gauges.
[/quote]
Good point BRX, who makes 115+ flatwounds though?

Thanks

[BigRedX]

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1373305596' post='2135938']
Good point BRX, who makes 115+ flatwounds though?
[/quote]

Have you tried [url=http://www.newtonestrings.com]Newtone[/url]. Even if they're not listed on the site they do make custom strings to order.

[alstocko]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1373316469' post='2136153']


Have you tried [url=http://www.newtonestrings.com]Newtone[/url]. Even if they're not listed on the site they do make custom strings to order.
[/quote]
I was going to ring them last week but saw that they had no flatwounds on offer, but now that you say that, I will enquire about the possibility of getting a set. Thanks

[alstocko]

.

Edited July 8, 2013 by alstocko