5-string fretless tunings

[ead]

Hi all

I'm very interested to hear how the BC cognoscenti string your fretless 5ers. I am currently on B-G, but wonder if, for a fretless bass there may be more merit in E-C, or indeed other tunings.

Please would you share you views on this?

[GrammeFriday]

Stuck in conventional tuning as well at the mo, but have been wanting to give DADGC a go at some point since coming across this Youtube vid a few weeks ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxrUYvsmr9U

[ezbass]

I use standard tuning as I like the range it gives me for my 80s covers band. However, I'm pretty sure that none other than Scott Devine is an advocate of the E-C route and is how his Overwater signature bass comes strung.

[GrammeFriday]

Correct - he plays both fretted and fretless E-C.

[BigRedX]

I tried both B-G and E-C on fretless, and the E-C tuning lasted less than an evening before I put the B-G strings back on. I found the C string to be fairly insipid sounding and for me didn't have half the presence of the G string played 5 "frets" higher.

I would have another think about E-C on a short scale fretted instrument, but generally I found the C string didn't do anything I couldn't do better on either the G string or a guitar.

[ead]

Interesting views thanks, keep'em coming please.

I think what prompted me to start the thread was that I find 'fretting' notes on the B string a bit harder in the sense that I seem to cause a very slight muting effect on the note so notes sound slightly woolier. Reading that back I'm not sure if that's clear but either way it's undoubtedly my technique that causes it. Anybody else notice this?

[alyctes]

I guess it depends what your bottom note needs to be.

I like having a low D (low blue 7th if you're in E), so I experimented with DGCFBb for a while (i.e. tuned down a full tone from EADGC). Too much like hard work at the time, because I needed EADG tuning for something else, and trying to know both at once did my head in. If I was starting from scratch, or going purely to 5-string, I might try that route again. As it is, I have given up fives almost entirely.

Either way, I'd be very reluctant to shift away from constant interval tuning.

[BassBus]

I suppose it depends also on what you want to use it for. I like to play tunes on the bass and I don't like the sound of a low B. If you want to play chords then a C string opens up possibilities for clearer sounding chords. The lower you play chords on a four string the muddier they become.

[GrammeFriday]

That's why it's nice to have a sixer in your arsenal - you can have both the thunder and the heavenly choir at the same time!

[Cairobill]

High C on a 34inch scale sounds and feels wonky to me. I bought a 33inch scale bass for my muso excursions that is built to be strung E-C. The C sounds great at the shorter scale. For standard 34 inch basses ( my 5 string fretless) I go B-G...

[Bilbo]

I agree. A high C on a fretless just lacks the warmth and body of a high G. The difference is about 5 notes that. at the top of the neck, sound like sh*t whereas the extra 5 at the bottom on a low B sound stunning. No brainer. Using the high C to p[lay chords is the only justification but, on a fretless, this is high risk territory and even on a fretted sounds lumpy as fcuk. B to G is the one for me.

He says! My fretless is a four string and my five string double bass is tuned E - C. Maybe I just need to shut the f*uk up.