Strings for CGCF Tuning

[Gingerlocks]

Hey guys,
Yesterday, I bought my very first bass. A Yamaha RBX170, and I am loving it. I am a huge Seether fan, and I'd love to be able to jam along to some of their tracks, but as I've tuned my bass guitar down to CGCF tuning, the low C string, gets very floppy. So my question is; Which strings do you guys recommend for that tuning, and will be okay for my bass guitar?

Cheers, and enjoy your evening.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Gingerlocks

[Mykesbass]

Hi Gingelock,

Can I suggest you change your thread title to Strings for CGCF Tuning (not Strings for Yamaha RBX170). This will hopefully mean that the guys who drop tune will see the post and respond.

Oh, and welcome to Basschat

[Gingerlocks]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1453070670' post='2956199']
Hi Gingelock,

Can I suggest you change your thread title to Strings for CGCF Tuning (not Strings for Yamaha RBX170). This will hopefully mean that the guys who drop tune will see the post and respond.

Oh, and welcome to Basschat
[/quote]

Sorted, thanks for the advice man! And thank you! =)

[Sibob]

Really it depends on whether you want to leave your bass in that tuning?
If you don't, and want to go back to standard tuning, then you just want the heaviest gauge you can find, probably 50-110, this will help with the string tension a little.

However, if you want to leave the bass in that tuning, then you have more options. For a few years I played and toured in C standard (C, F, Bb, Eb), I used custom wound Newtone strings which had a large core (the element that has a real effect on tension). If you enlarge the core, you can have thinner gauge (I had 45-105), tune down and have a tension akin to standard tuning.

Of course, beacause of this extra tension, you can't then tune the bass up to standard without fitting 'normal' strings. Different tensions will also probably mean the bass needs a setup for a luthier

Hope this helps
Si

[Gingerlocks]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1453104676' post='2956282']
Really it depends on whether you want to leave your bass in that tuning?
If you don't, and want to go back to standard tuning, then you just want the heaviest gauge you can find, probably 50-110, this will help with the string tension a little.

However, if you want to leave the bass in that tuning, then you have more options. For a few years I played and toured in C standard (C, F, Bb, Eb), I used custom wound Newtone strings which had a large core (the element that has a real effect on tension). If you enlarge the core, you can have thinner gauge (I had 45-105), tune down and have a tension akin to standard tuning.

Of course, beacause of this extra tension, you can't then tune the bass up to standard without fitting 'normal' strings. Different tensions will also probably mean the bass needs a setup for a luthier

Hope this helps
Si
[/quote]

Great advice man, thanks! For now, I'll just go with 50 to 110 gauge! However, can't I just use a capo if I want to go back to standard tuning? Or... just move my fingers up two frets?

[geoffbyrne]

I'd be looking at the bottom 4 of a lightweight 5-er set if I was going to keep this tuning. It would also entail work to broaden the slots of the nut and possibly a tweak to tighten the trussrod as there would be less tension with strings in this configuration.

Maybe try the solution suggested above first, and if you like it, you can then go the whole hog. (You'll maybe need to adjust the trussrod with the above solution too, as the tension will be markedly reduced.)

G.

[Sibob]

[quote name='Gingerlocks' timestamp='1453107583' post='2956303']
Great advice man, thanks! For now, I'll just go with 50 to 110 gauge! However, can't I just use a capo if I want to go back to standard tuning? Or... just move my fingers up two frets?
[/quote]

Absolutely, if you're happy relearning where your notes are on the fretboard, you can simply change your hand position and still play 'standard tuned' stuff. Obviously you have lost 2 tones at the top of your fingerboard, but usually not too much of an issue.
The slight difficulty comes about if you have a guitarist in standard, pedalling a riff off E, and you're struggling because you have to follow the riff then quickly get back to fret 4 on your low string for the E as opposed to just hitting an open string (hopefully that makes sense). Really it just depends on your band situation.

Si

[Dood]

These by a long distance

http://www.daddario.com/DADMobileProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3757&productid=380&productname=EXL160BT_Nickel_Wound__Balanced_Tension_Medium__50_120


120-50 is a great set for that tuning!

[Sibob]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1453125504' post='2956554']
These by a long distance

[url="http://www.daddario.com/DADMobileProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3757&productid=380&productname=EXL160BT_Nickel_Wound__Balanced_Tension_Medium__50_120"]http://www.daddario...._Medium__50_120[/url]


120-50 is a great set for that tuning!
[/quote]

Ooooosshh, a 90 A and a 120 E, braver than me lol

Si

[Dood]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1453126904' post='2956574']
Ooooosshh, a 90 A and a 120 E, braver than me lol

Si
[/quote]

On a drop tuning I'd say they were essential! 110 is good for a drop D tuning, but it's gotta be heavier for a C. especially if the other strings are dropping a tone from standard, for sure! I recorded a track for Sacred Mother Tongue ages ago on my PJ bass using these strings and it sounded superb, as well as having a nice tension across the strings for fast pick work.

[Dood]

Oh here's a superb place to find out what gauge string to use to get the tension back up to the same as the rest of the strings (ish) http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf

[Dood]

Actually, better still - let an app decide for you! http://www.stringtensionpro.com/

[Sibob]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1453133105' post='2956679']
On a drop tuning I'd say they were essential! 110 is good for a drop D tuning, but it's gotta be heavier for a C. especially if the other strings are dropping a tone from standard, for sure! I recorded a track for Sacred Mother Tongue ages ago on my PJ bass using these strings and it sounded superb, as well as having a nice tension across the strings for fast pick work.
[/quote]

Oh totally, if you need to go back to standard tuning, then something like the D'Addarios is perfect.
However in First Signs Of Frost, I was only ever in C Standard, basses setup specifically for it, and lot of the lines were fast unison runs etc, so crazy heavy gauges would have been not better (sic).
As such, a heavier/thicker core to increase tension was better for me, I could be in C standard, with 45-105 gauge, and a tension similar to standard tuning.....but obviously wouldn't tune up to standard....they'd snap lol.

But yes, it really all depends on your use case

Si

[Dood]

Just for fun I've calculated what would be the optimum gauge string to keep the same tension and feel as a set of D'Addario EXL165 strings - 105-45 when tuning down to CGCF

[indent=1]Gauge[/indent]

[indent=1]Tension[/indent]
0.0520 in. 42.20 lbs 0.0750 in. 49.49 lbs 0.0950 in. 43.99 lbs 0.1350 in. 38.47 lbs

Edited January 18, 2016 by dood

[Dood]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1453134083' post='2956695']
Oh totally, if you need to go back to standard tuning, then something like the D'Addarios is perfect.
However in First Signs Of Frost, I was only ever in C Standard, basses setup specifically for it, and lot of the lines were fast unison runs etc, so crazy heavy gauges would have been not better (sic).
As such, a heavier/thicker core to increase tension was better for me, I could be in C standard, with 45-105 gauge, and a tension similar to standard tuning.....but obviously wouldn't tune up to standard....they'd snap lol.

But yes, it really all depends on your use case

Si
[/quote]

Right, yes accept that if you need to tune back up to standard, that makes sense, but apologies if I've misunderstood, I expected that the instrument would stay in that tuning, especially if the set up was also adjusted to suit the strings.

[danbowskill]

I always play cgcf tuning,I've tried higher tension strings in the past ( Dunlop drop etc) I just stick with standard 105-50 gauge... Since my bass has been tuned like that for a couple of years I have no problems,a good action and sound. I love the flexibility of bending and slides with 105 strings.
All depends on how you play? Light/heavy fingers/pick .I'm a medium to heavy pick player.

[danbowskill]

It took at lot of neck relief and action adjusting to eliminate buzz and over clank though.
Extra clank could be good in metal style mind......there are a lot of variable's, I play stoner'ish punk and found a heavier gauge 115-120+ to be to boomy

Edited January 18, 2016 by danbowskill

[Cosmo Valdemar]

For heavy drop-tuned music there's no harm in a bit of flop. All that rattle and growl can throw up some interesting tonal quirks and anomalies which can add to the aggression.
I used to use Roto 50 - 110 for C#. Worked well for me.

[thodrik]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1453125504' post='2956554']
These by a long distance

[url="http://www.daddario.com/DADMobileProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3757&productid=380&productname=EXL160BT_Nickel_Wound__Balanced_Tension_Medium__50_120"]http://www.daddario...._Medium__50_120[/url]


120-50 is a great set for that tuning!
[/quote]

I absolutely love these strings for drop C tuning. I have used them for anything between D Standard and C standard and they deliver. In my opinion, they are far better than the DR and Dunlop sets that are supposedly designed for lower tunings. The D'Addarios are also much cheaper. Due to the size of the strings they are not great for slap, but in terms of tapping, bending, general speed across the fretboard, I haven't encountered any difficulties.

My personal opinion is that when it comes to lower tunings, having balanced tension is much more important than just say adding a couple of gauges equally across all strings, which just leads to the same old 'floppy E string, tight G string' problem.

I did try a set of custom Newtones for my five string tuned to A standard, which were nice, but expensive. I have since discovered that if I tuning a four string down to C, I don't really need an extra string!



If only they made a five string set.

[Gingerlocks]

Gosh, I didn't expect this kind of response, thanks guys! Means a lot!

I could always just keep it tuned to CGCF, and then when I want to play something in standard, move my fingers up two frets?

[Dood]

[quote name='Gingerlocks' timestamp='1453203718' post='2957305']
Gosh, I didn't expect this kind of response, thanks guys! Means a lot!

I could always just keep it tuned to CGCF, and then when I want to play something in standard, move my fingers up two frets?
[/quote]

Hey no problem ! Hope it helps

Yes you could even, should you be so inclined, to use a Capo on the second fret automatically pushing the bass up to Drop D. Who cares what people think, it will work and that's the main thing! (Says he who uses a big girlie scrunchy as a mute on his bass!)

[Dood]

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1453159613' post='2957087']
I absolutely love these strings for drop C tuning. I have used them for anything between D Standard and C standard and they deliver. In my opinion, they are far better than the DR and Dunlop sets that are supposedly designed for lower tunings. The D'Addarios are also much cheaper. Due to the size of the strings they are not great for slap, but in terms of tapping, bending, general speed across the fretboard, I haven't encountered any difficulties.

My personal opinion is that when it comes to lower tunings, having balanced tension is much more important than just say adding a couple of gauges equally across all strings, which just leads to the same old 'floppy E string, tight G string' problem.

I did try a set of custom Newtones for my five string tuned to A standard, which were nice, but expensive. I have since discovered that if I tuning a four string down to C, I don't really need an extra string!



If only they made a five string set.
[/quote]

Just a great well thought out set of strings in my view. No messing about!

[0175westwood29]

i play a 5 set but miss out the what would be D string, i use a 125 or 130 depending on the bass, for the low C

Andy

[thodrik]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1453226118' post='2957640']
Just a great well thought out set of strings in my view. No messing about!
[/quote]

I just hope that they aren't discontinued any time soon.

[D'AddarioUK]

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1453235303' post='2957761']
I just hope that they aren't discontinued any time soon.
[/quote]

As far as I'm aware, we have no plans to discontinue Balanced Tension.

As for a 5 string set you'd need to pair EXL160BT with a .160 to achieve a BT 5 string set. As I'm sure you can imagine there are issues of practicality that arise from putting such a big string in a set! We sell most of our strings as singles, if you were wanting to try a .160 the item code is XLB160 or XLB160T for the tapered version.