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EADGC tuned acousic bass guitars


alexclaber
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So I was thinking how it would be nice to have an acoustic bass at home. And that I'm used to playing fives nowadays but there's no chance a low B will do anything useful unplugged on something as tiny as an ABG. And I like playing chords and other upper register stuff. So what about getting a five-string ABG and tuning it high rather than low?

Has anyone else done this? Main concern is the intonation because of the fixed bridge. Not planning to get anything expensive because if I do doubtless the children will break it... But something that's acoustically loud would be a good thing.

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I remain unconvinced about the tonal qualities of low-scale strings tuned higher than G. 

I just about works for the B and E strings on a 30" Fender Bass VI, but on longer scales the high C and above string always sound like a cheap jazz guitar and don't sit properly in the bass register/tonality.

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I own a Stanford B61-5CM fretless (the "low cost" version of the Furch Durango B61-5CM). Just like you with 5 strings, I prefer a high C string to a low B one. So, even if the Stanford has a decent, not powerful but, good and defined B string sound I had the idea to put some Thomastik AB344 with a high C as I did this before on a fixed bridge full body bass (a Stradi Symphony Bass 5 fretless which had Thomastik JF345 originally, so a high tension B string set that I converted to a high C with a Thomastik JR light tension set which is the roundwound version of the JF flatwounds).

The intonation is perfect because of the lighter string gauge compared to the original strings, but the truss rod must be working fine as there will be less tension...

It's working fine and I'm very happy with the sound being acoustically or amplified.

Here are some links :

https://www.musicstore.de/en_GB/GBP/Stanford-B-61-CM-5-B-Stock-/art-BAS0006636-000

https://www.thomann.de/gb/furch_b61_5_cm_acoustic_bass.htm

https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomastik_akustikbass_satz.htm

https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomastik_ab34035_c_string.htm

 

Edited by Hellzero
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Interesting stuff! I'm not really bothered about more traditional bass tones, as it isn't going to be used in a band context and I already play a 36" scale 5-string which never sounds like a 34" bass if you use the same fingering. On that bass, with 24 frets and a full cutaway there's a lot of room for chords in BEADG tuning, hence the EADGC tuning will make similar chords possible on an acoustic bass guitar with worse high fret access. 

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Eh, the 36 inches scale basses, loved them a lot, but not my capsulitis, had to sell them to get back to 34 inches scale in 4, 5 and 6 stings. Strangely the 41 inches scale of my 6 strings EUB doesn't bother my shoulders at all, must be the playing position...

Hope you'll find what you are looking for, but my trick will work as it's as simple as physics laws. :crazy:

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Alex, I bought one of these asa a Deko:

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbb35ntfl_5string_akustikbass_fretless.htm?ref=search_rslt_acoustic+fretless_180199_0

 

and managed to make it playable (bit of an 's' shaped neck).  My impression of it otherwise was pretty good - pretty good fit & finish -  & if you're looking for something to firkle with, it may be the very dab.

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  • 2 months later...

Geoff, that's exactly what I got (plus frets!) With two small children at home I was a bit concerned about having something nice that might get destroyed. I ordered it on the 16th Jan (allegedly in stock) and it finally arrived last week, which was fairly unimpressive, especially with the various dubious excuses Thomann kept giving. Fair enough if they had to make it, that's what happens here at Barefaced!

Anyway, I swapped the stock copper BEADG strings for some Ernie Ball EADCG (100-80-65-45-32) Slinkys and it sounds great. Only had it set up for a day but it works really well for my strange hybrid guitar/bass stylings. So far I've been playing some Disney classics, modern pop and '90s indie and grunge on it. I do like playing chords!

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