Super low tunings J or P or....

[SteveXFR]

In my band I'm tuning down to drop A# which is a touch low. I don't need a 5 string because I'd never use the G string. 

Currently I'm using a Mexican standard P bass which is great but loses some definition on the low A# string. I can hit a wrong note and not notice! 

Would I get a bit more low end clarity and definition from a Jazz or something with double humbuckers. 

Trying to stay in the Fender MIM price range so no Zon or Rickenbackers.

 

[chris_b]

What strings are you using?

[chriswareham]

I used to tune as low as drop A. The thing I found that made a difference was using strings from a company called Circle K in the US. They're now using the brand name of Kalium, and sell custom sets that maintain a consistent tension for various tunings. Before that I would use the heaviest four strings from a five string set of Ernie Ball "Power Slinkys" (135, 105, 85, 70). They were great when I was doing drop C, but the lowest string became horribly slack and flabby sounding when used for drop A.

 

Edited to add that these strings and tunings were on a Musicman Stringray, so similar neck to a Precision. I also had a similar set on an old Hondo Precision copy from the 1970s, and even with a traditional passive P bass pickup they sounded great.

Edited April 21, 2023 by chriswareham

[MartinB]

If I had to tune that low, I'd be looking at 35" scale basses

[Cato]

Sounds like the sort of territory multiscales were designed for.

 

Without buying a new bass you could try contacting Newtone for a custom set of strings.

 

https://newtonestrings.com/products/?v=79cba1185463

 

Never used their custom service but I guess there probably are limits on what they can produce.

[Doctor J]

It's your strings. I'm currently playing an old 34" ESP Jazz tuned tuned ADGC. You need big strings, bigger than the likes of a .125 or .130, something that's just a .20 increment bigger than your E string doesn't work, your low string needs to be a good step bigger.

 

I use one of these

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000OR75QQ/ref=pe_27091401_487027711_TE_SCE_dp_2

 

with three from this set

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00AQBT3GK/ref=pe_27091401_487027711_TE_SCE_dp_1

This works.

[Dan Dare]

12 hours ago, MartinB said:

If I had to tune that low, I'd be looking at 35" scale basses

 

This. A longer scale length makes a big difference at the low end.

[Lozz196]

Putting something on to tighten the string helps too, I put a stealth retainer on  the B on my 5-string US Precision and it tightened the string/sound nicely.

[SteveXFR]

I'm using Ernie Ball slinky 5 strings just using the heaviest 4 some the low A# string is a .130 since I'm only a semitone below a standard 5 string, I assumed that would be the right setup

[Aidan63]

I'm assuming you cut the nut to accommodate the thicker strings and tried changing pickup height already ? just wondering

[SteveXFR]

3 hours ago, Aidan63 said:

I'm assuming you cut the nut to accommodate the thicker strings and tried changing pickup height already ? just wondering

 

Yep. Done both

[mr4stringz]

7 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I'm using Ernie Ball slinky 5 strings just using the heaviest 4 some the low A# string is a .130 since I'm only a semitone below a standard 5 string, I assumed that would be the right setup

This may not be relevant now as you’re not happy with the results, but with that gauge and EB strings, you don’t need to be spending money on 5 strings per pack and having a stash of surplus Gs. The EB Beefy Slinky set is 65-130.

[joeystrange]

I thought there was a string tension chart on the Newtone website but if there was it now seems to be gone.

 

However if you contact them and tell them your specifications I’m sure they’ll be able to make you a custom set that will be perfect.

[thodrik]

3 hours ago, joeystrange said:

I thought there was a string tension chart on the Newtone website but if there was it now seems to be gone.

 

However if you contact them and tell them your specifications I’m sure they’ll be able to make you a custom set that will be perfect.

I tried Newtone for a custom low tuning set and was distinctly underwhelmed. I asked for a five string set that would work for a low A tuning (A D G C F). I got a ‘heavy core’ string set where the low A was about the size of a tapered 135 gauge B string that worked okay as for a low B wasn’t much use below that. The D string was also pretty much a standard E string that got pretty floppy even at E flat. The core tone at E standard tuning was really nice but that wasn’t what I ordered and I had provided them with plenty of information with regards to my tuning requirement and string tension preferences.

 

I realise that my experience might be an exception considering other Basschatters give glowing reviews. However for the price I paid I wouldn’t use them again. 

 

I found that buying D’addario singles and creating my own set was cheaper and worked better in practice. I generally found the tapered 145 as working pretty well for a low A and A sharp. I experimented with the tapered 160 gauge but it was nearly overkill for a low A. 
 

Thankfully the lowest I tune to these days is drop C and D’addario have a 120-50 balanced tension set that works fine or I can make up a set of Elixir singles in similar gauges which last about 18 months!

 

[TheGreek]

You guys are scaring me...

 

I prefer a light string - the gauges you are talking about would have me running for shelter.

[spencer.b]

Can you a get a 35 or 36 inch 4 string?

[Doctor J]

The bass-du-jour for a lot of downtuned stuff is a Rickenbacker 4001 or 4003, which isn't even 34" scale. It's also not unusual for the strings to be hit very hard indeed, in these genres. You just need the right strings with an appropriate amount of tension to handle vibrating so slowly with some integrity 😉

[asingardenof]

On 21/04/2023 at 23:43, chriswareham said:

I used to tune as low as drop A. The thing I found that made a difference was using strings from a company called Circle K in the US.

Aren't Circle K a convenience store chain?

[thodrik]

14 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

Aren't Circle K a convenience store chain?

I think that they later changed their name to Kalium to avoid confusion. 

[asingardenof]

1 minute ago, thodrik said:

I think that they later changed their name to Kalium to avoid confusion. 

Probably a good plan, especially where my wife grew up they're known as "circle jerk" 🤣