tuning a 5 string bass up to drop C

[Thor Von Clemson]

First off, I know little/nothing about bass guitar. Our bassist (a former classical guitarist who has never played bass before) recently picked up a 5 string bass. To my knowledge, a 5 string bass is tuned BEADG right? We need to tune it to Drop C, which I think is the low b tuned up a half step and everything else dropped a whole step. My question is should be have bought a 4 string and if this works with a 5 string, what gauge should be we using?

[HoWheels]

Why bother? He should have no problem playing in standard tuning (BEADG). It just means he frets the low C instead of playing open.

-a

[thor]

130 gauge for the "b" string on a 5 string. Not many 4 strings do well with tunings below D, (in my opinion) due to string "floppiness" or lack of tension. Unless they're made for detuning (BEAD) like the ESP/LTD DF-404 (now discontinued) or the Schecter Scorpion bass.

[toddstaples]

tune the bass down 1 whole step...... then tune the E string down 1 more step

[kelly user]

jesus just transpose it should be that hard instead of playing the c on the low E just play it on the b on the first fret no way could you tune the whole bass down a whole step then another step on the e floppie central

[lerxstcat]

Why bother? He should have no problem playing in standard tuning (BEADG). It just means he frets the low C instead of playing open.

-a

If they're using drop-C in order to play fast power chord riffs off of open strings, it would be way harder on the bass player to keep up if he's having to play completely different patterns.

Tune the bass strings from low to high G-C-G-C-F. Anything else will be a mindfuck for the bassist with the lead guitarist tuned to Drop-C.

[ApeDosMil]

Why not tune the bass as a guitar minus the 6th High E string? CGCFA. It would be hard to play with guitar if they do a lot of open C chords.

[Newc]

For bass, you'd actually want the higher tension of either fretting the notes or tuning up so the strings don't waddle about.

If the guy knows Classical, he should know where the notes are and be able to transpose.

[ApeDosMil]

For bass, you'd actually want the higher tension of either fretting the notes or tuning up so the strings don't waddle about.

If the guy knows Classical, he should know where the notes are and be able to transpose.

It's still hard to follow guitar if they are Drop C though, especially if they are high on the frets and want to do a open chord CGC, bass would not be able to do that.

[lerxstcat]

To me, if the guitarist is tuned to Drop C, it stands to reason that a lot of the riffs are going to utilize riffs off of the bottom 3 strings. So even if your bassist is a super classical guitarist, you put him at a real disadvantage if he is supposed to play those riffs without the same benefit of working off of open strings. You guys seem to assume the bass is playing straight 8th notes on root chords, wheras I think when drop tunings are used the bass is ofteh playing that same riff with the guitarist.

Heavier strings will let you tune down without being too floppy, just as with guitar. Tuning higher makes it hard on the bassist and is more likely to warp the neck. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[demeyes]

You might get away with tuning up if you use very light gauge strings on the 5 string. There will be high tension so you'll probably want to keep an eye on the neck from time to time and adjust the truss rod.

[toejam]

tune the bass down 1 whole step...... then tune the E string down 1 more step

That seems too easy for anyone here to figure out. :ROTF:

Up the string gauge and all will be fine.

[VitaminG]

That seems too easy for anyone here to figure out. :ROTF:

it took you 9 months to come up with that?

[toejam]

LOL I didn't realize how long ago this thread was started. Go figure. Damn the guy who resurrected it!