135 for 4 string bass?

[apixx]

Hi there!
I´m new here and I´ve got a question.
I´m playing bass since about 2 months now.
Got a Ibanez BTB 200 bass with the standart strings on it.
Since I want to play mostly metal (like drop C) the strings are "rattling" on the frets. I hope you know what I mean :P

Now my question. Can I use a 135 string (normally for 5 string basses) as E string so it dont rattles so much? Or what else can I do?
Because some play drop B and it sound "normal" without much ratteling. So i´m woundering what kind of strings they use.
Could suggest any good strings for metal?
Thank you!

[neptoon]

go for it...use the lowest 4 strings from a 5 string set and you're good to go...just remember that you'll need to intonate your strings...if you've been playing only two weeks, it would probably be best to buy your strings and take it to a tech to have it set up for the larger guage strings...go get it, man

and welcome aboard

[knuckle_head]

What tunings, string for string, are you aiming for? .135 might be too tight for C.

It is not unusual to tune a 4 string to B using the bottom 4 strings from a 5 string set, and standard gauges for a B tuning may just do the trick.

[apixx]

thanks for your answers!
so there will be no problem using the 4 lowest strings of a "5 string set" ? I mean because of the neck of the bass.

So I just have to rasp the saddle to fit the bigger strings?

Thanks again !

[apixx]

oh and with the 5 string set... will there be any problem with standart bass tuning?

[neptoon]

if you actually look at it, the tension in the neck will more than likely be lower tuned BEAD than EADG...the B string is a lower tension string than the G string of a matching set...there should be no problem at all...and if you go with something like dean markley SR2000's, your bridge saddles won't even matter because the strings are tapered...filing your bridge saddles is also something i would leave up to the tech setting up your bass...probably just an intonation adjustment and a small turn of your truss rod and you should be set...

if you're asking is you can take strings that should be tuned to BEAD and tighten them to EADG whenever you're wanting standard tuning, that's would be a bad idea...that would probably put enough tension on the strings to break them...higher guage strings don't normally have the elasticity to be tuned and detuned at such large intervals...michael manring uses extremely light guage strings on some of his basses and tunes to a variety of ranges, but i wouldn't recommend it in your situation

[neurotictim]

There should be no problems using the strings from a 5 string set, but what they're saying is that your best bet is to tune your 4 string as though it were a 5, if you go that route. (i.e. BEAD)

I don't know how much tension would be on those strings if you tuned them EADG, but I would think it would be sufficient to cause neck problems. If that's what you're going for, definitely take it to someone who knows what he or she is doing.

Also, just to nit-pick, you would have to rasp or file the nut, which is what I assume you're calling the saddle. The saddles are where your strings sit on the bridge, at the butt of the bass. If you get tapered strings, they shouldn't need to be filed or anything.

[MaddAnthony_59]

Originally Posted by apixx

Hi there!
I´m new here and I´ve got a question.
I´m playing bass since about 2 months now.
Got a Ibanez BTB 200 bass with the standart strings on it.
Since I want to play mostly metal (like drop C) the strings are "rattling" on the frets. I hope you know what I mean :P

Now my question. Can I use a 135 string (normally for 5 string basses) as E string so it dont rattles so much? Or what else can I do?
Because some play drop B and it sound "normal" without much ratteling. So i´m woundering what kind of strings they use.
Could suggest any good strings for metal?
Thank you!

I've used the top 4 of a 5-String set to tune to C#. It was TIGHT! But sounded AwesomE! I ended up going with GHS Boomer Heavy's at 115. I need a little looseness for vibrato's, bends, trills, etc...At B it was great, but a Bit Taught at >B.

[neptoon]

i played in a metal band that tuned CGCF and also used a .115 for the low C...it was a little floppy on the euro spector 4 string i was using for that project, but i switched to a .125 and it worked great...i think that a .135 on a 34" scale bass feels great as a low B and wouldn't add too much tension as to be uncomfortable as a C

[lowendgenerator]

What works for me is the following gauge setup:

.045, .065, .085, .115

I tune in D standard and dropped C. The tension is perfect. Using the bottom 4 of a 5 strings set and then tuning up will be a lot tighter than you're used to. tuning down the A-D-G strings a step doesn't really affect their tension much, and the .115 is perfect for dropped C/D.

I've tried every method out there, and this is what works for me.

[neptoon]

i used a GHS set with those guages, but i changed because i didn't like the feel of the strings...the tension, however, was very nice

[lowendgenerator]

I should have mentioned that I'm using DR Lo Riders. I had the local ma-n-pa shop order me those .115s for 7 bucks a piece. Not bad considering that juststrings wanted something like 12 or 13. Bah!

I have a set of GHS Fatties on one of my Ibanez basses right now, it sits nicely, but I'm not in love with the tone.

[bushidora]

my problem for my own reasons is i had posted elswhere i play drop C to, would such a large guage fit in a stabdered fender bridge, what is the best and thickest choice

[Number27]

Originally Posted by bushidora

my problem for my own reasons is i had posted elswhere i play drop C to, would such a large guage fit in a stabdered fender bridge, what is the best and thickest choice

Well that would depend how hard and how many times you had stabdered your bridge

[bushidora]

standard bridge, i meant standard bridge gentleman.