Best Way to Down Tune?

[lampro]

I recently bought a 5-string bass.
I really want to tune down to C# Standard (high to low (E, B, F#, C#, G#))

What is the best way to do this without my strings getting really floppy?

[nickrs540]

Thicker strings should help.

Are you Really going to be using the low G#? One of the great things about having the 5th string is so you don't have to down tune. You can just play the open C# on the 2nd fret of the B string. That way you have good tension in all the strings.

Just a thought, But if you are really going to need to go that low then the thicker the string the better. Plus a long scale bass helps.

[lampro]

Originally Posted by nickrs540

Thicker strings should help.

Are you Really going to be using the low G#? One of the great things about having the 5th string is so you don't have to down tune. You can just play the open C# on the 2nd fret of the B string. That way you have good tension in all the strings.

I'd like to. At the moment, I'm in the middle of learning this piece. Viridian bass tab by Between The Buried And Me @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

edit: is it bad if the strings go floppy?

[SLaPiNFuNK]

I dont see any open strings used on that tab. The lowest fretted note I see is on the 4th fret on the "F#" String which would be a B...

So if you tuned the bass High to Low - A E B F# C# (a whole step HIGHER than normally) and played that tune 4 frets lower than Tabbed you should be fine. The harmonics at the end you will have to play all artificially.

Not sure the tune that intro leads into but yeah, that should work for the intro at least...

[FunkMetalBass]

If you want to tune down to G# somewhat permanently (I do), I'd suggest a CKS (Circle K Strings) Balanced 166 set. It's nice and tight.

[genericusername]

capo - you now have a 5 string bass in C# standard.

[Josh Pelican]

Technically that's Ab (G#) standard. Of course, without the lowest string it's C# standard. I just like to nitpick. I would personally refer to it as Ab, but not everyone is as anal as me.

The best way to achieve lower tunings is with the right gauge strings and the proper setup. If you're strings are too floppy, it's just going to sound like s***. Like FunkMetalBass said, check out Circle K Strings. I also recommend the .166 balanced set. I used it for a similar tuning and it sounded perfect. Great tension and very punchy.

p.s. What bass are you using?

[FunkMetalBass]

Originally Posted by Josh Pelican

Technically that's Ab (G#) standard. Of course, without the lowest string it's C# standard. I just like to nitpick. I would personally refer to it as Ab, but not everyone is as anal as me.

The best way to achieve lower tunings is with the right gauge strings and the proper setup. If you're strings are too floppy, it's just going to sound like s***. Like FunkMetalBass said, check out Circle K Strings. I also recommend the .166 balanced set. I used it for a similar tuning and it sounded perfect. Great tension and very punchy.

p.s. What bass are you using?

Haha. I thought about the Ab thing too. It's like how Conklin sells a high A# string when it should really be a Bb because of the F underneath it.

[ixlramp]

I've tried a D'Addario .145 at G# on a 35" scale, it was was very low tension and the tone and playability was beginning to suffer as a result, but a custom set of singles with a .145 might just work for you if you don't want to buy a high quality Circle K set.

The Circle K sets have equal tension strings so the lowest string will be as tight and punchy as the higher strings Circle K Strings - Standard Balanced 5 Strings (nicklelplated, top loading bridge only) the .166 set would be medium-light tension, .158 light, .150 extra-light.