CGCF on a 5 string

beelzelboss · #1 12-31-2008, 02:00 AM

So this month im upgrading from a four to a five string

. Now my biggest question is, is that i play a lot of CGCF just out of curiosity, what would the B be tuned to. Would it go down 2 steps like the C? just wondering....

Thanks guys

Craig

Montsegour · #2 12-31-2008, 02:06 AM

How about you tune the B to C instead of E to G?
Wouldn't string handling be better that way.. hmm ?

naetog · #3 12-31-2008, 03:31 AM

GCGCF is a tuning I've used in the past.

arjune · #4 12-31-2008, 03:53 AM

CGCFBb is a good one.

PSPookie · #5 12-31-2008, 04:30 AM

Didn't someone ask a similar question last week?

What's you reason for wanting to downtune the 5er? Do you need a super low G? Can you adequately amplify a note this low (a ton of power will be required)? I guess I'm just trying to figure out why BEADG won't work for you.

Metal Matt · #6 12-31-2008, 11:04 AM

I always liked GCGCF. If you're playing heavy music that low G can come in handy for some sonic destruction. ha

Darkstrike · #7 12-31-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSPookie

Didn't someone ask a similar question last week?

What's you reason for wanting to downtune the 5er? Do you need a super low G? Can you adequately amplify a note this low (a ton of power will be required)? I guess I'm just trying to figure out why BEADG won't work for you.

All the stuff he learned in a drop tuning, I'd imagine.

LCMBassist · #8 12-31-2008, 11:33 AM

If you get a heavy enough gauge of Low B, then it will go to G, yes. I'd recommend at least a .140 gauge string for this.

iplaybasstexas · #9 12-31-2008, 11:37 AM

GCGCF is what i use. My band doesn't do C tuning anymore( i told them that i don't want my neck's to warp) but GCGCF is what i did use.

insomniac2295 · #10 12-31-2008, 11:38 AM

i tune my 5 string CGCFA# with a regular 4 string set plus a high c string. i like the tension really loose so i can play chords and tap easily. i just tried a super slinkie set of ernie ball strings and the tension was wayyyyyyyy to much for me. but anyways, i tune the B up to a C, the E up to an G, the A up to a C, the D up to an F, and the G up to an A#. but like i said, i use 4 string sets plus an extra high string for this not 5 string sets

Darkstrike · #11 12-31-2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iplaybasstexas

GCGCF is what i use. My band doesn't do C tuning anymore( i told them that i don't want my neck's to warp) but GCGCF is what i did use.

Your neck will be fine, espcially if you use heavy strings for the low strings.

FiveStringsNme · #12 12-31-2008, 02:34 PM

you could have it tuned to open C major: GCGCE.. a .135 B works good for the dropped tuning. It's very chord friendly tuning and if you're into the whole metal world, it's the tuning used by Devin Townsend and his discog.

For awhile I had my G&L l2500 tuned to open C, but since I'm using it for a rock gig, I have my ESP ltd. C-305 tuned to it, and let me tell you, the 35 inch neck brings out the sound really nice!

FloydianAnimal · #13 12-31-2008, 02:40 PM

I used to play a 4 string tuned to CGCF ,ie Drop C or Drop D down a whole step, like you but when I moved to a 5 string I just tuned up the low B a half step so I use CEADG tuning instead. I had to transpose the riffs but once I did I found that the frethand positions were actually simpler and that the bass played better tension and setup wise. And I can just use a standard 5 string set to do that. I do a similar thing on my 6 string bass- I tune that CEADGC. So now instead of using two 4 strings tuned to Drop C, I use a 5 string and a 6 string...

PilbaraBass · #14 12-31-2008, 02:45 PM

what's up with all this alternate tuning stuff anyway????

BEADG works for me...there's PLENTY of CGCF in there, you just gotta know where to find it

Paulhauser · #15 12-31-2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PilbaraBass

what's up with all this alternate tuning stuff anyway????

BEADG works for me...there's PLENTY of CGCF in there, you just gotta know where to find it

+1

Same for me. I have so far not found any evidence that a such alternate tunings would present any useful advantages for me. HEADGC and AEADGC for those songs where I need to go lower than B, and thats all. It worked for me so far... (My band's guitarists are tuned one whole step down with 7 string guitars. I did not follow and did not look back ever since)

To each his own of course....

beelzelboss · #16 12-31-2008, 04:04 PM

well guys i'm not actually going to put my 5 string into that

I just wanted to know what would have been the norm. For that tuning i use my 4 string because i don't need the fifth string. I alternate tune because since I'm in a metal band, we need that low C. It just sounds better to be an octave lower for some reason.

Thanks

~craig

DavePlaysBass · #17 12-31-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PilbaraBass

what's up with all this alternate tuning stuff anyway????

BEADG works for me...there's PLENTY of CGCF in there, you just gotta know where to find it

With a 5 string who cares what the guitars are tuned to. I seldom if ever hit open strings anyway. A low G, what is that like 25Hz? Be careful that the whales don't think your giving them a mating call.

rbonner · #18 12-31-2008, 07:21 PM

Hey I came over to STRINGS from AMPS to learn a little bit about 5 string stuff. Recognize a couple of the guys from HOME.

I originally started out on a Gibson EB-0 and that bass had very loose string tensions. It allowed me some flexability to do some "Stuff". Don't ask what kind of stuff, it was just very comfortable playing.

Then I swapped to 34" scale Jazz fretless format and played for 20 some years, and recently changed back to frets on a four string jazz.

I have tinkered with drop tuning just this week and just was playing around with B-E-A-D
on the jazz. I play D'Addario medium ga chromes (flats) Detuning the 4 string set the string tension reminds me of how the EB-0 felt.

First question for you guys is there a problem with playing the bass like this. Neck warpage? Etc...

Do the strings perform OK compared to changing them out to normal 5 string sets?

Is there anybody else out there playing their basses like this?

I'd like to hear some opinions... I'd probably just pick up a 5 string in the long haul, but in the past I haven't had a need for the really low stuff, but after playing for a half an hour I might get hooked on shaking the place with some low tones.

I've never been a huge fan of stuff up on the G string and I always enjoyed going to the last couple keys on a piano.

BOB

FloydianAnimal · #19 01-01-2009, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulhauser

+1

Same for me. I have so far not found any evidence that a such alternate tunings would present any useful advantages for me. HEADGC and AEADGC for those songs where I need to go lower than B, and thats all. It worked for me so far... (My band's guitarists are tuned one whole step down with 7 string guitars. I did not follow and did not look back ever since)

To each his own of course....

Well, with a 4 string I tuned CGCF to match the low 4 strings of my guitarist just to make learning/doubling riffs easier. Now that I play a 5 string mainly I still tune the low string to C ie CEADG instead of BEADG just because it's easier to have the C be an open note instead of the first fret.

Doing this makes the fingerings of the riffs easier in general for my band. I think being in a metal band with a lot of pedal note riffs that need to be doubled at fairly fast tempos has to do with that. If I was in say a reggae band where the tempo was slow and the riffs weren't doubling the guitarist so much it probably wouldn't matter what tuning I was in relative to the guitarist at all...

Solarmist · #20 01-02-2009, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulhauser

HEADGC and AEADGC for those songs where I need to go lower than B, and thats all. It worked for me so far...

"H"

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