Confused!

[SoyMilkHero]

Ok, so i play a 4string Peavey Cirrus. But after playing my friends 5string i fell in love with that B string. Rather than buying a totally new 5string, i want to buy 5string bass strings and restring my bas - BEAD. I've read previous fthreads about this and i understand the complications that could pop up. But my question here is Should i go with a cheap set of strings to test it out and then move to HIgher end strings, or just skip to the higher strings right away? And my friend says that i'd have to change the neck "Action" of my bass. What is this, and what does that mean?
Thank you

[JustDavid]

If it's a passing fancy, you might want to look at cheap first. If it's love, go good as step one.

"Action" is basically how high your strings are off the fretboard. The neck flexes, & different strings pull with different force. The truss rod will counteract a certain string force, but must be changed for it's counter-force to change. Different strings will create different action, & the change may or may not be a problem.

LOTS of posts on "action" in the Hardware/Setup/Repair forum.

[SoyMilkHero]

Originally Posted by JustDavid

If it's a passing fancy, you might want to look at cheap first. If it's love, go good as step one.

"Action" is basically how high your strings are off the fretboard. The neck flexes, & different strings pull with different force. The truss rod will counteract a certain string force, but must be changed for it's counter-force to change. Different strings will create different action, & the change may or may not be a problem.

LOTS of posts on "action" in the Hardware/Setup/Repair forum.

Haha ok. Thank you, i'll look into that :] I apologize, i thought it would be a bit of a waste to open two threads in diffrent Forums.

You said that it may or may not be a problem, if in fact it is, should i take my bass down to Guitar Center and have them tamper with it, or is it something i could do myself easily?

[JustDavid]

Hey, some days a mere 2 topics in one initial post is rare

Action will shift whenever tension shifts, but it may not be a playing problem. Sometimes the action shift will even improve the action. Cheapest is to try it & then assess if action (actually, neck relief) should be changed. Then the cheapest is to adjust it yourself once you know how.

And I must apologize: I 'tunnel-visioned' down to just strings & action & forgot completely about the nut slots. You might wish to have the nut regrooved for the thicker strings. If you aren't certain this is the "until death do us part" sort of love, get a new nut grooved for BEAD & keep the EADG one just in case. This is a "might need"; sometimes the strings will fit, sometimes you can broaden the slot enough with the new string back & forth a few times, & sometimes the nut cracks (not good, but not as painful as it sounds).

[lmfreeman9]

I've widened the nut for BEAD and if you are careful and don't widen it too much, you can still string it EADG. Use files made for widening the nut or have a pro do it. BTW I recommend good quality strings, you're only risking money on the B as you can still use the rest of the set.

Good strings can make a cheap bass sound great. But cheap strings can make a nice bass sound bad.

[SoyMilkHero]

Ah. That's a very good point, and just in time, was about to buy my strings, i'll definetly go with some dean markley's or something. Thanks for your input!