insight about the proper set of strings

[Massili]

Hi,

My First thread here.
I'd like some insight about the proper set of strings for tuning a 4 string bass in (B, F#, B, E) and once in a while going to (A E A D) without going too floppy in tension.

I play guitar and sometimes i record bass lines and i tend to pick very hard on the strings specially on the low B, where is the main string for our style and a real struggle in studio to get a good sound out of this.
The kind of the sound we play demand a hard approach to manage a good sound out the bass. We play Grind/Hard-Core like nasum, napalm death, rotten sound and such. Also, it's extremely hard to play grind riffs that demand fast picking movements and here is where i think the tension of the strings lays down an important role for this kind of playing.

We have a 5 strings bass tuned in (B, F#, B, E,G#) and we intend to get a better bass, where we think the 4 strings will suit better for playing fast stuffs. We coudn't get a tamed Low End out of it for those fast stuffs, where the Low end doesn't cut very well thru the mix.

What do you guys recommend me?

Sry for the long first post!

[Meatrus]

That tuning seems a little strange, is it used often in the music you listen to (I havent heard of that tuning before)? It seems like BEAD tuned up a full step (plus a half for some reason on the E) correct?

It might seem like an unhelpful question, but could you not just use a different more normal tuning? Theres no reason not to use a 5er if you have one and are confident playing one (it wont be any slower).

[Massili]

Let me clarifly it for you.
Think on a C# standard tuning. Drop the Low C# string a whole step down and you get "B drop" tuning (B, F#, B, E), right?

Now go a whole step down on all strings and you get an "A Drop" (A E A D) tuning.

I play guitar, i'm not a bass player and i (we) play in drop tuning for a long time. It's better for agressive, heavy and fast stuffs, way easier to play fast power chords on the guitar, the bass just need follow its root.

That's not strange, it's a little adaptive for what sound best on our instruments and what suits better the style, live or (mainly) in the studio and of course for our playing comfort.

We were used to play on Bb Drop, but the bass just messed everything up in the low end for the fast stuffs then i moved the tuning a half step up and i got a very nice/comfortable string tension on the guitar, it sounded much better with 0.13/0.56 and feels much better too.

Tuned up the bass and it got a little better than Bb, but not so much as the guitar did but better. I believe a better equipament\instrument (with the right choice on the strings ) will do better for B drop or even A Drop tuning (which i prefer!). I must say i love A drop and that's where i hope to get!

I just want to read what ppl says about what would be the right choice of strings for those tunings.

[GaryM]

I'd say get a 5-string and tune it to standard tuning (BEADG) when the guitars are in "Drop B" and then lower the B to an A (AEADG) or lower all the strings (ADGCF) when the guitars are in "Drop A". Or get a 4-string and use the lower four strings from a 5-string set (BEAD / AEAD / ADGC).

[Massili]

What gauge would be for a 4 string bass, that's what i'd like to know

[GaryM]

Originally Posted by Massili

What gauge would be for a 4 string bass, that's what i'd like to know

.65 .80 .100 .130 or .70 .85 .105 .135

[PSPookie]

Regardless of your string choice, the A is likely to be floppy -- especially with heavy picking. Also, please realize that the fundamental frequency for that low A (27.5 Hz) is barely audible and will not be reproduced well by most commercially available bass gear. Wat you will get is likely to sound muddy and will not be delivered with any authority unless you are using lots of power and lots of speakers.

My point is that what you think you want may not actually be what you want.

[Meatrus]

Originally Posted by Massili

Let me clarifly it for you.
Think on a C# standard tuning. Drop the Low C# string a whole step down and you get "B drop" tuning (B, F#, B, E), right?

Now go a whole step down on all strings and you get an "A Drop" (A E A D) tuning.

I play guitar, i'm not a bass player and i (we) play in drop tuning for a long time. It's better for agressive, heavy and fast stuffs, way easier to play fast power chords on the guitar, the bass just need follow its root.

That's not strange, it's a little adaptive for what sound best on our instruments and what suits better the style, live or (mainly) in the studio and of course for our playing comfort.

The tuning still doesent make sense to me , as the B shouldnt be there. The F# would be lower than the B, as your downtuning, not up. So you would have a higher string, as your first?....That is strange! I think you need to re think it . I would scrap the B and start on F#, and use Rotosound dropzone plus (they are made for F#). I would also agree with PSPookie, and say your going for something you may not need in the first place.

AEAD is done quite often, and I would get something quite large on the A (140+) then a heavy four string set minus the G string for the others.