Tuning to C# Suggestion

[NecroButcher]

Hey my band is tuned to C#. I play on a 5 string and Usually tuned it C#, F#, B, E , A on DR Hi Beams .125-45

I love the tone of hi beams, and tuning the b up to c# gave me great tension for the speed I play at. We play heavy metal so if if the e string was tuned down to c# then it would be so loose and I have a low action.

Last practice I snapped my first string ever during a song. It was the B string actually. It just popped and i saw that at the bridge it was threading so whenever I tried to turn the tuning knobs it just got longer.

I play on that one the most since its tuned up to c#. Luckily I still had my pair of stock strings around and replaced that, but now when I was practicing our songs that one snapped too.. Its an old string but ****... Whats your guy's suggestion to me playing in c#? Other heavy bands use it like Krisiun or venom.

[Beej]

Those are the exact strings I use on my fiver and I tune mine similarly, except that I have a bit higher tension: I tune mine C#, G#, C#, F#, B. I've never broken a string and I also play fast metal with a pick. What kind of bass do you play?

[knuckle_head]

Does your saddle have a sharp front edge to it? Is the string breaking where it is made to bend severely? Perhaps easing the break angles with a file a bit...

A .120 might help if that's not the answer.

[NecroButcher]

Im using a warwick Vampyre rockbass series.
My bridge looks like this
http://www.chrisguitars.com/warwick-rockbass-blue3.jpg

[adge]

id look at going the other way and tuning down, and using what was the "E" string as your "C#". i tune one of my basses (4 string P bass) down to "C,G,C,F" and i use GHS 50-115. the 115 holds the "C" better than any other string ive tried...

[NecroButcher]

Yeah but when i tune my E string to c# theres not enough tension for my speed.

[lemur821]

I think a .125 should be fine at C#. I blame either a old/bad string or a sharp spot on the bridge for the break.

[idoru]

Download D'Addario's tension charts: they give a good reference for comparitive tension for a given gauge at a given pitch.

For'ex: I was looking at tuning to C, and found that a .130 "B" string had tension close to that of a standard E string at concert pitch.

You can get an idea of your ideal string set - but good luck getting all your ideal gauges in one pack

c-

[varunkapahi]

probably your bridge saddle needs some filing down and thats it. just smoothen the sharp edge

[SwamiRob]

Originally Posted by NecroButcher

Yeah but when i tune my E string to c# theres not enough tension for my speed.

He uses a 115 on his "E" though

The whole thing might be a coincidence anyway, old strings sometimes break very quickly, if you string it up so it doesn't bend over the bridge in the same way it did, sometimes it makes the string VERY weak at that point.

How long did you have the fresh stings one before this happened?

[NecroButcher]

After getting a new set of DR hi-beams I sanded out my first saddle because after closer inspection I saw a little bump. I also put a bit of graphite lube on it. Its been almost 2 months and I didnt have the 1st string snap, so I guess its working out.