Is it just me?

[Marc Piane]

Recently I leant my b bass to a friend while their's was at the doctor. I get a call later that night that there is a problem with my E tuning machine. I get it home and check it out. No problem. Then it dawns on me. I strung it with the A string on the E tuner and vice versa. My friend had never heard of anyone doing that. My teacher in college did it so I do sometimes too. Am I the only one that does this?

[funkybassinator]

why the carrots would you do such a thing?

[kmanley_29649]

When I got my bass the D and G were switched. Now I have it strung with the E on the top peg down to the G on the bottom, so, yeah, it may not be the exact same, but not everyone strings their bass the same.

[Sam Hain]

AEDG? Huh, or the strings must cross above the nut.

[Marc Piane]

Originally Posted by funkybassinator

why the carrots would you do such a thing?

My teacher had a few reasons. He felt the longer length between the nut and the peg helped with buzz also the windings are safer as there is not such a dramatic break to the peg. It does not cross above the nut. It actually makes for a pretty neat pegbox.

[thebassbass]

My B bass has the same set up E & A swaped out. and i think the other two have tracked in here from the BG side.

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by Sam Hain

AEDG? Huh, or the strings must cross above the nut.

The strings are in the right order, but the E string is put on the usual A string tuner and vice-versa.
There's a thread about this and its variations here:
Changing strings

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by fingers

Recently I leant my b bass to a friend while their's was at the doctor. I get a call later that night that there is a problem with my E tuning machine. I get it home and check it out. No problem. Then it dawns on me. I strung it with the A string on the E tuner and vice versa. My friend had never heard of anyone doing that. My teacher in college did it so I do sometimes too. Am I the only one that does this?

Why?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Why?

Originally Posted by fingers

...not such a dramatic break to the peg.

For the same reason, my bass has "mirror-image" tuner placement with the G tuner sitting the lowest:

[JeffKissell]

Originally Posted by drurb

For the same reason, my bass has "mirror-image" tuner placement with the G tuner sitting the lowest:

My Cleveland pegbox is set up the same way.
-J

[Sam Hain]

Originally Posted by Sam Hain

AEDG? Huh, or the strings must cross above the nut.

I spent hours thinking about this thread and I was so confused as to what the OP was talking about. I swear I read P bass..I didn't realize this post was in the DB forum. I'm relieved that I wasn't losing it but afraid to say I'm an idiot. It all makes sense now...lol

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by fingers

Recently I leant my b bass to a friend while their's was at the doctor. I get a call later that night that there is a problem with my E tuning machine. I get it home and check it out. No problem. Then it dawns on me. I strung it with the A string on the E tuner and vice versa. My friend had never heard of anyone doing that. My teacher in college did it so I do sometimes too. Am I the only one that does this?

Hey SWAMI, you're not the only one! My basses and probably about half of my client's basses are strung that way. It seems to put a little more tension on the 'E' string and makes it play more cleanly.

My loaner is strung that way and I always talk about it with the client before they take the bass away!

[Marc Piane]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease y'all. The cat that borrowed my bass was no novice so I was taken aback by the whole thing. At least I know the strings are not to blame for my mental instability.

[Makatak]

Whats a B Bass ? , is that a Washburn or a Hohner or something else ?

[Phil Rowan]

TalkBass Forums > Double Bass Forums > Strings [DB]

Just boldin'..

[Phil Rowan]

Also, I'm slightly confused about how stringing the bass w/ the E string on the A tuner and vice versa puts more tension on the E string. Wouldn't that increase the angle of the E string through the nut? I guess I'm using the whole "string the E with the ball facing out at the tailpiece to add tension" thing as my reasoning, because that decrease the angle of the string over the bridge.. but please hip me for it sounds as though I could use some being hipped to here.

[Rodger Bryan]

I don't think you need to be hipped- The forces at play here are acting on the nut as a result of the change in break angle, but the variables that affect the tension of the string itself remain unchanged.(mass per unit of length, frequency, vibrating string length)

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by Phil Rowan

Also, I'm slightly confused about how stringing the bass w/ the E string on the A tuner and vice versa puts more tension on the E string. Wouldn't that increase the angle of the E string through the nut? I guess I'm using the whole "string the E with the ball facing out at the tailpiece to add tension" thing as my reasoning, because that decrease the angle of the string over the bridge.. but please hip me for it sounds as though I could use some being hipped to here.

The longer string needs more tension (string tension) to bring it to pitch.

You don't have to believe it for it to work - just try it!

[Phil Rowan]

Huh.. perhaps I will, with my Spiro Stark E. How's this affect the over all sound of the bass (I know this has probably been discussed before on TB.. just being lazy)?

[LM Bass]

With a C-extension, you get used to the "wrong" way. Now, when I go to tune my student's basses, there's always this moment of confusion. . .