4-string bass /// BEAD tuned

[Petros-J]

Hi there!

I need some opinions about tuning a 4-string bass guitar to BEAD.
I know that's why they invented the 5-string bass .
But maybe for some kinds of music a 4-string can sound better and a bit heavier.

a) What wood should I prefer(body & neck)?
b) Neck through would be better?
c) Single or humbucker pickups... active or passive?
d) How much high the strings should be?
e) Some bass guitars you think I can try?

*Thx in advance

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by Petros-J

Hi there!

I need some opinions about tuning a 4-string bass guitar to BEAD.
I know that's why they invented the 5-string bass .
But maybe for some kinds of music a 4-string can sound better and a bit heavier.

a) What wood should I prefer(body & neck)?
b) Neck through would be better?
c) Single or humbucker pickups... active or passive?
d) How much high the strings should be?
e) Some bass guitars you think I can try?

*Thx in advance

A, Whichever you usually like in fives, or fours.
B, If you prefer it, yeah.
C, What kind of tone do you like?
D, Buy a 5 string pack and toss the G string(or store for later).
E, P-Bass, Jazz Bass(I had one tuned BEAD for ages), Musicman, etc. All the usual suspects.
I'd also suggest a Traben, as they are my fave brand, and thet do 4 string 35" scale basses, the Kore, Phoenix, the old Chaos model.

[dystopiate]

Well, a 4 string tuned BEAD won't be any "heavier" than a 5 tuned BEADG, but it may give you the opportunity to use some right-hand muting techniques that don't work as well on a 5, may make you more comfortable, may give you the ability to be more frantic on stage, etc.

More to the point, you can tune any 4 string bass BEAD. The only thing that may need to changed (outside of intonation and possibly a turn of the truss rod) is the nut. The slots will probably need to be filed down to fit the heavier gauge strings. If you're not comfortable doing this on your own, go to a luthier! It's a cheap fix. If he puts on a new nut, ask to keep the old one so you can swap back in case you decide to go back to standard tuning at some point.

Some people will prefer a longer scale bass (e.g., a 35") because they feel it improves the sound of the B string. I'm not 100% comfortable on a 35" even though I've had one for 5 years. Most of my basses are 34", and some of my 4s are tuned down to B and have tight B strings.

Last thing, most people I know who tune BEAD just get a 5 string set and ditch the G string. For BEAD I go with a custom set of: 135, 105, 80, 60. It feels a little more balanced from string to string and the 135 helps with the B string tension on a 34" as opposed to the typical 130.

[basslyon]

Tim Commerford did it with a jazz and he's a particular bastard.

I know he started with a 130 b string (but i think he changed it to a thinner one for Out of exile). I also know he went from ampeg to m pulse cos he felt it handled the lower end better. He also put left hand necks on his basses to give the extra length behind the nut although there is debate about the effectiveness of this.

Also your nut may not like the fatter strings without a refiling and probably won't like going the opposite way.

[Connor]

a) unimportant
b) probably
c) humbucker, humbucker for a deeper sound (active or passive)
d) ?
e) probably anything that you set up properly after the change, you might want to check out ESP's because they are made for metal

[Petros-J]

Thx for advice guys!

*As for the d) question... my english suck... and that's all Connor!
Nothing more and nothing less about the strings .