This may hurt: Nut versatility question

[Dave in LB]

How do I ask that without getting sigged?

Here's my question. I'm thining about a 5 stringer with a nut cut to go either traditional B up to G or E up to C. If I do this will the E-A-D strings have too much room to wiggle in the opened up slot? I figure the G & C should be fairly close already (could be wrong here too) or is this just not a good idea. Reasoning is sometimes it would be nice to have it strung light for home entertainment /soloing and others heavy for play. Thoughts please.

It seems I had a bass instructor decades ago that used a B on an E string slot? It just sat up too high and wasn't perfectly toned.

[walterw]

do not try to jam a too-big string into a nut slot not cut for it. it won't stay in tune, will play and intonate terribly (from being up off the board) and will likely break the end of the nut off if it's an outer string.

you can get away with smaller strings in bigger nut slots as long as there's enough down-angle behind it. that means fenders are likely OK except for the A string, which might rattle even if you have extra wraps on the tuner like you should.

angled-headstock basses like ibanez should be fine.

[Dave in LB]

You know I forgot about that nut breakage part of this. I think my old teacher did (uh oh here it comes) break a nut this way. Just no way to avoid it sorry.

Recapping if I cut the nut so that it's a standard 5 string b up to g stringing it e up to c should be fine but may rattle? May have to try it once just to see how bad. Thanks for the tips.

[testing1two]

The best answer is to have two nuts.

[Dave in LB]

Yes two nuts are better than one.

Not sure how easily interchangable they would be though.

[mech]

Two nuts aren't necessary. I have several 4 strings strung BEAD and occasionally swap one or another back to EADG with no problems, but as said above, having a good break angle helps avoid problems. Also as said above, the nut must be cut for the larger strings.

mech

[Dave in LB]

Mech,

Thanks for clarity. I was thinking this should work. Just need to be attentive.

[darkstorm]

On the fivers Ive had I allways ended up stringing them E-B (yeah guitar style for B instead of C). Anyway, never had a problem with the nuts cut for B-G.