Is this a thing?

PunkSweeper · #1 06-21-2010, 09:13 AM

So, I'm not a big fan of dropped tunings for bass (but that's another thread) so I prefer to tune all strings down a whole step. I have the ears to do this pretty quickly, but with 5 strings it still takes a while.

My question: Is there an after market bridge that drops forward and retracts just enough to tune all the strings down a designated and equal amount, or would such a product mess up the intonation too much?

Crane · #2 06-21-2010, 09:24 AM

The first thing that comes to my mind is a Hipshot extender
Its a tuner instead of bridge, and you flip a lever to drop or raise the tuning to a pre set up note
http://store.hipshotproducts.com/car...oduct_list&c=6
I've never used one, but I'm sure someone on here that can will be able to comment on how well they work

Rickett Customs · #3 06-21-2010, 09:29 AM

I can only think of one bridge that does this, however, it's only for guitars.

Hipshot "Trilogy"

fu22ba55 · #4 06-21-2010, 09:40 AM

Steinberger Trans-Trem anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Trem

Did those even work? I imagine they would be a nightmare.

202dy · #5 06-21-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

Steinberger Trans-Trem anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Trem

Did those even work? I imagine they would be a nightmare.

The Trans-Trem is tricky to set up. Figure on spending an hour or so the first time. After that it takes about the same amount of time as a Floyd Rose. Once set up, it stays in tune very well.

FunkMetalBass · #6 06-21-2010, 09:50 AM

Ibanez used to make one, but I think they discontinued them. Hipshot stopped making them because they didn't think they were reliable.

Your options are:
1. Get a second bass specifically for other tunings.
2. Contact Hipshot and see if they will custom make an extender that will fit your bass.
3. Stay dropped and get a capo.

MK1 · #7 06-21-2010, 09:54 AM

you could try something like the Morpheus.

Rickett Customs · #8 06-21-2010, 10:03 AM

I've tried that....all i can say is it "tries" to detune, the tracking is not that great on the one I tried.

agreatheight · #9 06-21-2010, 10:06 AM

You could certainly do multiple detuners for each string or get a detuning bridge (maybe Zon will sell you one from the Hyperbass - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWPHrRwQqVE). Honestly, I would just get a second bass.

father of fires · #10 06-21-2010, 10:09 AM

I saw a guitar once that had a long scale neck and a sliding capo. It would look like crap but, it would work. For that matter you could leave it down a step and use a capo for standard. But, that's probably more effort than just tuning it when you need to.

jnuts1 · #11 06-21-2010, 10:21 AM

check out Zon Guitars. Michael Manring uses a bridge & indiviual string detuners. it is amazing

FunkMetalBass · #12 06-21-2010, 10:57 AM

Zon will not sell you the bridge individually.
Frequency changing pedals are still not technologically up to par, don't track very well at lower frequencies, and sound very synthetic.

Might as well throw those two options out of the window.

PunkSweeper · #13 06-21-2010, 11:13 AM

Thanks for all the replies!

While I'm not exactly in a position to drop major cash on this issue as its not that big of a deal, I just thought that a device that would shift a bridge or the saddles a fraction of an inch towards the headstock would be pretty feasible, *cough* Hipshot. Feasible enough that someone may have already made it.

Rickett Customs · #14 06-21-2010, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PunkSweeper

ThanksWhile I'm not exactly in a position to drop major cash on this issue as its not that big of a deal, I just thought that a device that would shift a bridge or the saddles a fraction of an inch towards the headstock would be pretty feasible

FYI, This method would not go well on a fretted instrument, the scale length would be out of wack. It would only work on a fretless and even then, it would make your muscle memory a bit more challenging, switching back and forth. Moving the saddles forward or back would be disastrous on a fretted instrument, instead you'd want the tension of the string.

**Thor** · #15 06-21-2010, 11:57 AM

I would expect the cams on the Hipshot to interfere with
other tuning keys if not installed on the lowest string.
You might get a 'left handed' one to install on the G string,
that would leave 3 strings to be detuned.

IIRC I think Manring was playing a 4 with a 2x2 headstock
when I saw him. He used the detuners very effectively.

I tried to install a detuner on an old Ibanez with a 2x2 headstock, 84 Roadster,
but the footprint was too big.

FunkMetalBass · #16 06-21-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

I would expect the cams on the Hipshot to interfere with
other tuning keys if not installed on the lowest string.
You might get a 'left handed' one to install on the G string,
that would leave 3 strings to be detuned.

IIRC I think Manring was playing a 4 with a 2x2 headstock
when I saw him. He used the detuners very effectively.

I tried to install a detuner on an old Ibanez with a 2x2 headstock, 84 Roadster,
but the footprint was too big.

If you look at Manring's headstock, there is significant space in between tuners so that he can use the d-tuners. With a 2x2, you could get alternating lefty/righty d-tuners, but the levers would probably look awkward.

His bass is probably a 3x2 or a 4x1, so even if you could get Hipshot to make you one of those multi-detuners w/ one lever, you'd have to get it done for both sides of your instrument, and that would NOT be a pretty penny.

TS, your absolute cheapest method is to keep detuning, learn to play only one dropped string, or get a second bass.

JLS · #17 06-21-2010, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PunkSweeper

So, I'm not a big fan of dropped tunings for bass (but that's another thread) so I prefer to tune all strings down a whole step. I have the ears to do this pretty quickly, but with 5 strings it still takes a while.

My question: Is there an after market bridge that drops forward and retracts just enough to tune all the strings down a designated and equal amount, or would such a product mess up the intonation too much?

Are you dropping a low B tuning even lower, or downtuning a high C tuning?

DerHoggz · #18 06-22-2010, 06:58 AM

There's always the possibility of Sperzel D things, they may have a smaller footprint.

Darkstrike · #19 06-22-2010, 07:11 AM

Could get Hipshot to do you something like this, but for all strings.

Or maybe two, one for each half of the headstock, if its 3+2.

I'd imagine it would be expensive, though.

PunkSweeper · #20 06-22-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickett Customs

FYI, This method would not go well on a fretted instrument, the scale length would be out of wack. It would only work on a fretless and even then, it would make your muscle memory a bit more challenging, switching back and forth. Moving the saddles forward or back would be disastrous on a fretted instrument, instead you'd want the tension of the string.

Hmmm, what If the bridge was this style:

And the stop bar controlled the tension....