Whats all those Hipshot bass xtenders and all?

[Demon]

Are they like a tuning thing so ucan do lower/higher tunings without strings getting weird or do they do so you can say drop the tuning some steps down in a sec?

[Razor]

It detunes the string to a predetermined step/level/note when you flick the lever down.

Example: If your top string (on a 4 string) is standard tuned to E you can activate the lever on the Hipshot and "instantly" drop the open string note to a lower tuned note anywhere down to a C.

I love Hipshot hardware, but I found the Xtenders to be a pain, they don't retain the tuning as well as I'd like and I was constantly retuning the note when I placed the lever back up to it's original spot.

[dcr]

I loved mine! Yes, they an be a pain, but you must follow the instructions when setting them up/tuning or you get varied results.

Most of my basses have worn them at one time or another.




dcr

[Demon]

That makes me feel like getting a 6er is useless? or am i wrong? Itseems like you cud have a high c tuned 5er wich cud be made to a low b tuning in a few secs?=P

[Razor]

It'd def be worth trying...dunno how well it'd drop an E to a B but it's def worth a try.

[ytsebri]

I have a 6'er with a hipshot D-tuner and I use it to detune the B to an A on some songs.

[D Von]

are the hipshots accurate? could i put a hipshot on the e string of my 5 string? its a warwick five string and the tuning pegs are layed out three on top, two on bottom.

[Razor]

I don't see why not...that's assuming you're placing it on the E string. Hipshot makes small machines like the ones Warwick uses.

The tuning machines, by themselves, are highly accurate in my opinion...I use HS hardware on most of my basses.

The xtenders, in my opinion, not so much. Every time I would use the xtender feature, and then pop the lever back up to the original tuning......I still had to do a little adjustment to get it back perfectly in tune.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by Demon

That makes me feel like getting a 6er is useless? or am i wrong? Itseems like you cud have a high c tuned 5er wich cud be made to a low b tuning in a few secs?=P

Not really/at all. Your range may only be extended by a half-step, but it makes many issues such as fingering, positional playing, and chording in the upper registers very different.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by Razor

It detunes the string to a predetermined step/level/note when you flick the lever down.

Example: If your top string (on a 4 string) is standard tuned to E you can activate the lever on the Hipshot and "instantly" drop the open string note to a lower tuned note anywhere down to a C.

I love Hipshot hardware, but I found the Xtenders to be a pain, they don't retain the tuning as well as I'd like and I was constantly retuning the note when I placed the lever back up to it's original spot.

I recently tested it out and you can drop an E down to a B, even lower actually (so long as there's enough room on your headstock for the tuner to turn that far).

The issue most people have with the accuracy of the Xtenders is that they don't do enough precise tuning beforehand- you need to tune the string, then tune the dropped tuning, then retune both again. They usually keep their tuning fine after that. I've never noticed Michael Manring having any issues going out of tune with them and he uses them constantly (then again, he's also playing fretless, so maybe he's secretly adjusting for it and we don't know about it ).

Originally Posted by sdmfbassplayer

are the hipshots accurate? could i put a hipshot on the e string of my 5 string? its a warwick five string and the tuning pegs are layed out three on top, two on bottom.

Xtenders take a good amount of room to use- the lever needs room to dip down, so on most basses you can only put one on the lowest tuner, although some large headstocks have enough room for you to put them wherever- you're usually limited to one though.

Originally Posted by Demon

That makes me feel like getting a 6er is useless? or am i wrong? Itseems like you cud have a high c tuned 5er wich cud be made to a low b tuning in a few secs?=P

A sixer is not at all useless, although you can get a five-string tuned E-C and have the E drop to B when you want- that's what Matthew Garrison does. You can also tune your five-string B-G, but have the G-string have an Xtender on it. You can keep the open postition (i.e. the dropped tuning) tuned to G, and then flip the lever back up and have it tuned to a high C. You have to make sure to use lighter-gauged strings for that though- the G would have to be a .35 or less.

I just received my four-string with a customized headstock that can hold an Xtender on each string. I'm just getting started using it, but I've been able to have the range of a six-string by being able to drop my E to a B, and have my G-string be able to be raised to a high C.

[Razor]

Bryan, I have no doubt at all you are probably spot on about the precise tuning/setup of the unit. I remember the best it ever performed with me was right when I got it back from a professional setup. After that, with me changing the strings....it never worked "exactly right"

I'm quite sure if I had taken a more concentrated effort with it I would have had better results. I remember seeing John Entwistle using the xtender's on his Buzzards and he would just flip the lever back and forth at a fast pace during his solo's....if he can do that and remain in tune....anyone can!!

And that 4 banger of yours is simply out of control...no doubt about it!!!

What are you going to set it up to do tuning-wise?

[dukerutledge]

I'm really intrigued by the use of Xtenders, their ability to create many variations in harmonics, therefore creating chords is awesome. I really want to get some and set up my warwick.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by Razor

What are you going to set it up to do tuning-wise?

Hell if I know Actually, I was working on a couple pieces that were in altered tunings before I got the bass, and now that I have it I'm trying to figure out what I should set the Xtenders for. It's really a brain trip- playing tuned in fourths for so long, it's hard to get your head around using an alternate tuning AND having an additional nine tunings you can switch to. I think my "standard" tuning is going to be:
E that can drop to B
A that can drop to E
D that can be raised to G
G that can be raised to C

I'm unsure at the moment though. I sold my last fretless back in January to fund this one, so my intonation is way out of practice, not to mention that my fingers were used to a 35"'s intonation, and now I'm getting used to a 33", so at the moment I'm just working on playing consistently in tune again.

[Razor]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

Hell if I know Actually, I was working on a couple pieces that were in altered tunings before I got the bass, and now that I have it I'm trying to figure out what I should set the Xtenders for. It's really a brain trip- playing tuned in fourths for so long, it's hard to get your head around using an alternate tuning AND having an additional nine tunings you can switch to. I think my "standard" tuning is going to be:
E that can drop to B
A that can drop to E
D that can be raised to G
G that can be raised to C

I'm unsure at the moment though. I sold my last fretless back in January to fund this one, so my intonation is way out of practice, not to mention that my fingers were used to a 35"'s intonation, and now I'm getting used to a 33", so at the moment I'm just working on playing consistently in tune again.

Haha...that's cool man. Way too complicated for my feeble brain but if you can handle it bro more power to ya!! It does look cool!