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6 string gauge question.

T

thump_dumpster

Aug 11, 2009
206
9
Denton, tx
www.myspace.com
#1
ok, so im trading my customized to hell but albeit "crappy" squier p-bass for an alvarez 6 string bass that doesn't have a nut or electronics nor strings. i like project basses. so i'll invaribly mod this one to my tastes.


anyways. i've heard of it being done and plan to string it EADGBE and was looking at just buying single strings from juststrings.com and for under 40 before shipping i can do it.

so with these gauges do you think i would have any problems tuning to that?

1st E .028

2nd B .045

3rd G .060

4th D .075

5th A .090

6th E .105

also if you have any experience doing this i would be grateful for any input.
 
#2
no - the b string is guaged as a fairly medium G string, and the E string as a C string. In other words, your top two strings will be tuned too high....
 
#4
Thats guitar tuning....shame on you! :)

The problem I could see would be un even tension across the strings, (your B and E would be quite tense). This is a guess, so I could be wrong but makes sense (to me :)), as what you are esentially doing is tuning your G to B and your C to E. Which is two full steps up, and I'm not even sure the gauge you suggested could handle that.
 
#6
thump_dumpster said:
lol, which is exactly why i'm asking. lol
Click to expand...

I have thought it over :ninja:.

You will want a 6 string high C for your B of around 30-35. I have tuned my 6er's C down to B flat before many times, and it has been fine tension wise, maybe a bit low but that was with a 30, so 35 may be good.

Then the lightest gauge you can find for the E, I would guess around 20.....I think, this one is a guess as I have never used anything that light (its a bass not a guitar dammit;)).

Or you could just buy a cheap guitar :cool:.
 
#9
thump_dumpster said:
1st E .028

2nd B .045

3rd G .060

4th D .075

5th A .090

6th E .105

also if you have any experience doing this i would be grateful for any input.
Click to expand...

Assuming i go with the .105 E, your gauges should roughly be

E- .105
A- .80-.85
D- .65
G- .45 <- EADG of a normal set
B- .30-.35 <- a heavy C string tuned down
E- .20-.25 <- i'm not sure where you going to get this one.
 
#10
30 to a 32 sounds about right. On the E string you can either go plain steel or wound. Ken Smith sells singles for 18 and 20 guage single strings. SIT strings have the best prices for singles. What I've been doing is buying guitar strings and cutting the ball end off an old bass string and threading the guitar string through it. That way you can experiment and get light guage flat wounds for instance and see if you like them. The whole trick of playing in E to E tuning is to find a good sounding high E string for your bass. Its not easy as you will find out. If you have a 35" scale bass forget it. A cool sounging set is a set of light gauge Ken Smith Slab Masters.Buy the 4 string set and buy singles but you will have to experiment. Heres a link that makes it easy to choose strings. Finding a good gauge of strings to go E to E on a 34 in scale bass is a lifes work good luck [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 

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