A Fast way to Tune to BEAD without Changing The Nut?

[P A U L]

The fastest way is to tune down the strings you have and play really soft.

That’s not the best way, but it’s the fastest and easiest.

technically, buying one of those synthesizer guitar modules that can retune your existing strings to anything, is the fastest/easiest, but, it will cost you & still not the preferred way.

Or, you can do what Billy Sheehan does & have a doubleneck made just for that.

Billy Sheehan: Why not a 5er instead of a 20lb double?

 

[JoshS]

Look, OP. I know you haven't really gotten many ideas in this thread, so allow me to suggest considering a 5 string.

 

[Obese Chess]

10 De-tuners rigged together like an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine on the back of your headstock.

 

[proverbs10_4]

Get a pitch shifter pedal and set it so every note plays 5 semitones lower.

 

[bolophonic]

C’mon man.

 

[Ric5]

problem solved

 

[JoeWPgh]

Why would you want to do this? You will spend more time changing tunings than changing basses. Either go with BEAD and live with it, or get a 5er

 

[80jazz]

Drop your E string to B, A string to E, D string to A, G string to D. You dont need another nut. You don't even need higher gauge strings. You just get a more solid tone out of it if you do. But, it sounds wicked with just 105 - 50.

This is what I would do.

 

[logdrum]

@Gare Boo

Hmm - if you really just want to bring one bass and do not want to get a 5 string , a double neck or a pedal

Easiest is detune and use a heavy EADG set

Or get really fast changing strings but make sure your BEAD set is light. Just train yourself. There are people that pick locks while trying not to drown or people dismantling bombs before the timer goes off. You have less pressure to deal with.

 

[ThunderV]

I think this is the perfect application for a double neck bass.......If this was already mentioned.....I'm not sorry at all.

 

[rafitoprtx]

A pitch shift pedal. I use the Bass Sbend setup of my Boss MS3. It sound a little process but does the job.

 

[Thegrandwazoo]

Changing/modifying a nut for heavier strings takes like half as long as a good setup. It's the only way to really do it right. Learn to do it (easy), get the tools (about as much as a tech would charge for the job), and do it, or have it done. Anything else will be a substantial compromise, and unnecessary compromises ALWAYS suck.

 

[arbiterusa]

Sure.

Option 1: Get a BEAD set, put it on, tune it up, break nut, get it replaced by repairman who cuts it for BEAD. You can then string THAT nut with a standard EADG set with little readjustment required.

Option 2: Buy a Steinberger L/XL series bass, and just tune your EADG set down to BEAD. Or back up as required. I did that for years. It won't work on most basses but it will work on those just fine.

 

[TheGreatSealof]

Get a synth pedal that allows the user to drop and rise the tuning electronically. Emulates much like a 60's mellotron. You will have the ability to change tuning using the device without the hassle of multiple alternately tuned instruments on stage. You can create presets on the pedal and simply select the tuning you desire for a particular song. It's magic!!!

 

[swink]

Capo at 7th frt.

 

[swink]

BEAD, capo 5th fret.
10 minutes to walk to the car and get your capo.

And have another 10 minutes to rethink this solution

Edit: was confused by CatOnTheBass' Shorthand but 100% for his solution.

 

[DonaldR]

DR DDT-65 string set for BEAD, capo 5th fret for EADG.
Or EADG with Digitech Drop pedal for BEAD.

 

[ObsessiveArcher]

It's pretty comfortable to drop a string 1.5 steps. It's also fine to use the Digitech drop pedal down 1.5 steps. Bingo! You now have the equivalent of BEAD.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I'm only missing the top five notes of EADG tuning (no money there anyhow), so I've never had a need to swap back once I'm in BEAD.

You are missing the G string which is an integral part of many dance music bass lines.

 

[2112]

Fastest. And cheaper than a 5-string or a second 4-string (in *most* cases). My experience has been quite good, tracking is solid all the way down the range, just a little bit of tone suck. However, I've heard that others do not necessarily have as good a result as I do, could have something with the signal that's being fed to it. With this and a Hipshot, I can get everywhere I need to go.