Anyone else tune a 4 string down a half step?

[monsterthompson]

I played in a band that was in standard tuning on guitar but I was down a whole step on bass. I liked the tone better. I could also hit a low A at points in our songs in A and it would kill; otherwise I wouldn't have reason to use the low B open since we had no songs in B.

I also had a band that did things in E flat. Tuned down 1/2 for that.

 

[JLubinsky-Mast]

I've been trying to find the quote, but, I'm having no luck.

I read something by Daniel Lanois years ago, where he said something along the lines of tuning down a half step ( maybe it was a whole step) changes the way the over tones react with pickups. Resulting in a more "piano-esque" tone.
I'm not sure how much truth there is to this, but, perhaps there's more benefits to tuning down a half step then merely being able to hit lower notes.

 

[rydin4lifebass]

Not permanently down a half step but I tune one of my four stings BEAD and do occasionally tune down a whole step or half step on my other basses in standard tuning. For some repetitive lines that cause fatigue, I will tune down a step and play higher on the neck so it's a little more comfortable.