Bb Tuning on a 4 string

[crazykid888]

Hey everyone.
I'm starting to play with a new band and they have all the guitars tuned to drop Bb. I have a ray34 and I'm wondering if taking a 5 string set (dropping the g string) and using those on the bass, would that work?

Buying a 5 string is my last resort at the moment, so suggestions for dropping tuning on the 4 string only please.

Will the intonation be decent on fretted notes?

Thanks!!

 

[tdub0199]

Yes but you may have to file the nut slots for the larger strings..... You will probably need to do setup on it afterwords.....

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Search for BEAD tuning, there's a ton of threads about it.

The skinny is that on most basses, especially on those with limited saddle travel, You have to either move the bridge or to use a tapered B-string in order to be able to intonate the instrument.

Everything else is just basic set-up.

Regards
Sam

 

[crazykid888]

Yes but you may have to file the nut slots for the la..... You will also need to do setup on it.....

Yea, I have the feeling the nut will need to be shaved for the B string. If I'm gonna be switching between the Bb tuning and standard. Is it worth getting it set up?

 

[crazykid888]

Hi.

Search for BEAD tuning, there's a ton of threads about it.

The skinny is that on most basses, especially on those with limited saddle travel, You have to either move the bridge or to use a tapered B-string in order to be able to intonate the instrument.

Everything else is just basic set-up.

Regards
Sam

thanks for the reply,
I did some quick searching but didn't find much. Ill have another go. Would the bridge need to be adjusted on a ray34 to accommodate the the low b?

 

[mech]

Besides all the nut slots needing to be widened (not deepened) the intonation will need to be reset. The saddles will need to move a little over 1/8" toward the butt of the guitar for Bd. If the spring on the intonation screw stacks up and binds, it can be removed. The ball end of the B string may not fit through the hole for it in the bridge base plate and that hole will need to be enlarged to 5/32" diameter for a .125/.130" string. With the tuning going down to Bd, the truss rod will need to be adjusted. A setup will have to be done every time you change between E and Bd. I have 5 four strings strung BEAD and occasionally swap one back to EADG. Three require truss rod adjustments and two don't. All require the intonation to be reset. Takes about 30 minutes.

As was stated previously, some bridges may not have enough room between the saddle and the back of the bridge for the thick windings at the ball end of the string to form over the saddle and the bridge will need to move toward the butt of the guitar. I haven't run into this myself but can see it happening.

mech

 

[crashonskis]

Dr ddt extra heavy guage strings and youll be fine.... Try to get the guitars to play in B standard and then you can just play on the E A D strings and voila standard tuning. Only way it wont work is if you want to slap.