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BEAD Bass

#2
Just change the nut (KEEP the other when you take it out, in case you want to go back to EADG!) and you're good to put the new strings in. You might need to tweak your setup a little, but if you get a string set with the tension really close to what you have now you may not.
 
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#5
Harrisonchristo said:
Does anyone have advice about converting a 1974 fender p bass to a bead tuned bass.
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You might need to change the nut. You will probably need a setup to get it dialed in just right, but there shouldn't be any major issues.

The only possible problem I can think of is that the holes for the strings to go through on the bridge might be too narrow for the low B string.
 
#6
I did this on an old Fender Prodigy that I had years ago. I used Blue Steels back then. I don't remember the size, but I know I didn't change the nut, and there was no problem with the strings going through the holes on the bridge. I'm not saying that's the proper way to do it, but it worked. If I tried it today, I would probably change the nut, but that's just me. I enjoyed it for a while, and it posed no problems in playability, as I recall. As BioWeapon mentioned, keep the but if you do change it.
 
#7
Just make sure everything fits. Will the strings rest in the nut without binding, will the string rest on the saddle in the grove or on top, will a string that fat even go through the hole in the bridge? That's the sort of stuff you have to look at.
Also, do the pickups on that bass have the frequency response for the low B?
After you put on the strings check your entire setup again.
 
#8
I did this recently with my Used To Be A Goth Thunderbird, using Dunlop's Heavy Core "Heaviest" set. I used the string to burnish the nut, just sticking it in the slot and dragging it back and forth to make sure it'd fit and move smoothly. A little graphite there is a good idea. I really dig these strings; they don't flop on the B string (I've got it tuned CDCF, but tuning to B doesn't change the tension much at all) the way so many do. They're stiffer, and I find them a lot more playable. The band I'm auditioning for plays a lot in that tuning, so it made sense to set up a bass for that. I've got others....but I'm thinking I'm gonna need to get some of those tags that they hang on liquor decanters that say what's in 'em to tell me what everything's tuned to. :D
 
#10
Haji said:
I used the string to burnish the nut, just sticking it in the slot and dragging it back and forth to make sure it'd fit and move smoothly. A little graphite there is a good idea.
I'm thinking I'm gonna need to get some of those tags that they hang on liquor decanters that say what's in 'em to tell me what everything's tuned to. :D
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I've done this, but eventually a full nut job might be necessary. Depends on how picky you are about action and intonation.
 
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#11
socialleper said:
Just make sure everything fits. Will the strings rest in the nut without binding, will the string rest on the saddle in the grove or on top, will a string that fat even go through the hole in the bridge? That's the sort of stuff you have to look at.
Also, do the pickups on that bass have the frequency response for the low B?
After you put on the strings check your entire setup again.
Click to expand...
You don't need super-duper fancy pickups to play a low B string.

My BEAD bass has a regular old passive pickup. Does just fine. The vast majority of bands I've heard/seen that play in really low tunings use pretty normal basses for them, with bog standard pickups.
 
#12
Korladis said:
You don't need super-duper fancy pickups to play a low B string.

My BEAD bass has a regular old passive pickup. Does just fine. The vast majority of bands I've heard/seen that play in really low tunings use pretty normal basses for them, with bog standard pickups.
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I didn't say you need a fancy pickup, I said make sure it sounds OK. Not every pickup has the extended range to carry all of the dynamics a low B needs, so it just might not sound good. I've tried this with some basses that just didn't sound good when you drop them down that far, regardless of the type of pickup used.
 
#15
I changed out the nut on my Spector Legend 4X. While there are a ton of ways to get a BEAD tuning without changing anything, you run the risk of poor intonation, awkward string height, not sitting correctly in the saddle ( depends on type of bridge). It's way easier to spend the $25 for a new nut and cutting then it is to hillbilly engineer your way into that stock nut. Plus, your talking about a vintage Fender 70s bass. At all costs, save that original nut to keep it stock if you ever sell it.
 
#16
socialleper said:
I didn't say you need a fancy pickup, I said make sure it sounds OK. Not every pickup has the extended range to carry all of the dynamics a low B needs, so it just might not sound good. I've tried this with some basses that just didn't sound good when you drop them down that far, regardless of the type of pickup used.
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This has honestly never, ever been a problem for me. I'm not sure how shoddy a pickup a bass would have to have for it not to work with a low B string.

I've played five different basses with low tunings (either B or low C). None have had issues with the pickup. Even the ones that were cheapies.
 
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#17
Korladis said:
This has honestly never, ever been a problem for me. I'm not sure how shoddy a pickup a bass would have to have for it not to work with a low B string.

I've played five different basses with low tunings (either B or low C). None have had issues with the pickup. Even the ones that were cheapies.
Click to expand...

Again, I'm not saying the cost or design of any one kind of pickup is necessarily required. What I'm saying is that the natural character of some pick ups react in different ways to different tunings. My experience has been that a bass that sounds great at one tuning just may not sound like what you expected at another, so one shouldn't expect their favorite bass that they love at a standard tuning to be just as awesome at another tuning, even when the appropriate changes in strings and setup have been made.
 
#18
I just filed down the nut slots in the existing nut on my Squier, put in BEAD strings and works fine. Tuning, string height, intonation all with no problems.

However, to the original poster, I have to ask... do you REALLY want to make changes to a 40 year-old Fender?!?
Keeping them original seems to have the most value.
 
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#20
Rocken17 said:
I just filed down the nut slots in the existing nut on my Squier, put in BEAD strings and works fine. Tuning, string height, intonation all with no problems.

However, to the original poster, I have to ask... do you REALLY want to make changes to a 40 year-old Fender?!?
Keeping them original seems to have the most value.
Click to expand...
The only notable changes required are a new nut (you can always keep the old one if you decide to change it back), new strings, and a setup.

Not really very significant mods. Hardly more of a change than a new set of strings.
 

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