Birdsong/shortscale owners: Experimented with drop-tunings or higher gauge strings??

[darthbatman]

I just joined a metal band that tunes to drop C,
and i'm trying hard to make it gel with my Sadhana 4-string...
But with a scale so short, i'm experience an awful lot of buzz.
I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts.

 

[Causticbob]

Short scale drop tuning is a pill. You would need to use the thickest, highest tension strings you can get your hands on to tune down to drop C. At a full step down, a .115 set works well enough (done it before anyway). Or a 5 string set without the G. but the width of the nut will still be an issue. A fiver is worth the investment if you're going to be playing metal.

 

[Jeanmelao]

Hey darthbatman!
I just wanted to ask you: How does your Birdsong behave when you play one step down? That would be DGCF. Is it playable? do you have a lot of trouble with it?

I play in a Death Metal band, and am considering ordering a Birdsong! What are you thoughts on it?
Also, what string gauge are you using?

Thanks man!

 

[jmceachern36]

I've got a birdsong 5 string for sale if you want to get down to C without issues. You could always restring your Sadana BEAD.

 

[darthbatman]

thanks for your responses dudes

Hey darthbatman!
I just wanted to ask you: How does your Birdsong behave when you play one step down? That would be DGCF. Is it playable? do you have a lot of trouble with it?

I play in a Death Metal band, and am considering ordering a Birdsong! What are you thoughts on it?
Also, what string gauge are you using?

Thanks man!

Uhh, well i ordered mine with the hipshot xtender key which i use as a drop-d switch, and with the standard curt mangans they string em with it sounds pretty good, if not just a wee buzzy on a few middle frets.. i just learned to fret really hard on the e string. but tuning down a whole step, i get an awful lot of buzz with those same strings it came with, so i'm thinking about swapping out the e string for a thicker guage like Causticbob said (thanks) and probably leaving the other A D G strings on, tuning them down a step doesn't effect the sound or the intonation really, and it makes bends a lot easier too which i like. So i believe that is what i will do.

 

[Larat]

I have a Birdsong HY5 and it sounds great in standard tune (BEADG). However I play a whole step down with drop C (i.e. ACGCF). With this tuning the B and E strings are super floppy.

The Daddario website has a chart with the tension specification plus a formula to calculate the string tension. Using this formula I get the tension for the standard and the step down tuning in my Hy5:

Standard Tuning:

Tuning - String Diameter - Tension
G ------- 0.045 ---------- 36.7
D ------- 0.065 ---------- 44.0
A ------- 0.085 ---------- 42.6
E ------- 0.105 ---------- 34.6
B ------- 0.130 ---------- 29.6


Whole Step Down with Drop C:

Tuning - String Diameter - Tension
F ------- 0.045 ---------- 29.2
C ------- 0.065 ---------- 35.0
G ------- 0.085 ---------- 33.8
C ------- 0.105 ---------- 27.4
A ------- 0.130 ---------- 23.1

You can see that the tension in the B and E string when the bass is tune a whole step down is very low.


To obtain a similar or close tension to the standard tuning using a whole step down, you have to use the following strings:

Whole Step Down with Drop C:

Tuning - String Diameter - Tension
F ------- 0.055 ---------- 42.9
C ------- 0.075 ---------- 46.1
G ------- 0.095 ---------- 41.8
C ------- 0.135 ---------- 34.7
A ------- 0.145 ---------- 27.8

So I bought these strings size from Daddario (XL Nickel Wound) and installed them in the Hy5 (and yes you have to modify the nut).

IMHO: the bass now feels and sounds great with these strings.

Hope this help you.

 

[Winemule]

Thanks, Larat! If I ever need to go to a permanent drop-tune setup, I'll have the information.

I have a cBass with the standard Curt Mangans on it; I'll drop it to Eb once in a while, but even the half-step doesn't feel right. I only need to go low on a couple tunes, so these days I just stomp on an OC-3 and it seems to get the job done.

 

[Larat]

Attached some clips using the following settings:

Birdsong Hy5

Whole Step Down with Drop C:

Tuning - String Diameter - Tension
F ------- 0.055 ---------- 42.9
C ------- 0.075 ---------- 46.1
G ------- 0.095 ---------- 41.8
C ------- 0.135 ---------- 34.7
A ------- 0.145 ---------- 27.8


Clip 1 is the bass with no effects:

Birdsong Hy5 - Clip 1 by eralat on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Clip 3 is the bass with overdrive:

Birdsong Hy5 Clip 3 by eralat on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

And Clip 2 is a combination of Clip 1 and 3:

Birdsong Hy5 Clip 2 by eralat on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free