Cello tuning

[UnfortunateTony]

Cello was my first love as an instrument and now that I don't have one I feel lonely in a way. So I'm thinking of getting a cheap fretless and tuning it the way a cello would be tuned (C-G-D-A). Just wondering what kind of strings would be best for this.

 

[fenderphil]

I'm in a metal project that tunes CGCF

I use a .120 for the low C
.090 G
.070 C
.050 F

presently, I have to mix packs (Dunlop Steels), but they last a long time and sound pretty darn good.

 

[Jazz Ad]

CircleK sell sets for 5th tuning.

 

[ixlramp]

So I'm thinking of getting a cheap fretless and tuning it the way a cello would be tuned (C-G-D-A). Just wondering what kind of strings would be best for this.

Excellent idea. Are you asking for advice on gauges? If so, I can help you choose single strings for a custom set with even feel across the strings. I have my fretless 4 string tuned in fifths close to cello tuning using 65 40 25 16p.

65 40 25w 16p will work well for cello-pitch CGDA. It has a slight and gradual fall in tension from C to A (which feels excellent). That's a standard G string and top string is a guitar plain string with an old bass ball-end threaded onto it. Or do you want an octave below cello?

 

[WarrenD]

Oddly I was thinking of doing this too, on my Warwick.

I'd buy Elites Player series singles: 110 - 85 - 60 - 35. I've not done this before but I think these gauges would work....

 

[Senator]

I've tuned my bass guitars in 5ths several times, but I ended up turning my acoustic guitar tuned this way with John Pearse's "NST" strings.

In my experience, playing a cello is much more fulfilling bass guitar tuned in 5ths. If it's possible, you should look into cellos again.

The tips posted so far sound helpful.
Good luck with your fretless!

 

[FretlessMainly]

I've often thought about this, but never done it, and this thread was the inspiration. I improvised a set of strings from my string drawer, using one new string and three used and put them on my Warwick Corvette FL:

130 - a fifth string from a new set of Sadowsky flats. The taper core is so long that it wasn't really compatible with my 5-string. The "B" sits perfectly in the saddle of the 'wick and taking it up a half step helps with the flop factor;
90 - an old Fender 9050; feels perfect;
70 - an old Fender 9050; a bit tight;
45 - an old TI Jazz flat; I've always found these to be of too low tension, so it makes it up to A just fine.

Since the D is a bit tight, I'll probably dig up a 65 and put it on tomorrow. Other than that, it's a new challenge that I'm looking forward to. And I now have a set of Sadowsky flats for 4-string that I can use elsewhere.

 

[ixlramp]

130 - a fifth string from a new set of Sadowsky flats. The taper core is so long that it wasn't really compatible with my 5-string. The "B" sits perfectly in the saddle of the 'wick and taking it up a half step helps with the flop factor;
90 - an old Fender 9050; feels perfect;
70 - an old Fender 9050; a bit tight;
45 - an old TI Jazz flat; I've always found these to be of too low tension, so it makes it up to A just fine.

The rough rule for 2 strings a fifth apart at equal tension is gauges in the ratio 3:2 (this is also the ratio of the frequencies). So if you go 40 60 90 those 3 will be at equal tension. 90 x 3/2 = 135 so the 130 is a good choice too.
I found the rough rule by working through the physics, the tension charts confirm it works fairly well.

 

[ixlramp]

For octave-down cello 130 85 55 35, I've tried these gauges too. Again a slight and steady fall in tension from C to A.

 

[FretlessMainly]

Thanks, man. I just threw on what I could find in my spare drawer. The Warwick has a pretty strong neck, so I'm not worried about problems, but I would like to balance things out. I don't think I have a 60 D or a 40 G (A), but the TI Jazz flat is cool going to A. I'll have to dig up a 60 D somewhere, or just live with a 65 TI Jazz flat for the time being.