Constantly retuning

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I hate to be that guy (but I'm gonna). I keep two of my basses tuned down ½ step.

A lot of the bands/songs I grew up playing tuned down and that's how I learned to sing. Since a throat can't be "tuned", being able to play a song in its "original form" is helpful to me.

They're set up properly for that string tension and I have to take issue with part of @jpmcbride statement:

Obviously I could just transpose down 1/2 step - no problem.

I disagree, a little bit.

When the band is tuned down ½ step and they're playing the low(est) E chord (which is actually an Eb) and you're playing on the 6th fret of the A string, there's going to be a difference. I'm not sure of the right way to describe it ... sure, it's the correct note, but it's not as low (relatively) as the note the bass is playing on the original recording.

 

[elgranluis]

I
When the band is tuned down ½ step and they're playing the low(est) E chord (which is actually an Eb) and you're playing on the 6th fret of the A string, there's going to be a difference. I'm not sure of the right way to describe it ... sure, it's the correct note, but it's not as low (relatively) as the note the bass is playing on the original recording.

my first thought when reading the OP was to drop the E to D. But , depending on the band’s internal dynamics (they could still be referring to the positions by their original notes), it might just be easier to tune down.

however , it it was me , I’d tune down a full step and then capo the first fret.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

my first thought when reading the OP was to drop the E to D. But , depending on the band’s internal dynamics (they could still be referring to the positions by their original notes), it might just be easier to tune down.

however , it it was me , I’d tune down a full step and then capo the first fret.

Probably a good work-around, but I've always been uncomfortable with capos (even on guitars).

Like I said, I just tune some of my basses down and I know which bass to use for which song.

... and don't get me started about "Can't You See" by Black Stone Cherry!

 

[Headless horse]

Don't worry, it will not harm your flats.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Nope but you may need to adjust your truss rod.
Strings and especially flats should be not a problem.

 

[Lobster11]

The bass plays just fine in Eb with the original setup in E. Action is low in either tuning with no buzz. The neck is rock solid. I can go back and forth between E and Eb without any issues with the bass. I was just wondering if I might shorten string life.

It sounds like a few people have done this with no string issues. So it appears it wouldn't be a problem.

But ... I saw an ad on CL for a Precision Bass wanting to trade for a Telecaster. It just happens that I have a Tele that hangs on the wall unused. I can trade the Tele for a Precision and tune it to Eb and keep my regular Precision in E. Because of course the right answer on TB is always to buy another bass!

Anyway, the trade is setup for tomorrow morning!

I think this is a wise move, especially since you already happen to have a Tele that you aren't using anyway.

It appears that you could use one bass for both, but I got to thinking about things like how you'll spend your time practicing for both bands at home and how much of a nuisance it would be to have to retune so often. Plus, I suspect that you might find that one of the basses seems like a better fit for one band and one for the other, irrespective of the tuning issue. (I'm in that situation myself with my two main players, though because of tonal differences rather than tuning.) Good luck with the trade and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Koog]

I've been in you situation and have experienced no problems with string life or other issues by tuning up and down between bands.

Good luck.

Koog

 

[Barticus]

You could also grab a 5’er or use a drop-tune pedal. I play fives exclusively and it’s never a problem I just drop down a half step and keep moving. I have one song that is dropped a half step where it’s easier to have the open Eb instead of fretting on the B so I just use my poly tune on my line 6 Stomp XL to detune a half step, sounds great and never a problem. Both of our guitarists also have a drop tuner pedal and they use that for the four or five songs that we drop half step.

 

[micguy]

It's just a slight turn of the truss rod to compensate for the less tension. Just a scotche

Yes, but you really don’t want to be adjusting your truss rod every week - that much adjusting can compress the wood that the truss rod presses against faster than if you only adjust it seasonally.

The tension change from a half step of tuning change is 12 percent - on a guitar thst isn’t a lot, but basses are under greater stresses to begin with, so it’s a bigger deal to us than to the guitarists. If I was setting up the bass for the soap, I’d set the bass up for optimal neck relief at std tuning, and accept that it’ll be flatter when down tuned. If your frets are level, it should be playable in both tunings.

of course, if it were me playing, I’d just play a 5 - I play in so many different keys on a regular basis that downtuning is something I wouldn’t bother with.

 

[micguy]

With flats...you should be fine. Rounds are a bit more sensitive to string tension changes (in my experience), and can act like a micro file on the nut.

I’d actually avoid flats in this scenario - the increased tension means you’re depending more on the truss rod for countering string tension, which makes the neck more susceptible to tuning changes.

 

[LBS-bass]

Yes, but you really don’t want to be adjusting your truss rod every week - that much adjusting can compress the wood that the truss rod presses against faster than if you only adjust it seasonally.

This is why I prefer to raise a saddle in this situation. It's an easy tweak that should eliminate buzz and won't damage the neck. It's also easy to undo.

 

[Geri O]

This isn’t a pro or con comment about tuning down, but I own a bass that’s set up for tuning down 1/2 step for two reasons….

(1) the artist requires it. Easy enough. And….

(2) His reasoning is that sometimes he calls a tune in a certain key and we all need to be on the same page about what the key actually is. If half of us tune down and the other half doesn’t, the key can be confusing. We avoid that by all tuning down.

Having said all of that, I actually bought a Lull P5 that I intended to set up specifically for that gig. However, over the past few months, I’ve found a happy setup medium that allows me to simply tune it normally or a 1/2 down. It’s been cool to have it on both kinds of gigs. And it plays just fine either way.