La Bella makes a flatwound 104 82 62 set.....I might try those for the D G C and leave the F A D on from the Bass Vi Set since they feel good.
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That is cool. Here’s a true story: several years ago, I saw a Squier VM Fretless in a store, picked up, played it, and loved how it sounded! I bought it, then at home realized it was tuned DGCF!
Only traded it in later when I found a used Ibanez 5-string fretless.
Which confirms more or less what I've said in a later post, using 45-65-85-105 comes very close to what you state, meaning nearly no difference in tensions.
What I sometimes do is buy a light 5 string set, discard the highest string and use other four ones as they tend to come in 110 for the lowest. I prefer the D being on thick side to avoid buzzing.
It all depends on the set. The gauges are only part of the equation. Some 45-105 can be floppy even when tuned to EADG, while others are stiff enough to be down-tuned without going all loosey-goosey.
What I like about the GHS Pressurewounds is they're both "stiffer-feeling" and "higher in tension" than typical rounds, making them more suitable for down-tuning.
Here's a simple comparison...
D'Addario XL Nickel 107 tuned to E = 39.5 lbs.
Pressurewound 106 tuned to E = 48.0 lbs.
Pressurewound 106 tuned to Eb = 42.8 lbs.
Pressurewound 106 tuned to D = 38.1 lbs.
EDIT: A couple of more tension figures for comparison...
D'Addario XL Nickel 110 tuned to E = 46.2 lbs.
D'Addario XL Nickel 110 tuned to D = 36.7 lbs.
D'Addario XL Nickel 120 tuned to E = 50.8 lbs.
D'Addario XL Nickel 120 tuned to D = 40.3 lbs.
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Double check these tension figures. D'Addario has changed their formulations and gauges. For down tuning to either Eb or D, I have found the new EXL160BT set, 50-67-90-120 to be the best balanced for feel and tone, with sufficient heft, and not flopping around. Per the D'Addario web site, the tensions per string at regular pitch:
XL160BT 50 – 50.30 67 – 51.09 90 – 51.05 120 – 49.24
Remember that tension varies as the square of the pitch, so the resulting tensions at D tuning are:
XL160BT 50 – 39.9 67 – 40.6 90 – 40.5 120 – 39.1
All within the ranges of standard tensions for light to medium strings at conventional pitch.
XL160BT 50 – 50.30 67 – 51.09 90 – 51.05 120 – 49.24
Remember that tension varies as the square of the pitch, so the resulting tensions at D tuning are:
XL160BT 50 – 39.9 67 – 40.6 90 – 40.5 120 – 39.1
All within the ranges of standard tensions for light to medium strings at conventional pitch.
Another D standard player here, I've had my Thumb tuned to D-G-C-F-Bb with Rotosound flats 105-35 for years, perfect tension for D and can handle drop C.
So I just got a Rick 4003FG on order and I'm thinking of what to do with the standard gauges (45-55-75-105) with respect to my DGCF. I've got some strings that wound fit, or maybe not. The idea is to not having to do work on the nut.
1. Rotosound RB5Q heavy nickel round wound 50-70-90-110
2. Hartke SX medium stainless round wound hex core 50-75-95-110
3. Fender 9120M medium nylon wound 58-72-92-110
4. D'Addario EPS230 heavy pro steels round wound hex core 55-75-90-110
5. D'Addario ENR73 heavy half rounds hex core 55-75-90-110
So the question is: which one do you consider best for my rick?
1. Rotosound RB5Q heavy nickel round wound 50-70-90-110
2. Hartke SX medium stainless round wound hex core 50-75-95-110
3. Fender 9120M medium nylon wound 58-72-92-110
4. D'Addario EPS230 heavy pro steels round wound hex core 55-75-90-110
5. D'Addario ENR73 heavy half rounds hex core 55-75-90-110
So the question is: which one do you consider best for my rick?
No replies, so I ordered something completely different, GHS M3075 half rounds 49-62-84-108.
Seem very much like what I had in mind.
An excellent choice. GHS Brite Flats = Alloy 52 half-rounds (groundwound). Those gauges would be great for DGCF. Nicely balanced overall.
I have the light set (45-98) on my Fender Jazz for EADG right now and they're just right for stiffness/flexibility.
One word of caution...
Being half-rounds, they start out very sticky - something that caught me off guard when I first tried them. Be patient and keep playing as the stickiness will wear off eventually, maybe after a month or so.
Thanks for your advice.
I thought these should do well, mainly because I had estimated the gauges for my 4003 with DGCF at 50-60-80-110 and ground wound should also do well, the rick has enough treble to go well with that.
I had a look at a lot of strings and was searching for d'Addario NHR strings (single half rounds) to get these gauges but I couldn't find a single store that has all four. During my search I found a store in the Netherlands that had a truckload of string sets and there I found the GHS set at a very nice price with shipping for only €4.10 !
With the stickiness are you referring to a protective coating that needs to fade away by use?
The stickiness with half-rounds has more to do with the fact there are tiny gaps between the outer windings as a result of a round wire being ground down.
That said, it's always a good idea to give them a thorough wipe-down with a dry cloth BEFORE INSTALLATION in case there is any residue of the compound used for the final polishing left on them from the factory.
The Brite Flats on my J are almost (as in 98%) as smooth as flats in terms of the surface texture.
So I had two packs of d'Addario ENR73's laying around and just did the swap on my rick.
These are 55-75-90-110 so I needed adjust the nut just a little bit (middle two strings which on standard rick are much thinner) to make them fit. No problem there.
The difference: MAYOR, tension has gone up to normal and now the neck has just this tiny bit of relief I like it to have. Could lower the bridge considerable, action is way better now, no floppying, no buzzing, way better to play.
I'm sure the GHS will be a bit brighter, which is better, but for the moment this will work. The GHS will take about a week to get here, and because I did the work already, won't require any nut work.
These are 55-75-90-110 so I needed adjust the nut just a little bit (middle two strings which on standard rick are much thinner) to make them fit. No problem there.
The difference: MAYOR, tension has gone up to normal and now the neck has just this tiny bit of relief I like it to have. Could lower the bridge considerable, action is way better now, no floppying, no buzzing, way better to play.
I'm sure the GHS will be a bit brighter, which is better, but for the moment this will work. The GHS will take about a week to get here, and because I did the work already, won't require any nut work.
So I had two packs of d'Addario ENR73's laying around and just did the swap on my rick.
These are 55-75-90-110 so I needed adjust the nut just a little bit (middle two strings which on standard rick are much thinner) to make them fit. No problem there.
The difference: MAYOR, tension has gone up to normal and now the neck has just this tiny bit of relief I like it to have. Could lower the bridge considerable, action is way better now, no floppying, no buzzing, way better to play.
I'm sure the GHS will be a bit brighter, which is better, but for the moment this will work. The GHS will take about a week to get here, and because I did the work already, won't require any nut work.
It will be an interesting comparison in their tonal characters, Pure Nickel (D'A) vs. Nickel-Iron Alloy (GHS).
Meanwhile, here's how the tension figures compare between the two...
D'Addario ENR73: (D-standard)
F 055 - 53.0 lbs.
C 075 - 53.0
G 090 - 40.5
D 110 - 35.5 (Total 182.0)
GHS M3075: (D-standard)
F 049 - 34.0 lbs.
C 062 - 34.9
G 084 - 39.3
D 108 - 35.6 (Total 143.8)
F 055 - 53.0 lbs.
C 075 - 53.0
G 090 - 40.5
D 110 - 35.5 (Total 182.0)
GHS M3075: (D-standard)
F 049 - 34.0 lbs.
C 062 - 34.9
G 084 - 39.3
D 108 - 35.6 (Total 143.8)
Hi everyone,
Just found out about this club, and thought I'd mention my own DGCF tuning experiences.
Normally, I just tune standard, but I used to play in a band that did a couple songs in drop-D tuning (DADG) and I thought how cool that D note sounded when I got to use it. I got a nice Jazz from my wife for my birthday, and after playing it for a few months, I decided to swap out the roundwounds for Fender flatwounds. Blame that decision on the YouTube video that Reverb posted with P and J basses strung with flats and rounds.
With the flats, I found the tension a bit higher, so I decided to drop to Eb tuning. It was better, but I had a harder time transposing for songs that were not performed in Eb (easier for SRV songs). So I dropped the tuning down another half step and found that I could perform songs in drop-D, SRV songs, and standard tuning songs with a bit of re-thinking.
Tension was pretty much perfectly light and smooth with the standard (light?) flats. So I keep this bass for that sort of playing, and it inspires new ideas when I pick it up.
Are there membership numbers here? Not that it matters, but I feel obliged to ask.
Just found out about this club, and thought I'd mention my own DGCF tuning experiences.
Normally, I just tune standard, but I used to play in a band that did a couple songs in drop-D tuning (DADG) and I thought how cool that D note sounded when I got to use it. I got a nice Jazz from my wife for my birthday, and after playing it for a few months, I decided to swap out the roundwounds for Fender flatwounds. Blame that decision on the YouTube video that Reverb posted with P and J basses strung with flats and rounds.
With the flats, I found the tension a bit higher, so I decided to drop to Eb tuning. It was better, but I had a harder time transposing for songs that were not performed in Eb (easier for SRV songs). So I dropped the tuning down another half step and found that I could perform songs in drop-D, SRV songs, and standard tuning songs with a bit of re-thinking.
Tension was pretty much perfectly light and smooth with the standard (light?) flats. So I keep this bass for that sort of playing, and it inspires new ideas when I pick it up.
Are there membership numbers here? Not that it matters, but I feel obliged to ask.
New year's resolution for 2020 for you (and for me) = No hemming, no hawing; just do it!
What's your plan about filing out the nut to fit new string gauges? I don't have proper tooling for it.
I will be using the GHS Pressurewound M7200 (44-62-84-106), so no need to modify the nut.
Nice... I don't think I'll need any changes for my fretless since it'll be getting the M7200 set as well. My P might need a bit of filing since I'm going to bump up to ever so slightly bigger flats. Maybe I'll toss on an old set of Rotos I have though, those are widely viewed as crazy high tension flats.
The kicker is going to be my 5. I'm going to go D-standard "high 5" with it, so the low String will be a D rather than a B. There, I'm going to need a new nut, perhaps.
i think i ´m in the DGCF Club. to stay...
i play mainly low-brass instr.. wich are in the key of Bb... this means that my ears are formed in Bb, since i was 10 y old.
when i play an open C on the trumpet (no valve´s pressed) it sounds as Bb on a piano. thats why it´s called a Bb instrument. with this D-standard tuning i´m better off playing by ear on my bass cause now the bass is a Bb-bass , instead of a normal C-bass. works really well in a brass group. no more transposing notes when i change brass to strings or v.v.
i play mainly low-brass instr.. wich are in the key of Bb... this means that my ears are formed in Bb, since i was 10 y old.
when i play an open C on the trumpet (no valve´s pressed) it sounds as Bb on a piano. thats why it´s called a Bb instrument. with this D-standard tuning i´m better off playing by ear on my bass cause now the bass is a Bb-bass , instead of a normal C-bass. works really well in a brass group. no more transposing notes when i change brass to strings or v.v.
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Never having played a horn, nor having played in school bands, I am left scratching my head as to why a C on a trumpet is a Bb, or why a D on a bass is a Bb.
I will completely take your word for it, but I can't say I follow.
