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D Standard Club (DGCF)

#541
Abner said:
Hmmmm... guess what thread this is. ;) Also, check post #9 on the first page of this thread. (Not that I'm Pino, or anything like that...)

And no wrestling required with them tuned down a whole tone. At least I don't think so, and I'm getting to be an old fart with tired, sore fingers.
Click to expand...

Old farts rule! I should know. I am one too he he. The thread I should have linked was this one La Bella '54 Originals Fellowship
I make a comment in that thread that I felt drawn to the Jamersons. I had a 32" bass on order when I posted in that thread, but bailed out on it. I still would love to try em in D on a 34" bass if I get one again ( was gonna steer clear of long scale basses after selling the last one I had, but am getting one again to give BEAD a go, and probably another to dedicate to D tuning)
 
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#542
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#543
MrAB4003 said:
Yes I am. I used to use the 45-105 Roto 55s in E Standard and I thought they were too tense. So I figured tuning them down to D Standard would be fine. I also put the tension info in the Stringjoy tension calculator and all 4 strings are around 35 pounds each. The strings are coming in the mail in a week, so I will give an update once I get them and put them on my bass.

I ordered the 60-115 La Bella Gold Whites on my 4003 a few months ago. But I didn't want to file the nut on such an expensive bass. Thankfully, I was able to trade those strings here on TB for a set of light La Bella Blacks that I use on another bass (tuned to E Standard). I'm aware of why tapewound manufacturers raise the gauges on their strings. That's also why I chose the light gauges for my E Standard basses. I like the tension they provide, which is a little looser than normal, and that's why I'm trying to get with the Roto 55s tuned to D Standard.
Click to expand...
Update - My Roto 55s came in the mail today so I put them on my 4003 and tuned them to D Standard. I played the new strings tonight and I remembered why I used them before I switched to tapes.

Tonally, I'm impressed with how my bass handled the Open D and other lower notes. There's plenty of clank and best of all, I sounded like me.

The tension is fantastic! It's so much better than it was when I had these strings tuned in E Standard and compared to the old Gold White tapes in D Standard. The strings are not floppy whatsoever, but they're also not super tight. They are rougher to the touch than the tapes, but they're much smoother than typical roundwounds. So that's something I will have to get used to because I got spoiled with the softness of tapewounds haha.

So all is well with my 4003 in D Standard!
 
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#545
Just checking in! Joined a country band and a bunch of songs use the low D so when I got a new nut for my No.1 I had them set it up for D standard. Unfortunately the set of strings I have them had a dead E and A (read: D and G) so I just picked up a set of EB cobalt 55-110. Hopefully I love this tuning. Otherwise I’m stuck not playing the low D or just hitting the higher one.
 
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#546
I don't know why, but a 110 just feels too slack for me as D. I'm using a Chrome 132 as D on my Mikro and D on a 34". I tried the 132 as B but too slack too. The 132 seems to wake up when tuned up to D from B. It's a fair bit of tension. Roughly the same as the D string in standard tuning, so it's not way over the top. I'm waiting on the stiffer La Bella 0760M set and see how the 110 from that set feels as D. If it feels ok I'll use it.
 
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#547
Prodigus Filius said:
I don't know why, but a 110 just feels too slack for me as D. I'm using a Chrome 132 as D on my Mikro and D on a 34". I tried the 132 as B but too slack too. The 132 seems to wake up when tuned up to D from B. It's a fair bit of tension. Roughly the same as the D string in standard tuning, so it's not way over the top. I'm waiting on the stiffer La Bella 0760M set and see how the 110 from that set feels as D. If it feels ok I'll use it.
Click to expand...
The Rotosound swing strings definitely felt a bit loose but since they were doa I just swapped for EB cobalt 55-110 and they have much more tension. I like these strings much more. Still not getting the A-c# tones that I love so much. Wonder if it’s cuz I’m down a full step. No rehearsal this week so I’ll have to wait another week to see how it works with the band.
 
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#550
MirandM said:
Be aware that it's not all about tension, you can have a stiffer string with less tension then usual just because of the material and construction of the string involved. To me it's a matter of personal taste and preference and sometime a string you like just doesn't work on a given bass while sounding great on another.
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I totally agree! I can relate to this with my experience trying out new strings this year. Here's what I learned about myself:
1. I prefer pressurewounds over tapewounds, especially in D Standard
2. I prefer strings with lower tension so I can bend them and have a looser sound. I have La Bella White Tapes (50-105 gauge for standard tuning) and Rotosound 55s (45-105 gauge for D Standard and 40-100 gauge for standard tuning) on my basses.
3. The only tapes I like are the La Bella Whites because they sound like pressurewounds or nickel roundwounds. I didn't like the La Bella Gold Whites or Blacks, especially the former.
4. Slightly used strings set are hard to sell.
 
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#551
I was thinking of maybe making a TI flats buy to see what all the fuss is about. But instead of using the 4 string JF344 43-100 set and dowtuning them, I was thinking of getting the 5iver set JF345 43-136 and uptuning by using the 136 100 70 and 56 for DGCF.
Downtuning the regular 43-100 set probably wouldn't work for me. These strings are already low tension in E standard, and I hear they are real unstiff too. Last thing I want is spending big bucks for a jello experience.
So anyone used the bottom four strings of the JF345 set to do D standard?
Here are the tensions.
DGCF with TI jazz flats
D1 /36.7hz/.136/49.13 lbs
G1 /49hz /.100/48.64 lbs
C2 /65.4hz/.070/44.26 lbs
F2 /87.3hz/.056/48.76 lbs
TT = 190.79 lbs
 
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#552
Prodigus Filius said:
So anyone used the bottom four strings of the JF345 set to do D standard?
Here are the tensions.
DGCF with TI jazz flats
D1 /36.7hz/.136/49.13 lbs
G1 /49hz /.100/48.64 lbs
C2 /65.4hz/.070/44.26 lbs
F2 /87.3hz/.056/48.76 lbs
TT = 190.79 lbs
Click to expand...

Just wondering how those tensions might affect the skinny round core wires... will they be stressed too much? Also, are they going to alter their tonal character?

They might be better suited for the C-standard tuning. A half step up from the standard BEAD tuning can tighten them just enough to avoid the "jello experience".

(DISCLAIMER: I have no personal experience with TIJF's.)
 
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#553
Prodigus Filius said:
I was thinking of maybe making a TI flats buy to see what all the fuss is about. But instead of using the 4 string JF344 43-100 set and dowtuning them, I was thinking of getting the 5iver set JF345 43-136 and uptuning by using the 136 100 70 and 56 for DGCF.
Downtuning the regular 43-100 set probably wouldn't work for me. These strings are already low tension in E standard, and I hear they are real unstiff too. Last thing I want is spending big bucks for a jello experience.
So anyone used the bottom four strings of the JF345 set to do D standard?
Here are the tensions.
DGCF with TI jazz flats
D1 /36.7hz/.136/49.13 lbs
G1 /49hz /.100/48.64 lbs
C2 /65.4hz/.070/44.26 lbs
F2 /87.3hz/.056/48.76 lbs
TT = 190.79 lbs
Click to expand...
TBer @Hastur had a mind to try exactly this, early this year:
https://www.talkbass.com/posts/27193219/ [&ff.]
Also, back in 2016, admin @Chris Fitzgerald had success in installing the 5-string Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flat (JF345) set on his short-scale Rob Allen Mouse 30 and tuning it up a fourth, to EADGC:
https://www.talkbass.com/posts/19033052/
 
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#554
michael_t said:
Just wondering how those tensions might affect the skinny round core wires... will they be stressed too much? Also, are they going to alter their tonal character?

They might be better suited for the C-standard tuning. A half step up from the standard BEAD tuning can tighten them just enough to avoid the "jello experience".

(DISCLAIMER: I have no personal experience with TIJF's.)
Click to expand...
Yeh I wonder if they really can absorb being strung up tighter.
HaphAsSard said:
TBer @Hastur had a mind to try exactly this, early this year:
https://www.talkbass.com/posts/27193219/ [&ff.]
Also, back in 2016, admin @Chris Fitzgerald had success in installing the 5-string Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flat (JF345) set on his short-scale Rob Allen Mouse 30 and tuning it up a fourth, to EADGC:
https://www.talkbass.com/posts/19033052/
Click to expand...

Poster Hastur mentioned maybe getting the strings back in Feb but never made a follow up post. Maybe changed mind or something.
The Rob Allen 30 tuned up to E standard with the bottom 4 of the JF345 set puts about the same tension on it's neck as the same 4 tuned to D standard on a 34". Here are the TI tensions that the Mouse would have experienced. Wonder how it worked out for the guy
TI Jazz flats 136 100 070 056 tuned to EADG on 30" scale bass.
E1 /41.2hz /.136/48.20 lbs
A1 /55hz /.100/47.70 lbs
D2 /73.4hz /.070/43.36 lbs
G2/98hz /.056/51.99 lbs
TT = 191.25 lbs
 
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#555
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#557
I've tossed in the towel trying to do BEAD with various string sets on a 34" bass. Even the B string .128 of a La Bella 54's five string set doesn't feel right to me. So having replaced the 128 with the 110 in the set and tuning all the strings to DGCF I can say I feel like this tuning is now where it's at for me. The 54's are tense and stiff, and I certainly know I wouldn't like em in E standard. But they rock in D standard. Settling on this tuning instead of BEAD will save me cash too. Not having to buy a fiver set to get a B string..
 
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#558
Prodigus Filius said:
I've tossed in the towel trying to do BEAD with various string sets on a 34" bass. Even the B string .128 of a La Bella 54's five string set doesn't feel right to me. So having replaced the 128 with the 110 in the set and tuning all the strings to DGCF I can say I feel like this tuning is now where it's at for me. The 54's are tense and stiff, and I certainly know I wouldn't like em in E standard. But they rock in D standard. Settling on this tuning instead of BEAD will save me cash too. Not having to buy a fiver set to get a B string..
Click to expand...
Well, you could also go to Stringjoy and order a custom set of strings to the exact sizes you like.

If you decide to experiment, that is.
:D
 
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#559
RodRy said:
Well, you could also go to Stringjoy and order a custom set of strings to the exact sizes you like.

If you decide to experiment, that is.
:D
Click to expand...
I think it would only be rounds as far as bigger gauges on Stringjoy goes. The largest gauge flatwound I have come across, is a TI .136 .And though it's a bigger gauge, it is a little lower tension than the .132 Chrome I have been dissatisfied with as B. So I look to have run out gauges on a 34" that have a B that feels and plays to my satisfaction.
I actually mucked around today using the 132 Chrome as a D. Actually was ok. So the strings on the bass I tried it on are .132 .100 .075 .050. The same strings I was using for BEAD on the bass I now have the la Bella 110 093 073 052 on.
The total tension was around 200 lbs though so I decided to downtune to C# standard with those strings and feel a bit more at ease with tension a bit less due to the fretboard having a very slight hump at the 17th fret. The 132 as C# felt and sounded geat. Anyhow, I find DGCF more than adequate on the bass with the la Bella 54's.
 
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#560
Prodigus Filius said:
I think it would only be rounds as far as bigger gauges on Stringjoy goes. The largest gauge flatwound I have come across, is a TI .136 .And though it's a bigger gauge, it is a little lower tension than the .132 Chrome I have been dissatisfied with as B. So I look to have run out gauges on a 34" that have a B that feels and plays to my satisfaction.
I actually mucked around today using the 132 Chrome as a D. Actually was ok. So the strings on the bass I tried it on are .132 .100 .075 .050. The same strings I was using for BEAD on the bass I now have the la Bella 110 093 073 052 on.
The total tension was around 200 lbs though so I decided to downtune to C# standard with those strings and feel a bit more at ease with tension a bit less due to the fretboard having a very slight hump at the 17th fret. The 132 as C# felt and sounded geat. Anyhow, I find DGCF more than adequate on the bass with the la Bella 54's.
Click to expand...
Ah, I didn't catch that you were looking at flats. Yes Stringjoy has still not released their flatwound strings yet. I have a set of Stringjoy strings on my 5 string bass and really like how that B string sounds and feels. Of course, it's also a 35" scale, so that probably helps a bit.
IMG_5908 (2).JPG
 
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