Drop A string guage for 34" scale

[djmacca2000]

first post, been lurking on here for a while! Just got my first bass (5 string Ibanez, 34" scale) and am looking to tune to drop A (ADGCF). My guitar is tuned drop C (CGCFAD) and thought the drop A tuning would match up better, I wouldn't have to transpose to much etc.

I've seen many other threads about string gauges and looking for some confirmation before purchasing. Kalium seems popular here and I'm looking at buying a balanced hybrid set with these guages;

.148, .110, .82, .61, .45

Is this a good choice for drop A or are there better options?

 

[Hypocrite]

Drop A is AEADG
A standard is ADGCF

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

first post, been lurking on here for a while! Just got my first bass (5 string Ibanez, 34" scale) and am looking to tune to drop A (ADGCF). My guitar is tuned drop C (CGCFAD) and thought the drop A tuning would match up better, I wouldn't have to transpose to much etc.

I've seen many other threads about string gauges and looking for some confirmation before purchasing. Kalium seems popular here and I'm looking at buying a balanced hybrid set with these guages;

.148, .110, .82, .61, .45

Is this a good choice for drop A or are there better options?

When I played metal, my guitarists were tuned to drop C. I tuned to GCGCF. String guage listed should be fine. I used the .135 (I think)

 

[HG1180]

You are looking for A standard, for me, if I were to want to tune to A standard on a five string I would go with a set like this
1st-.42
2nd-.64
3rd-.86
4th-.105
5th-.124

This is just my opinion though. You may want a higher tension than that but I think that that is a fine place to start
Stringjoy makes a wonderful set of strings that you can get to any gauge you like
Stringjoy Custom 5 String Long Scale Nickel Wound Bass Guitar Strings | Stringjoy

They also make a light top/heavy bottom set for 5 string which sounds like something you may be interested in
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[djmacca2000]

Drop A is AEADG
A standard is ADGCF

you're right, rookie mistake!

 

[djmacca2000]

You are looking for A standard, for me, if I were to want to tune to A standard on a five string I would go with a set like this
1st-.42
2nd-.64
3rd-.86
4th-.105
5th-.124

This is just my opinion though. You may want a higher tension than that but I think that that is a fine place to start
Stringjoy makes a wonderful set of strings that you can get to any gauge you like
Stringjoy Custom 5 String Long Scale Nickel Wound Bass Guitar Strings | Stringjoy

They also make a light top/heavy bottom set for 5 string which sounds like something you may be interested in
[This invalid link has been removed]

thanks for the recommendation, I'll check out stringjoy. I should have mentioned my current strings are 45-130, and tuning down to A is a bit floppy on the B string.

 

[Pazelaya93]

Yeah if it feels floppy at .130 then go bigger

 

[Gigabajillion]

When I had my Ibanez basses in A I used a .135 with no floppy issues. I think the heaviest "E" I used was .105. Anything more than that seemed to lose it's liveliness.

I wasn't A Standard though.

 

[Stevorebob]

I play in Bb tuning with .128 and .130 for the Bb. No need to go heavier than .130, maybe .135, for A tuning — A standard or drop A, IMO.

Now, this is on StingRays, which have solid necks. My experience is that Ibanez SRs with their thin necks barely handle B standard, no matter the string gauge. So, I'd suggest a stiffer neck rather than beefier strings.

YMMV.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I use dr strings and was in drop A (AEADG) for a little bit. You can custom order a dr high beam .135 gauge which felt like a .125 at standard B tuning if that helps.

I bought the B string as a single (only option) for like $15 and then a 4 thing set of 45-105 for $20 so it evened out. Used on fender elite 5 string

 

[grimjim]

I run a custom set of boomers on my p-bass for A standard. 45, 65, 85, 110, 135. Sometimes drop the second string for drop C.

 

[spector_boogie]

I play in 'modified' drop C on a 5er, so ACGCF, as I prefer the fingering capability to octave the B and A strings as you would in normal tuning, as opposed to both strings being G, as the E and D strings are (both C).
I've been using the Kalium .118 drop tuned set for forever, PLUS a .124 B string, tuned down a step. I've tried lower, and was just too muddy for me. It works fantastic, even on 34" scale basses, like my old Spector NS5. Ordering this exact set for my new Dingwall ABI that's en route.

 

[keatz]

I play in 'modified' drop C on a 5er, so ACGCF, as I prefer the fingering capability to octave the B and A strings as you would in normal tuning, as opposed to both strings being G, as the E and D strings are (both C).
I've been using the Kalium .118 drop tuned set for forever, PLUS a .124 B string, tuned down a step. I've tried lower, and was just too muddy for me. It works fantastic, even on 34" scale basses, like my old Spector NS5. Ordering this exact set for my new Dingwall ABI that's en route.

Same tuning as me. For years i was CGCFA# but just recently decided to go lower instead of higher for my 5th string, so decided on ACGCF.
Even though low G makes more sense, I think any lower than A is ridiculous hah.

 

[keatz]

I'm suprised to see everyone here recommending/using around the 80-85 guage for G. Any lower than 90 seems slack for me.
For my ACGCF tuning, my ideal guages would be 140-125-90-65-45.
I say ideal because no brand ever has all the guages I want. I've always wanted to try Kalium but the shipping cost and time(apparently) to Australia is ridiculous. Maybe I should just pay and wait......

 

[FunkHead]

It's not about gauge. It's about tension. I would go with one of these 2 5 string set choices.
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[ixlramp]

Beware that Kalium have 'Drop Tune' sets, and by this they mean the common meaning of 'mostly fourths but lowest interval a fifth', so Kalium 'Drop Tune' sets are not what you want.

.148, .110, .82, .61, .45

Fine for equal-tensions and 'medium-light' tension similar to .100-.040 for EADG.

A .125 A is like using a .090 for D, very low tension.

So, I'd suggest a stiffer neck rather than beefier strings.

Although a stiffer neck will help a little, it is not essential and cannot maintain string tension when tuning lower, so generally a larger gauge is necessary.

It's not about gauge. It's about tension.

Doubly-wrong statement. Tension is determined by gauge. And keeping strings playable at lower pitches is certainly about gauge.
The DDTs are intentionally stiff strings designed for being regularly retuned between tunings. Increasing stiffness is not essential for lower pitches, instead you can increase gauge to maintain tension, which is better because flexibility is a good thing.

 

[FunkHead]

Doubly-wrong statement. Tension is determined by gauge. And keeping strings playable at lower pitches is certainly about gauge.
The DDTs are intentionally stiff strings designed for being regularly retuned between tunings. Increasing stiffness is not essential for lower pitches, instead you can increase gauge to maintain tension, which is better because flexibility is a good thing.

I don't know where you got that from but gauge doesn't automatically mean different tension. In fact there are plenty of strings with larger gauges that have less tension than smaller gauges. Just look at La Bella LTF's as one example. Then there's that Fat 130 TI flat B string that's lower tension that most other B strings even in the 115 or 120 gauge.

 

[Sleep_Written]

I have a SR300E, and I tune in AEAD (because my guitar is in AEADF#D), so the standar strings were too loose to Drop A in my Bass. I was trying the D'Addario XL Strings (.65, .80, .100, .130), but the problem is the las string (.130) sounds too dark when I play an E note (7th fret) compared to the 3rd string on air.

So I was try an more heavy gauge, the Rotosound RS66LH+ (.85, .105, .135, .175). Also I was must recalibrate the instrument, and filed the nut at the music store (watch this gauge, it's insane, lol). The problem with this gauge is the first 3 string has a lot of aditional tension, but the most important problem is the last string again: Now that sounds weird, like a bell at the background, and this bell sounds it's more string when I play that string en frets more high, for example, the 12th fret.

What string set do you recommend for my case?

 

[michael_t]

So I was try an more heavy gauge, the Rotosound RS66LH+ (.85, .105, .135, .175). Also I was must recalibrate the instrument, and filed the nut at the music store (watch this gauge, it's insane, lol). The problem with this gauge is the first 3 string has a lot of aditional tension, but the most important problem is the last string again: Now that sounds weird, like a bell at the background, and this bell sounds it's more string when I play that string en frets more high, for example, the 12th fret.

A couple of problems...

That particular set (85-105-135-175) is designed for F#-B-E-A tuning, not for A-E-A-D. That's why they're way too thick and too high in tension for what you're trying to do.

Also, the tapered end on the thickest string is way too long. The thinnest part should never be so long it extends over the bridge pickup.

 

[Sleep_Written]

A couple of problems...

That particular set (85-105-135-175) is designed for F#-B-E-A tuning, not for A-E-A-D. That's why they're way too thick and too high in tension for what you're trying to do.

Also, the tapered end on the thickest string is way too long. The thinnest part should never be so long it extends over the bridge pickup.

In my guitar I'm using DR Strings DDT (.13 - .65) and works really good in Drop A. So, any set of DDT that do you recommend for my case (or another better brand)?