Drop B tuning???

[n8burns87]

I've messed around and found that DR Drop Down Tuning strings work amazingly well for drop b. I use medium gauge 45-105 on my Warwick Corvette and can play standard, drop d, drop c, and drop b with no problems after adjusting intonation. Plus they sound killer for a rock/metal tone through my vintage ampeg stack and my line 6 lowdown 400.

 

[Tomluther]

Drop B is just like drop D but 3 semi-tones down. So it'll be B-F#-B-E. You usually have to use a heavier gague string set to stop the strings becoming too loose.

 

[James L]

You're better off getting a 5. If you're concerned with comfort, the Ibanez sound gears have a slim neck.

 

[Die Grundlagen]

I'm sure it would be BEAD. I wouldn't want to tune my bass down that low though. There wouldn't be enough tension on the neck, and would be impossible to set up.

Why not get a 5 string and have BEADG, and have the best of both worlds.

Its not impossible. My bass is tuned to drop B. I not using special strings, either. Also, some Electric Wizard songs are tuned to drop A# but they use .150s I believe.

 

[bassbeard]

i played in a band where the guitarist tuned to drop C, so instead of tuning down to him, i put the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set on my Schecter Stiletto and tuned up a step. C F Bb D#. it sounded and played amazingly. tight, punchy and incredibly fast. i don't play with them anymore, but i still keep a bass tuned that way just to mess around on at home.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Yes it is impossible to have a string that can properly handle the tension of E and the tension of B. You will either have way too much tension when you tune to E or not nearly enough tension when you tune to B. A typical E string is .90-.105 and a typical B string is .125-.135. And yes Electric Wizard among other bands tune lower than B, that is why they use those crazy think strings.

Let's assume your even using a .110 E string, even a .115, it would be super loose, and extremely sloppy if you dropped it down a 4th to B. Anybody who likes a properly tensioned and playing bass (who doesn't) would consider that unplayable, and hence impossible to get that out of any setup.

Now, let us drop this thread as it 10 years old, and it starts out with some of the most incorrect info on talkbass. In fact this thread starts out as such a train wreck I would honestly consider it embarrassing for talkbass. I get how 1 guy can not know what drop B means, but you get a few posts in before somebody actually posts a correct answer...

 

[odium213]

Yes Drop B would be B F#BE... The best way to go about using this tuning on a four string bass is to purchase a 5 string set of strings and use only the first four strings..

 

[Zitch]

I looked through most of this thread and some of what I'm about to say has been said, but I don't think it's all been said.

On a 4 string you could do like Paul Gray of Slipknot did and get a set of power slinkys (55-110) and drop the tuning to B F# B E.

The other option would be to buy a 5 string set (and discard the G, leaving you with a BEAD set) or get a 4 string pack like DR's DDT strings, which is a essentially a 5 string set without the G. If you do strings such as these (ballpark 65-130) you could tune the B to standard, then tune UP the E to F#, the A to B, and the D to E.
Going that route eliminates loose/rattling strings altogether (if that is the sound you're going for, I'd recommend going the 4 string power slinky set or something equivalent to that). Just be careful because depending how your bass is setup, the size of your nut, etc. it may not be a perfect match.

My band decided to do some songs in that same tuning and, after considering my options, I ended up just using a 5 string tuned to B F# B E G#.

Hope that something in there was helpful.

When you tuned the other strings up were they not to tight? Just curious because i really want to use my five string for a band using this tuning.

 

[Slappy stevie]

Try some DR DDTs. They are heavy but made for down tuning