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drop d & c
- Thread starter Briguy
- Start date
- Apr 1, 2000
- 17,405
- 9,843
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
i play drop D almost exclusivly. Ernie Ball Power Slinky strings work really well for this. The E-string is almost as thick as some B-strings i've seen. But it sounds like you're going to need to raise the action a little as well, but a thicker gauge will thicken the sound, and reduce that loosy goosy effect tuning down can give.
I play dropped D primarily these days and with all types of strings I dont notice that much of a difference.
Dropped C however is a challenge. I am assuming you are talking about a traditional CGCF tuning (Low to high). If so, what worked for me in the last band I was in was this:
Ernie Ball Slinky's 5 string set.
Throw out the E string and use,
The B string in place of the E.
The A in place of the E
The D in place of the A
and the G string in place of the D.
A minor setup will be required (Reslot the nut and tweak the action a bit) You will be able to bring the B string up 1/2 step for the low C with less "flop" and detune the remaining strings one whole step.
Both Pacman and Rav's suggestions will indeed work, but my preference was to use the 5 string set minus the E string...it felt better to me and there was more tension to the strings in my opinion.
This is, bearing in mind, you were in fact talking about a "Dropped C" tuning (CGCF)
Hope this helps.
Dropped C however is a challenge. I am assuming you are talking about a traditional CGCF tuning (Low to high). If so, what worked for me in the last band I was in was this:
Ernie Ball Slinky's 5 string set.
Throw out the E string and use,
The B string in place of the E.
The A in place of the E
The D in place of the A
and the G string in place of the D.
A minor setup will be required (Reslot the nut and tweak the action a bit) You will be able to bring the B string up 1/2 step for the low C with less "flop" and detune the remaining strings one whole step.
Both Pacman and Rav's suggestions will indeed work, but my preference was to use the 5 string set minus the E string...it felt better to me and there was more tension to the strings in my opinion.
This is, bearing in mind, you were in fact talking about a "Dropped C" tuning (CGCF)
Hope this helps.
I use 45-105 strings and I never have a problem with flopping. My action is high so I don't get much fret buzz and I used to play drop C on a bass that wasn't set up for it and just learned how not to play it with the action lower. You just have to be more accurate with your fretting hand mostly and I had to play near the bridge exclusively to have enough string control.
