drop d on the fly

[Stanley Design]

The reason for a bass to tune to drop D is to play along with the guitarist playing in drop D.

 

[ZenBass]

personally I just hit the harmonic on my 12th Fret on my D and E and then down tune my E to the correct pitch...takes 2 seconds literally....as just as quick as the Hipshot D-Extender and more effective as the extender doenst keep tune that well if used a lot..

Point of the Drop D Bass...

With some OD it growly so0o0o lovely.....!!!!

 

[Adam Barkley]

well isn't it just as easy to tune the 4th string to the 2nd, since the 2nd is a d to begin with

Either way, will get you to the desired pitch.

I have played one bass with the extender, but I believe this particular extender dropped the E to B. It was pretty neat and seemed to detune and return to pitch accurately.

Good luck.

 

[Stephen Soto]

why not just do drop C or drop B?

 

[jenderfazz]

why not just do drop C or drop B?

Unless you have high action and high gauge strings, we're talking major loss of tension.

 

[heath_the_great]

ill tell a whats quicker than a hipshot...doesnt change your string tension..doesnt change your fingering...and is just plain better a kubicki
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i like "de-tuning" to d because it provides a more solid sound than going to the octave....plus its better than having a 5 string and playing a floppy messy b string......plus i play alot of tapping and its helpful...same with playing soul and vai/satriani stuff

 

[chips]

My views...

Dropped D can be fan-bloody-tastic.... why?... because you get that deep low growl. It can be used for a much heavier sound (e.g- early Silverchair-frogstomp, most if not all is dropped D).

Also ive mucked around with my tuning and i tuned my bass with 4 string to a low B, the string becomes far too loose and sounds very dead (on my bass atleast)

Anyways, thats my 2 cents

Peace
Chips

 

[Adam Barkley]

My views...

Dropped D can be fan-bloody-tastic.... why?... because you get that deep low growl. It can be used for a much heavier sound (e.g- early Silverchair-frogstomp, most if not all is dropped D).

Also ive mucked around with my tuning and i tuned my bass with 4 string to a low B, the string becomes far too loose and sounds very dead (on my bass atleast)

Anyways, thats my 2 cents

Peace
Chips

That is understandable, but my bass, 96 Warwick Corvette Standard, has that deep growl in regular tuning.

 

[Humabass]

I've had Hipshots on two basses, I tune the hipshot to D but always had the E go sharp when tuning back up. I think it's caused by the string hanging up a little in the nut slot so I would put a little bit of graphite dust in the slot and it seemed to help but not always. I just stopped using them because it becomes a useless endeavor if you can't repeatedly tune up and down in mid song without it staying in tune.

 

[heath_the_great]

I just stopped using them because it becomes a useless endeavor if you can't repeatedly tune up and down in mid song without it staying in tune.

Thats the jollies of a kubicki, there is no actual tuning change....think of it as a capo,....the string height changes by about 0.5ml with the string clip off...but thats nothing

 

[quallabone]

[shameless plug on] what you need is a fury [shameless plug off]

It is the fastest and most accurate D-tuner on the planet. Goes down and up completely in tune without ever losing any sound. It's also really fast because it's on the bridge (see pic). And best of all the feel and string height never change.

 

[rolnaldo33]

ok now here's a question fer ya, where can i find one of thoes fury d tuner things?

 

[kyo]

i always thought the only purpose of drop d on the bass was just so that you could play with guitars in drop d...

 

[rolnaldo33]

yea that is tru...but gutars can still hit a d chord in normal tuning, but if you wanna match that with a bass, without hittin the 2nd string and sounding whimpy, ya gotta tune down, get taht sik growl

 

[tplyons]

I can't play without Hipshot's, it's become a staple to my playing. If you think drop tunings are for weenies, talk to Michael Manring.

Besides that, open D is the coolest thing IMO for rock, boomy, but not weak like B strings. Wrap a finger on the same fret on both D strings and you have a nice octaver sound, or D and A for some thick chords that aren't too muddy.

The Hipshot is essential to my playing, however I'm really starting to dig Kubicki's system of a 32" bass with the extended 2 frets and the lever to tune to E. Really cool!

 

[tplyons]

I've had Hipshots on two basses, I tune the hipshot to D but always had the E go sharp when tuning back up. I think it's caused by the string hanging up a little in the nut slot so I would put a little bit of graphite dust in the slot and it seemed to help but not always. I just stopped using them because it becomes a useless endeavor if you can't repeatedly tune up and down in mid song without it staying in tune.

Then it seems you didn't read the instructions ... they say to tune about 1,000 times after restringing. Once you do this, I've never EVER had an E string pull sharp after the tuning.

 

[quallabone]

ok now here's a question fer ya, where can i find one of thoes fury d tuner things?

On a fury!

He has a mockup of a direct bolt on for a jazz bass done but hasn't had the time to develop a prototype. Maybe in a couple of years. This thing has never gone out of tune once. Up and down perfectly everytime without changing string height or feel.

 

[quallabone]

Then it seems you didn't read the instructions ... they say to tune about 1,000 times after restringing. Once you do this, I've never EVER had an E string pull sharp after the tuning.

You have to tune the string 1,000 times after re stringing??? Please say that was a typo? If not, MY GOD!

 

[tplyons]

You have to tune the string 1,000 times after re stringing??? Please say that was a typo? If not, MY GOD!

Seems like it. Flip the switch back and forth a few times, re-tune with the screw and the tuner, and repeat until results are consistent. Works for me.

 

[quallabone]

Ok. Do it until it stays in tune makes a bit more sense. I thought the manual would actually say, "Fiddle with it 1,000 times until consistent results are achieved."

I like mine, tune once and she's good till you restring.