A few months ago, I decided experimenting with a higher pitch tuning, so I tuned my bass from standard (E1, A1, D2, G2) to (G1, C2, F2, A3).
I instantly liked it. It fit well into one of my playing styles (which involve mostly melodic lines, chord playing with digits and nails, and some occasional reverbs, delays, choruses and/or flangers). I even started composing two different pieces at the time.
So I started to incorporate this tuning into my practice sessions, which meant switching regularly from one tuning to the next. Now, since about day one, whenever I tuned my bass guitar to this higher pitch, I always felt some straining in the 2nd string (F2). Until one day, around 30 tunings later, I suspect due to fatigue, the string broke.
So I thought easy solution: lower caliber strings, if they are thinner I should be able to achieve the same notes without tightening so much the string, but then I thought about what that could do to standard tuning which I also happen to play.
I have an ESP LTD D-4, so I can also adjust the bridge in a variety of ways, and It lets me string the instrument either through the body or through the bridge (I've always stringed the bass through the body).
Any suggestions?
PS: I'm attaching a page from the owner's manual which provides some info on the bridge.
I instantly liked it. It fit well into one of my playing styles (which involve mostly melodic lines, chord playing with digits and nails, and some occasional reverbs, delays, choruses and/or flangers). I even started composing two different pieces at the time.
So I started to incorporate this tuning into my practice sessions, which meant switching regularly from one tuning to the next. Now, since about day one, whenever I tuned my bass guitar to this higher pitch, I always felt some straining in the 2nd string (F2). Until one day, around 30 tunings later, I suspect due to fatigue, the string broke.
So I thought easy solution: lower caliber strings, if they are thinner I should be able to achieve the same notes without tightening so much the string, but then I thought about what that could do to standard tuning which I also happen to play.
I have an ESP LTD D-4, so I can also adjust the bridge in a variety of ways, and It lets me string the instrument either through the body or through the bridge (I've always stringed the bass through the body).
Any suggestions?
PS: I'm attaching a page from the owner's manual which provides some info on the bridge.
