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Help me with my rig - drop C tuning
- Thread starter Incarnate365
- Start date
yea, standard tuning in general, i dunno... seemed cool in the 70's
And the 80s and 90s... Schuldiner never tuned down
(although his bassists did occasionally use gear with more than 5 strings.Drop tunings and full tunings make some things easier and is really just a matter of taste. Kyuss and QOTSA use full C tuning often but rarely play anything down below the fifth fret... Josh Homme apparently just feels more comfortable playing regular riffs in the middle of the neck rather than down at the headstock. Which feels good to me, too.
yea, standard tuning in general, i dunno... seemed cool in the 70's
In 1965 a guitarist from Birmingham, England was injured in a factory accident on what was to be his last day at the job. The injury cut the tips of his ring and middle fingers on his fretting hand completely off. Instead of giving up playing, the guitarist fashioned little plastic and leather "thimbles" to put on the tips of his injured fingers. The guitarist was able to resume playing, but he still suffered nearly unbearable pain. In order to make playing less painful, he detuned his guitar down to as low as C# and resumed what would go on to be a very successful career as guitarist for a popular and influential band.
The guitarist? Tony Iommi
The band? Black Sabbath.
That is the best way to explain why I, and millions of other dudes like me, detune.
You don't need a five string for low tuning. There is no magic in the five string pickup or preamp that suits it better for lower frequencies. I occasionally tune to drop C. I have found that stingrays have a natural tendency to accentuate low mids and treble, but lack a bit in high mids, which I think is what you need for lower tunings. When I started playing Spectors in drop C, they sound great (again, four strings). My Warwick also sounded like mud, but again, it accentuates lows so much more.
I don't know much about Sunn amps, but I'm assuming it's a tube amp. Tubes add that warmth which sounds good in standard, but I think adds to muddy sound at lower frequencies. I use GK, which is much punchier, and I think what you are looking for.
As for the cabinet, the 810 should be ok if the horn is working, but check the power rating. If it is 300 watts, you may need a cabinet that can handle more watts if you are playing really loud.
I don't know much about Sunn amps, but I'm assuming it's a tube amp. Tubes add that warmth which sounds good in standard, but I think adds to muddy sound at lower frequencies. I use GK, which is much punchier, and I think what you are looking for.
As for the cabinet, the 810 should be ok if the horn is working, but check the power rating. If it is 300 watts, you may need a cabinet that can handle more watts if you are playing really loud.
Some good advice so far guys. I'll definitely try thicker strings, and try cutting out my lower frequency, but there is one other thing I forgot to mention.
I'm kinda looking to get rid of the 8x10 anyway, so if there are any cab recommendations you could give me, I'd love to hear it. I'm getting a new car in the fall, and I'd prefer to not have to buy something solely because it will fit my cabinet. Thanks guys!
I'm kinda looking to get rid of the 8x10 anyway, so if there are any cab recommendations you could give me, I'd love to hear it. I'm getting a new car in the fall, and I'd prefer to not have to buy something solely because it will fit my cabinet. Thanks guys!
Most modern 5+ string basses do not have individual bridge pieces.
I've been tuning in drop C and drop B on 4 string basses for years. My intonation is as good as any standard tuned bass.
Why on Earth would he not have enough adjustment available on his bridge? Move the bridge down? Are you talking about adjusting the scale of the bass? Why would he do that?
The nut is the only thing I've ever had to replace because of a dropped tuning.
Do you have a price range that you're looking in? I'm a 4x10 + tweeter guy, but you might not be... have you played around with 12", 15", 18"?
I've never played an 810.... but if the speakers are struggling it should be obvious because when you back off the volume...the straining/breakup sounds stops.
If this is the case sounds like you need some 15's or 18's to me - strings etc not the issue. Downtuned strings have their own sound.
They can be had very cheap on craigslist (peavey, carvin etc).
Literally 100 bucks for a 118....hardly anyone wants them!
Couple of those and a nice 410....should be no shortage of low end as well as cut.
The berg Nv 610 and 215 models get great reviews.... I'm using a carvin 215 PA cab with mid drivers but I did have to do quite a bit of customization to get it to where I want.
I'd also be looking at the aguilar 412, and the DR bass 212's or 115s (with the mid drivers). These also look like really nice cabs with depth.
The avatar 410 neo gets a lot of praise also...the drivers seem quite adept at low end for 10's based on reviews.
If this is the case sounds like you need some 15's or 18's to me - strings etc not the issue. Downtuned strings have their own sound.
They can be had very cheap on craigslist (peavey, carvin etc).
Literally 100 bucks for a 118....hardly anyone wants them!
Couple of those and a nice 410....should be no shortage of low end as well as cut.
The berg Nv 610 and 215 models get great reviews.... I'm using a carvin 215 PA cab with mid drivers but I did have to do quite a bit of customization to get it to where I want.
I'd also be looking at the aguilar 412, and the DR bass 212's or 115s (with the mid drivers). These also look like really nice cabs with depth.
The avatar 410 neo gets a lot of praise also...the drivers seem quite adept at low end for 10's based on reviews.
+1, I know a few bands that use Ampeg 8x10's and play in like... drop B and drop A, just try some thicker strings, and some eq settings, boost some midssssssssssssssssssssssss
You may be asking too much from your amp. A clipping amp sounds like dump, and clipped waves are very, very bad for speakers.
There are lots of 4x10 cabs out there now that move lots of low end. I use Acme Low-B4s. I haven't really shopped for anything else since I bought them.
I tune to BEAD on my 4 string with 110 gauge strings. No problems.
There are lots of 4x10 cabs out there now that move lots of low end. I use Acme Low-B4s. I haven't really shopped for anything else since I bought them.
I tune to BEAD on my 4 string with 110 gauge strings. No problems.
Check your intonation when you drop. How close is your 12th fret harmonic to fretting at the 12th fret.
Seriously you can compare them with a cheap Boss Chromatic Tuner (Black with orange writing).
I bet you 100$ your tunning is going to be off Probably Sharp.
Stock basses come intonated for standard tuning. If you drop tune them you have to adjust the saddle to get the intonation right. I've found drop tuning my 5 string a whole step. I almost run out of saddle adjustment tuning to a low A.
Maybe its easier to drop the E string to a C. But dropping the B string to a Low F#/Gb I think Intonation is going to be near impossible.
We're talking relative change here, so the difference between having to adjust the intonation for an E dropped to C or an B dropped to F# is nominal. Regardless, you wouldn't have to move the whole bridge down, and you almost certainly wouldn't run out of adjustment space.
I agree with you 100%; any time you change string brands, gauges, alternate tunings, etc, you should check and adjust your intonation.
That being said, I have tuned down a half step, whole step, perfect 4th, even a perfect 5th (!) and I've never ever run out of room on the bridge to adjust the saddle to compensate. I don't see how changing the string gauge by .005 or the tuning by a step or two would require more than a few mm of intonation adjustment.
However, this thread isn't really about if/how to detune, it's about helping the OP with his live sound issues.
Have you tried my compressor suggestion yet?
- Nov 29, 2007
- 3,641
- 13
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist GENZ BENZ/HERCULES STANDS/XSonics
Set the bass up with a heacy guage normal "GDA" and tune them down. The use a "B" string tued up to "C". It will tighten it up and should help the farting right off the bat. What kind of bass are you playing (I have had coffee yet and may have missed it).
I tune to C# B F# E sometimes, and my little GK 112 handles it quite nicely. Of course the volume isn't nearly as loud as a SVT, but the low notes are reproduced very efficiently. I'm even using ground-wound strings. I'll cut the bass a little and turn up the drive and presence a bit with my sansamp, and boost the mids with the amp. Quite nice. Maybe a 4x12 is what your looking for?
Mushroo - haven't had a chance to try a compressor yet, as I don't have access to one and we've had the past 5 days off. We won't play again until the 23rd, were actually just stuck in Texas.
Anyway, for those who missed it I'm playing a EBMM Stingray.
Someone said it may be the amp clipping. I literally have no way to know that, because it's an old head with no read out or anything on it. Not even a gain knob. It's an awesome head, just old, weird, and kinda unreliable hahah.
I was just looking at the Avatar 4x10/2x12 set up. Maybe even two 2x12s?
My band also has a deal with Emperor cabs (www.emperorcabs.com)
They'll make me whatever I want, and both our guitar players are playing full stacks from them (possibly important to you guys, so now you know what I have to deal with). I just don't think I have the money for their stuff.
This is all very frustrating.
Keep the suggestions coming guys!
Jake
Anyway, for those who missed it I'm playing a EBMM Stingray.
Someone said it may be the amp clipping. I literally have no way to know that, because it's an old head with no read out or anything on it. Not even a gain knob. It's an awesome head, just old, weird, and kinda unreliable hahah.
I was just looking at the Avatar 4x10/2x12 set up. Maybe even two 2x12s?
My band also has a deal with Emperor cabs (www.emperorcabs.com)
They'll make me whatever I want, and both our guitar players are playing full stacks from them (possibly important to you guys, so now you know what I have to deal with). I just don't think I have the money for their stuff.
This is all very frustrating.
Keep the suggestions coming guys!
Jake
I think I may have just blindly decided to pick up two 2x12's from Avatar. **** lugging that fridge around, I want some neos!
