Help with C# tuning

[coreyflecha]

Hi, I have an Ibanez SR300 bass with .105 strings. I use it in one band where we tune to Eb and another where we tune to D, but now we have a couple of songs in C#, and the strings feel too loose. Is it possible to adjust it in a way that would let me keep using it in Eb while still sounding good in C#? Would I need to put on thicker strings? Thanks!

 

[Elusive1]

I tune one of my basses to Drop C. I recommend using .110 when tuning below D, although that depends on how often you're gonna be dropping that low.

Also, are you detuning the entire bass or only the lowest string? If it's the latter option, and you're only going C# on a couple songs and mainly playing in Eb or D most of the time, you can consider getting one of Hipshot's Bass Xtenders

 

[RavenousPoe]

I tune one of my basses to Drop C. I recommend using .110 when tuning below D, although that depends on how often you're gonna be dropping that low.

Also, are you detuning the entire bass or only the lowest string? If it's the latter option, and you're only going C# on a couple songs and mainly playing in Eb or D most of the time, you can consider getting one of Hipshot's Bass Xtenders

+1 to the Hipshot Xtenders, they're an amazing tool.

For the strings, in Eb- Drop C# sounds like a perfect job for DR DDT 50-110's. Top end wouldn't be as tight as the typical 55's paired with 110 packs, and the DDT "gimmick" is no joke about the low tuning stability.

 

[BaltBass5]

I tune to Eb with one bass and drop it to C#. I use 105 strings and have no issues. Granted the bass is a Spector Euro but you should have any issues. You may need to adjust the saddle heights slightly and possible tighten the truss a hair initially.

 

[eddybuzzard]

In my neck of the woods, C# (Db) = my flatted bass (Eb standard), with a dropped 4th string, resulting in the Drop Db tuning.(Db,Ab,Db,F#)
Those lever extenders are super clever, but I've never had a desire to have one,
only because I've been just twisting the peg since way before they were invented,
so it's like second nature to me.
Having a gauge or two larger on the bottom will probably help too.
And I also swear by DDTs.
YMMV

 

[Thumpin6string]

Sounds like a 5 or 6 string would be the solution for all your tunings IMHO.

 

[Ondoval]

Personally I would use the excuse to another bass. I play in one band in E standard and another in D standard and I have different basses for the different tunings.

 

[Dave TB Killer]

I use Chromes on almost all my Basses tuned down a whole step, DGCF. 55-75-90-110 gauge and have never gone another half step but see no reason why these would not work for that.

 

[michael_t]

I have an Ibanez SR300 bass with .105 strings. I use it in one band where we tune to Eb and another where we tune to D, but now we have a couple of songs in C#, and the strings feel too loose...

What specific brand and type of string are you using? I ask because the gauge in itself doesn't tell the whole story. There are strings that are better-suited for down-tuning due to their naturally stiffer nature.

 

[Riff Ranger]

I agree that dropping the bottom string only will affect your setup far less than tuning all strings lower.

How much variance in string tension and neck relief you can tolerate is entirely up to you. For what it’s worth, my friends in the band Temptress go from E-Standard to Drop-D to Drop-C over the course of their typical set without changing instruments (meaning the bass goes from EADG to DADG to CGCF on a Rickenbacker 4003 or 4001), and while the sound and feel surely change noticeably, they clearly make it work. I go between BEAD and CGCF on a bass with stiff flatwound strings and no frets which means I don’t run into issues with buzzing or intonation. I think anything more than that would necessitate (at least) a truss rod adjustment, and as you’ve observed, the strings will get wobbly. Like a lot of players who got into lower tunings before TalkBass existed I got comfortable dropping a typical roundwound .105 down as far as C1 but most players on here seem to find that unplayable.

Anything more than that and you pretty much have two options: get a five-string, or dedicate separate instruments to different tunings, most likely with different gauges or types of strings on each. If your style relies heavily upon open strings and/or the sonic qualities of slackened strings, the “just get a five-string!” suggestion that always comes up isn’t nearly as helpful as the people making it think it is. If you play with guitarists playing fast riffs in Drop-C you’ll get sick of riding a C1 at the first fret in a hurry! But if you’re playing with a Joni Mitchell who changes tunings between almost every song and doesn’t need you following or even approximating her guitar parts, I think you’re much better off with a five string if you want anything below E1.

 

[Rumfoord]

Hi, I have an Ibanez SR300 bass with .105 strings. I use it in one band where we tune to Eb and another where we tune to D, but now we have a couple of songs in C#, and the strings feel too loose. Is it possible to adjust it in a way that would let me keep using it in Eb while still sounding good in C#? Would I need to put on thicker strings? Thanks!

I play in C#, and personally I like the tension of the 1st and 2nd to be more in the range of E-standard tuned down, but the tension of the 3rd and 4th string to be more like a BEAD bass tuned up. So I play (depending on brand etc, but roughly) 125, 90, 65, 45. (Also personally, I'm more of a do-the-setup-for-the-tuning-and-don't-retune-it-ever type of person).

But that is just to say that, I would expect a 105 set tuned to C# to be way too loose (like you're finding). And I wonder if a set in the range of at least 110 but probably 115s would work for you. I like using ghs because they've published comprehensive tension charts (daddario's not bad either, but they miss some half steps). You may want to check out the spec sheets and order single strings to put together a custom set. My guess is that something like 115, 85, 65, 45 might work for you.

 

[Riff Ranger]

The GHS and D’Addario charts mentioned are helpful, and the Stringjoy String Tension Calculator makes it really easy to adjust the easily measurable parameters and approximate what to expect as you change tunings.

 

[HaphAsSard]

(daddario's not bad either, but they miss some half steps)

A tip: if a tension chart is not chromatic, and you want to know the value for, say, Db, look for the pitch at a tritone interval from the one you want (A in this case), and double (if lower) or halve it (if higher).
Tension doubles for every tritone increase, as you can easily see if you take a fully-chromatic chart, pick any random string, and compare any randomly chosen tritone pair.

Hi, I have an Ibanez SR300 bass with .105 strings. I use it in one band where we tune to Eb and another where we tune to D, but now we have a couple of songs in C#, and the strings feel too loose. Is it possible to adjust it in a way that would let me keep using it in Eb while still sounding good in C#? Would I need to put on thicker strings? Thanks!

If the strings feel too loose, and unless you plan to use flatwounds, it certainly means you need to use thicker strings.

As others asked, a) do the couple songs in Db require you to tune standard, or b) is drop-tuning the lowest string sufficient?
If I were you, I would do my setup at a midpoint tuning, so that it's hopefully good enough at both the higher and the lower one:
- if a), do it while tuned to D standard
if b) I would do the setup at D-Ab-Db-Gb (lowest string at midpoint, higher three where they'll be tuned most often).

 

[Smooth_bass88]

at this point you might as well get a set of five string bass strings set your bass up for B-E-A-D tuning. this would include a new nut and a professional setup. Otherwise get a five string bass (low B).

 

[Prodigus Filius]

A tip: if a tension chart is not chromatic, and you want to know the value for, say, Db, look for the pitch at a tritone interval from the one you want (A in this case), and double (if lower) or halve it (if higher).
Tension doubles for every tritone increase, as you can easily see if you take a fully-chromatic chart, pick any random string, and compare any randomly chosen tritone pair.

Hate to nit pick, but Db's tritone is G not A. I'm sure a typo on your part

 

[micguy]

If a string is too floppy at the present tuning, you need another tuning and/or thicker strings. There really is no other way out of this.

I second the suggestion to go to BEAD tuning or a 5 (BEADG) - Starting with C# as an open string just makes it more difficult to figure out what note you're playing.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Hate to nit pick, but Db's tritone is G not A. I'm sure a typo on your part

D'oh. Brainfart. Nice catch.

 

[coreyflecha]

Thank you all very much for your responses. Initially, it's just a couple of songs in C# (no drop), but I have a feeling there will be more in the future, which is why I want to be prepared.

I'm ruling out the option of using another bass. I already have other basses, but this is my 'workhorse' bass that I leave at the rehearsal site because I go there by motorcycle, and I don't like to carry basses on the bike.

I don’t mind changing strings, brand, or gauge, but I’m concerned that a thicker string (that sounds good in C#) won’t allow me to tune the bass back to Eb. That’s why I was asking if there’s a point where both tunings would work with a single setup

 

[dax21]

A .110-.50 set will cover both of those situations.
Another popular solution is getting a pitch-shifting pedal like Digitech Drop that allows you to go down 2 (or however many you want) semitones on the fly and you get to retain the same feeling/tension in all tunings without having to detune in between songs. Super common among modern metal bands.

 

[Elusive1]

Another popular solution is getting a pitch-shifting pedal like Digitech Drop

That's a good option as well, no doubt, I just wish they made a version specifically for bass.

I've tried the basic one a few times in the past, and while it does function for bass, I remember it didn't exactly sound great more than three semitones down from E1. No matter how much I adjusted tone and EQ, I could only get it to sound nice down to D, and decent down to Db/C#; any lower than that and the notes I played would start producing this weird oscillating tone. I experimented with dropping to C and B in an attempt to emulate my 5-string's range with my 4-string - the frequencies, which are mainly attuned to the guitar range, were simply too muddy in the bass range to sound anywhere near decent.

Of course, that's just my limited experience messing around, I may or may not have tried a defective one, or I might not have adjusted my EQ properly at the time. Plus OP did mention he just needs to occasionally go to C#; this might just be the ticket for him.