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How do I tune my B?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous [BG]' started by SpankBass, Nov 7, 2001.

  1. Nov 7, 2001 #1
    SpankBass

    SpankBass

    Jan 2, 2001
    Orange County, CA.
    I am the new owner of a 5 string, and I have no clue if my B is in tune. How do I tune it? Is it the same as the other strings (tuned in 5ths I belive its called)? My crappy electric tuner won't register the B (not even when I use the 12th fret harmonic). Thank you.
     
  2. Nov 7, 2001 #2
    ble_rush

    ble_rush

    Jun 13, 2001
    Mty, México
    It's the same as the other strings, but is in 4ths.

    You can try with the harmonic at 5th fret too.

    Congratulations !

    What kind of bass do you get?
     
  3. Nov 7, 2001 #3
    MM

    MM

    Mar 20, 2000
    Los Angeles, California
    Most basses are tuned in fourths, not fifths. Use the 5th fret harmonic on the B and the 7th fret harmonic on the E.
     
  4. Nov 7, 2001 #4
    MJB

    MJB

    Mar 17, 2000
    My not so crappy tuner (Boss TU-12) won't go down to low B either, but it will go down to low C, so I just fret the first fret, check, adjust as necessary.
     
  5. Nov 7, 2001 #5
    SpankBass

    SpankBass

    Jan 2, 2001
    Orange County, CA.
    Its a MIM Fender Jazz V. Expalin to me what tuned in 4ths is, I have no idea. Does that mean I have to press down on the 4th fret to get the same sound (if it were tuned) as the next string down?
     
  6. Nov 7, 2001 #6
    ble_rush

    ble_rush

    Jun 13, 2001
    Mty, México
    It's just that starting at E (4th string), A is the fourth note (E, F, G, A), and from A (3rd string) would be D (A, B, C, D), etc. It just happens to be the 5th fret on the fingerboard.

    Maybe you will have a better description from other members of TB.
     
  7. Nov 7, 2001 #7
    LiquidMidnight

    LiquidMidnight

    Dec 25, 2000
    All I do to tune my B string on my five string with a tuner, is click it the tuner to open E, (that is if you manully have to tell the tuner what string your tuner, a lot automatically tell) and I hold down the 5th fret, which is equivilent to your open E and tune that way.
     
  8. Nov 7, 2001 #8
    Munjibunga

    Munjibunga Retired Member

    May 6, 2000
    San Diego (when not at Groom Lake)
    Independent Contractor to Bass San Diego
    Rather than fret the B string at the 12th fret, get the octave overtone by lightly touching the string immediately over the 12th fret and pluck the string. I have better luck on my small tuner with that. If your tuner will pick up your E, it'll pickup the B overtone.
     
  9. Nov 8, 2001 #9
    SpankBass

    SpankBass

    Jan 2, 2001
    Orange County, CA.
    Thats what I do. But the problem is that my tuner is really meant for a guitar. So I think the that the B is too low for the B that it has on there. I just need a new tuner. I did tune it as much as my ear could by plucking the 5th fret on the B and the open E. I can do it pretty accuately on every other string because I go by the unique noise it makes when both strings are in tune, but since the B and the E are so low its harder for me to tell.