How low

[WhoCares]

Looking for a bit of advice. I just joined a new band and the guitars are tuned GGDGDB. I have a 5 string Fender Jazz but not sure what tuning to put it in or what gauge strings to use. Unfortunately the guitarist is not much help, just said to tune my bass to G..
I know my current strings are too thin as the 135 is very sloppy in G (from reading this forum seems like a Circle K 166 might be the way to go) but advise on tuning is also welcome? GDGDB?

 

[trothwell]

Just so long as you're all playing in the same key, I wouldn't think the alternate tuning on the guitars would necessitate alternate tuning on the bass. What's wrong with standard BEADG tuning?

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Just so long as you're all playing in the same key, I wouldn't think the alternate tuning on the guitars would necessitate alternate tuning on the bass. What's wrong with standard BEADG tuning?

With guitars that low, the worry is less about getting lower, and more about definition, and being heard through all the low frequency sludge.

 

[BLDavis]

Just so long as you're all playing in the same key, I wouldn't think the alternate tuning on the guitars would necessitate alternate tuning on the bass. What's wrong with standard BEADG tuning?

This.

 

[Blackjac97]

Here you go

https://shop.warwick.de/en/instrume...4-string-f-bea-tuning-solid-black-high-polish

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Looking for a bit of advice. I just joined a new band and the guitars are tuned GGDGDB. I have a 5 string Fender Jazz but not sure what tuning to put it in or what gauge strings to use. Unfortunately the guitarist is not much help, just said to tune my bass to G..
I know my current strings are too thin as the 135 is very sloppy in G (from reading this forum seems like a Circle K 166 might be the way to go) but advise on tuning is also welcome? GDGDB?

Also be prepared to wait a month or more for Skip to get you your strings.

 

[Jon Moody]

I know my current strings are too thin as the 135 is very sloppy in G (from reading this forum seems like a Circle K 166 might be the way to go) but advise on tuning is also welcome? GDGDB?

I help a lot of our artists with down tunings, and there's two schools of thought:

1- Loose, floppy strings at pitch that have more of a hollowness and attack to the sound. If this is what they/you want, a set of 140-110-85-65-45 should be just fine for GCFBbEb (G Standard)
2- Strings with solid tension at pitch for a solid, meaty low end. The issue here is having that low G be accurately produced by whatever amp/speaker you have. If this is your thing, something like 170-130-95-75-55 for G Standard will work.

Figure out what you want FIRST, and then go from there.

 

[michael_t]

advise on tuning is also welcome? GDGDB?

How about one whole step down from the standard BEADG to ADGCF with the option to drop the A down to G, if you need it that low? It's a whole lot easier to find a 4-string set for DGCF and simply add a single low A. Just an idea...

 

[el murdoque]

An Octave below a guitar downtuned to G would require you to tune to G0. That's a fundamental of 24Hz.
Which means even the first harmonic is below 50Hz.

What kind of amp do you want to torture with a tuning like that?
Playing an octave below a guitar like that just plainly makes no sense.
To get these frequencies audible is a tough job for a PA Sub.
If you cobble together a rig that does the job, like a normal head/cab with 500W and 410 cab, where you split at 90Hz and send the lows to a 4kW PA poweramp with a double 18" sub cab, you will drag your entire band straight to mud city.

 

[JRA]

you don't need to retune. play the changes on your ax, as is = simple. minimalist. normal. elegant.

welcome to TB!

 

[monsterthompson]

Looking for a bit of advice. I just joined a new band and the guitars are tuned GGDGDB. I have a 5 string Fender Jazz but not sure what tuning to put it in or what gauge strings to use. Unfortunately the guitarist is not much help, just said to tune my bass to G..
I know my current strings are too thin as the 135 is very sloppy in G (from reading this forum seems like a Circle K 166 might be the way to go) but advise on tuning is also welcome? GDGDB?

What style of music? These types of questions come up often, and generally down-tuning means a metal band. Many non-metal players will tell you to just play in standard tuning and play in the key of the song. Metal players are generally more sympathetic to the riff based playing where guitars and bass mirror fingering positions on their instruments.

"GDGD" implies there are lots of one-finger chords based around open G, so having an open G string available will likely facilitate playing along with the guitarists if your parts regularly double the guitar parts and there is fast riffing involved. Going for the G below the standard 5 string B is going tp have some challenges, but it isn't unheard of.

 

[Jazzkuma]

i would use the fabled BEADG tuning. It seems to work for most people playing 5s.

 

[Ellery]

Depends on the style, you could stay in standard and match the guitar's low range with your unison note, and octave down when they play higher notes. But if it really needs to djent, damn the torpedoes and sludge out downtuned to G. As far as the alternative tuning, that's up to you, whatever works.

 

[micguy]

Just so everyone knows, most bass guitar cabinets (I know of one exception) don't even reproduce the fundamental of a low E well. The further down you tune, the more insane things get.

I play a standard 5 string much of the time, but I don't play it through a bass rig - the PA's at the places I play are far more capable than any bass amp in terms of low frequency extension, so it makes sense.

Now....G standard? Even Tour grade PA subs won't do that justice. Whatever you do is going to be a compromise.

 

[Element Zero]

What style of music? These types of questions come up often, and generally down-tuning means a metal band. Many non-metal players will tell you to just play in standard tuning and play in the key of the song. Metal players are generally more sympathetic to the riff based playing where guitars and bass mirror fingering positions on their instruments.

"GDGD" implies there are lots of one-finger chords based around open G, so having an open G string available will likely facilitate playing along with the guitarists if your parts regularly double the guitar parts and there is fast riffing involved. Going for the G below the standard 5 string B is going tp have some challenges, but it isn't unheard of.

This.

Don't bother listening to the people that are saying to play it in standard. They've never played in a typical metal band (I'm assuming it's a metal band you joined).

I'm more curious about the guitarists choice for tuning. I get GDG for fat open one finger style chugging riffs, but 2 low G's? That's a new on for me.

 

[stigbeve]

I would probably just a use a 4 string in standard with the A dropped a whole step.

 

[coy garcia]

Id tune standard...basses usually sound best that way.

 

[monsterthompson]

I would probably just a use a 4 string in standard with the A dropped a whole step.

Not a bad suggestion. I'd probably drop the E string to D.

There was a 90's heavy band that did DGDGDG tuning (or similar) and the guitarist called it "monkey tuning" because a monkey could play it. It was like Godflesh or Helmet, but I can't be certain.

Googling GDGD tuning revealed a world of non-metal styles using that tuning. Mandolins, fiddles (cross tuning), tenor guitar for Irish tunes, and even open G tuning on guitar (DGDGBD). We might not have a metal band here, though I'm still guessing we do.

 

[Matty Koff]

One thing to consider, is that generally only the top 4 strings match that of a 6 string guitar in general, other than the EADGC tuning on a few basses out there. A typical 5 string bass is more like a 7 string Guitar in that the additional string compared to their counterparts is a low B. Essentially it's the same thing as tuning your E string up to G, and your A string down to G, leaving the D where it is.. leaving the G where it is. Heck.. tune the B string to D..

Some strings are going to feel too tight.. your A string might feel a little sloppy.

Me personally? I'd keep that thing in standard and just figure out my own bass lines in the appropriate key, or if you really like the band enough buy a bass to dedicate to that tuning. At the same time.. I would very quickly get bored of a bass tuned to GGDG and feel limited vs a bass tuned to 4ths. So maybe GCFA# OR.. on your 5 string DGCFA# Plan to keep it tuned that way.. and check your setup and intonation. Turning the strings higher will add tension, and might need you to tighten the truss rod a little bit to compensate for the added relief. might not affect it enough to matter, but, if I were playing different tunings, I tend to keep my basses setup to that tuning.

If you aren't used to playing in Dropped tunings DGCFA# will probably be easier to transition to.

I mean you're playing BEADG with standard tuned guitars right?

Also when you play with people use your ears, don't rely on watching other peoples fretboards.. play in any tuning you want as long as you're fretting within key.

 

[J Posega]

Looking for a bit of advice. I just joined a new band and the guitars are tuned GGDGDB. I have a 5 string Fender Jazz but not sure what tuning to put it in or what gauge strings to use. Unfortunately the guitarist is not much help, just said to tune my bass to G..
I know my current strings are too thin as the 135 is very sloppy in G (from reading this forum seems like a Circle K 166 might be the way to go) but advise on tuning is also welcome? GDGDB?

Under no circumstances should you give Kalium (formerly Circle K) your money. Their customer service is pure garbage.

You can find D'addario strings larger than .135 and they have a string tension calculator. I suggest plugging in the strings you use now to figure out what sort of tension you like the feel off, and then try to match that with bigger strings.