I got a stupid question for y'all

[MrAB4003]

This is the correct answer! All the lead and rhythm "guitar" parts on my latest album are in fact piccolo bass. Why? Because I'm terrible at regular guitar.

The bass I made my piccolo bass is my 2008 Squier Affinity Jazz Bass. I was not playing this bass very much as I don't like Jazz Bass tones. But it's thriving as a piccolo bass! The Jazz bass pickups, especially the bridge pickup, can sound very creamy almost like a 7ender Stratocaster guitar in the highest register.

All I did was change my strings to the D'Addario piccolo bass strings mentioned earlier in this thread and get a proper setup. I also changed out the original preamp because it was dying and I don't like the typical Jazz Bass VVT configuration.

 

[Drzejzi]

Guitar strings will probably be too short.

This month I put the 17-25-35-45 strings from a 8-string bass set on one of my basses and I'm amazed how differently it reacts to an overdrive, eq and sits in the mix. It's a fun experiment.

For the 8-string set I've paid the same as I would pay for a piccolo set, but this way I also have a spare normal set.

 

[HelpImaRock]

I agree with the piccolo bass string suggestion.

If you do get a baritone, I really like the Danelectros. LaBella makes baritone strings that fit the 30" scale perfectly. I just got their Jazz Flats baritone set and they play better than anything else I've ever had on it, including the Hellcat strings I used to tune it in E.

 

[J Posega]

Okay.... Can you put guitar strings... But tuned the same as bass strings... On a regular 34" scale bass.

I want a baritone guitar tuned like a bass, can I just do this with an existing bass I own? I want it to sound like a guitar too

Guitar strings won't be long enough. The ball ends won't fit the bridge and would probably slip right out.

If you're tuning it to EADG like a bass, it's going to sound like a bass. Even if you tune it to ADGC or BEAD or piccolo EADG, it's going to sound like a bass but higher pitched. Scale length and pickup location make a huge difference to tone.

 

[Doug4321]

Here’s some cool stuff. Piccolo bass. Sounds twangy.