I'm new to fretless, need drop tuning string recommendations.

[TALL&STOUT]

Hi fellow TBers, I am taking on a new adventure (life long 4 string fretted player) and starting a new doom melodic metal project using a 5 string fretless Warwick Thumb. My other basses all use DR Highbeams.
What would you recommend for stings that still have attack and can do a drop tuning like A or G#? Do I need to use a 130? Thanks!

 

[GTHintz]

Well I own a Warwick and a fretless too but not a Warwick fretless. The best advice I can give is to go with the strings you normally run but go to thicker gauge. Good thing about fretless is that you don't exactly need as much brightness in your strings as a fretted bass which is why I usually give my fretless hand me downs when they start getting dull sounding on my fretted bass. Having a thumb you're going to get massive amounts of bright and crushing mids so the main thing is just mating the right string character to the bass. I went through tons on my Corvette and finally decided that Dean Markley blue steel is the best and Fodera stainless as a second choice. But back to you, I think 128 or 130 is a good b string I've tried 135 and it's just a little muddy on my ears but your thumb bass it might not be as muddy. As for tension it's very relative and hard to say what's best but after trying the string you normally use it'll be a good gauge to make adjustments after that. Especially if it's your first Warwick it's hard to say what it's going to do until you try. My Corvette is picky with string voicing and I went through lots of different ones trying to get the right depth, articulation and overtones to bring out the best in what Warwicks do which is sound huge and growl. I tried hi beams myself and thought they were nice but missing something as well as a little too flexible. I think you might like fat beams especially for being down tuned. They are basically hi beams but thicker core and known to have richer fuller range tone and a little less floppy which seems good for what you want. Also I tried hi beams on my fretless and they were once again nice but missing a little something which led me to look at other strings. Hope I've been helpful. Good luck and have a great time with your new thumb!!!

 

[HaphAsSard]

Do I need to use a 130?

For A0, let alone Ab0, I daresay a 130 is the minimum you need: for reference, it will tend to have the same tension as a .065 "high" A - i.e., not much - and move in a wider arc especially at midpoint due to its mass.
With a standard scale you'll have to pick your poison: either a very controlled pluck/pickage (meaning very light, or at least done closer to the bridge), or a heavy gauge with reduced clarity up the fingerboard (assuming you even spend that long up there with your lowest string, which may not be an issue depending on your fingering choices).

 

[Yools]

FWIW... I currently use a .160 Kalium taperwound string for G#0 on a 34" scale 5-string and for me it works great. Tension is perfect, and it rings out as much as I could expect for that note. I made A0 tuning on a 5-string work with a taperwound .136, but to me it was a bit loose and really hard to get notes that sustained. I use .136 on my standard-tuned (B0) 5-strings.

-Y

 

[Yools]

With a standard scale you'll have to pick your poison: either a very controlled pluck/pickage (meaning very light, or at least done closer to the bridge), or a heavy gauge with reduced clarity up the fingerboard (assuming you even spend that long up there with your lowest string, which may not be an issue depending on your fingering choices).

That is a good point about heavier string gauges... on the .160 notes above the 9th fret or so are so muddy they are not too useful. I can get a good thudding upright sort of tone doing walking lines up around the 12 fret, but it's hard to control and make it work for the stuff I normally play.

-Y

 

[Gohloum]

I have a 6-string 35" scale dropped 1 whole step across all strings. I have found on a 35", a 125 is pushing the edge of floppy. It works, but it gets a bit more fret rattle than I would like. So if you are on a 34" scale, 125 is def too small.

I have a 34" tuned 1/2 step down. I just dropped the B (130) down to an A and it works. Since you are on a fretless, I think a 130 will do you good, you will still have a lighter touch and the notes won't be so muddy as you go up the neck.

See if the brand you play sells singles, this will save you money. Ernie Ball does.