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Is it bad...

dustybottoms

dustybottoms

Jun 4, 2005
304
28
47
Creston Iowa
www.dustinbaird.com
#1
I pretty much already know the answer to this but I want to confirm it.

Is it bad to go back and fourth between standard tuning and dropping down to say like, c# standard tuning without doing a set up? I know that seems like a dumb question but I've seen people do that and i never would. I'd think you'd need to adjust the neck every time you'd tune down and up.

just curious.

dithcusss
 
#9
Set up the bass in standard tuning. If you detune, just make sure you tune it up before you put it up. Most necks should be able to handle the lesser tension just fine. Now if you were tuning UP a fourth, I'd say set it up with whichever tuning sees the most playing time. If you played all night in std tuning, then for two or three songs tuned up a fourth, tune it back down before you put it in the case, or it just may cause damage (increased tension). If the last song is tuned down a whole step, it'd be fine. More than one step, I'd retune before packing up...JMO, YMMV.
 
#10
Bassic83 said:
Set up the bass in standard tuning. If you detune, just make sure you tune it up before you put it up. Most necks should be able to handle the lesser tension just fine. Now if you were tuning UP a fourth, I'd say set it up with whichever tuning sees the most playing time. If you played all night in std tuning, then for two or three songs tuned up a fourth, tune it back down before you put it in the case, or it just may cause damage (increased tension). If the last song is tuned down a whole step, it'd be fine. More than one step, I'd retune before packing up...JMO, YMMV.
Click to expand...

thanks
 
#11
I play original music tuned C# G# C# A#.
I play covers tuned E A D G, sometimes D A D G, sometimes D# G# C# F#.
I teach in standard tuning E A D G, but retune / detune to teach my kids all kinds of covers.

It feels instinctively dangerous but I have never had a problem, and I've been doing it for a long time.

Good luck!
 
#12
cool. I just wondered. I play in a band that uses standard tuning but i'm going to start in a side project where i'll have to tune down to c#. When i was in a heavy band before i tuned G# c# F# b e because i don't like drop tuning. I like to be able to still do my same tricks that i do in standard. I've never had to tune back and fourth before. I've always just done one or the other so i wasn't sure. Thanks for the input.
 
#13
Bassic83 said:
Set up the bass in standard tuning. If you detune, just make sure you tune it up before you put it up. Most necks should be able to handle the lesser tension just fine. Now if you were tuning UP a fourth, I'd say set it up with whichever tuning sees the most playing time. If you played all night in std tuning, then for two or three songs tuned up a fourth, tune it back down before you put it in the case, or it just may cause damage (increased tension). If the last song is tuned down a whole step, it'd be fine. More than one step, I'd retune before packing up...JMO, YMMV.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I do - we play down a half-step normally. I just tune up the next day while cleaning up the bass.

Jay
 

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