Is there a 4 string B Bass?

[4stringstevie]

So my friend got to chat with Alessandro Paveri at a Gemini syndrome show the other night. I told him to ask him if he would design a drop down bass. Says he plays one already. Said he plays a B bass. So is there a 4 string drop b Bass. Not a Frankentstien . Not a 5 string. I found B Bass by ESP . Anyone know anything about this?

 

[bholder]

Any 4 string bass can be tuned BEAD with a little nut filing and other minor adjustments.

 

[4stringstevie]

Yeah but I would like to buy one already set up like that. I love my Rickenbacker the way it is. Wouldn't dare touch my fender. Really do not like 5 strings. I have read all the stuff about changing the nut filing the bridge.

 

[knumbskull]

if you don't want to do it yourself, you could buy the 4-stringer of your choice and get a local tech to do it for you. Your search may be limited otherwise – I don't recall many manufacturers offering an off-the-shelf 4-stringer tuned BEAD.

I think Schecter did one about a decade ago called the Scorpion but I haven't seen it for sale since.

 

[Karlson541]

Any 4 string bass is potentially a B bass.
Just put on the right strings and tune it B-E-A-D, eventual file the nut slots a bit bigger if needed.
No need changing the whole nut or filing the bridge.
Most string instruments are not made only to fit one tuning, doesn't make sense at all.

 

[MDH bass]

you can by dingwall combustion 4 string set up BEAD, warwick vampyr dark lords are *designed* for lower tunings so you could have one of them set up BEAD, schecter do a bass in the apocalypse which comes BEAD i think, but out of those 3 a dingwall combustion will probably have the most even tension

 

[4stringstevie]

Thanks man. That is the answer I was looking for.

 

[Nashrakh]

The Rammstein Bassist had a BEAD stringed signature bass made by Sandberg, a german brand.

He's been quoted as saying "G strings are for str***ers."

Not sure if it is still available.

 

[4stringstevie]

Lets be Honest. I could live with 2 strings if need be. Think it was the Bassist from the Henry Rollins Band (Back in the day) only had 2 strings on his bass when I saw him. But thanks man I will look it up.

 

[4stringstevie]

Any 4 string bass is potentially a B bass.
Just put on the right strings and tune it B-E-A-D, eventual file the nut slots a bit bigger if needed.
No need changing the whole nut or filing the bridge.
Most string instruments are not made only to fit one tuning, doesn't make sense at all.

Yeah strings are just to loose for my style. I do tune it down to BEAD and use Drop downs. But then if you want to go lower like Like A your screwed.

 

[MDH bass]

Yeah strings are just to loose for my style. I do tune it down to BEAD and use Drop downs. But then if you want to go lower like Like A your screwed.

well if you're just down tuning standard gauge strings then they'll be way too slack, if you have a normal 34" scale bass and get a 5 string set (i.e. 130-45) set, throw out the g string and sting up ur bass with the lowest 4 then you should have *okay* tension. this would be the advantage of something multi scale like a dingwall, or the new esp, because they have a much longer scale length for the lowest strings (36.25 for the lowest string) you get get much better tension when tuning low.

 

[MDH bass]

well if you're just down tuning standard gauge strings then they'll be way too slack, if you have a normal 34" scale bass and get a 5 string set (i.e. 130-45) set, throw out the g string and sting up ur bass with the lowest 4 then you should have *okay* tension. this would be the advantage of something multi scale like a dingwall, or the new esp, because they have a much longer scale length for the lowest strings (36.25 for the lowest string) you get get much better tension when tuning low.

you can even set them up as low as F# with a .175 gauge string and still have good tension

 

[Anhg77]

Schecter Apocalypse baritone (35 inch scale 4 string made to be tuned BEAD).

 

[Squint]

Jericho Guitars Alpha is 35 inch scale and can be ordered in drop tunings.

 

[Warpeg]

IIRC, this was the whole concept for the Warwick Taranis, too.

 

[MDH bass]

IIRC, this was the whole concept for the Warwick Taranis, too.

aren't they just fna jazzman that ships BEAD? they are still 34" scale so all that would be different would be the strings and the nut? or am i missing something

 

[Drucifer]

Any 4 string bass is potentially a B bass.
Just put on the right strings and tune it B-E-A-D, eventual file the nut slots a bit bigger if needed.
No need changing the whole nut or filing the bridge.
Most string instruments are not made only to fit one tuning, doesn't make sense at all.

A while back I decided to string my StingRay B-E-A-D, the larger strings fit the nut just fine but the strings (mainly the B) didn't sit down in the saddle. I sent an email to the awesome folks at Ernie Ball and they awesomely sent me an awesome replacement saddle for no charge. I replaced the 4th string saddle with the larger one, and moved the old one to the 3rd string, etc. I kept the old saddles so to convert it back I just need to swap the strings and saddles again. Easy peasy. Don't know why you wouldn't give it a try.

p.s. Thanks Ernie Ball Music Man folks! Great Awesome customer service!

 

[bassicallybob]

I played a 4 string in a death metal group who dropped down to A# on the lowest string.

Just adjust string gauge and down tune. It isn't that hard. Bridge adjustment and nut filing may be a necessity if you want to put a "real" B string on there though.

 

[wintremute]

Yeah but I would like to buy one already set up like that. I love my Rickenbacker the way it is. Wouldn't dare touch my fender. Really do not like 5 strings. I have read all the stuff about changing the nut filing the bridge.

To be clear, you want to buy a new bass so that you don't mess with your current basses.

So, as others have said, you don't necessarily have to purchase one that is already set-up as BEAD, you can pretty much turn any bass into a BEAD bass. You're buying another bass anyway, so just adjust the nut on the new bass, get the strings, and you're good to go. Why limit yourself to a VERY small pool of basses?

I purchased an Ibanez GSR200 specifically to do this.

 

[Karlson541]

Yeah strings are just to loose for my style. I do tune it down to BEAD and use Drop downs. But then if you want to go lower like Like A your screwed.

Well, wouldn't be any looser than on a 34" scale 5 string bass if you use the right string gauge.
The idea is to use the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set.