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Is there anyway around this?

Casting Thunder

Casting Thunder

Guest
Oct 7, 2012
364
21
castingthunder.blogspot.com
#1
Long story short, it took me a year to realize I was tuning my bass backwards. I love my new (the proper) tone but I've found I'm harder on my strings, and the E string (The thickest one, sorry I'm relearning alot) is smacking the fret board most of the time when I pluck and pick.

I've risen the action by messing with the bridge but the biggest string is still hitting the fret board, is there anything else I can do?
 
#6
If tuning your bass backwards means what I think it means, then your neck might need a fair bit of adjustment. I'd take it to a local store or luthier for a check up.

If you tuned E up to a G, A up to a D, then D down to an A, and finally G down to an E, there could be some serious twisting going on in the neck due to the high tension on one side and low tension on the other side.
 
#7
punkjazzben said:
If tuning your bass backwards means what I think it means, then your neck might need a fair bit of adjustment. I'd take it to a local store or luthier for a check up.

If you tuned E up to a G, A up to a D, then D down to an A, and finally G down to an E, there could be some serious twisting going on in the neck due to the high tension on one side and low tension on the other side.
Click to expand...

Please explain your assertion.
 
#9
Change strings yet? Hold your bass up like it's a rifle and look down the fretboard on both sides. Is it twisted? "messing with the bridge" sounds non-committal. I second that you should read through the setup guide and learn how to set your bass up. If you still have problems after that, switch to guitar :hiding:
 
#10
At least he likes the new tone ie: it's in tune and notes are where they're supposed to be. Yep, the tone should be good now.

Young fella, you need to get the bass set up properly and ask the tech to teach you a few things about the physics behind a stringed instrument.
 
#16
Casting Thunder said:
Long story short, it took me a year to realize I was tuning my bass backwards. I love my new (the proper) tone but I've found I'm harder on my strings, and the E string (The thickest one, sorry I'm relearning alot) is smacking the fret board most of the time when I pluck and pick.

I've risen the action by messing with the bridge but the biggest string is still hitting the fret board, is there anything else I can do?
Click to expand...

First to make sure...

So you are left handed. Even left handed, the E (thickest string) is on top for your playing, right? Just FYI I saw a great Pink Floyd cover band where the left handed bassist played a right handed bassist strung right handed and upside down... Also my friend's dad is left handed but plays bass and guitar right handed...

So you were playing the thickest string tuned to G higher than E and all the rest higher? I just can't imagine that even getting there without snapping.

If you did work with that at all, you really could try playing a right handed bass upside down...

But if that is all the case, it would make sense that when tuning lower there is now no relief or is bowed back. Though still would wonder how it would be setup to correctly play tuned too high.
 
#18
Note to Self no posting anywhere on the internet after 9pm, sorry everyone who had to put up with the my OP.

Okay I can't find the post I made for about a month ago (why is Techniques only two pages long?) but I've since tuned my bass the proper way. I loosened up the bridge to bring up the action and that worked for all the strings but the thickest one.
 
#19
Casting Thunder said:
Note to Self no posting anywhere on the internet after 9pm, sorry everyone who had to put up with the my OP.

Okay I can't find the post I made for about a month ago (why is Techniques only two pages long?) but I've since tuned my bass the proper way. I loosened up the bridge to bring up the action and that worked for all the strings but the thickest one.
Click to expand...

Is your neck straight, bowed back, or bowed forward (termed neck relief)?

string_vibration.gif


You may want to review THIS.
 

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