Piccolo six-string?

[Persona87]

I recently picked up a Roscoe six string bass, and it’s replaced my Ibanez sixer in pretty much every way. Instead of selling the Ibanez at a loss, I’m trying to find some way of making it different enough from my Roscoe to make it worth keeping. I thought about flat wounds (like TI flats), but then I had the thought of a piccolo tuning. The group I jam with already has another regular bass player, so this would be a fun opportunity to play some lead melodic stuff without switching to guitar (I prefer the ergonomics of bass over those of the guitar).

I’m sure there aren’t any prepackaged strings that would let me tune BEADGC one octave higher, but what gauges of string should I look for? Can a bass string even tune to that C? Should I try EADGCF instead? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Jon Moody]

Realistically, if you're going for the piccolo tuning, you'll want gauges that are roughly half of what you're using. So, if you currently use 130-105-085-65-45-30, you will want something like 65-50-40-30-20-15 or so. The last two are probably going to be plain steel, and probably regular guitar strings. They should be long enough, but you'll want to thread a bass ball end onto it so it'll fit in the bridge.

I really like my 7st, so going to EADGCF tuning would be my preference. That's much easier to find a 20 or 18 for the top string.

ANOTHER OPTION would be to tune it like a guitar: EADGBE. It would make chords a lot easier.

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

ANOTHER OPTION would be to tune it like a guitar: EADGBE. It would make chords a lot easier.

And a variation on this suggestion is to tune it like a baritone guitar, ADGCEA. You can lift the ADGC strings from any six-string set, so you'll only need to source the E and A. You could then have fun checking out notable baritone parts, like Glen Campbell’s lines in Wichita Lineman or Galveston.



And there’s also this country thing, “tic toc bass,” or whatever it’s called, where you double the bass line on the baritone.

(Disclaimer: random thought with zero experience to back it up.)

 

[Aidil]

+1 on the EADGCF.

And yeah, also try EADGBE tuning too so you could apply guitar chords on it. See whether you like it.

In my case, I tried tuning the top 6 of my 7 string bass to EADGBE and practiced with it for a whole month or so. It didn't work as I thought it would be: the bass has a tight 15.5 mm string spacing, which supposed to be a good thing for applying left hand guitar chord frettings, but turned out as not that easy when combined with longer scale length (in this case, a 35" scale bass). A lot of guitar chord fretting positions required stretching the left hand fingers too much (when applied on this bass). It would be much easier just to apply the usual bass tuned to 4th left hand chord fretting positions, thus I switched the tuning back to standard (B)EADGCF.

 

[ixlramp]

I’m sure there aren’t any prepackaged strings that would let me tune BEADGC one octave higher

Kalium Music have several sets that will do that, however they are not pre-packaged, they are mail order sets put together from singles on order.
However, you can create a set other ways and using your brand/string type of choice.

Can a bass string even tune to that C?

C4, yes, just, the highest practical tuning on 34" is D4 using a .008, .009 or .010.

if you're going for the piccolo tuning, you'll want gauges that are roughly half of what you're using.

For equal tension yes. It is a physics-derivable result that for the same tension an octave up, roughly half the gauge. But due to real world factors, you actually need to go slightly lighter than half the gauge, especially for plain steel strings. (because string structure density rises for thinner strings or plain steel strings.)

But, you may discover you need lower tension:
For playability, chords, bends.
Because thinner strings feel tighter for the same tension, and really cut into your fingers.

So i suggest tension falling from low to high, something like light bottom
to ultra light top.

 

[ixlramp]

I have set up many basses in piccolo tunings. You can use your favourite brand for the wound strings, and here's a tip for the 2 or 3 plain steel strings: You can use D'Addario 'Loop End' plain steel strings, which are extremely long (46.5") and cheap, but being loop-end you need to add an improvised ferrule, i use a 5mm long 'M6 grub/set screw', it screws into the loop nicely.
Most guitar strings are not quite long enough for a bass, and usually only reach the tuner post nearest the nut.

it is difficult to recommend gauges as tastes differ, you will need to choose a starting point and go by trial and error.

 

[ixlramp]

Should I try EADGCF instead?

That is another approach, where you use standard tuning extended upward. If you do that EADGCF does not seem different enough to be worth it, i suggest ADGCFBb instead.

 

[ixlramp]

Erm anyway, for octave-up BEADCF, for a starting point i suggest:
.070 .050 .035 .025w .016p .012p
Find a brand that sells a .025 and buy singles for the wounds, add D'Addario Loop End plain steels (see above).

The BEAD strings will have similar tension to standard ADGC of .080 .060 .040 .028w, so medium-light tension.
The plain steels will have lower tension than the wounds, which helps to blend their tone with the wounds. Plain steels can be a little loud and harsh next to wounds, thinner guages and lower tension helps to mellow the tone and reduce volume.
Keeping the plain steel gauges below .016 also helps avoid excessive stiffness and the resulting inharmonicity, so better tone and sustain.