Please don't throw rocks at me...

[Fingerpickingood]

Please abide by the title of the thread! I shall endeavor to make a lengthy story short. I'm in a metal band that plays... Well... Call it up-tempo sludge. I know that seems a bit of an oxymoron, but there you have it. I'm also joining a rock band that plays pretty standard radio-friendly grunge rock. The metal band plays in drop A, and the rock band plays in E standard. Now that I've bored you to tears with my wanton verbosity, allow me to pose my question: Would one of these Squier Vintage Modified Jazz 5ers I've seen so many people rave about be a good choice to play in both of these bands? My thinking is that I can simply drop the low B a step to an A for the metal band, and stick with the EADG strings for the rock band. Furthermore, is the bass in question capable of handling the low A without becoming a floppy, muddy mess? String gauge would be increased, of course... Thanks in advance!

 

[BigBobbyBass]

To my ears, drop A is too floppy for most 34" scale basses. YMMV..

 

[musicman666]

That would just be a full step down from B. I don't see a problem with it In theory, but I have never tried it. Not sure how a low A would translate through your rig though. Might need to use a larger gauge 5th string as well. Could get a little floppy. I'm sure someone here on TB has done it and can offer some real advice. Good luck!

 

[nerkoids]

String it with thick, stiff flats. It shouldn't be too floppy for drop A on the B string.

 

[nerkoids]

Not to mention the relatively cleaner sound of the flats will keep that drop A from getting too wobbly.

 

[Braden Persch]

I play in Drop A on a stingray, 135 DR LoRider's. No flop. I've also used Daddario prosteels (145, too tight) and Labella SS 140. I like the DR the best, but because it's a hexcore the tension difference isn't very noticeable. Ernie Ball power slinky's could also work.

Edit: forgot to mention that it sounds great. Personally I EQ out some of the low end.

 

[Fingerpickingood]

I play in Drop A on a stingray, 135 DR LoRider's. No flop. I've also used Daddario prosteels (145, too tight) and Labella SS 140. I like the DR the best, but because it's a hexcore the tension difference isn't very noticeable. Ernie Ball power slinky's could also work.

Edit: forgot to mention that it sounds great. Personally I EQ out some of the low end.

I have played the DR DDT strings on guitar (.13-.65 gauge), and I really liked them. It appears that they manufacture this same line for bass (.50-.135). I understand that these strings have a thicker steel core to accommodate lower tunings without loss of tension and such. Do you think these might prove sufficient?

 

[Braden Persch]

I have played the DR DDT strings on guitar (.13-.65 gauge), and I really liked them. It appears that they manufacture this same line for bass (.50-.135). I understand that these strings have a thicker steel core to accommodate lower tunings without loss of tension and such. Do you think these might prove sufficient?

I just got a pack of those today! haha. From my understanding the DDT's and the Loriders have the same construction, they should work great for Drop A.

 

[hrodbert696]

DDTs on a Squier should be OK. The ESP/LTD F-105 is a 35" scale that's around the same price range, might hold the drop tuning a little better.

 

[Joe Nerve]

If money was tight, I'd just pick up an SX for one of the 2 bands. I wouldn't want to flip back and forth on the string tension like that with a single bass. Would make one of the gig situations less than optimal.

 

[Nev375]

It is the gauge of the string that controls the tension and "floppiness".

It has little to nothing to do with the bass itself.

You should be fine with a .145 B string downtuned to A.

 

[bholder]

Just abidin' dude, but yeah, DDTs are good strings.

 

[AndreasR]

Check Kalium Strings. Their selection has something for any tuning you can think of.

 

[bholder]

Check Kalium Strings. Their selection has something for any tuning you can think of.

And even probably some for tunings you can't think of!

 

[JimmyM]

Ya, I wouldn't sweat it too much, either. I've tuned my B down to A many times, and it's a .120 on a 34" scale bass.

 

[bridgecables]

So here's the rub... the thinner the low string is, the better tone it has, and the closer it matches the tone of the other strings in the set... but also, it is correspondingly floppier in feel. But any problems you have with feel can be resolved by thicker strings. Any problems you have with the 5th string sounding too dark can be resolved by thinner strings. There is no 'holding the tuning better'; there are many 34" instruments tuned substantially lower than we are talking about here. Tone, and your playing and feel preferences, will make some kind of compromise. Going lighter than .135 for A will start to require a delicate touch and give you a tension significantly different from the other strings. Some guys can't handle this.

We should probably talk a little about the merits of the model of bass he is considering instead of just the strings, though. OP, can you elaborate any on what you're looking for? Or do you sort of have this one narrowed down already, and wanted to confirm some stuff about it?

 

[mpdd]

I'd tell you to get a sub pedal, but they can get kinda weird tracking the A specifically and I'm not too sure you wanna sound like the wu tang clan

 

[Luckydog]

Doesnt matter... unless the PA is up to it, nobody will hear your notes anyway, particularly in a metal band.

 

[jamro217]

We won't throw rocks at you, stones, maybe. You never heard "sticks and rocks may break my bones but names will never hurt me". Now in response to your question: Get a cheap, decent 4 string for the four string gig and set up the low down 5er for the other. Hope this helps.

 

[Fingerpickingood]

So here's the rub... the thinner the low string is, the better tone it has, and the closer it matches the tone of the other strings in the set... but also, it is correspondingly floppier in feel. But any problems you have with feel can be resolved by thicker strings. Any problems you have with the 5th string sounding too dark can be resolved by thinner strings. There is no 'holding the tuning better'; there are many 34" instruments tuned substantially lower than we are talking about here. Tone, and your playing and feel preferences, will make some kind of compromise. Going lighter than .135 for A will start to require a delicate touch and give you a tension significantly different from the other strings. Some guys can't handle this.

We should probably talk a little about the merits of the model of bass he is considering instead of just the strings, though. OP, can you elaborate any on what you're looking for? Or do you sort of have this one narrowed down already, and wanted to confirm some stuff about it?

I settled on that particular model because I went through the rather exhaustive threads regarding it. I also played a couple of them (tuned to B standard) at my local GC. I should stress that I play with quite a bit of grind in the metal band, courtesy of a Joyo Ultimate Drive, which I purchased under the advisement of you kind folks. The rock band will have a touch of overdrive. I'm pretty meat and potatoes. I came to the conclusion that the bright sound of the single coil pickups would serve fairly well in both bands.

Doesnt matter... unless the PA is up to it, nobody will hear your notes anyway, particularly in a metal band.

I heartily disagree. There are many examples of bassists who "cut through" in down-tuned metal bands. Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse is a fine example. Moreover, a heavily overdriven bass tone is absolutely integral to the dark sounds of a sludge band.

If anyone else has suggestions regarding the particular bass I've settled on, I'm happy to hear it. Perhaps I should mention that the Ibby in my avatar is also used for the metal band, as we have several songs in drop C.