Putting a low B string on a 4 string bass?

[John Bess]

Anyone have any experience playing a 4 string tuned to B standard? I need the lower notes for a heavy rock project I'm starting and I no longer have my six string.

I'm in the market for a nice American Fender. I could go 5 string, but I would much rather invest in a vintage instrument, probably something from the 70s, and tune it to B.

My concerns are the B string fitting in the nut and neck issues with the extra tension without the extra mass of a five string neck.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chris_b]

Tuning BEAD should present no problems to the bass. Although you'll probably need to change the nut. The neck should be OK because the tension should be about the same as a normal set of strings. Still, I'd probably do this to a modern bass rather than an older one.

A 5 string bass would be my preferred option because I need the B and the G strings.

 

[John Bess]

Changing the nut is out of the question. I need something plug and play. Reliability is key. That being said, I think I need a new or lightly used 5 string.

 

[MobileHolmes]

You might not need to swap the nut, but would need to widen the slots, probably. Would also likely need a truss rod adjustment and intonation adjustment

 

[John Bess]

You might not need to swap the nut, but would need to widen the slots, probably. Would also likely need a truss rod adjustment and intonation adjustment

That's what I was thinking...

 

[jd56hawk]

Why is changing the nut out of the question?

 

[John Bess]

Why is changing the nut out of the question?

I just don't want to change anything once I buy it. I like things stock, original. I may have to get over that. I don't know. I'm wrestling with the whole thing, realizing I'll probably get a five because I'd miss that G string.

 

[chris_b]

I just don't want to change anything once I buy it. I like things stock, original. I may have to get over that. I don't know. I'm wrestling with the whole thing, realizing I'll probably get a five because I'd miss that G string.

I feel the same about modding basses, ie it's better to start with the right one.

A 5 might take some time to bed in with your style but will be more flexible and versatile in the end.

 

[lug]

I just don't want to change anything once I buy it. I like things stock, original. I may have to get over that. I don't know. I'm wrestling with the whole thing, realizing I'll probably get a five because I'd miss that G string.

On most basses I've dealt with, changing the nut is just a matter of tapping it softly till it comes out. You can save the original and return it if you want. I change the nuts on all my lefty basses since I learned to play upside down and have never had any issue with the nut at all.

 

[LewisK1975]

Reading you've had a six-string, so a 5 string shouldn't really present any issues for you. I'd pick up a 2nd hand 5 string if it was me. I had a USA Musicman SUB 5-string and the low B on that was sublime..

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Going EADG to BEAD - or ADGC - is in no way "plug and play", some [very minor] tuning needs to be done. It's easy to do on just about any modern bass you run across.

First, the nut. Don't worry about the nut, you can keep the original. Work the new one for BEAD/ADGC. Swapping a nut is easy peasy.

Heavier/lighter strings mean neck, action, and intonation adjustments. No way to get around that. You'll hafta do it again if you decide to go back to EADG.

I don't miss the G string. Or the E string. One plays BEAD/ADGC for a reason. Many bassists have both EADG and BEAD/ADGC basses.

There are many 5/6 strings avail. I don't like 'em. Either the neck is too wide, or the strings are too close together. This is my personal preference only.

 

[wishforbass]

Anyone have any experience playing a 4 string tuned to B standard? I need the lower notes for a heavy rock project I'm starting and I no longer have my six string.

I'm in the market for a nice American Fender. I could go 5 string, but I would much rather invest in a vintage instrument, probably something from the 70s, and tune it to B.

My concerns are the B string fitting in the nut and neck issues with the extra tension without the extra mass of a five string neck.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I don't recommend it .
But if you need to you should change the nut.actually,A good five string bass can do much better and you will be much happier .

 

[pappabass]

Start checking pawn shops. Watch the prices, compare to GC used prices. You can find good deals, just offer less.

 

[Glenn Johnson]

Just get a 5-string. Converting a 4 string to use a B string is just begging for trouble I think, due to EXACTLY the reasons you said in your original post. Good luck!

 

[iiipopes]

If this is a first foray into needing a B-string, I suggest a lower-cost used Ibanez SR series bass. The nut is only 1 3/4 inches wide, relatively narrow up the neck, good balance, decent, if not superlative electronics, and if you want something different, you can sell it down the line later if you take care of it.

That said, what everyone says about the nuts is correct. It is not that big of a deal to be "stock." I bought an Ibby BTB845V for its 33-inch scale to give my fretting hand some relief, and my luthier changed the nut from stock EADGC to BEADG: just popped off the old one, installed the new one, and I have the old one if I want to change it back. It is actually a better solution than widening the nut slots, because if the OP wants to go back to conventional tuning, then a new nut will be necessary so the strings are secure in the nut.

 

[bass40hz]

I have a 4 string USA Fender P that I tune BEAD, I use Rotosound Steve Harris Flats. It sounds badass. Just get some heavier gauge (stiffer, or higher tension) standard strings and you should be fine, you will need to adjust your setup a bit but thats it.
Rock on.

 

[fourstringburn]

I tried at on my 4 string Fender P Bass for a bit with the lightest gauge B string. I just let it rest on the nut and had no problems. Setting intonation on the bridge was necessary and the saddle was nearly all the way back.

The B string feel did have that loose wet noodle effect compared to the other strings which I didn't like. This is because a B string needs to be on a longer scale neck than a 4 string Bass. I eventually went back to an E string and installed a Hipshot D-tuner to get at least an open D which is good enough for me. They do make a double stopping lever to from the open E, to B then C.

I would agree with others if you want a B string, go with a 5 string Bass and consider one with a longer scale to minimize the wet noodle effect.

 

[nilorius]

I don't think it's a good idea. Think about the pickups, too.

 

[Ron Berenato]

I strung my EBMM Stingray BEAD a bunch of times and let the B string ride the top of the nut and it worked just fine. I'm like you, I don't want to mod my bass if I don't have to. The E string space in the nut will hold the B string in place, it just won't sit all the way down in the groove so the string will be a tiny bit higher, which I didn't really notice at all.

 

[gln1955]

I've done the BEAD thing a number of times. I widened the nut slots and did a setup. When I went back to EADG, I used the same nut, no problem.

If you need the G string, then obviously go with a fiver, but there is technically no reason not to give BEAD a try.