REALLY? A 4 STRING WITH BEAG AND NOT EAGD, TELL ME MORE!

[prowla]

Ian Hill of Judas Priest does BEAD.

 

[bigjames]

I am wanting to ab in place of the e. Tuning down existing strings tend to sound a little flabby to me i have a drop d tuner but that’s not really what im looking for

I think you could technically pick up a 5 string set of strings, use the BEAD from that set and string your bass. Would need to do a set up and file / adjust the nut, but it would technically work. You just lost the higher range from the G string.

Personally, I would pick up a 5er.

 

[JazznFunk]

Lakland made a run of very limited basses in the late 2000s - I think for artists only - called the Lakland XS series. They were intended to be strung BEAD by default. Not sure if there were any specific differences in neck/scale or other areas of difference from a typical 4-94. I saw Jason Scheff (when he was still with Chicago) play one on the 2007 summer tour.

 

[boylebass]

I am old and have been playing nothing but 4-bangers my whole life.

I got hired as a long-term sub for a local church, and after a few weeks, i knew i needed to be playing those low d’s. I took one of my basses to the spa and had Jesse cut me a new nut and set it up for chromes- BEAD. (it was pretty much a spare, the fretted analog to my ‘full Jaco’ <epoxied fl board> bass) It’s a jazz with barts, and it sounds great. It took a little getting used to, but the degree of difficulty in the music (basic hillsong/shane & shane stuff) didn’t require any extra effort. I have found that if i don’t play it regularly, I get a little rusty; for example, I’m subbing next weekend and i’m taking my warwick thumb. They love that bass. i never play those high notes anyways.

 

[Ryan X Decent]

I buy the 5 string sets, and use the BEAD strings. I then flip the G's for a hearty profit via my local swap meet.

 

[overit]

I love my Steinbergers because I can buy a 5-string set and switch between BEAD and EADG with ease. I play dub reggae and anything that I would play on the G-string is moved up the neck which is a plus for reggae tone.

 

[ChrisAlan]

I am wanting to ab in place of the e. Tuning down existing strings tend to sound a little flabby to me i have a drop d tuner but that’s not really what im looking for

The flabbiness is the 34 inch scale. Personally I don't like low b on anything but a 35 inch.
(and I just picked up a 5 string fender precision so I'm clearly full of crap)

Try upping the string gauge. That will help also.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

BEAD club got ya covered https://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-modified-bead-4-string-bass-club.1069699/
I guess it is entirely possible the OP is thinking of doing BEAC

 

[MODREV4]

You could just get a Digitech Drop or EHX Pitch Fork and drop tune to BEAD at the press of a button.

 

[MODREV4]

Thanks Ga, that’s great info, I’ll check it out!

 

[ga_edwards]

Thanks Ga, that’s great info, I’ll check it out!

No problem. I use the pitch shift effects in my Helix LT to do the same thing for a few songs. Works perfectly.