Strung up E A D G B E

[mkrtu9]

I may get flamed for this, but has anyone ever tried to string up a six string EADGBE like a... gasp... guitar?

I'm interested in this for chording sake. I already know them so why not use them Also having a high E sounds interesting.

 

[Kwesi]

Yes, people have done it. The best way for you to see if you like it yourself, is to try it out.

 

[steelbed45]

wasn't that the tuning used for the six strings from the 1960's - the Fender VI and others with the really narrow string spacing?

 

[yellofury]

Theres an artist out there that tunes his basses exclusively just like that for chordal playing
but his name escapes me .. theres a video of him on YouTube playing a duet with jazz flute at NAMM. He plays mostly gospel

NVM

He's Abraham Laboriel
and he has Wyn Guitars make his basses for him

 

[mkrtu9]

That youtube video was very good. Thanks for sharing.

 

[JxBass]

wasn't that the tuning used for the six strings from the 1960's - the Fender VI and others with the really narrow string spacing?

Yes, that was the tuning for the Fender VI.

 

[Stick_Player]

I may get flamed for this, but has anyone ever tried to string up a six string EADGBE like a... gasp... guitar?

I'm interested in this for chording sake. I already know them so why not use them Also having a high E sounds interesting.

This guy beat you by a couple years...

Fender Bass VI

 

[darkstorm]

That could work quite well imo. And Id be more tempted to string it BEADGB but EtoE could work great for rythum etc nulti string groove sixtring stuff.

 

[mkrtu9]

This guy beat you by a couple years...

Fender Bass VI

Lol.. I will have to look into that.

 

[smperry]

I might want my next bass to be EADGBE

 

[Hobobob]

Fender Bass VI
Schecter Hellcat VI
Music Man Silhouette Bass
Just to name a few.

 

[Rebop]

It's fun. You definitely think differently when playing what's essentially a guitar an octave down.

 

[bassbenj]

I may get flamed for this, but has anyone ever tried to string up a six string EADGBE like a... gasp... guitar?

I'm interested in this for chording sake. I already know them so why not use them Also having a high E sounds interesting.

Yes people do this. Usually people like yourself who already have chord knowledge from guitar playing. It's a way to put that to work without having to learn a bunch of new chords.

However, be aware, that using guitar tuning ruins one of the major features of 6 string basses! Namely that being tuned in 4ths, you can start a pattern/scale/arpeggio etc. on any fret or any string and it will work until you run out of strings or frets! Hence you lose the movability of patterns (which is the same problem a guitar has).

You have to decide which feature (easy chords or movable patterns) is more important to your music.

 

[TRichardsbass]

First invented by Nate Daniels of Danelectro in 1956.

Offered as an option on almost all styles:

Longhorn Bass (Model 5612)
Short horn Bass (Model 3612)
UB-2
Speigel Bass (1959, somewhat rare)
Hornet
Dane
Coral Vinnie Bell Signature Wasp (pro solid body)

Also, Jerry Jones made Dano copies:

Longhorn Bass6
Shorthorn Bass6

All strung like guitar but an octave lower. 30" scale.

Harder to play chords because of the stretch but doable, and was the primary lead guitar for Duane Eddy and Glen Campbell.

I enjoy my Longhorn bass6 quite a bit. Twangy bass with a guitar feel.