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Transitioning from EADG to BEAD

#21
I'd say go for it, if you don't want/like 5 strings. I went for decades w/a 4, but now mainly play 5's. I rarely use the g string, so a 4 tuned bead would be fine for me. I still break out my four (eadg) Just to stay comfortable with the tuning. Give it a try. If you don't like it, all it will cost you is a new nut. Good luck and rock on. Let us know how it works out for you. As others have said it will take a little time to get used to the tuning, so just be patient.
 
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#22
One thing you will have to get used to is a lot more shifting, i.e the familiar octaves for C and D will only be around the 9th fret and above to give and example. If you're in to slapping it's not exactly a great tuning, as you're mainly doing pops on the D string. And as BrianVengeance said, the B string is going to be a bit finicky depending on your bass, where the lower b may not sound it's best on your setup, or how your pickups are voiced. (At least for me there's also a potential 5 string multiscale on sale locally on the used market with my name on it..)

This isn't to dissuade you, I've been playing my "5 string" purposed-BEAD bass for two years and I've enjoyed it all this time, I'm personally missing the G string but it's a great fit if you would rather stick with a four string neck but have that range+benefits (having to not reach so far for EADG)
 
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#23
burgerdj said:
Honestly, I was not trying to troll you. Before moving over to a five string, I experimented with BEAD. The main reason I almost exclusively play five is having two octaves available at the fifth fret - something you don’t get on a four string.

Last bit of advice: make sure you are comfortable doing set ups, including adjusting the truss rod.
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I didn’t take it as a troll at all. Perfectly legit question I’ve asked myself more than once.

I’ll go to a luthier for frets and major wood work but I’m good to re-slot a nut or make a new one if necessary.
 
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#24
MisterUbu said:
One thing you will have to get used to is a lot more shifting, i.e the familiar octaves for C and D will only be around the 9th fret and above to give and example. If you're in to slapping it's not exactly a great tuning, as you're mainly doing pops on the D string. And as BrianVengeance said, the B string is going to be a bit finicky depending on your bass, where the lower b may not sound it's best on your setup, or how your pickups are voiced. (At least for me there's also a potential 5 string multiscale on sale locally on the used market with my name on it..)

This isn't to dissuade you, I've been playing my "5 string" purposed-BEAD bass for two years and I've enjoyed it all this time, I'm personally missing the G string but it's a great fit if you would rather stick with a four string neck but have that range+benefits (having to not reach so far for EADG)
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I played an early afternoon gig today where I was picturing how those songs would sit in BEAD. Fully realizing how much more up the neck I’ll be playing is a bit intimidating but I think it’s the tuning that’s going to sound best on this bass. When I was a kid my upright teacher scolded me for talking about the strings I wanted. “Find the strings the BASS wants and learn to deal with it” is a lesson that’s served me well.
 
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#26
ole Jason said:
I'm kind of going at this from the opposite direction. I'm currently playing a 5 string in a guitar dominant band that tunes to Bb standard (they use 6 string guitars). I think it would be easier for me to be playing a 4 string in this group just due to how I mentally work out riffs and think through how to play things. Sounds goofy when I type it out but I'm looking forward to experimenting.
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What kind of music does your band play?
 
#27
BrianVengeance said:
+1 for the club, but I’ll also answer briefly here.

I love my BEAD setup, but it did lead me down a path to 5 string multi scale. Ultimately I felt that 34” is a bit short to get the tension right, and as
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What about Stingray 5 strings in general then? AFAIK, they have 34" scale length? Do they have the same issue? I'm thinking of buying one and hoping to get a tight enough lowend from the B string.
 
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#28
Kraku said:
What about Stingray 5 strings in general then? AFAIK, they have 34" scale length? Do they have the same issue? I'm thinking of buying one and hoping to get a tight enough lowend from the B string.
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The straightforward answer is probably no, it won’t be an issue. In my experience Stingrays are tight and punchy and a 5 string bass will have pickups that are voiced to handle the low B. Plenty of string options as well for a standard 5 to ensure tension is good. Lots of happy people playing Stingray 5s and I’m a HUGE fan of the narrower string spacing.

I also probably should have better clarified that I am tuning down a step and that asking a 4 string bass to support A0 with minimal modification (nut file only) should come with tempered expectations. There is actual math out there to support the longer scale for a lower note on a thicker string (ref: a piano) but it’s necessity is an exercise best left for the player.

All systems are a series of tradeoffs, and if I’m entirely honest, I was reasonably convinced that I had made a mistake by going to a 34-37“ multi scale. I’ve since adjusted, but I better appreciate my 34“ scale 5 string for what it is, though at this point I feel like a 35“ would be the right compromise (for me) in a non multi scale.

YMMV, take worth the market rate for carrots.
 
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#31
Jens Telemark said:
The nut files arrived today and the BEAD strings will arrive next week. I’m going to do what Anthony Jackson did the night before a recoding session and file my nut and dive in. I’ll figure it out quickly enough but if anyone who’s gone to BEAD as their main or only tuning has any observations I’d like to hear them.
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I for one won't ever turn back👍
 
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#32
Kraku said:
What about Stingray 5 strings in general then? AFAIK, they have 34" scale length? Do they have the same issue? I'm thinking of buying one and hoping to get a tight enough lowend from the B string.
Click to expand...

I bought a stingray special 5 when they were released and played it exclusively for a couple years. I had no issues with the B string. Sounded great!
 
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