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Double Bass tuning a cello like a bass- where to find strings?

#41
D'Addario is working on Cello strings for 4ths tuning. I rented a cello a year ago (11/2010) and started experimenting with 4ths tuning. I found C#,F#,B,E to be pretty decent. I contacted D'Addario in October of 20122 and was excited to hear they are working on a 4ths tuning gauge. They said they'd contact me when they were getting close.... and last week I got the email that they are sending me a set of prototype strings to evaluate. They are designed to be tuned E,A,D,G in the same octave as the electric guitar. Got to say I impressed with D'Addario for not only experimenting in this direction, but also their follow up with me. More on this when I get the strings. I'll be trying them on my Steinberger 5 string cello. I'll keep the low C and drop it to B and then add the other 4 strings.
 
#43
Interesting thread guys, as I was just wondering about this the other day.

It seems that practically speaking, the only tuning would have to be exactly like a bass, E-A-D-G.

Remember, while we as bassists are talking about playing cello in our tuning, there are cellists who want to play bass on cello-if you catch my drift. I'll ask my cello pals if they have come up with a solution and will get back to you. It is much easier for us to play cello, then for cellists to TRY to play bass.

S.A.W. out.
 
#44
stricker said:
D'Addario is working on Cello strings for 4ths tuning. I rented a cello a year ago (11/2010) and started experimenting with 4ths tuning. I found C#,F#,B,E to be pretty decent. I contacted D'Addario in October of 20122 and was excited to hear they are working on a 4ths tuning gauge. They said they'd contact me when they were getting close.... and last week I got the email that they are sending me a set of prototype strings to evaluate. They are designed to be tuned E,A,D,G in the same octave as the electric guitar. Got to say I impressed with D'Addario for not only experimenting in this direction, but also their follow up with me. More on this when I get the strings. I'll be trying them on my Steinberger 5 string cello. I'll keep the low C and drop it to B and then add the other 4 strings.
Click to expand...

Please keep us posted!:hyper:
 
#45
Been there, done that. :D
 

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#50
I use the cellos C (1st string when thinking lowest to highest) as the bass-tuned cellos D (3rd string),

The cellos G (2nd string) as - well the cellow's G (4th string)

Then i added an E and A upright string on the bottom - yes they are 40+ scale strings strung up on a 28 scale cello - but that means there are no needed modifications or risk of injury to the cello.

I did have my cello tuned EADG an octave up from bass tuning with its original strings without any problems - unfortunately the sound i had hoped to achieved octaving that set up was nowhere close to an upright bass - and i think tuning what's intended to sound as C to E a third up likely put more stress on the instrument than my setup now.
 
#52
mormoyboy said:
I use the cellos C (1st string when thinking lowest to highest) as the bass-tuned cellos D (3rd string),

The cellos G (2nd string) as - well the cellow's G (4th string)

Then i added an E and A upright string on the bottom - yes they are 40+ scale strings strung up on a 28 scale cello - but that means there are no needed modifications or risk of injury to the cello.

I did have my cello tuned EADG an octave up from bass tuning with its original strings without any problems - unfortunately the sound i had hoped to achieved octaving that set up was nowhere close to an upright bass - and i think tuning what's intended to sound as C to E a third up likely put more stress on the instrument than my setup now.
Click to expand...

Actually, if you can get some old 3/4 double Bass D and G strings for your octave up E and A cello strings, tension and diameter will be about the same as C and G. The only problem is the balls fitting in the fine tuners. A set of Pegheads solved the problem for me since fine tuners were no longer needed.
 
#56
bryanspkr said:
Actually, if you can get some old 3/4 double Bass D and G strings for your octave up E and A cello strings, tension and diameter will be about the same as C and G. The only problem is the balls fitting in the fine tuners. A set of Pegheads solved the problem for me since fine tuners were no longer needed.
Click to expand...

but i want to be in the bass octave - and re-using the original cello strings C (lowest string) and G (second lowest string) as the new shortscale upright's D (second highest string) and G (highest string) in same octave bass tuning works wonderfully.
 

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