Up tuning?

[miketallica315]

Hello all,
I recently joined a hard rock band with a good friend of mine. He is so set on playing in drop C tuning. I hate tuning a bass down more than a half step. Trying to be optimistic, I tried an experiment. I took one of my SR5'S that I normally tune low to high B E A D G with regular slinkys and tuned it up... way up. With the same set of strings, I tuned the bass low to high C G C F Bb. I obviously had to adjust the neck but it does work out well. Is this higher tuning going to cause damage to my bass?

 

[Nihilism]

You should take it to a tech to set it up that way. And to your question, drop tuning causes more tension to the strings.

 

[thehangingmist]

drop tuning causes more tension to the strings.

 

[knumbskull]

it's advisable to use appropriate string gauges for any tuning, so that the tension is roughly even across the neck... so you are currently putting uneven tension on your neck, which can cause twisting.

you are certainly *risking* causing damage if you leave it like that long-term.

FWIW, I use this set for drop-C tuning (on a 4-string, obviously!):

.125
.90
.70
.50

...you'd want to add a .30 on to that for a 5er.

 

[Immigrant]

it's advisable to use appropriate string gauges for any tuning, so that the tension is roughly even across the neck... so you are currently putting uneven tension on your neck, which can cause twisting.

you are certainly *risking* causing damage if you leave it like that long-term.

FWIW, I use this set for drop-C tuning (on a 4-string, obviously!):

.125
.90
.70
.50

...you'd want to add a .30 on to that for a 5er.

Mmm. So, the OP would be cranking a .155 B up to a C? Yikes.

I'd go with light gauge strings (like a .120-125) on a five set up for "up tuning". But actually, I would just play the five the tuned "normally" and re-learn everything. But that's just me, and I ain't the brightest.

 

[knumbskull]

Mmm. So, the OP would be cranking a .155 B up to a C? Yikes.

I'd go with light gauge strings (like a .120-125) on a five set up for "up tuning". But actually, I would just play the five the tuned "normally" and re-learn everything. But that's just me, and I ain't the brightest.

ah, i wasn't being being clear. i meant the OP would add a .30 string as the highest string on a 5er set. so:

.125
.90
.70
.50
.30

i tried a few different gauges for the low C and found i liked the .125 best. certainly wouldn't go much heavier than that!

I also tried using "regular" open B tuning and playing like that (with guitarists in drop C). it was kind of a pain! - then again, the band played fairly fast heavy metal with a lot of riffs jumping off the low C.

as with all these things, YMMV

EDIT actually you are right, a good compromise might be to tune up a light BEADG set to open C (C F Bb Eb Ab)

 

[SoVeryTired]

And to your question, drop tuning causes more tension to the strings.

In no way.

 

[powmetalbassist]

What about standard tuning and put a Capo across at C effectively fixing all problems of tuning and tension.

 

[cfsporn]

I am a big fan of cello tuning. On a five string, that would be C0,G0,D1,A2,E2.

 

[spz8]

You should take it to a tech to set it up that way. And to your question, drop tuning causes more tension to the strings.

Oh boy...

 

[BioWeapon]

You should take it to a tech to set it up that way. And to your question, drop tuning causes more tension to the strings.

Who's the fool who told you that removing tension from the strings would add tension to the strings?
Drop tuning does certainly not add tension!

 

[Mark Wilson]

I am a big fan of cello tuning. On a five string, that would be C0,G0,D1,A2,E2.

I feel this is the best option.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I played with a band for a short time that used that tuning. I just tuned c standard instead of drop c. I used the dr high beams with a .125 b string

 

[Ric5]

Hello all,
I recently joined a hard rock band with a good friend of mine. He is so set on playing in drop C tuning. I hate tuning a bass down more than a half step. Trying to be optimistic, I tried an experiment. I took one of my SR5'S that I normally tune low to high B E A D G with regular slinkys and tuned it up... way up. With the same set of strings, I tuned the bass low to high C G C F Bb. I obviously had to adjust the neck but it does work out well. Is this higher tuning going to cause damage to my bass?

I would just use BEADG ... I know that would frustrate the guitarists ... but heck that is half the fun ... play your bass part without retuning ... Awesome

 

[fourstringdrums]

Just remember that if you're dropping tuning, a higher gauge string is preferable if you're keeping it there to have more string tension. The opposite is true for higher tuning. You need to come down on the gauge a little.

 

[Baird6869]

I played with a band for a short time that used that tuning. I just tuned c standard instead of drop c. I used the dr high beams with a .125 b string

+1 but I used a .130 B and I tuned C#.

I did this every gig as the singer couldn't sing Living on a Prayer (Bon Jovi) in E. I really need the open string/octave for that song so I tuned up for one song. I tuned a 4 sting down for a few gigs but even with heavy strings it was floppy.

If you tune up (or down) but tune it back to 440-ish after a gig/rehearsal, IME no adjustment is required.

 

[thebandcircle]

I have also tuned a fiver up to C with lighter gauge strings. Talk about a tight Low C! Felt great on a Status Graphite, string action hardly moved...