Weird Idea.

[Valiant Bandit]

Okay so pretty much everything has been thought of and I'm thinking of trying to be different and I'm leaning towards putting on real heavy strings on one of my basses....To the tune of:

90
100
110
135

Question: Is this even possible to do or are the strings just going to snap?
I know I probably sound like a tool, but I'm trying to make a different sounding bass because I feel like all "new" music nowadays sounds the same.

 

[ehque]

What notes are you trying to tune to, or are you just trying to make noise?

 

[Jazz Ad]

Well yeah you can put any string on for the sake of it, just because. It's your bass.
If you knew what you want to obtain, it would be easier to make sense.

 

[Kwesi]

So you want to sound different but you don't have any particular goal in mind? If you want to make music different from this "new music" you speak of then... make different music, lol! A string change will do absolutely nothing to change how your music sounds in the grand scheme of things.

 

[GrapeApe]

Theres a company out there that makes a bass that tunes to low F#, so I doubt you'll be treading any new ground there. Just focus on your playing.

 

[Mark Perry]

If you tuned those particular gauge strings in 4ths as normal, they'd feel and sound very inconsistent. You'd be better off doing lots of research into different strings, basses, electronics etc. Learning how different combination's feel and sound. Then getting the unique sound in your head, then using your knowledge and experience to figure out how to achieve that sound. imo

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

DR DDT's are really heavy gauge. That may do the trick for ya?

Or even Ken Smith Metal Masters..

 

[ehque]

If you just want to use big strings, Link Removed might be for you.

4 String Set - Balanced Standard 254
Price: $77.00
.254 .190 .142 .106

They can be tuned to E below E or lower.

 

[Tracebassplayer]

Don't forget to recut your nut.
Bigger strings will snap your nut off as they do not fit in the slots most likely originally cut for standard strings.

 

[BassGen]

If you put on heavier strings on the bass and tune to standard tuning you are putting considerably more tension in the strings. It will be hard to play and will also be hard on the neck.

 

[GeoffByrne]

If you tune those to EADG (normal) apart from the issues mentioned above, you'll have a neck like a longbow......

 

[nocontrols]

Christ, that's heavy. Make friends with a good tech first and call him in advance to warn him of the upcoming "set-up from hell"

And regarding the above posts, I'm assuming he's not going to attempt to play THOSE strings in standard tuning. I mean, the point is to be as way out there as possible so you might as well experiment with turnings.

 

[Tracebassplayer]

Christ, that's heavy. Make friends with a good tech first and call him in advance to warn him of the upcoming "set-up from hell"

And regarding the above posts, I'm assuming he's not going to attempt to play THOSE strings in standard tuning. I mean, the point is to be as way out there as possible so you might as well experiment with turnings.

+1 FOR UNDERSTANDING THE OP.

 

[Valiant Bandit]

+1 FOR UNDERSTANDING THE OP.

Haha yes...Sorry...

I slept for 13 hours here because my back's killing me.

I was thinking of tuning it to B#.

But if thicker strings will lead to inconsitency, than I will just get some ernie ball heavy strings.

 

[fourstringbliss]

Haha yes...Sorry...

I slept for 13 hours here because my back's killing me.

I was thinking of tuning it to B#.

But if thicker strings will lead to inconsitency, than I will just get some ernie ball heavy strings.

Talk to Chris at Link Removed. He can hook you up with a set that is going to do what you want to do. He has a .136 .100 .076 .055 set that might work out for you.

 

[Tracebassplayer]

Haha yes...Sorry...

I slept for 13 hours here because my back's killing me.

I was thinking of tuning it to B#.

But if thicker strings will lead to inconsitency, than I will just get some ernie ball heavy strings.

If you DO decide to go with bigger strings....seriously...
You'll need the nut slots recut to accept the bigger strings or they will crack/break the nut.
Which would be a good reason to get a custom bone nut.

 

[OmnitzGarima]

Is this even possible to do or are the strings just going to snap?

I'd be more worried about snapping the neck

 

[fourstringbliss]

He can go with bigger strings for deeper tuning, but it can't be a set like he originally posted. He could use Circle K strings and would have to recut his nut slots to accommodate the thicker strings.

 

[Tracebassplayer]

He can go with bigger strings for deeper tuning, but it can't be a set like he originally posted. He could use Circle K strings and would have to recut his nut slots to accommodate the thicker strings.

+1

 

[TheCush]

Don't forget to recut your nut.
Bigger strings will snap your nut off as they do not fit in the slots most likely originally cut for standard strings.

Good point, but I get a different sense of pain when reading "snap your nut off".

...must...resist...laughter...