what are safe tunings for a 5 string bass

[kosmicwizard]

[QUOT"Mushroo, post: 18597747, member: 90845"]I often re tune my 5-string from BEADG to CEADG. This allows me to play the low C as an open (unfretted) string. Such a small change in pitch (only one half-step or minor 2nd) does not require special strings and hasn't seemed to damage my bass.

That tuning may do the trick[/QUOTE]

Yeah, this is just basically drop d tuning, except on the 5th instead of the 4th string. Cheers.

 

[Michael B]

I find it easier to just play the notes where they are on a 5 with standard tuning rather than moving them with alt tunings. So if song is in a different key I just adjust. If the notes are in a new spot that would totally screw with my brain.

 

[Jay2U]

Just wondering what other tunings are safe to tune too on a 5 string bass other than the regular beadg ? I'm curious because I wanted to try out some different ones to give myself options, thanks fam

Any tuning, depending on the gauges of the strings.

 

[reggie hall]

That tuning may do the trick

Yeah, this is just basically drop d tuning, except on the 5th instead of the 4th string. Cheers.[/QUOTE]
thanks

 

[Spacecase]

Here are two I've used to get a specific tonality base upon double and triple stops, and open strings.

1. Drop B to A
2. Drop E to D and B to A

 

[khutch]

I tune my fiver in fifths, CGDAE. In order to do that "safely" I look at the string gauges the bass comes with, calculate the tension on each string using data from Kalium Strings or another manufacturer, and buy new strings for the new tuning in the gauges that will keep the total tension on the neck exactly the same as it was to begin with. If you do that the neck won't even know you changed strings. And you can do that for any tuning you want to try, no matter how exotic it is. You can even do that for a standard tuning if you want to pick the string gauges to give you a string by string tension pattern that is not available from standard sets.

The notion that bass guitars are fairly tough and can be tuned any way you like without much thought does have a point. If you don't sit down and do the math and make sensible string gauge choices you may break strings, or have fairly floppy strings, or spend a lot of time adjusting truss rods. But you are unlikely to damage a bass by retuning it without changing strings. It is just that you are much more likely to be satisfied with how your bass plays if you do the math up front and choose your string gauges sensibly.

 

[JES]

On a BEADG bass, I have tuned up to CEADG and DDADG (try it--it's huge!) and down to drop A. No probs, no special strings.

 

[reggie hall]

Here are two I've used to get a specific tonality base upon double and triple stops, and open strings.

1. Drop B to A
2. Drop E to D and B to A

Ah man thanks so much

 

[reggie hall]

Gonna try that

 

[leesbrushes]

I was curious once and tuned my four bead...I was pleasantly surprised.
I had to change nothing because of the quarter sawn neck on my cs fender..
The action was exactly the same.
I thought it would be Low ..no
No.change.
I drop a half-step ...full step...
Doesn't matter.just a turn of the tuners isall it takes... No truss or bridge mods are nessessarry
That's why people buy quality...
Quarter sawn necks apparently rule.

 

[cheechi]

I did manage to break a B string tuning it almost up to E, as I thought it was strung EADGC. However, I could have left it tuned Eb standard as that's how I got it (bought used) which is up 4 half steps higher than it's supposed to.

I don't know that every instrument could take that fat of a string being stretched that hard, though.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I like tuning a half step down, but that's just me. Bb Eb Ab Db Gb.

 

[Ric5]

Just wondering what other tunings are safe to tune too on a 5 string bass other than the regular beadg ? I'm curious because I wanted to try out some different ones to give myself options, thanks fam

By safe do you mean won't hurt the neck? that is all about string gauges ...

Other tunings for a 5 string bass ...

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb,
EADGC
DGCFA#
ADGCF
CFA#D#G#

So if you tune down you might want heavier strings and if you tune up then you might want lighter strings ...

 

[reggie hall]

By safe do you mean won't hurt the neck? that is all about string gauges ...

Other tunings for a 5 string bass ...

Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb,
EADGC
DGCFA#
ADGCF
CFA#D#G#

So if you tune down you might want heavier strings and if you tune up then you might want lighter strings ...

Thanks so much

 

[Nephilymbass]

I use beadg 95% of the time, for one original song I use aeadg (drop A) and will occasionally tune bdadg at home sometimes to play a song that was done on a 4 string in drop d for example there's a lot of Tool lines and some RATM lines that are a lot easier to play in drop d.
These are the tunings I'll do with my regular set of 45-130 strings.

I've also used at some point or another
Tenor Eadgc 32-105 strings
low f#bead .65-.175

I found standard beadg to be the most versatile. High c strings are nice for chords and tapping but sound thin used in traditional way so I'd rather play the same note higher up the neck on the g string. The couple extra notes on the low f# string aren't worth the price of the string (you'll pay as much for a good low f# string as you will for an entire set of strings) and at that point it's so low you might as well just use a good tracking octave pedal and play on the e string. Because most of the PA systems at the gigs I play at Cant reproduce it clear enough to tell much difference anyways

 

[Ric5]

I use beadg 95% of the time, for one original song I use aeadg (drop A) and will occasionally tune bdadg at home sometimes to play a song that was done on a 4 string in drop d for example there's a lot of Tool lines and some RATM lines that are a lot easier to play in drop d.
These are the tunings I'll do with my regular set of 45-130 strings.

I've also used at some point or another
Tenor Eadgc 32-105 strings
low f#bead .65-.175

I found standard beadg to be the most versatile. High c strings are nice for chords and tapping but sound thin used in traditional way so I'd rather play the same note higher up the neck on the g string. The couple extra notes on the low f# string aren't worth the price of the string (you'll pay as much for a good low f# string as you will for an entire set of strings) and at that point it's so low you might as well just use a good tracking octave pedal and play on the e string. Because most of the PA systems at the gigs I play at Cant reproduce it clear enough to tell much difference anyways

I have found notes below drop low A to be useless ... 99% of the time BEADG works for me ...