What's the purpose for a 85-175 string set?

[MDBass]

How will that put more pressure on the neck?

Depending on how low the tuning is it could easily have the same or lower total string tension than normal strings in standard tuning.

@lz


Agreed. Won't necessarily stress the neck more or less, depending on the pitch to which the strings are tuned.

Correct

 

[MDBass]

Is there a bass cab made today that will get anywhere close to that? Assuming that the amps HPF hasn't already blocked it.

Some of the modern 3 way designs (Greenboy, Audiokenisis, etc.) may, but even standard E is somewhere around 40Hz and bass is regularly high-passed around 50Hz live and on recordings.

You're hearing the first harmonic, and your brain "fills in" the fundamental frequency

 

[packhowitzer]

Some of the modern 3 way designs (Greenboy, Audiokenisis, etc.) may, but even standard E is somewhere around 40Hz and bass is regularly high-passed around 50Hz live and on recordings.

You're hearing the first harmonic, and your brain "fills in" the fundamental frequency

brains are awesome

 

[Epitaph04]

MDbass saves the day. I'd post clips of guys like Yves Carbonne and Jean Baudin to show how musical and neat super low strings can sound, but looks like the thread is already crapping on the concept of tuning anything lower than Eb.

Oh well.

Gonna go downtune my pbass now.

 

[Uncle Hanky]

MDbass saves the day. I'd post clips of guys like Yves Carbonne and Jean Baudin to show how musical and neat super low strings can sound, but looks like the thread is already crapping on the concept of tuning anything lower than Eb.

Oh well.

Gonna go downtune my pbass now.

Lol, it's pretty standard ire from a lot of the TB crowd. Didn't you know that no one has made any good metal since '79???

But really, there are a fair amount of bands these days utilizing super low tunings very musically and with (subjectively) great effect. Beyond Creation certainly springs to mind. Djent bands gave low-tuned guitars and basses the same crappy rep that Korn gave to seven string guitars in the 90s- but history has often shown that you have to dig through mud to find diamonds.

 

[PsyDocHill]

MDbass saves the day. I'd post clips of guys like Yves Carbonne and Jean Baudin to show how musical and neat super low strings can sound, but looks like the thread is already crapping on the concept of tuning anything lower than Eb.

Oh well.

Gonna go downtune my pbass now.

I'm a BEADG man.*Imagine telling that to a non-musician date* Yes, so I'd be a hypocrite if I did not respect those who wanted to communicate with whales & elephants by way of low F# & such. No sarcasm intended here: I dual-majored in zoology. Animals are my friends & they deserve music, too.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

The strings are probably the easiest part of tuning that low.
I think Greenboy and a few other cabs do a pretty solid 40Hz,
which means a solid first harmonic of low F# or even E,
meaning your brain thinks it has heard the 20 - 23 Hz note.
To really reproduce notes that low requires lots of design effort
and lots of dollars to build.
Since there are few people asking for that, and fewer that can afford it,
you don't see many cabs that can do it.
Not totally impossible, just generally impractical.

 

[ixlramp]

The 'F#' on the package is clear. At F#BEA this set has less total tension than a standard EADG set.
The fundamental frequency doesn't need to be reproduced at all, just like a B string it is the 2nd harmonic and up that has the most amplitude and creates the tonal quality.

 

[40Hz]

I am a 46 year old southern male. I cut down trees on my property and split the logs without machinery for fun. This song made me want a hug from my mommy.

What are these people pissed at?

Wow!

Let’s drop ‘em on NKorea !!!!

 

[Bob_Ross]

Even subs that can reproduce those frequencies (at a decent level) are not common, and certainly not on the cheap side.

The only reason they're "not common" is because they're not marketed to bassists; they're almost exclusively the province of pro sound reinforcement, either for PA systems or theater LFE applications. And yes they are definitely not on the cheap side, but if you've got the cash there's a surprisingly large number of options available.

Of the ones that make (even questionably) practical sense for onstage bass amplification, I'd probably lean towards the Bag End IPS18E-N (one of their self-powered ELF systems) or the old Intersonics Servo-Drive ContraBass systems.

 

[TolerancEJ]

Correct about everything, except the neck pressure.

There would be a huge increase in tension of you tried to use that set for standard tuning, but when tuned that low the tension should be literally identical.

That's actually the whole point

How will that put more pressure on the neck?

Depending on how low the tuning is it could easily have the same or lower total string tension than normal strings in standard tuning.

Oh, sorry. I assumed the larger F# string would put more stress on the neck. Thanks for advising otherwise.

 

[knumbskull]

I think it is unusual if not rare for the audience or player to hear the fundamental of a standard low E, for the record. You're mostly hearing harmonic content in the lower registers. Flame me!

 

[GreyBeard]

I think it is unusual if not rare for the audience or player to hear the fundamental of a standard low E, for the record. You're mostly hearing harmonic content in the lower registers. Flame me!

what the hear is a 80hz pitch in 40hz pulses like we get with an octave ped.

 

[Glazenn]

One string drop tuning (by 2 1/2 tone or 5 frets) is B E A D
and two string drop tuning (by 5 tones or 10 frets) is F# B E A

Note - I just like their strings, I have no interest with Rotosound.

The only reason they're "not common" is because they're not marketed to bassists; they're almost exclusively the province of pro sound reinforcement, either for PA systems or theater LFE applications. And yes they are definitely not on the cheap side, but if you've got the cash there's a surprisingly large number of options available.
Of the ones that make (even questionably) practical sense for onstage bass amplification, I'd probably lean towards the Bag End IPS18E-N (one of their self-powered ELF systems) or the old Intersonics Servo-Drive ContraBass systems.

Bass guitar cab speakers are barely [edit for 'never'] more than 15", while PA sub cab speakers can be 18", 21" or even 24". I wonder if a 18" or 21" speaker in a bass guitar rig - let aside the cab size issue - would improve the human perception of lower frequencies from the E, B or F# strings.

 

[MCS4]

One string lower (by 2 1/2 tone or 5 frets) tuning is B E A D
and two string lower (by 5 tones or 10 frets) tuning is F# B E A
View attachment 2865505 View attachment 2865506
Note - I just like their strings, I have no interest with Rotosound.


Bass guitar cab speakers are never more than 15", while PA sub cab speakers can be 18" or even 21". I wonder if a 18" or 21" speaker in a bass guitar rig - let aside the cab size - would improve the human perception of lower frequencies from the E, B or F# strings.

There certainly are bass cabs with 18" speakers, although they are far less common than 10s and 15s.

 

[NKBassman]

MDbass saves the day. I'd post clips of guys like Yves Carbonne and Jean Baudin to show how musical and neat super low strings can sound, but looks like the thread is already crapping on the concept of tuning anything lower than Eb.

Oh well.

Gonna go downtune my pbass now.

Lol, it's pretty standard ire from a lot of the TB crowd. Didn't you know that no one has made any good metal since '79???

But really, there are a fair amount of bands these days utilizing super low tunings very musically and with (subjectively) great effect. Beyond Creation certainly springs to mind. Djent bands gave low-tuned guitars and basses the same crappy rep that Korn gave to seven string guitars in the 90s- but history has often shown that you have to dig through mud to find diamonds.

I happen to like Periphery just fine, on occasion anyway.

 

[bassbrad]

You’re thinking of Jauqo III-X.

Don't say that name 3 times or we are in trouble.

 

[Fight4Bottom]

I am a 46 year old southern male. I cut down trees on my property and split the logs without machinery for fun. This song made me want a hug from my mommy.

What are these people pissed at?

LOL! Same here, except I'm 48. Thanks for the spit-take!

 

[MDBass]

MDbass saves the day. I'd post clips of guys like Yves Carbonne and Jean Baudin to show how musical and neat super low strings can sound, but looks like the thread is already crapping on the concept of tuning anything lower than Eb.

Oh well.

Gonna go downtune my pbass now.

Lol, it's pretty standard ire from a lot of the TB crowd. Didn't you know that no one has made any good metal since '79???

But really, there are a fair amount of bands these days utilizing super low tunings very musically and with (subjectively) great effect. Beyond Creation certainly springs to mind. Djent bands gave low-tuned guitars and basses the same crappy rep that Korn gave to seven string guitars in the 90s- but history has often shown that you have to dig through mud to find diamonds.

I'm a BEADG man.*Imagine telling that to a non-musician date* Yes, so I'd be a hypocrite if I did not respect those who wanted to communicate with whales & elephants by way of low F# & such. No sarcasm intended here: I dual-majored in zoology. Animals are my friends & they deserve music, too.

If you never venture below Eb, you're missing out on a bunch of fun stuff: BEAD for the win

I happen to like Periphery just fine, on occasion anyway.

As do I, clearly

 

[NKBassman]

Ive done BEAD on a 4-string (using a 0.135 in that band), and Ab on a 5-string, and yeah, it’s fun for sure.