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

[MDBass]

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

Yep, the lowest I've gotten that bass is G# standard: definitely lighter tension at that tuning with standard gauges (135-55), but the extended scale definitely helps keep it playable.

 

[basscapes]

I can understand the need, especially for those who like to tune in the "Thunder Range" (anything with a fundamental tuning below dropped D).

I used to run my Aria SB tuned NST C (step above low B string) G (A down one step) D (standard tuning) & A (up a step from standard tuned G).

It worked for the style of music we were playing at the time. It was thunderous (especially when the Neck PUP was fed through a 410 AND 118.

I miss the sound, but not the bass (fit wasn't quite right for me), and string tension was kinda wonky.

 

[Bob_Ross]

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.

Well, now we're into Amps & Cabinets territory -- though why should that stop us? This thread about Strings is in the Basses forum! -- but I think you'll find it's an error to correlate larger driver diameters with lower frequency response.
Way too many other criteria determine what a speaker cabinet's fc will be.

 

[Haroldo]

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 am a lazy Old. What is a Djent? Thanks.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

just like a B string it is the 2nd harmonic and up that has the most amplitude and creates the tonal quality.

Ah, so hitting a B on the 7th fret of the E string accomplishes the same thing

 

[NKBassman]

I am a lazy Old. What is a Djent? Thanks.

"djent" is an onomatopoeia of a typical guitar sound used in a new wave of extreme heavy metal, characterized by (annoyingly) complex time signatures, syncopated poly-rhythms, and heavily detuned guitars. The word "djent" refers to both the tone of the guitar as well as the genre as a whole.

 

[lz4005]

I am a lazy Old. What is a Djent? Thanks.

This is a djent. Song starts at 0:25.

 

[NKBassman]

Sorry, that vid I posted gets a little annoying after a while. Funny for a while, though.

 

[NKBassman]

This is Nolly Getgood of the band Perihipery. He has a sig. Dingwall bass named after him. He's pretty alright.

 

[non]

Maybe for this (bass is the Marleaux Monster 40).

did henry rollins grow his hair out again?

 

[Haroldo]

"djent" is an onomatopoeia of a typical guitar sound used in a new wave of extreme heavy metal, characterized by (annoyingly) complex time signatures, syncopated poly-rhythms, and heavily detuned guitars. The word "djent" refers to both the tone of the guitar as well as the genre as a whole.

Good heavens. I'm kinda sorry i asked.....but thanks for the educational video.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Flame me!

Why? You're absolutely right. As is @ixlramp above: that bass cabs can't reproduce the fundamental of low F# is a moot point, because the vast majority of them also can't produce the fundamental of low B to any appreciable level, nor can many of them do a fundamental of low E that is louder than -10dB from the upper bass. However, I see no-one arguing against low E tuning and suggest we all use baritone guitars instead 'cuz any lower than that would be inaudible anyway through standard equipment. Because in fact it is plenty audible: if low E (as in, the tuning and its lowest note, not the lowest partial of the latter) works through average quality cabs and combos, and low B (tuning and note) also can through non-crappy gear, then the truth is the 2nd and 3rd harmonics are what counts, and the brain fills in the missing info. (Vd. the so-called "missing fundamental" effect; or, as someone put it, why we can tell if it's daddy and not mommy at the telephone or doorphone even if the bandwidth is super narrow and devoid of any bass.)

Ah, so hitting a B on the 7th fret of the E string accomplishes the same thing

No and here's why. What happens when one tunes lower than standard is that not only the elusive, oftentimes virtual fundamental goes down, but, also, the density of harmonic partials per a given octave increases: within the slice of middle/upper bass that the cabinet or combo does do well, we hear, say, four harmonics instead of two (it is precisely from the pitch and number of these harmonics, and those above them, that the brain triangulates the missing fundamental and is able to tell a low note apart from the one an octave above - B0 from B1 in your example - in the absence of an audible fundamental); their intensity relative to one another will vary according to the tone of the system - string, pickup position and inherent response first and foremost - but in that passband of the cab response usually there's a bump of a couple dB.
Now: when you, the player, play an A0-note instead of our run-of-the-mill A1 (as in E-standard open A), do you like hearing those bunched up harmonics that your cab is able to produce loudly (i.e. four of them between 100Hz and 200Hz instead of two)? If you do, keep at it by all means; if you don't, well, either tuning down to low F# is not for you or you do need to consider finding a more capable speaker that is able to eke out an additional, audible lower harmonic that reins in the aforementioned bunch.

 

[NKBassman]

Good heavens. I'm kinda sorry i asked.....but thanks for the educational video.

Check out the other two videos I posted. Much more watchable.

 

[MDBass]

This is Nolly Getgood of the band Perihipery. He has a sig. Dingwall bass named after him. He's pretty alright.

It's pretty funny that the best guitarist, in a band with four great guitarists, was actually the bass player

He's not with the group anymore unfortunately, he's doing primarily mix engineering and production work now.

Rumor has it that he and Forrester Savelle are working on a new collaboration with Darkglass...

 

[Haroldo]

This is a djent. Song starts at 0:25.

I like this guy's comedic approach. What sort of cabinet is necessary to stand up to this unrelenting sonic assault? Are there actual factual drummers that play this kind of stuff? Is there ever singing?

 

[NKBassman]

It's pretty funny that the best guitarist, in a band with four great guitarists, was actually the bass player

He's not with the group anymore unfortunately, he's doing primarily mix engineering and production work now.

Rumor has it that he and Forrester Savelle are working on a new collaboration with Darkglass...

Oh I didn't know that! I'm not really plugged into that scene, I just throw them on when I've got the feels for it.

 

[MDBass]

Why? You're absolutely right. As is @ixlramp above: that bass cabs can't reproduce the fundamental of low F# is a moot point, because the vast majority of them also can't produce the fundamental of low B to any appreciable level, nor can many of them do a fundamental of low E that is louder than -10dB from the upper bass. However, I see no-one arguing against low E tuning and suggest we all use baritone guitars instead 'cuz any lower than that would be inaudible anyway through standard equipment. Because in fact it is plenty audible: if low E (as in, the tuning and its lowest note, not the lowest partial of the latter) works through average quality cabs and combos, and low B (tuning and note) also can through non-crappy gear, then the truth is the 2nd and 3rd harmonics are what counts, and the brain fulls in the missing info. (Vd. the so-called "missing fundamental" effect; or, as someone put it, why we can tell if it's daddy and not mommy at the telephone or doorphone even if their bandwidth is super narrow and devoid of any bass.)


No and here's why. What happens when one tunes lower than standard is that not only the elusive, oftentimes virtual fundamental goes down, but, also, the density of harmonic partials per a given octave increases: within the slice of middle/upper bass that the cabinet or combo does do well, we hear, say, four harmonics instead of two (their intensity relative to one another will vary according to the tone of the system - string, pickup position and inherent response first and foremost), and that passband of the cab response usually has a bump of a couple dB.
Now: do you, the player, like hearing those bunched up harmonics when you play a 27.5Hz A-note instead of our run-of-the-mill 55Hz one? If you do, keep at it by all means; if you don't, well, either tuning down to low F# is not for you or you do need to consider finding a more capable speaker that is able to eke out an additional, audible lower harmonic that reins in the aforementioned bunch.

Science is awesome.

 

[NKBassman]

I like this guy's comedic approach. What sort of cabinet is necessary to stand up to this unrelenting sonic assault? Are there actual factual drummers that play this kind of stuff? Is there ever singing?

All I can speak to is a Rig Rundown with Nolly that I saw a while back which was two separate DI feeds direct to the PA (clean and dirty), with an on stage amp for monitoring.

Insane drummers abound in this genre. Vocals include singing, screaming, and instrumental... all of the above.

 

[Mr.Ace]

Maybe for this (bass is the Marleaux Monster 40).

I have a hard time tapping my foot to it.

 

[Haroldo]

This is Nolly Getgood of the band Perihipery. He has a sig. Dingwall bass named after him. He's pretty alright.

Early Mahavishnu would have benefited mightily from this guy's playing!