Members mikejcurtis Posted June 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 9, 2009 i'm just messin, buddy! Wicked good tune! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassred Posted June 9, 2009 Members Share Posted June 9, 2009 When I joined my band and found out we tuned to Eb, I was a little bit indignant. Then I realized that I wasn't the lead singer. Amen, brother! I play bass and sing lead. We do a lot of songs in "g" and "d", like the Black Crowes and Delbert McClinton. Those melodies can get pretty hairy if you have to belt them out all night. That extra half-step has not affected my playing or the playability of my axe, and I can go several nights in a row without blowing out my voice (In ear monitors help a lot with that, too.) Tell your bass player to stop being like BOALG's Mum, to set up his bass and get with the program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moogieotter Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 We got some fine women here! A lot of dorky college athlete types too. Pics please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members atrain Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 My band tunes to Eb and I understand your bass players concern.However the way your bass players bass sounds depends on how its setup.I'm sure that the thing he hates is the loss of tension in the strings and the fact that his bass sounds abit less punchy because of it.He needs to have it set up for Eb and most importantly he needs heavier gauge strings.With a proper setup and a thicker guage of strings he'll find the punch back in his bass and if after all that if he's still complaining the next punch that he finds should come from your fist.I'm not saying..I'm just saying.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members squish_man24 Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 I'm usually in Drop D... but that means most of my strings are in standard, but the E string (dropped to D) never has given me a problem... but if it ever does.. a good slap will put it in place... (or a heavier gauge E string) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hawkhuff Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 We got some fine women here! A lot of dorky college athlete types too. Makes for a great place for a handsome and dashing guitar player such as myself (JUST KIDDING about that last sentence!)I'm going to stand my ground and tell hime to tune the hell down and let's get that heavy sound goin'!!!! He can also change his strings for better tension and change the setup, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jasper383 Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 He may have his bass set up for E using really light strings and a low action. If so, tuning down even half a step as the bass is will result in buzzing and floppy feel. This may be his experience. If he knows how to set up his bass, Eb should be no problem, even with light strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 I tune down a half step for my band too. I use DR Nickel-Plated Lo Riders, and I setup the bass for that tuning. Works just fine for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members perrydabassman Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 My band tunes flat. I have eight basses. One fiver the rest four stringers and have never had a problem tuning. It makes it alot easier to vocalize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rowka Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 As others have mentioned, it's in the setup.I like my setup to be on the ragged edge of unplayably low. It's playable for me. If I detune a 1/2 step, I really need to re-set up the bass for that. Hell, even using a Hip-Shot detuner to drop D one string caused me to negotiate some compromise with the bass. I'm about to join a project that tunes down a half step and I'm I bit put off by it as I still have two other groups that play in standard. I really don't want to have "gig specific" basses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members countrybass Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 I just started in a new band. I've always liked the way my guitar sounds when I tune it to Eb ala SRV or Jimi, this new bass player I have though says he's never encountereed that before and if he tries to detune his bass to match me, he says the strings are too flabby and it looses the punch. My question is did Noel Redding and/or Tommy Shannon tune thier basses to Eb? Obviously your bass player isn't very experienced as this should be no problem at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikejcurtis Posted June 10, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 Obviously your bass player isn't very experienced as this should be no problem at all. I was very surprised at his attitude. He and the drummer have been playing together in different bands for about 20 years. I do need to say too that we played together for 5 hours straight that first get together and we ROCKED. So he's got a funny attitude, but he CAN play some bass, in standard tuning only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rowka Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 Obviously your bass player isn't very experienced as this should be no problem at all. This statement is not universal, nor is it obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassesofalessergod Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 Obviously your bass player isn't very experienced as this should be no problem at all. i'm very experienced, and i have a big problem with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 My band tunes flat. I have eight basses. One fiver the rest four stringers and have never had a problem tuning. It makes it alot easier to vocalize. I have 8 basses, too - but mine are a bit different than yours... I have two 5ers, four "normal" 4 strings, one "beatle bass", and one AEB... Out of my "normal" 4 strings, two are tuned for standard, two for Eb... This way, I have one 5er, and one each 4 string for standard and Eb tuning - that I use for gigging, and another "set" for practice and rehearsals... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 i don't like tuning down at all. a large part of my style is reacting to the bounce of the strings and a detuned bass doesn't have the boinginess i like. My primary band tunes down; I do it but I've never liked the feel of the strings.... I'm thinking of moving to a higher gauge to compensate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phade21 Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 My bass player plays his 5 string in Bb standard. We play mostly in Drop Db(C#) and then bring the low E string to Eb for Eb tuning. It's a bitch for him to play some of the stuff where we pedal that open Db in riffs. Any suggestions? (sorry don't mean to hijack the thread)...Is this normally what he should tune to, given he has a 5 string and we're usually playing in Drop Db? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassesofalessergod Posted June 10, 2009 Members Share Posted June 10, 2009 My bass player plays his 5 string in Bb standard. We play mostly in Drop Db(C#) and then bring the low E string to Eb for Eb tuning. It's a bitch for him to play some of the stuff where we pedal that open Db in riffs. Any suggestions? (sorry don't mean to hijack the thread)...Is this normally what he should tune to, given he has a 5 string and we're usually playing in Drop Db? hold down the octave on the E string and pedal both at the same time sometimes alternating instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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