Nonstandard Tuning?

[Chistopher]

Anyone here experiment with nonstandard tunings? After trying out a couple five strings I haven't really found a neck that I enjoyed as much as a four string, but I do really like the added low end of the B string.

I've considered BEAD tuning, but I've also heard DCGF (whole step down) is a great compromise as you don't have the issue of the lowest D being really high, but you don't "lose" the sound of the G string because you don't have to go too much higher up in string gauge.

Any advice/anecdotes?

[Blille]

Considered both, never did it and just got a 5. It feels like both are good options.

[Seashore]

Ibanez SR 5 strings are really playable, if you're looking for an easy time moving up to 5. Neck profile is great in my hands, on cheaper and higher-end alike. I love tuning down but miss the high end of the top string when I don't have it. I have tuned down to BEAD on 4 strings, as well as a bunch of other alternate low tunings, and it's like anything else - it is what you make of it. If your 4 string is a solid instrument and you get good strings in the right gauges and do a nice setup (probably including filing the nut out), you'll be fine. You don't need a super thick low string to get a good sound. D standard is fine but doesn't get me a lot of mileage compared to either B or just staying in E standard, but, different strokes.

One thing I would strongly recommend if you tune all the way down is a tapered low B. I've tried a bunch of different strings, and it's easy for the B to wind up sounding dull and feeling lifeless even in an otherwise solid set of strings. Some people blame the bass, sometimes you'll see people saying 34" scale can't handle going down to B... all hooey in my considered opinion. Kalium does a great job with low strings in particular and it seems like their shipping issues are all sorted out.

[ErikH]

Tony Franklin has a 4 string that he tunes to BEAD. I've thought about doing that myself for fun with my StingRay. All my basses have the Hipshot Xtender to get low D so I keep them in standard tuning for playing out.

[ICTGoober]

Before Tony Levin got a 5 string, he used 5 string sets and didn't use the G. Seems logical to me.

[Chistopher]

I love tuning down but miss the high end of the top string when I don't have it.

See this is what my biggest fear is, but at the same time I don't think I use the G nearly as much as I think I do. Also the bass I want only comes in a boring black or white finish for the 5 strings, but an insane candy apple green for the 4 strings

[alex1fly]

Anyone here experiment with nonstandard tunings? After trying out a couple five strings I haven't really found a neck that I enjoyed as much as a four string, but I do really like the added low end of the B string.

I've considered BEAD tuning, but I've also heard DCGF (whole step down) is a great compromise as you don't have the issue of the lowest D being really high, but you don't "lose" the sound of the G string because you don't have to go too much higher up in string gauge.

Any advice/anecdotes?

When I was gigging bass guitar weekly from 2017-2020 I did a lot of experiments like the BEAD tuning. In my experience it's great on paper but that's about it.

Here's what I found.

Pros of BEAD: you get a low B without needing to get a 5 string bass

Cons of BEAD:
1. Giving up the G string may not affect the basslines you play at performance time, but it makes the instrument a heck of a lot less fun overall. The G string is the only avenue you have to do melodies that are audible... whether this is at home, or jamming, or noodling between songs. Even if you don't play a melody during a song, it can be SUPER useful to communicate a melody to your fellow musicians during practice and the G string is crucial in this process. Also, slap/pop technique absolutely relies on the G string - you can't really pop on the A, and only popping on the D string is pretty limiting. The G string has a zing that's just really nice to have available.
2. You may have to widen your nut slots and then if/when you change back to EADG you can get some rattle in your slots.
3. B string doesn't get used very often for a couple of reasons. It can be tricky to find a B string that matches your EAD strings in timbre. You get woofy overtones, weird tension, and other unforeseen nonsense. I finally got a good B string but it took several rounds of trying different strings. Also, the B string is just not terribly musical. Sure it's cool to go down there, but as a bassist I lived primarily on the E and A string and only reached down to the B string maybe a few times per song... and some of those times were to do it just for the sake of doing it.

Quite frankly, the best answer is to get a 5 string bass. Go play a bunch and find a neck that feels good. They're out there, and they're MADE to make the low B sound good. With a 5 string bass you get the B for the few times you need it, and you don't lose the massive musicality that you get from the G string. I grabbed an Ibanez SR something or other with a thin neck and it feels great, not too big, and certainly fine for multi hour sessions.

[Seashore]

See this is what my biggest fear is, but at the same time I don't think I use the G nearly as much as I think I do. Also the bass I want only comes in a boring black or white finish for the 5 strings, but an insane candy apple green for the 4 strings

If you use it even a little bit, you'll probably miss it. The big reason for me to tune my bass down when I started doing it was simply to match my guitar's low tuning. Eventually I found out how cool it could be to have those lower notes in the context of a band tuned higher, and I dig the flexibility - I play a 6 string now - but if I only had a 4 and had the choice, I'd keep the high string. I even strung my 5 EADGC sometimes.

Candy apple green though.

[GuitarStv]

You might want to try a four string bass tuned in fifths rather than fourths - so you end up with C-G-D-A. Kinda like a mandolin/violin/cello. This way you get lower and higher notes than a regularly tuned 4 string while not needing an extra string. I have a tenor guitar tuned like this that's really fun to play because of the wide sounding chord voicings. Negative is that it'll be a little work to re-learn tunes.

[ICTGoober]

^^^ Good idea. I like it. ^^^
Makes sense since I also play mandocello.

[Chistopher]

You might want to try a four string bass tuned in fifths rather than fourths - so you end up with C-G-D-A. Kinda like a mandolin/violin/cello. This way you get lower and higher notes than a regularly tuned 4 string while not needing an extra string. I have a tenor guitar tuned like this that's really fun to play because of the wide sounding chord voicings. Negative is that it'll be a little work to re-learn tunes.

I may have to do that fifth tuning purely based on the fact that my wife is a really good cello player.

[Chistopher]

Does the C have the same floppy problem that a B string has?

[ICTGoober]

Not if it's the right diameter.

[GuitarStv]

Does the C have the same floppy problem that a B string has?

I'd look at some string tension charts and figure out what gauge will be in the same ballpark as what you're currently using. Then your strings should feel pretty close to the same. (Might need a new nut though, depending on how big/small they end up.)

[Seashore]

Does the C have the same floppy problem that a B string has?

A low string shouldn't be floppy. I'm using a .118 from Kalium on the bass that I usually keep tuned to C. Right now I have it down to B for a recording project and it still sounds great. Little loose but solid enough. When I set it up in B I use .124 on the bottom.

Whatever you decide to do, don't cheap out on the strings. A good set of bass strings can last years, even if you like edgier tones with some brightness to them. Putting together a custom set of gauges that will work for you is totally worth it.