Question about Drop D tuning

[ricky3000]

Kind of a weird question for you guys.
I have a gig coming up that'll be classic metal/rock.
i want to use my RIC 3000 short scale (used 'em before with this kind of music and it's been fine)
problem is that the singer is getting on in age and really wants us to drop down a full step tuning wise.
Now we typically drop down a half step from A 440 to A flat but now he wants us to go a full step down to D.
I adjusted my tuning a full step down to D over to the weekend at home and started noodling around and damn! a full step is really low....no tension left on the strings (the high strings are ok D and G) even A is alright kind of but man, E is just to soupy and not really cool at all.

my thoughts are, this would be even worse on a full scale bass so short scale is the way to go but maybe I'm wrong?
never messed around with drop tuning this low before so I've got no idea which is a better way to go.
my guitar player told me to get a beefy'r gauge of strings.
Do you guys have any suggestions as to what strings and what scale bass would be best to approach this with?
Also the necks on the 3000 basses seem very stable (I'm guessing heavy gauge strings won't mess up my neck but??)
is this something I should be concerned about neck wise?

[ken_j]

I doubt a heavier string tuned two steps down would gave much more tension then what you have now, but I would question whether there would be enough travel on the bridge saddles to properly intonate the bass

[Kopfjaeger]

I know there are many here that drop tune. I dropped my 2011 4003 from EADG to DADG. It worked with the stock gauge but the sound was muddy and the string was a bit to "limp" for my liking. I use Circle K strings and after doing a little searching I opted for a heavier string. I needed to widen the nut slot slightly but it has been wonderful tone and feel wise. With a short scale bass I think you'll be a little more handcuffed and may have to go two sizes up.

If you are thinking about the Circle K's, the owner is very helpful and may be able to assist you with picking a gauge that will work for you.

I know this thread is not a plug for a string manufacturer but Circle K as a company is super! They began their business catering to bassists and their commitment to us still shows.

Sepp

[ricky3000]

Cool! thanks for the info. I looked them up and "dropped" them (pun intended)
a line. I'm good with using either a short scale or a long scale for this particular project.....was just hoping for an excuse to use my Lil RIC!

[blueflamerick]

Heavier gauged strings may help, but then again, just because the guitar player drops down a step doesn't mean you have to.

[coolingitdown]

I can also vouch for Circle K Strings. I used their balanced .112 set tuned DGCF on my 4003 and was very pleased with the result. It had the feel of a set of .100s at that tuning.

I'm not sure if their strings will fit a short scale, but you've already contacted them, so they'll let you know!

[Kopfjaeger]

Heavier gauged strings may help, but then again, just because the guitar player drops down a step doesn't mean you have to.

So true! Our band does a pretty wide range of covers The guitarists each bring 3 guitars with them, all tuned differently. We play Queens of the Stone Age and System of a Down and I refuse to do a drop C bass. Why, I don't know, I just drew the line at an EADG and a DADG bass on stage! I get by perfectly what I have on those songs but sometimes you just got to have a specialty bass to make things a bit easier.

Sepp

[ricky3000]

I can also vouch for Circle K Strings. I used their balanced .112 set tuned DGCF on my 4003 and was very pleased with the result. It had the feel of a set of .100s at that tuning.

Thats pretty amazing! God I hope that works out for me the same way!
DGCF is the same thing I'm going for
Thanks for all your help guys!
Update to follow

[teeder]

Our band tunes 1/2 step down all the time, plus I use a drop D tuner for a couple songs. The only thing I had to do was go from light gauge strings to mediums. It's not ideal, but it's certainly acceptable for the couple songs that I need it for. Our guitarists each use Line 6 variax's and change tunings with a flip of the switch.

[RicOSoundMan]

I might be late to this thread. I have a 3000 and never dropped all the strings to a full note lower. Yet, I have and still do on occasion will tune DADG. I have no probs with it. Bass boomers short scale meds. is what I have always used on that bass. Just my thoughts. Not sure if that helps any

[JackTheRipper]

Just to throw out another option...

You could use a DigiTech Whammy or similar pitch shift pedal and not alter you tuning at all. The pedal automatically shifts the tuning for you. The DigiTech pedal is a bit pricey, but...just an option. The DigiTech seems to track very well.

I do drop D and drop C tuning for a Godsmack band I play in and I use 2 separate basses. If I had considered the pitch shift pedals, I may have opted for that route instead...

--jack

[teeder]

I've never tried these, but it looks interesting.

http://www.juststrings.com/ddtdrstrings ... uitar.html

[LenMinNJ]

Our guitarists each use Line 6 variax's and change tunings with a flip of the switch.

So instead of tuning your bass down, maybe get a Line 6 Variax bass, stay in normal tuning, and flip that switch.

(Too bad that Line 6 no longer makes basses, and the ones they made didn't have transposition.)

[Kopfjaeger]

Jack,

Does the electronic drop tune device color tone? For all the different keys we do, this would seem like a solution to maintaining two basses on stage. We do few songs in low C but I refuse to "condemn" a bass to drop C tuning.

I'll do a bit of research on them but real quick, how do they work? Do you program in what note's are to be altered and the device just switches it to the desired dropped note??

Sepp

[ricky3000]

Wow, a pitch shifter sounds fantastic as long as it doesn't have to much of a mechanical flavor to it. ie: some lower end harmonizers.
I emailed Digitech and asked about using it for a full step drop with a bass and their response was that it would work fine for bass.

Gonna do some research and check reviews cause this could be a great fix!
Ar least it might eliminate nut shaving and re-setup

I also spoke with a guy who explained that necks don't recognize pitch, just tension so...
a 105 gauge string tuned to E (standard tuning)
would be the exact same as a 120 gauge string tuned to D
The result would feel identical to a standard set of strings tension wise rather than that soupy or noodly feel you get on a typical set of strings tuned down a full step. minus the obvious size difference of course