E flat tuning

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:12 am

anybody out there play in E flat tuning ... I have jammed with a few bands that use that tuning and I like the way a ric bass growls when tuned to E flat ... also the strings have less tension so they are easier to play ...

I detuned my 1979 4001 to E flat and I like the way it plays and sounds that way ...

I like my 5 string ric basses detuned as well ... but the band I play in plays at normal tuning ...

Rics don't seem to work well detuned to D though ... they seem to work better detuned 1/2 step and not a whole step ...

edski · Post by **edski** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:24 am

The mass is there but I'd suspect not being able to drag it down a whole step is the scale length. Ricks are a little shorter than most bases...

Personally I'm a stodgy old fart about tuning, and pretty much keep things in standard. I'll be inclined to drop the E to a D (even sometimes to C# even) if there is a need to deal with the key.

I accidently tuned my 75 4001 to E flat one time before practice by hitting some stupid button on the back of the guitarists tuner. Until we played I couldn't tell from intonation (like I can on an electric guitar) that I was 1/2 step out...I suspected it though. If I practiced it I porbably could have perfect pitch...

The few times I've tried to bring a guitar down 1/2 step I found that my Strat is way better sounding in E flat than my Mustang. Which brings me back to mass and scale length. The 'Stang is a pretty small guitar, and a smaller scale length. I've never tried to tune my Dakota to anything but A-400..

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 10:36 pm

I occasionally tune my E down to D like in the 70's before 5 stringers were common and it is kind of floppy, if I were going to play tuned down for any length of time even down to Eb, I'd probably use a heavier gauge of string .

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:06 am

One project I'm in tunes to E flat & I think my Ricks sound great in that tuning.
Another project tunes to D flat...Ricks not so good for that. Way too "flappy". I end up using my Jazz Bass a lot for that one.

I echo Ed's sentiments...I'm really a standard tuning/440 kind of guy.

edski · Post by **edski** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 6:15 am

Well, I'm not so stodgy that I'll always keep a guitar in E-A-D-G-B-E...I like to experiment with alternates, like open G or A (prefer G), open D, Drop D...I don't go as weird as some of the Alice In Chains and Soundgarden tunings...

Did mess around a few times with an open 9th tuning, making the guitar sound an A9 (E-A-C#-G-B-E). Was an interesting side track, but all in all not very useful!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:38 am

I believe it was some old blues artists who used the E flat tuning ...

Some artists who use E flat tuning ... Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Puddle of Mud, Collective Soul, Nickelback, Alice in chains, Green Day, and more ...

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 9:19 am

Jail House Rock was tuned to Eb, had electric bass too in it too, is the earliest widely known song with Eb tuned bass that I know of. I think Hendrix made it widespead. I can't think off hand of anyone really famous before him who used that tuning consistantly.

edski · Post by **edski** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:32 am

Yeah, I know SRV plays in E flat...pisses me off!

Now that I'm playing bass it pisses my guitarist off more!