Useful tool.

[cassius987]

They are rare anymore (apparently) but if you can get a Hipshot BT5 that will fit on your Ric, I have been really pleased with the one I have picked up. Tunes perfectly and holds, and I was surprised that I don't need to do any "offsetting" of the E string pitch before going down to D and back--apparently the tension of returning to E causes this issue in some cases, but I'm not having the issue at all. Maybe the factory nut was set up precisely and that is why things are going so smoothly.

Just thought I'd pass the tip along, it's a useful tool indeed. I bought this one because the band I am in occasionally requires low D, low Eb in the bass line.

[FretlessOnly]

I use drop D fairly often, and I prefer the old fashioned way. As long as I remember, of course. But there's something about playing a tune in E/E- that needs that b7 slowly ground up to the root pitch during the intro.

[rickaddict]

I use this for my drop D needs!

http://rickresource.com/register/user_i ... llsize.jpg

[cassius987]

Jeff, I'd like one of those too. But in the mean time I've got what I've got.

[incubus2432]

I had a Hipshot on my 4004Ci and didn't like the loose feeling of the string. I opted to just buy another Ric and string it BEAD.

[cassius987]

I thought I'd have the same complaint but actually, I really love it. So far I'm very happy with the decision. I tend to use larger and highly balanced strings anyways, so the drop in tension isn't great compared to what it would be with most string sets. Also I realized that I don't play very aggressively on the bottom string so that it sustains more--so a bit less tension to achieve the quick tune-down is perfectly fine. And I really can't afford to lose my G string. (No jokes please.)