Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

i'm thinking to use E-A-D-G-C or D-G-C-F-A instead of low B tuning.i have a 1997 4003S/5 and can not sure the other tunings are ideal for my blue beast are the other tunings good and which gauges must i use for them if i can tune ? i'm thinking TI Powerbass 5 string set which has 0.47-119 gauges.

I dont know about the gauges off the top of my head but i put a high c on a 5 and loved it!

I've used a couple of non-Rick six string basses for years (wish RIC would make one! ) and always use a 0.32 gauge string for the top C string.

Ash

Ash most of other brands are making suitable basses for 5 & 6 strings and you can change the tuning simply 5str basses of rickenbacker (especially S5) are exellent basses but seems more delicate for changing tuning i think.i want to learn if i'm mistaken and how can i change the tuning due to avoiding to use -useless- lowB string

rickomania1970 wrote:to avoiding to use -useless- lowB string

The low B wasn't useless when Da Blue Beast was mine!

my technical death metal project was over Joey.guitarists used the 7string guitars and low B was very very useful.but new band is using 6string electric guitar with normal EADG tuning and my oldest band which i play sometimes using DGCF tuning so low B is useless i have 4str rick but want to use S5 only because i love ' da blue beast'.how can i use it with another way ?....... if i can sell my one of 4str ricks (or both of them) i am thinking to buy another 5 str rick (maybe cii/5 ).in this case i'll change the tuning of cii/5 instead of S5

I would really miss a low B in my EDM projects. But in jazz, I actually prefer a high C, as I've tried low B there and it just overwhelms everything else unless you are dealing with a full sound setup. I'm lazy anyway so the high C makes soloing much simpler. It's context-dependent for sure.

A .035'' high C would probably be fine. A little more tension than matches a .045'' G, but the extra girth is probably needed to keep the string extra "present" in the mix.

Oh okay, I gotcha. You mean these guitarists didn't use 8 string guitars?! SLACKERS!

cassius987 wrote:I would really miss a low B in my EDM projects. But in jazz, I actually prefer a high C, as I've tried low B there and it just overwhelms everything else unless you are dealing with a full sound setup. I'm lazy anyway so the high C makes soloing much simpler. It's context-dependent for sure.

A .035'' high C would probably be fine. A little more tension than matches a .045'' G, but the extra girth is probably needed to keep the string extra "present" in the mix.

Sounds like you gotta try a six-string bass Rhys - the chordal possibilities, particularly with jazz, will astound you, but you can still retain that low root at the same time!

Ash

Ashgray wrote:

cassius987 wrote:I would really miss a low B in my EDM projects. But in jazz, I actually prefer a high C, as I've tried low B there and it just overwhelms everything else unless you are dealing with a full sound setup. I'm lazy anyway so the high C makes soloing much simpler. It's context-dependent for sure.

A .035'' high C would probably be fine. A little more tension than matches a .045'' G, but the extra girth is probably needed to keep the string extra "present" in the mix.

Sounds like you gotta try a six-string bass Rhys - the chordal possibilities, particularly with jazz, will astound you, but you can still retain that low root at the same time!

Ash

Why stop at 6 strings?

good grief! Way too many strings and way too wide a neck for me to get mmy big paws around!

Ashgray wrote:

cassius987 wrote:I would really miss a low B in my EDM projects. But in jazz, I actually prefer a high C, as I've tried low B there and it just overwhelms everything else unless you are dealing with a full sound setup. I'm lazy anyway so the high C makes soloing much simpler. It's context-dependent for sure.

A .035'' high C would probably be fine. A little more tension than matches a .045'' G, but the extra girth is probably needed to keep the string extra "present" in the mix.

Sounds like you gotta try a six-string bass Rhys - the chordal possibilities, particularly with jazz, will astound you, but you can still retain that low root at the same time!

Ash

I have played a few 6s. I guess I just don't see the need (yet)--I am just happier adapting the strings as needed and sticking with a neck profile I really like. I once played a 6er with 19 mm spacing and oddly enough it was the most comfy, but it was several thousand above my price range! I don't remember the builder's name... Ursine maybe? EDIT: I think Google got it right for me, it was a Surine. Some guy at a shop let me try it while he tried my 4001FL out.

Still, what 6ers would you recommend?

As to EADGC tuning -- I have that on my 4004cii convert, and I've found that I have to use extra-light gauge strings because the neck can't take anything heavier. My 4005s/5 is in standard 5-string tuning (albeit with a low A, not low B) but its neck has also proven to be very touchy, and I can't go heavier than medium gauges. (e.g., a .042 for the G). So I can't concur with the recommendation of a .035 or even .032 for a C string; if I used that on mine, it would quickly turn into a bow and arrow! I use a D'Addario XL .028 for the C string.

However, the neck on your 4003s/5 may be tougher; experiment & see. Just beware that all gauges between manufacturers are not equal! For example, GHS strings are higher tension than their equivalently gauged D'Addarios.

As for the 6, I have a Carvin LB-76, and while I find it to be well-balanced, its string spacing comfortable (17mm, I think, but it's also adjustable), and its neck nicely slim compared to other 6's (2" at the nut), ultimately my left wrist gets tired from my having to reach all the way across the fretboard to play the low string! So I also have taken to playing two 5's in the two different tunings. Doubles the load but halves the discomfort . . .

Luck of the draw I guess -- my 4003 that was converted to a 5er by Paul Wilczynski handles a medium tension BEADG set no problem.

Most B strings are too floppy for me. I have need for the low notes occasionally, and only the occasional pattern that the low string facilitates. So I have been tuning up the low B to C and I get much more definition of tone and intonation. The end result is CEADG.