Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: kimberly on February 07, 2007, 03:28:15 PM

Title: Restringing
Post by: kimberly on February 07, 2007, 03:28:15 PM: Hi Everyone.

A general question/thought/idea to one and all. ;) As some of you have seen and heard via my YouTube stuff,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSseP3GPlTY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSseP3GPlTY) Got Blues?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFNDmzqIUB8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFNDmzqIUB8) Low Rider

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAVSHVRnDzo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAVSHVRnDzo) SOTR/Vincent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxb1vHU8Bcw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxb1vHU8Bcw) First Keaggy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQrKjiVDIxk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQrKjiVDIxk) American Woman

this is fairly representative of what I'm doing. Based upon this type of venue/approach/direction, I'm starting to wonder about restringing from E-C from my current B-G setup. It seems (gut feel), as if my low B may be more 'useful' in a band type format and a high C would be better suited in my solo bassist approach.

Any and all input/feedback would be very much appreciated and thank you in advance.

Best Regards,

Kimberly

PS. Love the board. A bunch of nice folks.
Title: Restringing
Post by: hb3 on February 07, 2007, 03:51:01 PM: I thought you were playing a six....?
Title: Restringing
Post by: kimberly on February 07, 2007, 04:21:40 PM: Actually, I play a five. ;)

Kimberly
Title: Restringing
Post by: hb3 on February 07, 2007, 04:48:08 PM: Can't say for sure as I've never done it. I'm sure someone here has, though...
Title: Restringing
Post by: jseitang on February 07, 2007, 05:15:19 PM: stringing it high c would allow you to play high register stuff without going up the neck. you would just continue on to the next string in the same position. that said, it would defintely allow more chordal passages and you also be able pull a nice in between tonal range. check out steve swallow's syuff if you havent already. he plays a five string tuned that way.
Title: Restringing
Post by: tom_z on February 07, 2007, 07:20:35 PM: Kimberly - I'm with Jimmy on this. Your lovely arpegiated phrases and harmonics will ring very nicely with a slightly increased high end. And perhaps cut through the din of the crowd a bit in the room where you've been recording.

Peace
Tom
Title: Restringing
Post by: olieoliver on February 07, 2007, 07:44:34 PM: I'm kind of in the middle here Kimberly. While I do agree that the C-E tuning will aid you in the melody a LOT; I'm an old hard core Bass guitar fan, (As is evident in my custom bass being a 4 string.)
I do have some extended range basses (5, 6 & 8 string) and do play them but my heart lies in the lower register.
That being said your doing a solo gig the C-E may be the way to go. I can lock a groove down pretty good but when it comes to playing melodies you ROCK. I?d try it and if it works cool and if not you can always go back.

God Bless,
Olie

PS. Keep the videos coming!
Title: Restringing
Post by: bassjigga on February 07, 2007, 08:44:50 PM: I string all my basses this way. After time I found I just don't like the B and really don't use it much. I find a high C much more useful. Ultimately it's a personal preference, but from what you're playing I think you could benefit from a C. Pretty easy way to find out though... try it! Just buy a set of strings and do a setup. No problem.
Title: Restringing
Post by: hb3 on February 07, 2007, 09:45:06 PM: It's not a problem? Don't you have to replace the nut or something?
Title: Restringing
Post by: bassjigga on February 07, 2007, 10:03:32 PM: Not necessarily. If it's going to stay that way, it's probably a good idea, but I've done it without replacing the nut and haven't had any issues.
Title: Restringing
Post by: jseitang on February 07, 2007, 10:55:43 PM: well if you could have it two ways, you could always get a six string. then you'll have the low b and the high c!
Title: Restringing
Post by: 0vid on February 08, 2007, 12:52:22 AM: I have a 7 string Conklin Groove tools lefty. I tune it like a guitar E to E, but with a low B. If I had a 6 string I 'd tune it E to E, like a guitar. I suppose this is becuase I have been playing guitar for as long as I have been playing bass, ....but it certainly doesn't forceme tothink differently that much.

So far I have stayed off 5 strings but have thought that if I play a 5 I'd tune it E to G with a top B. I don't really have use for notes lower than low E in what I do, except for the occasional Eb or D, though in the trio context with piano and drums, I can do some chordal things in shapes I already instinctively know. I suppose this does not work for the people who need the low B string more than I do.
Title: Restringing
Post by: jacko on February 08, 2007, 01:25:06 AM: Hugh makes a very good point. The nut grooves AND the Bridge saddle grooves will all be too big so there could be quite alot of buzzing. It's easy enough to replace the nut and bridge saddles and have a the grooves recut but there will inevitably be a cost.

graeme
Title: Restringing
Post by: bracheen on February 08, 2007, 03:41:51 AM: I think the adage You can't teach an old dog new tricks was written with me in mind. Like Olie, I'm a 4 stringer at heart. Unlike Olie, I just get confused by extended ranges. However, amateur that I am, your idea makes perfect sense to me in your context. If you don't use the B much then going E-C may be the move you want to make.

Sam
Title: Restringing
Post by: keavin on February 08, 2007, 04:55:04 AM: Did you see this chic???.....http://youtube.com/watch?v=V648NRbG7P8 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=V648NRbG7P8)
Title: Restringing
Post by: olieoliver on February 08, 2007, 06:50:08 AM: Oh I didn't say I never get confused on the extended range basses. It happens from time to time. I just tell them those are my Jazz licks. LOL
Title: Restringing
Post by: 811952 on February 08, 2007, 11:01:08 AM: My personal experience with a wonderful Conklin 7-string was that I didn't use the little strings very much. But then, I'm much more of an ensemble player than soloist. Your solo stuff is awesome with your bass tuned as-is. If you intend to fit into a band you might want to experiment with stringing it down a 4th.

See? I'm no help at all! ;)

John
Title: Restringing
Post by: to_81_0190 on February 09, 2007, 01:23:26 AM: Are these video useful for reference? link A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x302-rp_efQ&mode=related&search= target=_blank) link B

Toshiaki

(Message edited by to 81 0190 on February 09, 2007)
Title: Restringing
Post by: kimberly on February 09, 2007, 08:57:40 PM: Thank you to all Responders.

I'll be mulling this over for a while. On this plus side, after tweaking my tone settings and adding more low mid's, I hearing some pretty cool tones coming off the low B. Maybe a six *is* in the future. Hmmmm...

Kimberly (walking away muttering and mulling) ;)
Title: Restringing
Post by: the_8_string_king on February 09, 2007, 11:28:16 PM: Yeah, a 6-String is the way to go, Kimberly. Both/and is better than either/or.

Personally, for me, a 6-String is the minimal number of strings. I've got 6-strings on my guitars, and I wouldn't want less strings on a bass any more than I'd want to play my guitar with only 4 or 5 of it's strings.

One interesting way I've seen to extend range it to tune the strings in 5ths. Now this doesn't grab me at all as a main tuning. But -since I play Mandolin a little and am familier with the scales and arpeggios- I do appreciate it. It requires more shifting and movement to play scales and whatnot... but it adds a lot to your range on a 5-String. From a low B, it would go B-F#-C#-G#-D#... 3 notes higher than a 6-String bass' 24th fret high C!

But, if I did that, it would be a specialty & backup bass.

The 6-string I've got on order will basically have a 5-string neck. You seem reasonably dexterous, so you might consider a similar concept at some point -if so inclined. If you can handle a 5-String, you can likely handle a 6-string with the same width neck.