Sub-Bass Guitar

[Josh M.]

So, recently I bought a Schecter Stiletto Sub Bass. The guy in the shop said that it would be fine to tune it to standard tuning (and I'm only going down to dropped D) and that has been doing fine.

It was only recently, however, that I realised that the bass is in fact a sub bass and the recommended tuning is B-E-A-D kind of like a 5 string but without the extra string... I decided to try this tuning, but the strings it came with are not even heavy enough (or at least that's what I believe) to keep the tuning of B-E-A-D. So I tuned it back up, stupidly snapping the top string. I'm not really sure as to what I should be doing with the bass tuning wise. Will standard tuning do any damage to the bass or should I be tuning it to sub tuning? Can someone please point me in the right direction? Can't find anything on the net...

 

[vespiz]

I'm guessing that it would be best to keep it in sub-tuning.
The tension in standard tuning (or close to it) would probably be nasty for the neck.

Buy a 5-string set and discard the thinnest. Skull Strings sell a B4XT set with only the thickest four strings.

 

[Razorjack]

It's simply a 35" scale length version of the stiletto. Drop D won't be an issue at all. It will have better tension in BEAD than a 34" bass in BEAD but that's all, there's nothing else really different about this bass than that.

To put it in perspective the other way, I play a 34" scale length Warwick tuned ADGCF - it wasn't designed for it but it works great and there were no issues with it that a set-up didn't fix.

 

[Josh M.]

I'm guessing that it would be best to keep it in sub-tuning.
The tension in standard tuning (or close to it) would probably be nasty for the neck.

Buy a 5-string set and discard the thinnest. Skull Strings sell a B4XT set with only the thickest four strings.

Yeah, the neck was my main concern. It's just that the bass came with strings that don't seem to suit what the bass is made for.

It's simply a 35" scale length version of the stiletto. Drop D won't be an issue at all. It will have better tension in BEAD than a 34" bass in BEAD but that's all, there's nothing else really different about this bass than that.

To put it in perspective the other way, I play a 34" scale length Warwick tuned ADGCF - it wasn't designed for it but it works great and there were no issues with it that a set-up didn't fix.

So it's just a normal bass but it handles lower tunings with better tension because of the extra length? That's nice to hear! Thanks man! So I can just get normal strings for it and keep on going with dropped D...

If anybody has any extra info it would be appreciated!

 

[vespiz]

Yah, ok, I stand corrected. You learn every day.

(I'm not a bass/guitar player, but I sell a lot of 'em! So I should know, right? )

 

[Metaltastic]

I'm sorry, is this thing a bass or guitar?

 

[mick thompson]

yes standard tuning will cause damage to a baritone instrument - your putting pressure on the bridge connectors, the nut and the machine heads. if you think about it there is a serious amount of pressure pulling on a guitar neck when its fully tuned so if your playing a baritone its length is longer making its centre point more vulnerable.

they're made to be played dropped so keep it dropped unless you want to have a snapped neck in your hands - i've seen it happen before to my old cort baritone guitar

 

[Josh M.]

Ok, damn...I guess I should just keep it in sub then
Oh well, I don't mind that much - new experience playing a 4 string like a 5 string