Changing a bass to tenor tuning

[Jimothy the 33rd]

I didn't know whether this should go in the luthiere section or not so I'm sorry if it should.
I'm looking at buying an Ibanez SRX595, I tried one out yesterday and fell in love with the feel and sound and everything but I want a 5 string with tenor tuning, I spoke to the guy in the shop and he said it is possible to change it over but I have no clue how I would go about it.
I know i'd have to fit a new nut and bridge so would it be worth overhauling the new bass or can you buy tenor tuned basses?

[hazletbassist89]

95% of the time you won't need to change anything. When I had my SR305DX I put it in tenor no problem, no adjustments needed on anything.

[supercalifragilistic]

you don't need to adjust anything, especially if you're not sure about keeping it strung in tenor forever (I switch between low b and high c all the time, Yamaha basses)

[pumo420]

the only thing i can think of switching to heavier gauge of strings so you can keep the notes would still sound clear.

[Akira]

the only thing i can think of switching to heavier gauge of strings so you can keep the notes would still sound clear.

What? No part of that was coherent.

[EADGC]

I know i'd have to fit a new nut and bridge

would it be worth overhauling the new bass

can you buy tenor tuned basses?


No

yes

probably not



You need lighter strings. That's it.

[EADGC]

the only thing i can think of switching to heavier gauge of strings so you can keep the notes would still sound clear.

If you used heavier strings they would snap in about 10 seconds.

[pumo420]

If you used heavier strings they would snap in about 10 seconds.

not neccasarilly, depends on what gauge your going for if. but they wont snap, might put alil stress on the nut but that would be a long term thing.

[EADGC]

not neccasarilly, depends on what gauge your going for if. but they wont snap, might put alil stress on the nut but that would be a long term thing.

What are you talking about

you can't tune regular gauges up to tenor tuning without risking them breaking. Heavier strings are almost guaranteed to snap

Tuning higher = lighter strings.

E - .105
A - .085
D - .065
G - .045
C - ?????

complete the sequence.

[Jimothy the 33rd]

Haha thanks matt
shows how much the guy in the shop knew.
I just didn't know whether the high c would fit into the nut for the G and so on.
I shall buy it tomorrow =D

[EADGC]

By default, since the string is lighter it has to fit. The only thing you have to worry about is it potentially being too loose or free in the nut slot. Some people experience this problem, some don't.

This post has too many opportunities for sexual innuendo.

Anyway just make sure you get the right gauge. Maybe try a few to find the ideal tension. I use .028 - .045 - .065 - .080 - .100 on a 35" scale bass.

[burtonbassist_101]

What are you talking about

you can't tune regular gauges up to tenor tuning without risking them breaking. Heavier strings are almost guaranteed to snap

Tuning higher = lighter strings.

E - .105
A - .085
D - .065
G - .045
C - ?????

complete the sequence.

pwn3d.

yeah, i'd just get a 6-string set and use the top 5 strings.

or, you could just get a .30 (or something around there) and use that.

either way works. :p

[Sablate McNuff]

What are you talking about

you can't tune regular gauges up to tenor tuning without risking them breaking. Heavier strings are almost guaranteed to snap

Tuning higher = lighter strings.

E - .105
A - .085
D - .065
G - .045
C - ?????

complete the sequence.

Matt, they make different guaged strings for each string. I've seen C's that range from .023 - .035. He can get a heavy guaged C, that would be .035, and it would be perfectly fine with the tension he'd put on it.

[rh15951]

This thread made me lol. Tenor is easy, most of the time you won't have to change anything apart from strings (just to back people up :thumb:)

[Jimothy the 33rd]

pwn3d.

yeah, i'd just get a 6-string set and use the top 5 strings.

or, you could just get a .30 (or something around there) and use that.

either way works. :p

Yeah, or if I can get one that matches the same set, get a 4 string set, and get a single higher c string

[EADGC]

Matt, they make different guaged strings for each string. I've seen C's that range from .023 - .035. He can get a heavy guaged C, that would be .035, and it would be perfectly fine with the tension he'd put on it.

.023 is more on the F string side

Sure you could use a heavier set for EADGC, but what's the point? If he's already using a standard set why not just get a .030 and shift the rest?

[EADGC]

yeah, i'd just get a 6-string set and use the top 5 strings.

or, you could just get a .30 (or something around there) and use that.

either way works. :p

ime it's much cheaper to buy 4 string sets and individual C strings.

[pumo420]

you know when he said tenor i figured it would be a lower tuning to b, but yeah your if it was a higher then they would break. my bad had that misunderstanding.

[burtonbassist_101]

Yeah, or if I can get one that matches the same set, get a 4 string set, and get a single higher c string

ime it's much cheaper to buy 4 string sets and individual C strings.


yeah, i thought of that next, that's what i meant when i said you could just buy the high c...

[Akira]

you know when he said tenor i figured it would be a lower tuning to b, but yeah your if it was a higher then they would break. my bad had that misunderstanding.

That's what I thought you thought.

[EADGC]

From lowest to highest:

Bass - tenor - alto - soprano

basic choral ranges guys. GG