# Recording Bass in Drop A with 34" Bass



## ScurrilousNerd (Dec 11, 2016)

Hey all,

My band is going into the studio in a few weeks without a bass player, and thus we do not have good bass equipment. I'm looking for a bass that can handle low tuning (Drop A) without sounding floppy, and without giant strings.

I have a Squier jazz bass 4 string (34" scale) with a .160 on it currently and while the tension is good, the string sounds out of tune with itself on upper frets, and lacks fretted sustain. I've ordered .145s to see if that will help.

I have the option of renting a SR505 or SR400 from a local music store, but since they are both 34", I'm a little worried. Anyone have experience getting a good METAL tone out of a 34" bass in low tunings?

Thanks!


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## Winspear (Dec 11, 2016)

145s will reduce that issue, yes. You might find them juuust about sufficient for A. Definitely on the loose side though (about the same as a 95 E, and the E is already loose too compared to the ADG)

As far as the scale length goes, it's way overplayed in my opinion. And I'm a huge fan of long scales! I think it mostly comes from people never trying a sufficient string gauge, so of course they appreciate the little tension increase that extra inch gives. 

But really, if you dig a 145 A on 34" then you could get away with no less than a 142 on 35" - that's how little difference it makes. Yes, it sounds slightly clearer - but it's no huge deal  

Personally I suggest you try the 150 and 158 from Kalium. The 158 is what I'd suggest for good tension, similar to your 160. The 150 is personally what would be a minimum for me. In general, Kaliums construction makes them vibrate better, reducing the large gauge overtone and sustain issues that you have identified. Granted I was using D'addarios untapered 145 at the time (always go tapered!), but Kaliums 166 that I moved to actually sounded clearer and intonated better.

I ran a Kalium 158 set in A standard on a 34" bass for a long time, and would say the tension was perfect and the bottom string was only just beginning to cross that boundary to dark tone. I did not mind playing the upper frets.

You mentioned renting - If you're going to try big strings, the hardware modifications often necessary are something you may wish to bare in mind!
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## ScurrilousNerd (Dec 11, 2016)

Winspear said:


> 145s will reduce that issue, yes. You might find them juuust about sufficient for A. Definitely on the loose side though (about the same as a 95 E, and the E is already loose too compared to the ADG) ...
> 
> You mentioned renting - If you're going to try big strings, the hardware modifications often necessary are something you may wish to bare in mind!



Thank you so much! I'll look into Kalium, although I know they are rather expensive to get shipped to Canada. Do you think a .145 would require any modifications on a rented instrument? I know the .158will require it (cause I had to on my squier!) but hopefully not the .145.


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## A-Branger (Dec 11, 2016)

ScurrilousNerd said:


> I have a Squier jazz bass 4 string (34" scale) with a .160 on it currently and while the tension is good, the string sounds out of tune with itself on upper frets, and lacks fretted sustain. I've ordered .145s to see if that will help.




remember to change the intonation on the bridge to accomodate the new string gauge and new tuning  

especially if you are going to use the bass for recording. Give the whole bass a good check for intonation. Pretty easy thing to do really, I just fixed mine and a guitar too


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## ixlramp (Dec 11, 2016)

A .145 will need the nut filing wider, don't do that to a rented instrument.
I find D'Addario Prosteel tapered .145 very good and just enough tension for A.
The inharmonicity on high frets is to be expected for a big string, it's due to the stiffness caused by thickness.


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## A-Branger (Dec 12, 2016)

true, but a bass with a bridge saddle in position for a B intonation is not going to work if you drop down to A. Even worse with the OP bass which is a 4 string. So chances are that the bridge is intonated for EADG not AEAD so waaaaay off, any fret higher than the 2nd would be off, and the higher you go the more off it would become.

and agree with you, dont rent a bass as the nut would be filed for a .110 E string, and a ADG ones. Not only you would have to change the whole nut to accomodate the AEAD tuning, but again you would have to change the whole bridge intonation. If you are def going to rent a bass, get a 5 string, so you only have to drop to lowest string and ignore the high G one


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## eyeswide (Dec 12, 2016)

Does the studio you're recording at have any basses handy? Also, I just recorded an EP in C standard, and the producer kept wanting me to hit low A's, so we would just detune to hit those notes when needed. That may or may not be an option for you.

Either way, .... can get finicky. We would sometimes just have to tune for individual notes just because of the nature of intonation.


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