# Drop C?



## TheUnvanquished (Oct 27, 2013)

Quick question. What is a pretty typical gauge of bass strings for drop C tuning? The bass I'm going to setup is 4 string and has a 34" scale. Thanks guys!


----------



## Espresto (Oct 27, 2013)

You can get away with regular medium gauge strings. A slightly heavier one might help though. Just look for any 4-string set that's bigger than .105-.45


----------



## coffinwisdom (Oct 27, 2013)

What I like to do is get a 5 string set and skip out the E string so my drop B and C set looks like

.130 .80 .65 .45

I currently use this for Drop B and it also works really well for Drop C although it's a little tight.

For what it's worth my good friend that's been playing bass longer than I have and is in a touring band uses a .110 set for Drop C. Way too loose for me but it works for him I love his live tone.


----------



## Roland777 (Oct 27, 2013)

Just get whatever floats your boat. You're in the states, get a drop-set from Cirkle K. I personally have a really light touch, others dont. I'd go with a .110 or a wee tiny bit thicker (.115), then build the rest from there. 

Others have gotten their hands surgically replaced by whole cooked turkeys and thus require significantly heavier gauges, or so I hear...


----------



## 7stringDemon (Oct 27, 2013)

Do you use a pick or your fingers?


----------



## sniperfreak223 (Oct 28, 2013)

I use 55-75-95-115 for C# and C standard (Dunlop Heavy Cores), so that should work out alright for drop C, although I'd probably go with something like 45-65-85-115 for a more balanced feel in a drop tuning, even though I've never been much a fan of drop tunings in general and particularly on bass.


----------



## BarnabyJones (Oct 28, 2013)

For Drop C, I love the D'Addario EXL160BT string set. 50-67-90-120. Granted, I currently use a Schecter Studio-5, which has a 35" scale length, but the strings should be fine on your 34" given a bit of adjustment. The tone I get from them is incredible, and the strings don't get loose and nasty when you drop them low.


----------



## TheUnvanquished (Oct 28, 2013)

I use a pick. I'm primarily a guitar player but am in the process of building a bass rig. I have an old ibanez srx bass and a practice amp and want to drop tune my 4 string to match my six string guitars. Thanks!


----------



## insanebassninja (Oct 29, 2013)

I used when I did have a 4 string bass I used a top end of the 5 string bass set. I think at the time it was .125, 105, 85, 65.


----------



## shawnperolis (Oct 29, 2013)

I have a 4 string Squier P Bass tuned to drop B with a 5 string set.


----------



## Dan_Vacant (Oct 29, 2013)

on my bass I have it in D which feels fine but when I tried to tune the d lower it was horrible. I bought a .125 today though so I can have a firm C


----------

