# 5 string drop E



## wormxeaten (Aug 3, 2012)

Hey everyone!

I recently bought a used ESP 5 string bass guitar.
I want to tune it to drop E.
What strings and gauge do you suggest?


----------



## knuckle_head (Aug 3, 2012)

wormxeaten said:


> Hey everyone!
> 
> I recently bought a used ESP 5 string bass guitar.
> I want to tune it to drop E.
> What strings and gauge do you suggest?



.106 .070 .053 .037 .026


----------



## Amanita (Aug 3, 2012)

or .210 .142 .106 .079 .059
depends which E one has in mind, sir.


----------



## wormxeaten (Aug 4, 2012)

knuckle_head said:


> .106 .070 .053 .037 .026



thanks for the responce...

Do you answer from experience?
I dont want to buy strings just like that and get dissapointed...


----------



## wormxeaten (Aug 4, 2012)

Amanita said:


> or .210 .142 .106 .079 .059
> depends which E one has in mind, sir.



same question as above...


----------



## Amanita (Aug 4, 2012)

just take a look at knuckle head's signature. especially the bit that says "Circle K strings"

edit.
oh, i just pasted the set that would be more or less the same tension that the one he quoted, just for tuning an octave below.
personally, if the fancy took me to tuning my bass that way, i'd go for .190 .130 .098 .073 .055 because, personally, i prefer lighter tensions.
the gauges in his sets look like a perfectly balanced choice, at least from my experience with bass strings tension.
the only reason i don't as of yet use his strings for my 8string is that he is on the other side of the pond than me, and i'd have to pony up for several sets to make shipping cost bearable. which is against my nature.
and the reason i do not consider his string for bass - yet - is my personal preference for pressure wound strings over roundwounds.


----------



## wormxeaten (Aug 4, 2012)

Amanita said:


> just take a look at knuckle head's signature. especially the bit that says "Circle K strings"



thanks Amantia, I didn't notice the signature...

Ok, so the bass guitar I own is LTD B-55 5 string.
It has a standart scale of 34'.
I want to tune it to:
1 - B
2 - A
3 - E
4 - B
5 - E

but I also want it to be comapitble with my 8 string guitar to:
1 - D
2 - A
3 - E
4 - B
5 - G#


----------



## Amanita (Aug 4, 2012)

i'm still unsure how you plan to tune your bass. do you mean regular E of standard tuned 4 string bass or an E an octave below it?
given that your tuning seems a bit non-standard whichever way i read it it would prolly be best to contact knuckle head directly for advice.
in the meantime this handy tension calculator may be handy 
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ex...stc-string-tension-calculator-v0-1-9-out.html


----------



## wormxeaten (Aug 4, 2012)

Amanita said:


> i'm still unsure how you plan to tune your bass. do you mean regular E of standard tuned 4 string bass or an E an octave below it?
> given that your tuning seems a bit non-standard whichever way i read it it would prolly be best to contact knuckle head directly for advice.
> in the meantime this handy tension calculator may be handy
> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ex...stc-string-tension-calculator-v0-1-9-out.html



Amantia, I plan to tune my guitar like this
1 - B (regular)
2 - A
3 - E 
4 - B 
5 - E (octave below)


----------



## Amanita (Aug 4, 2012)

well then, the advice to turn directly to knuckle head still stands. he's your about only choice for such a set of bass strings, if you don't count custom orders in say GHS or Rotosound.

by the way i ain't no ancient site in Albania. the name comes from a kind of mushroom that can get you infected


----------



## ixlramp (Aug 4, 2012)

wormxeaten said:


> Ok, so the bass guitar I own is LTD B-55 5 string.
> It has a standart scale of 34'.
> I want to tune it to:
> 1 - B
> ...


So you mean standard bass BEA on the mddle strings, with the top string switching between B and up to standard bass D, and the lowest switching between octave-down E and up to G#? Yes that can be done ... just.
Email knuckle_head at the 'techinfo' address at Circle K Strings.

The trick is to choose gauges that give you an equal-tensions set at the theoretical average tuning of F#BEAC^ (where ^ means quartertone sharp). Doing this will minimise the tension imbalances in your 2 tunings. Also keep in mind that 30 pounds (extra light tension) is CKS' recommended minimum. See the tension chart: http://circlekstrings.com/CKSIMAGES/CircleKtensionChart.pdf

The optimum lowest string will be a .174 or .182. The .174 will be a little floppy (28 pounds) at E, the .182 will be rather tight (49 pounds) at G#.


----------



## ixlramp (Aug 5, 2012)

.174 .130 .094 .070 .057 or
.182 .136 .102 .076 .061
But don't take my word for it, confirm it yourself


----------



## likeayaresh (Aug 6, 2012)

I'd personally go for .182, .124/.130, .098/.094, .070/.067, .055/.053. But keep in mind that that's relatively light.


----------

