Huge Bass Strings

[xtjdx]

I'm going to be building a 3 string long scale bass pretty soon for a really really really really really really really really really really really really really really heavy and low tuned doom band. What is the largest gauge possible and where can I find it?! Thanks!

[Phil Mailloux]

http://www.conklinguitars.com/accessories.html

0.195" That would be a low C# string that'll set you back $35 just for that one.

You won't be hearing much though. If you want to go really, really , really low on just three strings, I'd stick with E, B and low F#

[orgmorg]

Stainless steel aircraft cable should get you as low as you please.

[xtjdx]

Ouch. That's a bit pricey. I might just try to find the cable used to support telephone poles. Thanks for the link.

[Jon]

Ouch. That's a bit pricey. I might just try to find the cable used to support telephone poles. Thanks for the link.

You wont find anything much cheaper for that gauge. It cost about $80-100+ to re-string ERB's.

[lovekraft]

This is mega-silly! The low B string on a standard-tuned 6 string bass is just above 30 Hz, and there are damned few transducers that can reproduce that at any worthwhile sound pressure level! The C# below that is 17 HZ, which is both subsonic and irreproducible by any conventional speaker system. Get a grip!!

[xtjdx]

I refuse to! But you do have a point and I should probably take it into consideration.

[Primal]

Personally, anything much lower than a low A is pretty pointless. The human ear can hear within a frequency range of 20-20,000 hertz. However, somewhere around the 35Hz mark (around C#-D), the brain starts filling in missing information. That means your ear doesn't actually hear the notes, your brain merely extrapolates the information from your ears and you "hear" a corrected pitch. Anything much lower than that, the best you can hope for is being able to feel the note. And forget about actually hearing individual notes! Notes that low are all going to pretty much sound/feel the same. And even if you do go that low, you would need an EXTREMELY powerful amp in order to drive enough cabs to move enough air to get those notes "audible."

[De Trepagny]

The majority of bass cab builder dont go under 30hz. And those one who go below that, need a special processor (Bag-End) to achieved this or use a servo-drive systeme (motor driven speaker). So it can be realy pricey!

If i had to build a 3 strings doom bass, i'll build one tuned A-G-C with 3 extra string one octave higer (A-a G-g C-c). The lower A will give a fat muddy tone while the higher one will give definition.

Good luck!

Philippe

[erikbojerik]

I *can* be done actually.....there are bi-amp guys who use a 1000-watt amp to drive a high-quality subwoofer for the low end (you need a crossover to do this properly). If you try to use a standard combo bass amp, anything below A will sound like a big wet fart.

The string costs are chump change compared to the cost of a rig needed to pull it off with fidelity.

[xtjdx]

The majority of bass cab builder dont go under 30hz. And those one who go below that, need a special processor (Bag-End) to achieved this or use a servo-drive systeme (motor driven speaker). So it can be realy pricey!

If i had to build a 3 strings doom bass, i'll build one tuned A-G-C with 3 extra string one octave higer (A-a G-g C-c). The lower A will give a fat muddy tone while the higher one will give definition.

Good luck!

Philippe

Good idea. This is what I'm going to do. Thanks for the input, guys. I'm going to start looking for a bass rig that can handle this now (probably will go with a Sunn head and a couple of awesome cabs). Sweeeeeeet.