tuning a bass guitar

[BGBevill]

Hello,
I received the bass that I had bid on and won on ebay today and have a
question about tuning it. It is a 5 string bass and I have no idea what to
tune the 5th string to. I have a guitar tuner and have tuned the first 4
strings to G D A and E, but I don't know what to do about the 5th string. What
does it tune to? Do I have the others correct? This is my first experience
with a bass guitar and any help and/or suggestions will be appreciated.

thanks,
Bobby

[David Axt]

The thickest string (lowest in tone but highest on the bass) is tuned to a
B.

The rest of the strings are as you mentioned (from lowest tone to highest)
E, A, D, G.

David

Post by BGBevill
Hello,
I received the bass that I had bid on and won on ebay today and have a
question about tuning it. It is a 5 string bass and I have no idea what to
tune the 5th string to. I have a guitar tuner and have tuned the first 4
strings to G D A and E, but I don't know what to do about the 5th string.
What
does it tune to? Do I have the others correct? This is my first experience
with a bass guitar and any help and/or suggestions will be appreciated.
thanks,
Bobby

[Nil]

Post by BGBevill
I received the bass that I had bid on and won on ebay today and
have a question about tuning it. It is a 5 string bass and I have
no idea what to tune the 5th string to. I have a guitar tuner and
have tuned the first 4 strings to G D A and E, but I don't know
what to do about the 5th string. What does it tune to? Do I have
the others correct? This is my first experience with a bass
guitar and any help and/or suggestions will be appreciated.

I would have advised you to get a 4-string until you had a better
handle on how to play the instrument, but be that as it may...

A 5-string bass is usually tuned B E A D G (a low B string added) or
less commonly, E A D G B (a high B string added).

[Thomas Wagener]

Post by Nil
A 5-string bass is usually tuned B E A D G (a low B string added) or
less commonly, E A D G B (a high B string added).

The bass tuning is in fourths. So the correct tuning with the high
string would be E A D G C. But you would probably need a new nut to use
this string set.

Thomas

[Nil]

On 17 Dec 2004, Thomas Wagener

Post by Thomas Wagener
The bass tuning is in fourths. So the correct tuning with the high
string would be E A D G C. But you would probably need a new nut
to use this string set.

Yes, you're correct, the high string in the second example is usually a
C (although I know someone who tunes it to a B sometimes.)

[Pt]

I suggest that when learning to play a bass just forget that the 5th
string is there and play it as a 4 string.
I have been playing a bass for over 30 years and I still have trouble
with the 5 strings.

Pt

[BGBevill]

Post by Pt
I suggest that when learning to play a bass just forget that the 5th
string is there and play it as a 4 string.
I have been playing a bass for over 30 years and I still have trouble
with the 5 strings.
Pt

Yeah, that is pretty much the direction I am heading. Just had the question
about the tuning. I didn't set out to get a 5 string, but the price was right
and I went for it. Thanks for all the replies.

Bobby

[Pt]

Post by BGBevill

Post by Pt
I suggest that when learning to play a bass just forget that the 5th
string is there and play it as a 4 string.
I have been playing a bass for over 30 years and I still have trouble
with the 5 strings.
Pt

Yeah, that is pretty much the direction I am heading. Just had the question
about the tuning. I didn't set out to get a 5 string, but the price was right
and I went for it. Thanks for all the replies.
Bobby

Tune the lowest string to a "B".

Pt