Tuning low on a short scale

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VJIvesVJIves Frets: 466
Following on from my last thread where I bought a bass wholly unsuitable for heavy rock, I've bought a second, equally unsuitable bass. This time it's a short scale Fender Rascal. What are the best, heaviest strings I can get for it? I need to tune to C. Ta!
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
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  • Use www.stringtensionpro.com to work out a suitable set, I imagine it’ll be quite a big string for that low C at 30”

    Why are you buying short scale basses for low tunings?
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  • VJIvesVJIves Frets: 466
    Why are you buying short scale basses for low tunings?
    Because, frankly, I'm just not very bright.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    VJIves said:
    Why are you buying short scale basses for low tunings?
    Because, frankly, I'm just not very bright.
    The world needs more honestly like this
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    Nah, that won't work - it's an electric bass. Needs metal strings.

    Like these...

    http://www.chinahisea.com/upload/13-12-18/galvanized-steel-wire-rope.jpg

    If you're tuning down the middle four look about right.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    More seriously, the right answer is probably about 60, 80, 100 and 120 gauges. Usually the only way you'll get that as a set is to buy a 5-string set and not use the G.

    You will also need to widen the nut grooves since they definitely won't be that big.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    ICBM said:
    More seriously, the right answer is probably about 60, 80, 100 and 120 gauges. Usually the only way you'll get that as a set is to buy a 5-string set and not use the G.

    You will also need to widen the nut grooves since they definitely won't be that big.
    I'm not sure the nut itself will be that big....
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    In your position, I would leave the Fender Rascal Bass stock. Trade it with one of this forum's notorious "offset" guitar/bass enthusiasts. Get yourself something with a 34" or 35" scale length.

    Modesty forbids me from plugging any of my own surplus bass guitars.
    Be seeing you.
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  • VJIvesVJIves Frets: 466
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    Hmmm… in that case it could be a problem. I'd never seen one of those before, but the strings don't go through the body like they do on a Mustang Bass. Firstly that means the entire string tension is taken by just *two* screws - admittedly slightly bigger than on a normal bass bridge by the look of it - and secondly that means that normal scale length strings won't wind onto the heads properly since the excess length of the full-gauge winding won't be taken up by passing through the body, so you can't use a standard 5-string set to get the gauges you need.

    So you'll just have to fit the very heaviest short-scale strings you can find and hope for the best.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    VJIves said:
    Not an option, I'm afraid. 
    In that case, standard tuning and a pitch shifter pedal.

    https://www.ehx.com/products/pitch-fork

    Be seeing you.
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  • VJIvesVJIves Frets: 466
    VJIves said:
    Not an option, I'm afraid. 
    In that case, standard tuning and a pitch shifter pedal.

    https://www.ehx.com/products/pitch-fork

    That's actually a pretty good shout! I've ordered some short scale GHS Boomers, the standard scale set I had previously sounded brilliant, and failing that I'll pick up either a Pitchfork or a Drop.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    I would recommend the Drop - the guitarist in my band used to use one when we were playing heavier downtuned stuff, and it sounded fine, not obvious that it was pitch-shifted.

    It does have a problem with causing noise when it's on the same power supply as fuzz and distortion pedals though - if that matters.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • VJIvesVJIves Frets: 466
    ICBM said:
    It does have a problem with causing noise when it's on the same power supply as fuzz and distortion pedals though - if that matters.
    Nah, everything on my bass board is isolated. I'm still trying to find a fuzz I'm totally happy with, couldn't quite nail what I wanted with a ss/bs Team Awesome or a Fuzzrocious Rat, so I've got a Mantic Vitriol en route as a Black Friday treat. All I want is to be able to sound like the intro to Poison the Well's 'Loved Ones...' at the click of a switch.
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  • I was reading a thing about Geezer Butler, for tuning down to C, IIRC, he has a custom 115 set. But standard scale length. 
    Nice looking bass, I'm slightly worried what a 120 will do to it. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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