Hey, I think I read you mentioning you have these installed in at least one of your basses, is that correct?
I'm considering putting one in my OLP, and there's a few songs I downtune the E string to D... and I'm getting away with quickly retuning between songs, but I'd love to do it by pressing a lever. Is it good? Stable? Does it require frequent readjustment?
On 2 July, 10:30, "Jose de las Heras" <jose...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
> Hey, I think I read you mentioning you have these installed in at least one > of your basses, is that correct?
> I'm considering putting one in my OLP, and there's a few songs I downtune > the E string to D... and I'm getting away with quickly retuning between > songs, but I'd love to do it by pressing a lever. > Is it good? Stable? Does it require frequent readjustment?
In a word, it's fab. I've al but stopped bringing a 5 string for normal gigs nowadays, unless I really need one. The 4 string is so much easier to manage (says the man who bought a 6 string a little while ago). I have one on my main bass (the Attitude) and my spare (RBX4-A2). It's also really useful and dead easy to down tune mid song. Like at the end of Yankee Rose for example. I sometimes do it for just a couple of passing notes in Black Velvet, and Just A Girl.
If you follow the installation and tuning instructions, tuning stability is fine. There's a video on their website that explains it all. IIRC, you tune the E, flip it down and up and retune. Then you tune the D with the screw, then flip is back and and check the E. Something like that. Bit of a fiddle to tune it at first, but once you're used to it, it's not a problem, quite quick and holds it's tuning throughout the set very well.
The only problem I had is with certain string brands. Where the strings bends into the post, it has quite a sharp edge like most tuners. Not a problem with regular tuners and I think you need this to grip the string properly. I had some DR coloured strings on my white Yamaha, and the winding on these ones stay tight all the way to the end, most other brands have widely spaced winding past the nut, maybe covered with silk. The sharp egde after a while managed to cut through the winding after a few weeks and slid off the core. Result in not being able to grip the post and stay in tune. I'd therefore recommend you use strings with silk wraps to stop this happening.
I also use the Rotosound Billy Sheehan custom gauge too. These are based on a standard gauge set with a slightly lighter top G and heavier E string (.110). The heavier mass of that low E stops it sounding too floppy when down tuned.
I've also heard that if you can't find one to exactly match the finish or style of your basses tuners, you can send them your existing tuner and they will convert it to a D-Tuner, for a fee of course. I'm thinking about this for my RBX, as the tuners are a brushed metal finish that they don't do as part of their standard range. I know it's only a minor asthetic thing, but the shiny chrome Hipshot does stand out a little.
So yeah, totally worth it. I don't think I could play a full set without one nowadays. It's just so useful and convenient.
"Greg" <gregedwa...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4f76ac4a-1a8d-4ab5-b4a1-
> In a word, it's fab. I've al but stopped bringing a 5 string for
[...]
sounds pretty good. Because there's no point for me if I need to readjust the thing often. I need it to last at least a whole set, otherwise I might as well tune/retune manually as I do now.
> The only problem I had is with certain string brands. Where the
strings bends into the post, it has quite a sharp edge like most tuners. Not a problem with regular tuners and I think you need this to grip the string properly. I had some DR coloured strings on my white Yamaha, and the winding on these ones stay tight all the way to the end, most other brands have widely spaced winding past the nut, maybe covered with silk. The sharp egde after a while managed to cut through the winding after a few weeks and slid off the core. Result in not being able to grip the post and stay in tune. I'd therefore recommend you use strings with silk wraps to stop this happening.
ah, really? That can be annoying. I use DR coloured too but only on my Warwick Corvette. On the OLP, which is my main bass for the RHCP covers band I use D'Addarios, nickel wound 45-100, so pretty light... I started out with 50-110s, but I find more at home with these wimpier strings after all... anyway, have you tried those? They're just plain winding... I guess I'll find outhow they behave. If crap, I'll have to look for alternative types.
> I've also heard that if you can't find one to exactly match the finish
or style of your basses tuners, you can send them your existing tuner and they will convert it to a D-Tuner, for a fee of course. I'm thinking about this for my RBX, as the tuners are a brushed metal finish that they don't do as part of their standard range. I know it's only a minor asthetic thing, but the shiny chrome Hipshot does stand out a little.
That's good too. I like companies who take care of their customers. I'd be ok 'though, the OLP has standard chrome MM style tuners.
>So yeah, totally worth it. I don't think I could play a full set
without one nowadays. It's just so useful and convenient.
well, that's it then, thanks. I'll be ordering one shortly!
by the way, about coated coloured strings... have you tried the Rotosound ones? The nexus range. I bought a black set (I think they only do black) 40-100, but haven't yet tried them.
Received the D-Tuner, installed easily (apart from the fact that the screws provided are utterly rubbish made of some alloy of iron and butter, heavy on the butter, so you have to make sure yo go slow and use the exact screwhead fit... but seriously, you miss *once* and the head is already damaged! My original screws wouldn't work as they were too small headed). Anyway. Easy. To adjust it, I tried to follow the instructions... a bit confusing. At the end of the instructions it does say "the above sounds harder than it really is". Indeed. I forgot the instructions and just looked at the tuning peg, pretty obvious how it works... so 2min later I had my bass nicely tuned and I could flip... D!... flip... E!... flip again... D!
Really good!
I hope it's stable enough, we'll see. We have three songs that require me to D-tune the 4th string and it's going to look a lot better now. The guitarist just changes guitars... ah, guitarists! ;-)
And like you said, I can see how it can be used easily to change tuning midsong if you just need a couple of lower notes or something. I've been playing with it trying to make it go off tune and so far it's behaving quite good. I now just need to get some grease. I only have olive oil at hand ;-)
> Received the D-Tuner, installed easily (apart from the fact that the screws > provided are utterly rubbish made of some alloy of iron and butter, heavy on > the butter, so you have to make sure yo go slow and use the exact screwhead > fit... but seriously, you miss *once* and the head is already damaged! My > original screws wouldn't work as they were too small headed). > Anyway. Easy. > To adjust it, I tried to follow the instructions... a bit confusing. At the > end of the instructions it does say "the above sounds harder than it really > is". Indeed. I forgot the instructions and just looked at the tuning peg, > pretty obvious how it works... so 2min later I had my bass nicely tuned and > I could flip... D!... flip... E!... flip again... D!
> Really good!
> I hope it's stable enough, we'll see. We have three songs that require me to > D-tune the 4th string and it's going to look a lot better now. The guitarist > just changes guitars... ah, guitarists! ;-)
> And like you said, I can see how it can be used easily to change tuning > midsong if you just need a couple of lower notes or something. I've been > playing with it trying to make it go off tune and so far it's behaving quite > good. I now just need to get some grease. I only have olive oil at hand ;-)
Never had an issue with the screw TBH. Like you said, you have to use the supplied one as it's countersunk and flar topped to be flush with the plate. Not a problem at all.
I recall the instructions saying something about lubricating it with grease. I've had one of mine for 2 years I reckon, never lubricated it since I installed it and the action still feels smooth. Maybe I'll get some grease to be on the safe side. The other D-tuner came stock on my Yamaha Attitude, I'll grease that one up too whilst I'm at it.
>Never had an issue with the screw TBH. Like you said, you have to use
the supplied one as it's countersunk and flar topped to be flush with the plate. Not a problem at all.
The ones on mine were really soft. Seriously, turn the screwdriver and slip *once* and you get bits of metal shaved away. Very odd. I had to be very careful, but I got it done.
> I recall the instructions saying something about lubricating it with
grease. I've had one of mine for 2 years I reckon, never lubricated it since I installed it and the action still feels smooth. Maybe I'll get some grease to be on the safe side. The other D-tuner came stock on my Yamaha Attitude, I'll grease that one up too whilst I'm at it.
Yeah, they insist on it needing grease to work properly, but it works pretty well without. Still, probably best to put a little there.
> Received the D-Tuner, installed easily (apart from the fact that the > screws provided are utterly rubbish made of some alloy of iron and butter, > heavy on the butter, so you have to make sure yo go slow and use the exact > screwhead fit... but seriously, you miss *once* and the head is already > damaged! My original screws wouldn't work as they were too small headed). > Anyway. Easy. > To adjust it, I tried to follow the instructions... a bit confusing. At > the end of the instructions it does say "the above sounds harder than it > really is". Indeed. I forgot the instructions and just looked at the > tuning peg, pretty obvious how it works... so 2min later I had my bass > nicely tuned and I could flip... D!... flip... E!... flip again... D!
> Really good!
> I hope it's stable enough, we'll see. We have three songs that require me > to D-tune the 4th string and it's going to look a lot better now. The > guitarist just changes guitars... ah, guitarists! ;-)
> And like you said, I can see how it can be used easily to change tuning > midsong if you just need a couple of lower notes or something. I've been > playing with it trying to make it go off tune and so far it's behaving > quite good.
Got a Hipshot B-Bender + (dropped)D-Tuner on my Tele, and it does indeed stay reasonably well in tune/adjustment. So, our bass-player picked up the one you're talking about, and was a happy bunny.
Of course, the bass unit drops at the head end, while the guitar model does it behind the bridge, and although supplied with a spring-clip thingy to help maintain pressure over the saddles, I found it lost some of the bottom end sustain. I eventually disabled it after a change musical direction (but can whip the tape off and pop a longer string on the re-arm it if needs be). The bass model makes no such compromises, tonally.
> > Received the D-Tuner, installed easily (apart from the fact that the > > screws provided are utterly rubbish made of some alloy of iron and butter, > > heavy on the butter, so you have to make sure yo go slow and use the exact > > screwhead fit... but seriously, you miss *once* and the head is already > > damaged! My original screws wouldn't work as they were too small headed). > > Anyway. Easy. > > To adjust it, I tried to follow the instructions... a bit confusing. At > > the end of the instructions it does say "the above sounds harder than it > > really is". Indeed. I forgot the instructions and just looked at the > > tuning peg, pretty obvious how it works... so 2min later I had my bass > > nicely tuned and I could flip... D!... flip... E!... flip again... D!
> > Really good!
> > I hope it's stable enough, we'll see. We have three songs that require me > > to D-tune the 4th string and it's going to look a lot better now. The > > guitarist just changes guitars... ah, guitarists! ;-)
> > And like you said, I can see how it can be used easily to change tuning > > midsong if you just need a couple of lower notes or something. I've been > > playing with it trying to make it go off tune and so far it's behaving > > quite good.
> Got a Hipshot B-Bender + (dropped)D-Tuner on my Tele, and it does indeed > stay reasonably well in tune/adjustment. So, our bass-player picked up the > one you're talking about, and was a happy bunny.
> Of course, the bass unit drops at the head end, while the guitar model does > it behind the bridge, and although supplied with a spring-clip thingy to > help maintain pressure over the saddles, I found it lost some of the bottom > end sustain. I eventually disabled it after a change musical direction (but > can whip the tape off and pop a longer string on the re-arm it if needs be). > The bass model makes no such compromises, tonally.
> Happy dropping!
> RM
They do make drop tuning machine heads like the bass one for guitar too you know.
> On 13 July, 19:55, "Roger Moss" <roger.moss(BINTHISBIT)@wanadoo.fr> > wrote: >> "Jose de las Heras" <jose...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in >> messagenews:7bebfqF22mjvjU1@mid.individual.net...
<quote>
> They do make drop tuning machine heads like the bass one for guitar > too you know.
> G
No I didn't but I'll certainly check it out, so thanks for the info.
The other little trick with the Hipshot guitar unit is being able to mount it easily on an acoustic via the tail button. I note from YouTube both Billy Bremner and Dave Edmunds using them (Strat and Tele, respectively).
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