turn your 4 string into a 5 string

[retrokris]

I read this on active bass a while back and ive been using a bit and experimenting with it.

what you do is simply tune the bass down a whole tone (people with very low action may find you get buzzing) it gives you the extra low notes needed to play drop d metal (but please god dont cos i cant stand it lol) but also when you are playing songs witha chorus that has D or G It makes it that bit more powerful with the lower octave d on the open string rather than fretted on the 5th A string.

try it out its better than splashing out on a 5 string bass

and personally 4 strings are far more attractive

[WeeMann]

Just noticed this thread.

Don't forget the Hipshot - OK, so you have to re-learn your fingerings but when you're finished, just flick it back up to E and you're back to normal.

We used to do Whitesnake's Fool For Your Loving - the original version in D, but I had learnt the newer version in E. Easy, drop the E string down a tone with the flick of a switch, learn a slightly new fingering and away we go.

Another technique I once heard was to buy a 5 string set and just use the bottom 4. You might need to widen the slots in your nut a bit, but as long as you don't normally venture too far up the G string you'll be OK.