Stupid question :)

[Arielle]

Hi! I have a really stupid question that I've been wondering about and I obviously don't know much about the different kinds of guitars. What is the difference between a bass guitar and say a regular electric guitar? Thanks! :o

Arielle

[acwild]

Bass guitars have lower notes than regular guitars (the strings are fatter). Also, basses normally have four strings. The bottom four strings of the guitar are the same notes as the four strings on the bass, but the bass is in lower octaves.

[Cashew_halves]

Hey-o, hes correct, from thickest to thinnest the tuning generally is E-A-D-G, the general tuning on a 5 string bass is B-E-A-D-G, then the general tuning on a 6er would be G-B-E-A-D-G. Can you see the pattern? Test, how would a 21 string bass be tuned?

[Arielle]

Ok, thanks, that gives me a good idea now lol I felt like an idiot not knowing the difference between the two :) Um, Cashew, no idea LOL

[socialmisfit]

the neck is also longer on a bass. plus, never ever plug a bass guitar into an electric guitar amp!

[goldentone]

Hey-o, hes correct, from thickest to thinnest the tuning generally is E-A-D-G, the general tuning on a 5 string bass is B-E-A-D-G, then the general tuning on a 6er would be G-B-E-A-D-G. Can you see the pattern? Test, how would a 21 string bass be tuned?

A
D
G
B
E
A
D
G
B
E
A
D
G
B
E
A
D
G
B
E
A

if you have REALLY BIG hands!

[Arielle]

Haha wow, cashew! :) Why don't you plug it into an electriv guitar amp?(Just curious lol)

[FadedCayenne]

it blows out the amp. like, have you ever listened to a REALLY loud bassline? you can like...feel it in yoru chest? well, think, if it got REALLY LOUD and direct, it'd blow you up. haha.

http://www.coobsguitars.com/shop/images/detail02.jpghttp://www.usmasters.com/basspgs/ep45%20neck%20joint.JPG

[Arielle]

Haha!! Ok, got it now! Thanks for the pics too, I understand now!

[Lazy Bee]

There are no stupid questions

[t_shirtsnjeans]

There are no stupid questions
You don't know my kids :o

[ModestCargo]

Haha, nice one t-shirts...

[pml]

the general tuning on a 6er would be G-B-E-A-D-G. The general tuning for a 6er bass is B-E-A-D-G-B. The issue is that the low B string is already very low (around 30Hz or so), and there's not much point in going lower as it would be virtually unaudible.

PML

[Lazy Bee]

You don't know my kids :o

That's funny!! :D

[Stray Dog]

I saw a 12-string bass. Four triple-strings, kinda like a 12-string guitar. Damn it had a wide fretboard.

[tweetersaway]

check this baby out:
http://www.bassinside.com/2004/february/garry2.jpg
11 strings and look how fat that neck is. wowsers! :toohappy:

[gamma_function]

A
D
G
B
E
A
D
G
B
E
A
D
G
B
E
A
D
G
B
E
A

if you have REALLY BIG hands!


you can tune a 21-string bass however you want, but if we are sticking with the typical method of tuning in fourths, we get from low to high:
C# F# B {E A D G} C F A# D# G# C# F# B E A D G C F

(you can trade the low C# for a high A# if you want)

with the bracketed notes representing those on a standard tuned 4 string bass. the 21 string bass tuned this way (there isnt really a whole lot audible to humans below the low F#) would actually be considered a contrabass instrument (look up "anthony jackson" if you dont know what a contrabass is), but in actuality is more guitar (sort-of) than bass as there are more trable strings than bass strings. to build such an instrument, you would need incredibly thin strings or an incredibly short scale on the treble side of the instrument.

[gamma_function]

The general tuning for a 6er bass is B-E-A-D-G-B. The issue is that the low B string is already very low (around 30Hz or so), and there's not much point in going lower as it would be virtually unaudible.

PML

actually, the standard 6 string bass tuning, low to high, is B E A D G C. not a high B, but a high C. the instrument is tuned in perfect fourths across the fingerboard.

there are a handful of avant garde bassists who tune lower than the low B. most of their names escape me currently except for Jaquo III-x.