Drop D on a lever? Hipshot Bass Xtender

[@saschaschneider6355]

"Pull the lever, Adam! Wrong lever!" - but seriously, I've always wondered how those are supposed to work. Truly smart design. Not that I'd need it, but if I ever need something like that it's a good thing to have. Thanks for the explanation and demo

[@billyottawaify]

Thanks for this mate, I had just installed mine without restringing and thought something was wrong. I had also thought of putting 4 of them on mine but I don't believe the levers would have any room to engage. Cheers!

[@BlackJackLopez]

Awesome video! I liked how you went from the installation, although I would have like to see a bit about the tuning itself.

[@licccio2133]

woww that Jazz is PHAT

[@cromwellg60]

I use this to drop my B string to A. Works perfectly

[@ianthomson9363]

Same here.

[@Karmakatt6]

Hi Mate, I just swapped out my E Machine for a Hipshot Drop D. However, like yourself, I went Blk against the rest Chrome... as it's my second Neck, i figure I'm going to do some cool paint job while i leave the original in the case, if one day, I decide to sell, the bloke will have an all original and a custom for a few extra Quid.. Peace from Ontario, Canada..

[@Paul-gf6kp]

Is it possible to install multiple on a bass as I wanna be able to quickly drop the whole bass into Eb tuning

[@adamsteelproducer]

Sure, if there’s room on the headstock for the levers from all the tuners! I’ve seen it done a couple of times

[@Paul-gf6kp]

Hop Pole Studios Cool. I didn’t think I could do it on say a Fender style bass cause the tuners are so close together. I’ve only seen it done on basses where there are two tuners on top and two on the bottom

[@LEON2808]

Just buy a Digitech Drop pedal, it works really well live!

[@Paul-gf6kp]

@@LEON2808 I just remembered I actually have a Digitech Whammy pedal for my guitar that also works with my bass. The only problem is that my bass doesn’t handle drop tunings well.

[@PandazHub]

Someone told me going drop d alot on a bass will damage the neck. Is this true?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Not at all, its a very slight tension change, changing string gauges is a bigger change, as is temperature. If your bass can’t handle a little bit of tuning change, it’s probably not going to last long anyway

[@DeanHammantEdwards]

You're half right you can damage your bass constantantly going from E standard to D standard, atleast I broke my bass doing that becouse the guitarists that I was playing with could'nt make up there minds and they had 2 guitars that were in different tunings I had only 1 bass and my neck didnt like that, so changing the one string will not do anything bad its changing all the strings that can damage it, I now have multiple basses that are set up for each tuning and dont go beond droping the low string havent had an issue like that again.

[@megamorphiweenis1083]

So what if you had all drop d tuners?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Then I could tune the whole thing down a tone- not sure how the neck would respond, but I saw that done on a Zon bass in the 90s. You need some space inbetween tuners for the levers to open into though

[@davidallen3360]

Hop Pole Studios could probably be done on a 2x2 headstock

[@lateralus9244]

Get the optional replacement *Double Stop HipShot Lever for $29* and get a 3rd open not for your E string: low E, low D, *and low C or B, which ever you prefer.* The *Double Stop Lever has it's own adjustment screw to get your D note adjust on the lever itself* and then the standard adjustment screw on the HipShot Bass Extender *can then be freed up to be adjusted to either C or B.*

[@adamsteelproducer]

Nah, I’ve tried one. It’s a cool idea but not so useful in a live scenario- I’m a performer that moves a lot so I need it to be a very “on-off” sort of thing. Also if the string is the right tension for an E, it’s a floppy mess at C

[@lateralus9244]

@@adamsteelproducer I play in Drop D most of the time so I go with a heavier gauge string anyway--but just on that string. A 110 to 115 gauge seems to mitigate that problem.

[@adamsteelproducer]

That’s fair but if I play most of the set in E, 115 is way too heavy for me

[@lateralus9244]

@@adamsteelproducer I switched the strings out last night on my bass for its High-Five conversion: to a 110g for the E/D/B string, a 75g for the A, a 55g for the D, a 40g for the G, and a 30g for the high C. It plays freaking AMAZING, having that high C now and the dedicated low B removed and the lighter string tension! And, the 110g string really seems to be the perfect guage for floating between E/D/B. On a 34" scale, the 110 should be: 40lbs in E / 33lbs in D / and 22lbs in B--low C would be higher. It's actual tension really plays and feels a lot closer than this tension-spread that I figured out--so my figures may be off some. The lighter strings only create the need for a slight truss-rod adjustment--only getting a slight fret buzzing on fret one. I am really super happy with this conversion!!! I am also using D'addario Pro Steels--Nickel Plated strings have only an ever-so-slight bit more tension per string.

[@gabealexander9800]

What strings are you using on your bass?

[@adamsteelproducer]

In the studio D’Addario NYXL, but on shows Thomann branded cheap ones. 95-40 gauge

[@alanleal1301]

Someone knows if that extender it is works about a Mustang bass (Fender short scale)?? Sorry Im from Mexico, I hope you can understand 🙌🏻

[@tankmonkey398]

The lever on my Hipshot can swivel all the way down until it points at the floor when set in drop tuning, so it is completely out of the way - is the one you installed not able to do that? Or do you just prefer to have it sitting more upright when detuned (for quicker changes)? Mine is an older version from the late 80s (based on a Schaller M4S/Grover Titan-style tuning machine), so I wasn't sure if this was something Hipshot had changed on the newer models.

[@adamsteelproducer]

I think you can push the lever down, but like you mentioned I like to have it where I can switch back quickly- for me, that’s the purpose of the lever so I need it ready to go!

[@JaimeGarcia-s8t]

I have a 5 string bass guitar, how can I tun my bass to dross, which are the note

[@joaoceitil]

Certainly he didn't see the advantages of this. Just one name. Micheal Manring

[@adamsteelproducer]

I know manring’s Zon bass with 4 of these on, very clever but a little extreme for most people

[@joaoceitil]

@@adamsteelproducer I understand what do you mean, yet I don't think it is extreme. In my opinion Micheal Manring do a good use of this mechanical technology. I think is a bit limited saying with the xtenders you don't need to a have a second bass. For me sounds a bit marketing for dummies to buy them. You don't need to play or do like Michael Manring, you just have to be aware of what you can do with it in a creative way, not in a functional way. It is quite easy to understand what it does. Would you tell someone from the 94s that now we have smartphone, and the screen doesn't look like a calcurator 8bit machine, because it has colourful image, and you can do calls. Don't you think most of people would be sceptic about it, because they don't see any real advantages. Playing bass is something complex already, so I am quite sure with a good demonstration of the sound advantages and not functional advantages, people will be more convinced. the public target it is a creative one right?! Who cares what it does, I want to see what I can do with while playing and creating my bass lines.

[@senspartech3533]

Another application case is if you are just too lazy to turn the tuning key a couple times. Thats why Ive looked at them lol Never actually installed one though.. Also wanted to mention that there is the EVH D-Tuna for floyds. Couldnt tell you how well it works, but its there

[@adamsteelproducer]

There is that! For me it’s more like a quick-change thing, since I can tune a string pretty fast- I use this in medleys where we go from a song that’s usually played in E to a drop D piece. I used to just learn the E song on the alternate tuning but that can really mess with your head when trying to sing at the same time....

[@senspartech3533]

@@adamsteelproducer I dont sing, and the world is a happier, better place for it! My situation is a bit unique.. I say "lazy," but its actually tough for me to extend my arm to the headstock on a long scale bass. Have some health issues and such. The longer I have my arm extended, the more it hurts. Also makes *playing* there very difficult, which is a shame. Also means I dont play live, or even with other people. But, I always have some other random project that takes priority over checking one of these out. Next up for me is checking out the Dino Blackouts pups. Anyway, have you tried quickly moving the lever (or something similar) to get some cool effects? Seems like it could make unique noises, for better or worse!

[@wilson4165]

This guy talk too too much, omg