Page 1 of 1

Tuning exess 4 string bass to BEAD

Posted: 05 Nov 2025 23:38
by djsaysauce
Hi, anyone tried BEAD tuning on a vigier bass 4 string? I have an excess 4 string. I think the main issue is how to widen the nut for the thicker strings. Looking forward to you experiences, suggestions.

Re: Tuning exess 4 string bass to BEAD

Posted: 05 Dec 2025 02:43
by ernholystone
Hi djsaysauce,
You’ll need to carefully widen the existing slots for a .125–.130 B string so it doesn’t pinch or sit too high. If you’re unsure, a luthier can file the nut cleanly for very little cost.

Re: Tuning exess 4 string bass to BEAD

Posted: 05 Dec 2025 02:44
by ernholystone
ernholystone wrote: Hi djsaysauce,
You’ll need to carefully widen the existing slots for a .125–.130 B string so it doesn’t pinch or sit too high. If you’re unsure, a luthier can file the nut cleanly for very little escape road cost.
After that, just adjust the intonation and maybe tweak the truss rod slightly. Vigier necks are super stable, so they adapt quickly to the lower tuning. Tonally, the BEAD setup sounds great on them — the pickups handle the low B surprisingly well.

Re: Tuning exess 4 string bass to BEAD

Posted: 05 Dec 2025 02:45
by ernholystone
Looking forward to hearing how your project turns out!:pompom: