For various reasons am interested in how well this tuning works, specifically on the bass side.

I’ve not seen many discuss this particular tuning, or many go to Bb as the lowest note on the bass side. Any comments, problems, pitfalls etc that people have found?

Nope, I never tried that one. I spent most of my “starting” time in MR and Classic and once I got into mirrored 4ths I never looked back. Good luck!

My first stick is dmr satine/bloodwood #6336 grand 10 string heavy strings. Its heavy, and solid, the thing is a tank, and rarely do I have to tune it in different environments, or adjust truss rods, its extremely stable. I wanted deep bass, and it was easy to remember fcgda at 7th fret marker. I have been moving closer to the top of the stick lately, but i had mainly been playing above the 4th fret, it was easier on the spread of my hands. i have been thinking of sending it back to get rmr tuning.
My second stick 12 grand wenge #6854, was tuned dmr also. I recently sent it back for classic tuning, and like the bass A Lot more!, and like Emmett said many times, i find myself moving higher on the board.
Seeing as how raising the tuning makes the bass sound better I can only imagine what my 10 will sound like when I go to rmr.
I have read Emmett's input on this a few times and he had originally recommended rmr to me, but i am hard headed. I know everyone has their own take on sound and tuning, but i am understanding that if the Creator says tune it this way, it is probably a good place to go.
I like dmr heavy strings and started learning with it, but i think rmr medium strings will be much easier to play and sound a lot better. I guess i have to buy a new railboard or a new 10 grand.
I like the classic tuning because i want to grab the big chords in free hands. I felt like i was missing out on the original method, although it was written for 10 string.
So i think i need a 10 grand tuned classic, a 12 grand tuned classic, a 10 grand rmr, a 10 grand dmr, and an alto stick, which i am still debating the tuning but for now its bobs expanded alto. You cant have too many sticks.

RoknRol

Thanks Rey - so you find the low Bb of DMR doesn't sound as good as the low C in classic? Can you elaborate?

I have used deep tunings down to low A. They are fun for special effects, for the odd song or two, or on a second or third instrument that you don't use all the time. My second Stick is tuned in DBR (low B at the first fret). I love it, but I would not want it any lower and would not want it to be my only tuning.

For daily playing of most music, low C just works better. It's clearer and more percussive, and it puts the whole instrument in a more comfortable range. Your hands spend more time in the middle of the board instead of up higher where chords can be harder to reach.

I'm sure RMR sounds great, but I would not want to give up a low D at the second or third fret.

Thanks Rey - so you find the low Bb of DMR doesn't sound as good as the low C in classic? Can you elaborate?[/quote]

Well the Low bass strings are different sizes .118 and .130 I measured. the pickups are the same pasv4, i haven't tried any other pickups. the classic tuning strings medium gauge seem to vibrate, and or sustain better, and seem easier to fret, they almost have a hall effect to them. I am not well studied in music, i can just tell you how i feel. I like them both for their own characteristics. Maybe it was easier on my ears and fingers, having the new tuning and string gauges. the 10 DMR lower bass strings seem punchier to me and are harder to fret being they are quite a bit thicker. I haven't tried tuning down medium strings.
There seems to be an almost infinite possibility to the setup, tuning, amplification, modification, intonation, etc. of this instrument. The only way your going to find out if you like it, is if you take the time, and intonate it, and see if you like it.

I am not sure what kind of fret work if any, is involved in making such a radical tuning change. From what i understand Emmett did some fret work to get it to what it sounds like now, that may have been needed from me just beating it up. (the 12 grand which was changed to classic from DMR). I have not had the patience or time to try to intonate that far of a tuning change. I would just as soon leave it to the Master, although the stick is extremely capable of changes. there are many adjustments you can make to properly intonate the stick without doing any fret work. I am not schooled on Chapman Stick Theory. I hope in the future maybe Stick Enterprises will sell a book on advanced Stick Repair and modification. Maybe it's just common sense, or luthier knowledge, what ever it is, it never hurts to try and mess with it, only you know if you like it. Good luck in your sticking quest.

I hear you. I’ve been playing around with RMR vs classic, and both have their charms. I think for chordal stuff I like the raised bass as it’s all very bright and not too dense for chords, but that second bass string feels a bit less bass like than the first. Whereas in classic I like how the two lowest bass strings feel more bass like in their function, but then the overall character is much darker and invites less close voices chords.

I’ll stick with RMR for now. Not like it’s a million miles away from classic if I want to dive into it!

Well the Low bass strings are different sizes .118 and .130 I measured. the pickups are the same pasv4, i haven't tried any other pickups. the classic tuning strings medium gauge seem to vibrate, and or sustain better, and seem easier to fret, they almost have a hall effect to them. I am not well studied in music, i can just tell you how i feel. I like them both for their own characteristics. Maybe it was easier on my ears and fingers, having the new tuning and string gauges. the 10 DMR lower bass strings seem punchier to me and are harder to fret being they are quite a bit thicker. I haven't tried tuning down medium strings.
There seems to be an almost infinite possibility to the setup, tuning, amplification, modification, intonation, etc. of this instrument. The only way your going to find out if you like it, is if you take the time, and intonate it, and see if you like it.

I am not sure what kind of fret work if any, is involved in making such a radical tuning change. From what i understand Emmett did some fret work to get it to what it sounds like now, that may have been needed from me just beating it up. (the 12 grand which was changed to classic from DMR). I have not had the patience or time to try to intonate that far of a tuning change. I would just as soon leave it to the Master, although the stick is extremely capable of changes. there are many adjustments you can make to properly intonate the stick without doing any fret work. I am not schooled on Chapman Stick Theory. I hope in the future maybe Stick Enterprises will sell a book on advanced Stick Repair and modification. Maybe it's just common sense, or luthier knowledge, what ever it is, it never hurts to try and mess with it, only you know if you like it. Good luck in your sticking quest.[/quote]

I get you. Thanks for elaborating.