Spot the 5 string

[Apex]

Just returned from a concert in Bristol. There, only feet in front of me, the one double bass in the orchestra - with 5 strings!

I didn't know you could get them, but talking to the bass player afterwards he said they are quite common in Germany, but not the UK. (I'll bet someone on BC has one!!)

This one was brand new and made in Frome (in Summerzet) and a very handsome instrument indeed. Fifth string was a low B by the way. We could re-run the whole 4 vs 5 debate again for DBs!

[alyctes]

My dad was a double bass player; he talked to me about 5-string DB, some time around 1976. I'm fairly sure he was talking about an add-on, rather than a purpose-built 5, though.

[stingrayPete1977]

Nah just fit a massive wooden hipshot detuner none of my favourite albums were recorded using a 5DB, the positional thing is rubbish to hide bad technique, same blah blah but with longer fatter strings!

[Delberthot]

Didnt Bilbo get a 5 string a couple of months ago?

[Doddy]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1169033' date='Mar 20 2011, 12:10 AM']Nah just fit a massive wooden hipshot detuner [/quote]

Or a C extension

5 string uprights have been around for years.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1169483' date='Mar 20 2011, 01:56 PM']Or a C extension [/quote]
Would you need B-uilding regs? I will get my coat thats the best I had

[Apex]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1169483' date='Mar 20 2011, 01:56 PM']Or a C extension

5 string uprights have been around for years.[/quote]

Doesn't surprise me for a minute but it's the first one I've seen in an orchestral setting!

[Owen]

Bass guitar or Double Bass - you cannot spell bass without a B.

[leroybasslines]

5 string double basses are most commonly seen in an orchestral setting. Lots of classical music requires low notes beyond the standard range of the double bass - lots of British players added a C extension onto their finger boards but on the continent the 5 string was more common. 5s do seem more common nowadays though, even though they've been around for many, many years. You rarely see 5 strings being used anywhere other than a symphonic orchestra to be honest - they're pretty much exclusively a classical music phenomenon.

[skej21]

[quote name='Apex' post='1169023' date='Mar 19 2011, 11:49 PM']Just returned from a concert in Bristol. There, only feet in front of me, the one double bass in the orchestra - with 5 strings!

I didn't know you could get them, but talking to the bass player afterwards he said they are quite common in Germany, but not the UK. (I'll bet someone on BC has one!!)

This one was brand new and made in Frome (in Summerzet) and a very handsome instrument indeed. Fifth string was a low B by the way. We could re-run the whole 4 vs 5 debate again for DBs! [/quote]


If you think that's unusual, you should go and see a Baroque orchestra. Whilst at uni I had lectures/lessons learning how to play the Bass Viol (but never got any good).

Now THAT is a weird instrument. Essentially a double bass with 6/7 strings and partially fretted.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='skej21' post='1169964' date='Mar 20 2011, 08:22 PM']If you think that's unusual, you should go and see a Baroque orchestra. Whilst at uni I had lectures/lessons learning how to play the Bass Viol (but never got any good).

Now THAT is a weird instrument. Essentially a double bass with 6/7 strings and partially fretted.

[/quote]
I bet this is what Dood would play if it had that lovely fret marker inlay squiggle his has