I think all us bass players need a 5 stringer, and a 4 stringer (and I wouldn't mind a 3 string for sunday drives)!! To me the 5 string sounded fantastic in the lower register. The 4 stringre was good and possibly projected a little more on the top end - but the lower register of the 4 stringer was a little uneven. The issue with 5 strings of course is bridge curve and how close - how much volume you can get out of the bass in the middle register. In short we need more bass! :-)

Thanks for this demo, great opportunity to hear-and think about-the differences. Thanks also to everyone who has commented. All good observations!

Each bass has its use. The only thing, I noticed that the player had to rotate the 5 string bass to be able to play the lower notes. A little bit, but apparently you have to.

I've played 5 string bass guitar for over a decade before i got my own upright 5 last year which felt natural quick. I almost tried a 4 string w/ an extension from the same place I got my main bass so I don't have a final judgement on that but still curious to experiment w/ one. Seeing both versions in an orchestra setting puts me in awe every time

@ajhauter5049

Жыл бұрын

put an extension on your 5 string

On the C extension bass he plays over the fingerboard on the low string giving the sound a softer, more diffuse quality. On the 5 stringer he plays below the fingerboard.

@atelierpuglisi

2 жыл бұрын

Good observation. I this was pretty much the first time he had held these basses so I think Samuel was getting to know them too.

The four string looks more natural on that particular body style. I have a very nice Jay Haide 5 stringer with a slightly wider German body, which is a joy to play. Both sound very similar, I tend to prefer the extra C string from a player’s perspective, rather than an extension, it makes a lot of passages easier to play without having to nestle your hand uncomfortably between a bunch of cogs!

@atelierpuglisi

Жыл бұрын

This was the only the 2nd time I had this model Jay Haide in 5 string form. Not as loud as the model you have, however a joy to play for a smaller person that's for sure.

The five string sounded better on the higher notes. I want one! All my friends have three or four installments guitars violins accordions, but my wife won't let me buy a second Bass , just no fair!

the 5 string bass is more clear, a bit more focused sound especially on low register

@peter3864

4 ай бұрын

But in terms of precision and agility, which is the best? extender or 5 strings?

@peter3864

4 ай бұрын

Could you tell me which one is best for me to use in the orchestra/soloist performance? extender or 5 strings?

@RockStarOscarStern634

2 ай бұрын

Thomas & George Martin improved the playability of the 5 String Double Bass by improving the design.

I like the extension as I a man who likes bottom, however the treble end of the five string is lovely. I cannot choose to be honest. For some perverted reason I like as much bass as I can get from a treble instrument and vice versa. I don't know why this is the case, just a personal quirk I gather. Listening to this lovely comparison as I watch the flood waters rise around my house in the Hunter valley, thank for the upload.

@atelierpuglisi

2 жыл бұрын

I have to agree with you on a few things. As much bottom end as possible. It is a bass of course. However I really like that G string on the five stringer. Good luck with those floods Brian. May the sun shine soon 🙏

The last few years I've been experimenting with fifths tuning CGDA like a Cello one octave down. Works well for improve with my moving hand style, however for reading sheet music just to much shifting.

It is hard to compare. the 5 stringer puts more tension on the same bass so the bass needs to be designed with that in mind. Thus the same instrument with 4 and 5 strings cannot be compared properly, IMO. In the video the resonance is bigger on the 4-string as it should be, but 5string sounds a bit sweeter albeit quieter (more pressure on the soundboard, no doubt).

@atelierpuglisi

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. You make good points. The five string instrument has a slightly higher bass bar to accommodate the tension. Also the neck is slightly wider. I reinforced both these necks with carbon fibre for rigidity. I realise that this is far from a scientific controlled test, however it does give some idea of the tonal differences. Personally I find setting up the G string on the five string a challenging job from a Setup point of view. Many five strings can lack brightness/clarity in this register and achieving the balance is a little more involving.

@RockStarOscarStern634

Жыл бұрын

@@atelierpuglisi Thankfully Thomas and George Martin cleverly solved that problem by moving the strings and neck further away from the body. It relieves tension from the top so it livens up the sound.

Was the fifth string tuned to B or C. If tuned to B the relationship between strings will be the same as a standard four string. With good metal strings you can use higher positions on the fifth string where the fingers are closer together. This allows easy fingering with all four fingers.

I thought the 4 stringer just sounds happier. You'd have to be in a great space for the 5er to not sound a bit choked/a bit too mid focused. Have you tried sticking a mute on the g side of the bridge? It cuts out some of the mids if they are too harsh for the space, works great for me. Great comparison

Ok, here's a funny one: I think this is a regional thing, but here in Europe (or at least Germany, Austria etc.) the 5th string is tuned not to C, but to B,, (or C' and H'' in German). So the 5 string is also tuned in accordance to the other strings (natural 4th). I personally like to play on a 5 string instrument, because it comes more natural to me and I have never seen an extension tuned deeper than C, (maybe you guys can correct me, if I'm wrong). It's less of a thinking effort, because you just adapt your usual fingering system. Also there is this unspoken mentality to play the "normal" B, as a B,, if it is the last note of apiece or a suitable moment. It just sounds so much nicer sometimes, just because its EVEN MORE BASS. On a different note: When you switch between 4 and 5 string instruments there is always the moment of you wanting to play like an F, and ending up playing a C, because your brain just thinks "oh, lowest string, got it" XD. So yeah, IMO 5 strings are better for orchestra just because of their fuller bass sound.

@atelierpuglisi

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your comments. Yes the five string in Australia is normally tuned to a low B. And I have also made extensions to go down to a low B However we decided for consistency just to compare these two Basses tuned to the same low note.

@atelierpuglisi

2 жыл бұрын

And I think nothing sounds nicer in an orchestra than a wall of five Stringers playing nice and low.

Very interesting to hear a comparison on a 4 vs 5 string on an identically bodied instrument. On that body, I think I prefer the 4 string as it sounded a bit better higher up. And that makes sense, that body seems to be better suited to those upper registers. Myself, I'm a 5 string guy now. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of a very small number of purpose designed 5 string basses made by Hammond Ashley, and it totally changed my perspective on it. I do give up some of the tone on the high end, and as you stretch out down the fingerboard it can get a little nasal in my opinion. But as I've never been a soloist, I don't mind that. The pure rumble I get from the low B is worth everything I gave up and more. It is a 7/8 body with a 3/4 string, so it looks a little out of proportion at first. And to improve playability, he made some complex shoulders. So on the whole, it kind of jumps out at you as being different... but what a joy to play. And the way it turns heads when it comes out of the case is kinda fun too.

@RockStarOscarStern634

Жыл бұрын

Thomas and George Martin cleverly solved its playability problem by tweaking its setup: KZread.com/watch?v=xSj0SHc0lgA

@VRIjerky

Жыл бұрын

My bass has many of those same features as well, and it was made back in the 80's so nothing really new there. The strings are pushed a good distance off the body as he describes to give clearance for the bow. But the fingerboard is quite large compared to my past 4 strings, and frankly I like having the extra purchase on the B sting. I wouldn't want to be that close to the edge with such a thick string, just my preference I suppose. And the smaller body basses seem to struggle to produce those low notes with good resonance in my opinion, you really need the larger body to make them work right. And about 10-15 feet in front of the instrument for the sound wave to really set up, I had to hear it to believe it myself. The odd shoulders are more to give clearance for your arm as you move down the fingerboard. The bass he has in that video appears to be a 3/4 size to me, so that reach is not an issue. But by moving up to the bigger body of a 7/8 (we can table the 7/8 vs 4/4 debate for now) the shear scale of the body starts to get in the way. So he put a very aggressive slope to them that's hard to describe. On their website ( www.hammondashley.com/ ) you'll see the 4 string version of my bass in the first background image, second from the left. It should kind of jump out at you versus everything else in the room. It looks a bit strange, but plays beautifully. Hammond was always a bit of a mad scientist when it came to instrument design though.

@RockStarOscarStern634

Жыл бұрын

@@VRIjerky Ah but the Helicore Orchestral Bass Strings are thinner to allow for that. Helicore Orchestral Bass Strings have a Steel Rope core to make Bowing easier.

@RockStarOscarStern634

Жыл бұрын

@@VRIjerky He actually was hanging the B string off the side so it has more room to vibrate and actually the string is being stopped sideways.

@RockStarOscarStern634

Жыл бұрын

@@VRIjerky Actually I found Viola Conversions which are Violins converted to Violas where they drilled a hole in the top (hence the hole in the heart technique) so what if they could apply that to smaller sized Basses too.

I like a 5 stringer to start on a normal low E (or perhaps a D with a hipshot style extender on the saddle) - but then end on a high C - like R.Garcia-fons - but why not a C extension and a high C? Wheeeee!

@atelierpuglisi

Жыл бұрын

We have done a couple of Basses, in the few years with the high C And the extension on a five stringer. I wish there were more of these going around. Sound great! .

low notes are better on the 5 s , 2nd and first strings are better on the 4 stringed

CGDA is the way to go 😊

@chasmonaghan521

9 ай бұрын

CGDAE on 5 would be cool to try…

@francoisvillon1300

7 ай бұрын

Басовый альт это виолончель, контрабасовый - :) Или нет - альт это контрабас пикколо.

Thomas and George Martin cleverly solved the playability problem of the 5 String by making some tweaks to its setup:KZread.com/watch?v=xSj0SHc0lgA

2:45

@theresa.y5221

5 ай бұрын

2:11

@theresa.y5221

5 ай бұрын

2:13