The 5-String Double Bass

[Ken Smith]

I have just sold my 5-string and therefore am officially retired from trying to play the 5er and working hard on using a Fingered/Chromatic C-Ext to go down.

I just couldn't get the low B to work nor could I find the right string all the time. That was partly due to lack of practice. When the buyer came to test the Bass, we switched it to high C to low E tuning. I came with a Spiro/Red C-string and I had a usable set of Reds on my French Bass so one by one while testing we changed all the strings. Finally that Bass sounded good with a full set of Reds! It was deep, dark, sweet, colorful, loud and bowable. I would have never tried that set on that Bass (or any other Bass of mine) as they usually sound too nasal for me. In front of the Bass they were just slightly edgy but from 10 feet or an office away thru the wall, the Bass sounded great and in the hands of a great European player now living in USA.

So, for now, me and the 5-string is just a shady memory..