The Bass in Fifths

[Matthew Tucker]

I heard Toronto bassist Andrew Downing last week in a small club. He played a german/czech bass tuned in fifths. He played solidly, at a variety of speeds, in tune all the way. Great player.

I don't understand how intonation should be any more of a problem than tuned in fourths? surely it depends what you are trying to play. In fifths, you play 10ths across three strings in the shape we would normally play octaves. In fact, probably a better way to get an in-tune 10th than spanning 4 strings like we do?