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Topic: Origin of the 5-string bass? |
Frank Freniere
From:
The First Coast
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Posted 24 Dec 2017 10:28 am |
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I was surprised to hear a super-low bass line in an old (1966) song by Paul Revere and The Raiders, "Hungry." So is that when the 5-string bass with the low B made its appearance?
Give a listen: http://picosong.com/wRL7d |
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2017 11:02 am
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Five string double basses apparently premiered in the 18th century. Looks like the earliest ones went higher instead of lower but they had lower ones in the late 1800s.
http://www.billbentgen.com/bass/5_string-basses.htm
Don't know about electric basses. Of course, Fender made a six string in the sixties but again, it went higher instead of lower. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 24 Dec 2017 11:20 am
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That's a great link, Bill - stuff I thought I knew plus loads more besides!
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 26 Dec 2017 10:12 am
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Exactly, Bill...Fender came out with a 5 string bass in '66, but it had a high C string instead of a low B.
I'll bet you that Phil Volk - or whoever played bass on the cut - just tuned their E string down. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 26 Dec 2017 10:22 am
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When I played bass I would tune down to D for the odd song, but as a producer I didn't like it! I thought it sounded artificial. For centuries we have been used to E being absolute zero.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Pete Bailey
From:
Seattle, WA
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Posted 26 Dec 2017 11:18 am
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| I don't have any historical insight but just as a point of reference, I purchased a 5-string Fender Jazz Bass in 1993 with a low B as the "first" string, so they've been around for at least 25 years now. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 26 Dec 2017 11:43 am
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From everything I read, mid-late 70s is when they started filtering in (at least, low-B electric basses...as has been mentioned, 5 string low B uprights have been around a while and Fender had a 5 and 6 string with higher pitched strings). Anthony Jackson had a six-string built in '75 it sounds like that would've had the lower string.
I've only really played one 5 string bass that I preferred to a 4 string. Ibanez Gary Willis signature, fretless with briteflats...borrowed it and fell in love, but had to give it back. Generally I'm a 4 stringer, although I do have a Danelectro baritone strung like the Fender Bass VI... |
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