Author |
Topic: Origin of the 5-string bass? |
Frank Freniere
From: The First Coast
|
Posted 24 Dec 2017 10:28 am
|
|
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 |
|
|
|
Bill Sinclair
From: Waynesboro, PA, USA
|
Posted 24 Dec 2017 11:02 am
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Ian Rae
From: Redditch, England
|
Posted 24 Dec 2017 11:20 am
|
|
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 |
|
|
|
Skip Edwards
From: LA,CA
|
Posted 26 Dec 2017 10:12 am
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Ian Rae
From: Redditch, England
|
Posted 26 Dec 2017 10:22 am
|
|
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 |
|
|
|
Pete Bailey
From: Seattle, WA
|
Posted 26 Dec 2017 11:18 am
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Nic Neufeld
From: Kansas City, Missouri
|
Posted 26 Dec 2017 11:43 am
|
|
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... |
|
|
|