Double Bass Fifths tuning Eb,Bb,F,C

Malthe Buster

Malthe Buster

Mar 26, 2022
23
8
871
21
Denmark
#1
Greetings,

I’m just experimenting with fifths tuning, but i find no need for a low c for the jazz i play. I am therefore going to try the tuning, from lowest to highest, Eb,Bb,F,C.
Since most standards are in b-keys, i figured this tuning makes a lot of sense.

Bowing is not a concern, and i want lighter tension than my current helicore hybrid mediums. The string length is 100 cm.

My question is, will the combination of the following strings be a good match tension wise?:
Spirocore 3/4 weich E to Eb,
Spirocore solo 4/4 B to Bb (4/4 for low tension on 5/8 instrument),
Spirocore 3/4 mittel G to F (im having trouble with this one),
Spirocore 3/4 weich High C (avalible from special order).

Thanks, Malthe.
 
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#4
Reiska said:
Tuning string down a half tone decreases tension 10-ish %. Your setup makes otherwise sense to me, but your high c will be significantly more tense than other strings. I'd go with Efrano plain gut high C, that would match other strings regarding both sound and tension.
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Thank you, that was also my concern, as DoubleMidi also have said that the spiro high c is quite tense in a previous thread.

Will the gut string sound good up high in thumb position? I also play 3mm string height on the “G” string, so im not sure the gut will cut it.
 
#5
Malthe Buster said:
Thank you, that was also my concern, as DoubleMidi also have said that the spiro high c is quite tense in a previous thread.

Will the gut string sound good up high in thumb position? I also play 3mm string height on the “G” string, so im not sure the gut will cut it.
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Depends propably on your expectations, but it obviously will never be a spirocore :) 3 mm's under the "G " seems pretty extreme to me, so I'd think a tense steel string would fit better.
 
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#7
BarfanyShart said:
Cool idea. I got Red Mitchell Mittels on my bass, and a lot of jazz tunes sit on it awkwardly. CGDA is awesome for classical, however. I agree that the high C is going to be tighter than the rest, and the gut string is a good suggestion.
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Yeah, for classical it is a really good way of getting a low c without an extension.

But what are some good low tension options for high c?
 
#11
coldtrain said:
The Obligato high C isn't too bad.
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But it is very thick and therefor gets a rather short sustain in thumb position.
It is also a lot higher tension than the Obligato G and below. It rather fits with Spiro Mittel 4/4 tensionwise, but sustain and sound is different and the Obligato G and D has too less tension to replace the higher Spiros. Getting a good high C string is really difficult and depends a lot of how much you play and findig a good combination. Maybe plain gut on high C and G would work, since plain gut could be easily made to players specifications.

I’m still stuck with my Innovation “Studio” or “New Braided” prototype (steel core is too thin and too hard to press down onto the fingerboard and gut is not my thing) but am afraid I might never get one of it again. And I think after knotting it the third time is the pegbox, it would not be possible the next time it breaks.
 
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#13
To the OP's idea: I find having open-string major thirds more useful. F and Bb are my favorite keys with standard tuning. With the open-string root, you must shift to get the major third. For minor keys, it's Am and Em - I would find those challenging if tuning down a half step! Of course, I would find fifths tuning challenging anyway...
 
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#14
AGCurry said:
To the OP's idea: I find having open-string major thirds more useful. F and Bb are my favorite keys with standard tuning. With the open-string root, you must shift to get the major third. For minor keys, it's Am and Em - I would find those challenging if tuning down a half step! Of course, I would find fifths tuning challenging anyway...
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Aaah i see, but it is also the sound benefits i have experienced with regular fifths tuning that made me love it. The extended range as well, although there is more shifting.
 
#16
DoubleMIDI said:
But it is very thick and therefor gets a rather short sustain in thumb position.
It is also a lot higher tension than the Obligato G and below. It rather fits with Spiro Mittel 4/4 tensionwise, but sustain and sound is different and the Obligato G and D has too less tension to replace the higher Spiros. Getting a good high C string is really difficult and depends a lot of how much you play and findig a good combination. Maybe plain gut on high C and G would work, since plain gut could be easily made to players specifications.

I’m still stuck with my Innovation “Studio” or “New Braided” prototype (steel core is too thin and too hard to press down onto the fingerboard and gut is not my thing) but am afraid I might never get one of it again. And I think after knotting it the third time is the pegbox, it would not be possible the next time it breaks.
Click to expand...
Thank you for giving a thorough answer, as always.
You really are the string guru we all come with our questions to.
 
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