How big is yours?

[Bflat1]

I've seen 5/4's and a couple of 6/4's, how large do double basses get? Heh, would a 8/4 be called a triple bass?

[lloccmttocs]

There is an Octobass which the body of it alone is the side of an averaged size person not counting the neck. It reaches two octaves Below Cello's Lowest string. It is a Fifth below the lowest Key on a piano, Beyond human's ability of hearing. I found it on wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octobass

That would be strange, we would see the string moving but probably hear nothing. You can't even play it with your hands, you need foot pedals.

[Silversorcerer]

Guinness Book of World records pictures a doublebass 14 feet tall, built in New Jersey in 1924. The lowest notes were subsonic. It was built partially of metal with rivets in the top plate. The strings were twisted rawhide.

Mine is kind of small comparatively. It is about 76.5 inches tall, with a 43 inch string length, 27.5 lower bout, 21.5 upper I think, with 8.75 rib at maximum. It was marketed by the European manufacturer as a 4/4. It's a five string so the neck and FB are wide and the paegbox and scroll taller than average.

Be warned, there is no consistent standard for double bass sizes. Sort of like the numbers on an amplifier knob. O.K. so I've got it on 10. 10 whats or 10 Watts? On most amps it's 10 whats. Well, it's not quite that arbitrary, but body size relative to string length is quite inconsistent as is upper to lower bout and C bout. Mine has a sort of full waistline with above average lower and upper bouts, but not extreme. Take a look at basses like the Pollmann Alexandria. You'll begin to see the problem with just trying to measure one parameter and declare a size. A good stardard would be water displacement, but then measuring your bass might cause some damage to it.

[PoorPlayer]

Dumb question

If a string is tuned below the range of human hearing, how do you know if it's in tune? Subharmonics?

[Silversorcerer]

On basses such as the Octobass or anything that creates a subsonic vibration, you may not hear it;- but if the amplitude is sufficient, you will feel it, the dishes will jump on the shelves and the spiders will come out of hiding. You can get subsonic vibrations on a 5 string bass with the low BB by playing the lowest note and its' major 7th. It produces an interference at about 2.5 Hertz, which is extremely low. The warble that you hear/ feel is the note and you can "hear" it because of the harmony / dissonance of the two audible frequencies.

Anyone out there (aside from me) ever try to tune the low BB on a street corner with truck traffic? It is next to impossible because the engine frequencies interfere with the tuner. It can even make the bass feel wolfy.

[Aaron Cohn]

Even if the lowest notes on the octobass are below the range of human hearing, that wouldn't make them inaudible. The fundamental would be inaudible, but we'd still be able to hear all the overtones. At least, I think.

[Silversorcerer]

Originally Posted by PoorPlayer

Dumb question

If a string is tuned below the range of human hearing, how do you know if it's in tune? Subharmonics?

You answered that one yourself. Yes, If you tune it to the quarter length harmonic (two octaves up) then the fundamental should be in tune also. I typically tune the BB to the octave harmonic because most of the tuners don't register the low tones very well and there is an easy reference for it on the E string if I am not using an electronic tuning device.

[theshadow2001]

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

Anyone out there (aside from me) ever try to tune the low BB on a street corner with truck traffic? It is next to impossible because the engine frequencies interfere with the tuner. It can even make the bass feel wolfy.

I cant say that I have done that but what I have noticed is that if i am on a bus or other vehicle in motion and I listen to my MP3 player the bass isnt as prominent. I also assumed it was the frequency of the engine