5-string basses for bluegrass

marcox · #1 12-09-2009, 12:33 AM

I'm very close to buying a '40s Kay M5. Have any of you have had experience using this model (or 5-string basses in general) for bluegrass?

It's currently strung with a high C, but I would change it to a low B to allow for easy root-5 shifts from the E string.

Thanks in advance for any perspectives you care to offer.

Fletcher Lanning · #2 12-09-2009, 01:13 AM

Have you ever played with a low B string on a bluegrass gig? I can never seem to get any tonal definition or even a decent sound playing pizz on a low B string, even in higher positions.

M Ramsey · #3 12-09-2009, 06:34 AM

About 2003 or 2004. while at the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) trade show, I was checking out basses with Tom Gray.

Tom was the bassman for The Country Gentlemen and later The Seldom Scene and is STILL playing in several configurations.

We were checking out a 5 string bass, strung with a low B. Tom was heard to say, "Listen! You can actually hear this open B!"

I would say that he has probably had many opportunities to try several 5 string basses over his many years of playing and that was the first time he could actually hear the low B string.

Paul Warburton · #4 12-09-2009, 06:55 AM

Click on Paul Warburton, down towards the bottom of the name list for some clips of my five string 1888 Joseph Bohmann double bass
Granted, it ain't Bluegrass but the low B speaks quite well.
A laminated bass will not be as sensitive down there though.
A friend of mine put a low B on his Chubby Jackson five string Kay and with a Thomastik low B it work out nice for him, at least with a small amp.

http://www.talkingblues.net/talkinbass.html

EDIT: You can hear the low B best on the last part of "My One and Only Love" where the bass plays the melody out. Or "Lost in A Dream".

Fletcher Lanning · #5 12-09-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

http://www.talkingblues.net/talkinbass.html

EDIT: You can hear the low B best on the last part of "My One and Only Love"

Killer Track BTW. What kind of strings were you using on that? The low string has some nice focus to it.

Paul Warburton · #6 12-09-2009, 07:39 AM

Thanks, Flanning. All five are Thomastik Orchestra Strings.
It's important, IMO, to go with that at least on the B for pizz. That string is so thick. Everything else I tried jut got that thump. I know Bluegrasses like a thump on a four stringer and that's cool, but on the B it just doesn't level out with the other four, IME.
And yes, I tried many different B strings.

marcox · #7 12-09-2009, 01:04 PM

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I've never had a chance to play a 5-string before, in any context, so I appreciate the wisdom of those who have.

Paul, those tracks sound great! By "Thomastik Orchestra," do you mean Spirocore Mediums?

Paul Warburton · #8 12-09-2009, 01:54 PM

MR PC · #9 12-09-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcox

I'm very close to buying a '40s Kay M5. Have any of you have had experience using this model (or 5-string basses in general) for bluegrass?

It's currently strung with a high C, but I would change it to a low B to allow for easy root-5 shifts from the E string.

Thanks in advance for any perspectives you care to offer.

+1 on the Spirocore B string.

Not intended as a derail, bit I've played a couple of those Kay fivers set up as four stringers. They sound really great that way. Maybe the added neck mass has something to do with it, dunno.

(I came close to buying one, but it was really beat to crap and the price was very high. I know now that I should have let my ears do the buying.

You might find that the Kay 5 doesn't really work well a low B

marcox · #10 12-09-2009, 03:40 PM

Mr. PC's reply (thanks!) brings up something I've been wondering about: when this bass rolled off the assembly line in 1947, was more likely to be equipped with a low B or a high C?

mje · #11 12-09-2009, 03:51 PM

I believe that was the "Chubby Jackson" model, which came with a high C.

Paul Warburton · #12 12-09-2009, 04:44 PM

Si. er, C.

marcox · #13 12-10-2009, 01:53 PM

It may just be a case of a different name for the same bass, but the blonde beauty I'm considering is an M5, while the Chubby Jackson is the S-51 (according to my interweb sleuthing).

Paul Warburton · #14 12-10-2009, 04:34 PM

Ask Molly.

marcox · #15 12-11-2009, 12:05 AM

Thanks for all the input, folks. I pulled the trigger on the purchase. Photos to follow, hopefully this weekend.

boombloom · #16 12-12-2009, 08:02 AM

The low B would be great for dropping the occasional "bomb". High C would come in handy for a solo now and then. Choices.