Double Bass 5-String Uprights

[Higure420]

Hey guys! I was thinking of getting a 5-String Upright (From Kremona) with a Low-B, and I was wondering if there were any difficulties playing a 5-String then from a Regular 4-String? I would try a 5-String out, but there isn't any down here in my town or nearby towns.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

My EUB is a fiver. The neck and fingerboard are pretty beefy despite the slightly narrower than usual string spacing.

 

[Lee Moses]

First things first . . . are you sure you want to buy a Cremona?

 

[Higure420]

It's a Kremona (Not to be confused with Cremona). They are a Bulgarian String Making company since 1924 and I have heard good reviews from them about their basses.

 

[Lee Moses]

Ah, okay. I'm not familiar with them. I'd be very hesitant to buy any double bass without trying it out in person. As far as the 5-string, plenty of bassists have made the transition, and I'm sure you can too. For the most part, you'll probably be playing the top 4 strings, but you'll have the 5th to use as an extension when necessary.

 

[richhansen]

I have a Kremona 5-string, as well as an old Juzek 5-string (my main bass). The Kremona/Bulgarian basses are fully carved European basses sold by Bob Gollihur, and he is fantastic to deal with. Bob doesn't sell things that are sub-standard, and you will find pretty much everyone agrees that his is the best in customer service. My Kremona is a very good bass for the money, and I would recommend them. The tops of these basses are a bit thick, but I've heard that Bob had the factory in Bulgaria thin them down in later production models. The low B string takes some getting used to with the bow, but once you do get used to it, it is great. 5-strings are used a lot in European orchestras, but are rare in states. The neck is a bit larger than a standard 3/4 four string neck, but I have large hands and it doesn't bother me. Bob Gollihur offers a 7 day trial of these basses, in case you decide it's not for you.

 

[Higure420]

Wow! That is a lot of information. Thank you very much for your input.

I would love to try one out but there are no stores that carry 5-String Double Basses where I live.

I heard Kremona was reputable as well as Bob (Bought my French Bow from them, Blew my mind on how awesome it is!) So I just wanted to get more information before I come to a final conclusion.

Thanks again!

 

[eerbrev]

I love my Fiver, but make sure you play it before you buy it. I've had little to no problem with transition, but I have had to fuss with the bridge setup a bit.

 

[Sera Wohldmann]

I love my 5 String - I have a Christopher hybrid. It took a few weeks of intense arco work to kill the habit of accidental double stops - the bow angle for each string is different from a 4, obviously. The other is intonation - many 5s have a larger scale to make up the volume difference, and for me it's taken a lot of shedding scales and fundamental etudes to get that back under my left hand (and as I'm still in college studying, of course, there's a lot more to go.) That said, I love how it sounds and I'm very happy with it. And my teacher has the patience of a saint...

It's my understanding that Bob's Kremonas can come in 3/4, though, so the last part may or may not apply if the string length is about the same.

Anyways, something being less popular doesn't make it any less fun. In my experience.

 

[robobass]

I played a Pöllmann 5'er for many years in a German orchestra. It was great for that, but not much use for anything else. The top was thick, so you had to press hard to get real FFs, but it was super even and very easy to bow, except for the rib depth. The neck was fairly small, so there was no real adjustment period at all. The pizz was dead, however, which I find to be the case on many fivers, but this is by no means the rule. I'd try it out!