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Double Bass 5 string vs C extension.

#3
i also think that a 5er is the more elegant solution of the two, but you will find many who disagree.

Some people are a whiz with an extension, and are able to play just about anything on it and make it sound musical. My experience is, however, even in fine orchestras, that it doesn't sound as good as it should, or could on the extension. Whether that is due to lack of active practice on the extension, or just the difficulty of playing on it, but I find that often basses with a bottom B/C string can play things like the opening of Stravinsky's Firebird much more cleanly and in proper style.

One thing the extension definitely has going for it is the added string length. it makes for a really loud D and C, with lots of depth and colour. These colours are achievable on a five string, but admittedly volume can be an issue due to reduced string length. Also being able to capo at various notes to have a drone string on the bottom can be very useful.

One problem, of course, is finding a good five string in North America. they are much more common in Europe, and increasingly more common here, but the number of quality 4 stringers vs. the number of quality 5 stringers is a large ratio, and as a result it is often easier to get a good 4 string and get an extension. Also, some people love their bass and don't want to invest in another with 5 strings.

food for thought.


eerbrev
 
#7
I think in theory the 5 string would win out, my problem is the strings are typically way too close to each other, also I haven't loved the sound of most 5 strings I've come across, they tend to be on the bringer side
 
#8
Even though it is lighter the long E string will tend to respond more quickly and be punchier than the much heavier B/C string. The permanent weight and tension of the 5th string can generally slow down the response of the whole range. Also many 4 stringers, young or old, cannot cope with adding a 5th string.

I commissioned a new 5 string bass that showed all the above negatives until I took it back to 4. We planned for this by having the 5th tuner as a removable gear and sleeve around the E peg, with its own little tuning knob protruding forward from the 4-string sized peg box. As a 4 it is a much punchier and more responsive bass. The 5th string, regardless of brand, had been killing these.

Regards,
DP
 
#10
As we've said here, the physics of an extension make a lot more sense and generally yield a better sound.

That being said, learning how to use the extension requires the player to be pretty inventive because there is no real codified way of playing on one. Everyone and every bass is a little different and the people who can play well on the C/B extension tend to have a pretty personalized way of doing it.
 
#11
Eric Hochberg said:
...
Andy Anderson of the Lyric Opera of Chicago told me he finds the 5 string bass "the more elegant solution" of the two. His Pollmann fiver plays like butter and sounds great. Andy told me getting the setup to that point was rather involved.
Click to expand...

I played on a Pöllmann 5-er for many years in a German orchestra. I guess I would agree that it is more elegant, but there are also disadvantages.

On the plus side, I could get great articulation out of the fifth string, which responded only slightly more slowly than the higher strings, and there was no additional technique to learn for the low notes. Also, the bass was very even from top to bottom, and really easy to play overall.

On the minus, the bass was very tight. Pizz was cold and lacked sustain, and it required extreme bow pressure to get a solid FF. It had less fundamental, and was far less resonant than my four string Pfretzchner w/extension. It was great for orchestra section playing, but I found it undesirable for anything else.

I've been playing a gated extension for twenty years or so and that is my preference, but I freely admit that I cannot play certain Strauss excerpts on the extension as well as I can on a five-string Pöllmann. Otoh, my Pfretzchner is stronger and richer than any five-string I've played, especially in the lowest octave, and I will take that big sound at the expense of perfect execution.

So in the end, it just comes down to what you want to do, and what your priorities are. There are trade offs either way. And, it also depends on what specific instruments come your way.
 
#14
depends on the music. for example - strauss tone poems, shostakovich 5, some beethoven passages, etc. are easier on a 5er. other things (90% of the rep) works just fine on an extension. you can set different capos on the ext to get different overtones and even eliminate wolf tones. adding a 5th string tends to dampen the sound of the instrument, but of course that is not always the case. also, some people don't like the string spacing on 5 strings. that being said, 5 string basses are undoubtedly an elegant solution to many problematic passages in the rep. honestly, i think it's a toss up. just go with what makes you feel most comfortable if you need those notes.
 
#16
For me, five stringers are where it's at. I'm pretty sure i'm never going to go back to a c extension again now i've found a really powerful 5 string instrument that works (all the way up to the top!). The problem is that as people have said, many instruments with five strings simply can't cut it when placed alongside a really good 4 string instrument - dead sound with less harmonics and less 'ring', setup and playability issues.

The only problem with mine is the basic sound it makes under the bow - very deep and with loads of spread, which i think is linked to the size of the instrument and the biggish string length etc. Currently playing a single strings Mozart opera and it feels a bit like i'm trying to drive an 18 wheeler down a country lane for some of the quieter moments. I can see the value of having more than one instrument..... that said there's nothing like laying down a low b underneath a full orchestra (which admittedly is where i spend most of my working life!).

I don't see why given the choice between a really great five stringer and a c extension bass anyone would choose the four stringer, but therein lies the problem. I've only come across 2 other instruments in this country which i would say were as enjoyable to play and had a sound to match or better. I'm told Germany is the place to look. Take a look at those enormous great things they use in the Berlin Phil - what a sound! Although i was told by Matthew McDonald that his bass he uses in the orchestra has a 115cm string length.... what a beast! :eek:
 
#18
My two bits.. I've played 5 string all my life and I can't imagine trying to find notes on a huge extended fingerboard (it's hard enough on the normal fingerboard!). I can't say if it's better or worse but I have never felt tempted to try an extention for the 'extra tone' you're supposed to get with the lower tension on the belly.
I guess it's up to each individual and what he or she's used to and comfortable with.
FC
 

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