Double Bass Decent Low C for Fifht tuned bassfiddle..

[Tuomo Haapala]

I tune my bass in Fifths since 2000 and am really happy with it. Better sound, no jumping between solo-and orchestra tuning, no extensions and same bass everywhere. It is hard to understand why I could spent so many of hours and so much money changing strings or having two basses.
I have found both Velvet and Obligato V really fine to play in both arco and pizz ecept for the low C-string. Does somebody know any other manufacturere with a decent Low-C ?

With Best Fifths !
Tuomo Haapala

 

[anonymous12251111]

I tune my bass in Fifths since 2000 and am really happy with it. Better sound, no jumping between solo-and orchestra tuning, no extensions and same bass everywhere. It is hard to understand why I could spent so many of hours and so much money changing strings or having two basses.
I have found both Velvet and Obligato V really fine to play in both arco and pizz ecept for the low C-string. Does somebody know any other manufacturere with a decent Low-C ?

With Best Fifths !
Tuomo Haapala

Spirocore Low B tuned to C, or Dominant.

 

[DonQuartz]

I have been using the handmade "Sonores" strings from Gerold Genssler of Berlin and they are really incredible, especially the low C. I would suggest asking him for his heaviest tension; his lightest also sounded great but were not quite tight enough to do my heaviest orchestral articulation.
[email protected]
Next to Gerold's string my next choice would be a Spirocore low C "weich" (light). The Dominant low C while good for the bow, has little sustain in pizzicato.

 

[Mark Clout]

It's an expensive adventure. I played in 5ths for a year, but went back to 4ths. I have a Spirocore medium, heavy, Dominant, and Belcanto low C strings. If you're interested in any (or all) we can work something out.

Mark

 

[paulunger]

Tuomo,
Welcome to the fifths club! Finding the right strings, that are balanced is always a challenge. Are you strictly an orchestral player, a jazz player or both?
I, also, do not care for the velvet and obligato low C strings. I find the belcanto low C to be too thick for my taste. If you play flexocors, the flexocor 92, medium tension, low C matches well and has a smaller diameter. The spirocore works well and has a lot of bite and volume. It is a spirocore, though, and can stick out in an orchestral bass section. The "Red Mitchell" spirocores work well for jazz and the weich gauge can work as a "crossover" string.

 

[anonymous12251111]

I have been using the handmade "Sonores" strings from Gerold Genssler of Berlin and they are really incredible, especially the low C. I would suggest asking him for his heaviest tension; his lightest also sounded great but were not quite tight enough to do my heaviest orchestral articulation.
[email protected]
Next to Gerold's string my next choice would be a Spirocore low C "weich" (light). The Dominant low C while good for the bow, has little sustain in pizzicato.

DonQuartz, how did you like Gerolds strings? Were you using his gut strings? I hear they're very expensive!

 

[Adrian Cho]

It's an expensive adventure. I played in 5ths for a year, but went back to 4ths. I have a Spirocore medium, heavy, Dominant, and Belcanto low C strings. If you're interested in any (or all) we can work something out.

Mark

Interesting, Mark. Why did you go back?

 

[Mark Clout]

Trying to find the right string combination frustrated me too much. Plus, I went to my first masterclass. I realized that where I am, with no one else playing in fifths, it would be hard to learn from someone who is not playing in fifths. So all things kind of came together at once, and I realized I was better off in fourths. Now that I'm back to fourths, I appreciate it a lot more.