First 5 String (NWYT)

[Nugun]

ALRIGHT, now I know you guys have heard "best 5 string for under $____", but this isn't one of those threads!

My actual question is one for the scholar in all of us. Who made the first five string bass and when?

I'm semi expecting it to be too close to call or something like that, but I was just thinking "how long did it take 5 strings to come out after the first 4 was made?" and thought maybe the wonderful world of TB would know.

 

[Nugun]

Misunderstood bump.

 

[El-Bob]

I'm curious to know this.

 

[dedpool1052]

if we're talking bass guitars, then i think it was the fender bass v back in 1965. it was tuned E-C as oppposed to the modern B-G that we are used to. and it also had 15 frets.

 

[Nugun]

Oh, interesting. I looked into it and saw the logic in the E-C tuning, but anyone know why there were only 15 frets? Also, any word on when they started making them to be tuned B-G?

 

[carlis]

According to Wikipedia, "The earliest five string was created by Fender in 1965. The Fender Bass V had the E-A-D-G-C tuning, but was unpopular and discontinued in 1970. The common low B five string was created by Jimmy Johnson as a custom instrument in 1975. He bought a EADGC 5-string Alembic bass, replaced the nut, and used a new, thick low B string from GHS to accommodate the instrument accordingly."

May this article Bass guitar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia be of some help to you. (It actually opened my eyes by looking back at those days...)

 

[carlis]

I'm semi expecting it to be too close to call or something like that, but I was just thinking "how long did it take 5 strings to come out after the first 4 was made?" and thought maybe the wonderful world of TB would know.

The first Fender bass was introduced in 1951, nearly 14 years before the first 5 string bass came out.

 

[FC Bass]

The common low B five string was created by Jimmy Johnson as a custom instrument in 1975. He bought a EADGC 5-string Alembic bass, replaced the nut, and used a new, thick low B string from GHS to accommodate the instrument accordingly."

If I'm not mistaken he ordered it as BEADG, he got the suggestion from his dad who played a 5 string upright.
I'm pretty sure he comments on it in this thread: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (could be another thread, I'm too lazy to search right now)

 

[mikezimmerman]

Oh, interesting. I looked into it and saw the logic in the E-C tuning, but anyone know why there were only 15 frets?

Because by adding the extra C string, this gave you the same range of notes as you got on a 20-fret 4-string, without needing to go way up on the neck. I'm sure the assumption was that bass players did not need to play higher than that....

 

[Turnaround]

In 1965 Fender introduced the 5 string bass into their lineup. 1965 is also the year Fender sold the business to CBS. Coincidence? I don't think so. Leo goofed and realized he was losing it, so he bailed out.

Maybe....

 

[ggvicviper]

According to Wikipedia, "The earliest five string was created by Fender in 1965. The Fender Bass V had the E-A-D-G-C tuning, but was unpopular and discontinued in 1970. The common low B five string was created by Jimmy Johnson as a custom instrument in 1975. He bought a EADGC 5-string Alembic bass, replaced the nut, and used a new, thick low B string from GHS to accommodate the instrument accordingly."

May this article Bass guitar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia be of some help to you. (It actually opened my eyes by looking back at those days...)

I actually wrote that part of the article.

Yes, Fender created the first with the Bass V in '65. It was EADGC, with only 15 frets and mini-P pickup. It didn't last long.

Alembic had a model of an EADGC 5-string, but Jimmy Johnson wanted to hit lower notes. So GHS created a big fat B string for him, and he modified the nut accordingly with his dad. This was the first BEADG 5er.

Slowly other custom builders started low B 5ers, mainly through the early 80's. Fodera, Ken Smith and Steinberger come to mind.

Yamaha was the first to come with a production model. The BB5000 (1984). Other early production attempts include the Guild Pilot SB605 (1986?), the Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray 5 (1987) and the G&L L-5000 (1988). There may also be an early Ibanez 5-String Soundgear, Modulus, or one of the Fender Heartfield models before 1990, but I wouldn't really know.

Also interesting is the history of the 6-string BEADGC bass, developed around the same time in the mid 70's between player Anthony Jackson, and builders Carl Thompson, Ken Smith and Fodera.

 

[FC Bass]

Alembic had a model of an EADGC 5-string

I dont think so, the first Alembic 5 string was made for JJ:

Well, I was early to the low-b but probably not the first. The inspiration came from my dad's orchestral bass with its low-c extension and mechanical "fingers". We were also aware of 5-string orchestral basses - being used mostly in Europe at that time - and decided it would be simpler to try that then to add an extension to an electric bass. I had already discovered Alembic (owned a 4-string for about a year) so I knew we had the ultimate custom shop to build whatever we could think of.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

This is the bass:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

and I found this comment from Mica:

Jimmy Johnson's 5-string bass was delivered in May of 1976. The date construction started was not recorded, but based on the regular lead time back then, it's not unreasonable to think it was several months predating the delivery, possibly even in 1975. I would trust his memory on this detail.

Throughout history there have been instances of people simultaneously and unknowingly working on the same innovations. When the time is ripe for innovation, there's always more than one mind busy around the world. As far as our records show, it was actually Jimmy's father's idea to go down to B. We didn't invent it, we just got the job to build it. The only reason it could be built was that GHS agreed to make the strings for Jimmy.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[JakeG]

I'm a little late on this thread but I just joined this forum today. In 1989 I purchased the low B Modulus 5 sting built for and played by Joel DiBartolo throughout most of 80's on The Tonight Show with Doc Severenson. I'm probably spelling these names wrong. Anyway, Joel was my bass instructor at the Grove School of Music that year and talked a lot about his basses. What I recall him telling me was that Modulus built the bass with his input in 1981. He had a thinner neck built for the bass in 1987. In 1989 he asked Modulus for an exact replica, except with a 34" scale because his age made it difficult to play the longer scale. I have played this 1981 Modulus daily for the past 25 years, but upon learning Modulus went bankrupt I am retiring it and using a new bass. I have pictures to post if anyone is interested.

 

[bassbenj]

I'm a little late on this thread but I just joined this forum today. In 1989 I purchased the low B Modulus 5 sting built for and played by Joel DiBartolo throughout most of 80's on The Tonight Show with Doc Severenson. I'm probably spelling these names wrong. Anyway, Joel was my bass instructor at the Grove School of Music that year and talked a lot about his basses. What I recall him telling me was that Modulus built the bass with his input in 1981. He had a thinner neck built for the bass in 1987. In 1989 he asked Modulus for an exact replica, except with a 34" scale because his age made it difficult to play the longer scale. I have played this 1981 Modulus daily for the past 25 years, but upon learning Modulus went bankrupt I am retiring it and using a new bass. I have pictures to post if anyone is interested.

Interested? Are you kidding? This is TB. We live for cool bass pictures historical or otherwise. Rule here is: no picture, no bass!

 

[mtdkingstonheir]

Jake G - just came upon this post. I would love to see pics of your Tonight Show bass. Very interesting.

 

[wraub]

<snip> Yamaha was the first to come with a production model. The BB5000 (1984). Other early production attempts include the Guild Pilot SB605 (1986?), the Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray 5 (1987) and the G&L L-5000 (1988). There may also be an early Ibanez 5-String Soundgear, Modulus, or one of the Fender Heartfield models before 1990, but I wouldn't really know. <snip>

I have 2 Ibanez 5 string basses from '85. Roadstar II, pre-Soundgear.
AFAIK they were the earliest Ibanez fivers.

 

[Brother Goose]

I'm a little late on this thread but I just joined this forum today. In 1989 I purchased the low B Modulus 5 sting built for and played by Joel DiBartolo throughout most of 80's on The Tonight Show with Doc Severenson. I'm probably spelling these names wrong. Anyway, Joel was my bass instructor at the Grove School of Music that year and talked a lot about his basses. What I recall him telling me was that Modulus built the bass with his input in 1981. He had a thinner neck built for the bass in 1987. In 1989 he asked Modulus for an exact replica, except with a 34" scale because his age made it difficult to play the longer scale. I have played this 1981 Modulus daily for the past 25 years, but upon learning Modulus went bankrupt I am retiring it and using a new bass. I have pictures to post if anyone is interested.

I've been working out of his method book for almost 20 years! I wonder if your bass is depicted on the cover of the book...