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Strung B-G? Interesting thought, but still have to shift to grab notes and those notes will sound different. Every thing is a tradeoff though...
Interesting discussion. Have loved the concept of a 6 for chording and extra range, but the C-strings I've played had a twangy, thin tone that was way discontinuous with the timbre of the other 5 strings maybe I was on cheapo axes or using unrefined technique at the time, but it really didn't satisfy. OTOH, wondering if extended frets on the G-string would buy that fat timbre you can get when playing higher on lower strings, but doubt you'd get usable pitches on the upper reaches of the lower strings. It would be a blast to compare these two approaches, side by side and I guess you'd need a very aggressive cut-away on the treble side, to access all of those frets...
fwiw the C-string on my Monarch 5 (34" scale) sounds beautiful, and the bass is very much an "integrated" tone. I think as you go to longer scale the C-string becomes a tougher act to pull off, reverse is true with the B. But depends on the individual bass and most importantly, the expectations of the player 
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
B-G indeed.
Chords stretching from the B to the G string do work well.(Is that what you meant when you said "and those notes will sound different"?). Luckily the bass sounds very even throughout the ranges.( set-up and choice of strings do obviously contribute to this)
I just haven't heard a C string that I liked, which is why I resorted to this solution.
Basically any "same" note sounds different on different strings. One reason I like my E-C bass is that for instance when I play Abmaj7 with the root on the A string at the 11th fret it sounds different than Abmaj7 with the root on the E string at 16th fret. I like having that option. Sometimes...other times I just want a 4-string in my hands.
Ah ok.
Yes, of course the 'a'. for example will sound differently depending on where on the neck it is played.
For me the variety with 5 strings is enough. And since I am no fan of 'C' strings, I don't miss a 6th string. ( although I have been toying with the idea of having a short scale 6 eventually.
)
And just goes to show you, am sitting in the studio between takes and wishing I'd brought the YYD. Have the RA and the M5 but just not feeling the 5. I need. 3 bass gig bag...
I briefly strung my 34" E5S E-C a couple of weeks ago and the C actually sounded great. I used to gig a Roscoe SKB 6 and a MTD Kingston 6. Not a fan of the C on either of those as the C on both got lost in the mix.
I just don't like using a C string. Dunno why. I want to like using a C, but just not my thing. An E-G 4 string or a B-G 5 string is all I am comfortable with.
Ooohhhh! I would love to have one of those.
I am feeling this way as well. I'm on my 3rd try with a 6 string. I like the C string when up above the 12th fret but am not sure about below that. I am very comfortable on a B-G 5 string. I may try to sell/trade my 6 for a 5 that would compliment/contrast my current 5 string.
(I'm playing Roscoes but my circumstances/experiments are similar to those being discussed here.)
I gigged a pair of Roscoes for a long time. The SKB3005 was killer and so was the SKB3006... but the C on the 6er wasn't good IMO/IME. Maybe it was the wood combo (Amber Quilt Maple top, Spanish Cedar body, Wenge FB) or electronics which I doubt as I loved the Demeter pre and Bart DC combo. In any case, I don't know a better bass value out there than used Roscoes.
If I didn't love my 2 Foderas (soon to be 3 and an outside chance it will eventually be 4) so much, I'm sure I would eventually be back to playing Roscoes.
I've softened somewhat - I'll just play more seated. The 5'er is about 10.3 and I'm fine with it. If I go alder body and bolt-on with a 6 it likely would be somewhere around 10 lbs.
a few times but always cool to watch it again. There is no acting there....that is real life great guys.
couple of thoughts.
a note on the C string is probably not gonna sound meatier than the same note on the G string (though you can say much the same for g/d, etc.).
a note on the G string may not "sing" as well or have the clarity in a chord as the same note on the C string.
each has its own purpose, imho.
also imho, both the B and C string require slightly different touches in comparison to the E->G strings.
also, for what it's worth, i have two string-basses strung a minor third higher at D->Eb.
think it works pretty well.
a note on the C string is probably not gonna sound meatier than the same note on the G string (though you can say much the same for g/d, etc.).
a note on the G string may not "sing" as well or have the clarity in a chord as the same note on the C string.
each has its own purpose, imho.
also imho, both the B and C string require slightly different touches in comparison to the E->G strings.
also, for what it's worth, i have two string-basses strung a minor third higher at D->Eb.
think it works pretty well.
Saw Hiromi Trio last night. AJ was much more active than in the previous shows/tours I saw. They played stuff from the upcoming album and I think she's writing much more with him in mind.
I've been intellectually sold on the 6 concept for awhile, just has taken a few tries to physically be able to work into it. I still want a 4 for some of the bands I play in - just no reason I want or need a 5 or 6 in my hands for those. But I think the right instrument could actually end up being easier on my hands, as I can stay a little higher on the neck (e.g. when playing in F). All trade-offs...
Slippery slope on a build though. Easy to say, "meh, might as well go neck-through, chambered, yada yada..."
I've been intellectually sold on the 6 concept for awhile, just has taken a few tries to physically be able to work into it. I still want a 4 for some of the bands I play in - just no reason I want or need a 5 or 6 in my hands for those. But I think the right instrument could actually end up being easier on my hands, as I can stay a little higher on the neck (e.g. when playing in F). All trade-offs...
Slippery slope on a build though. Easy to say, "meh, might as well go neck-through, chambered, yada yada..."
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