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Hipshot Bass Extender on a 5 string?

KB5

KB5

Sep 28, 2012
683
1,814
#1
Anyone done this? After 36 years of playing bass and almost 25 playing mostly 5 string I had a minor epiphany this morning. I tuned to drop A and almost soiled myself. With a little grit and some chorus or phaser on it was just insane. I had never even considered it before and I don't know why. When I do play a four string I often tune to drop D. I just love they way it makes me approach a song differently and the possibilities it opens up. Obviously it's a slam dunk for a song in D.

Can a Hipshot Bass extender work well on a B string? The low A sounds fine on my bass. It is a little odd feeling but better than many B strings I have tried. I may try a slightly heavier set of strings to add some tension. I'm currently using Kallium Hybrids in a balanced tension set from .041-.1365. I think the next set up from that will be perfect.

The bass is an early Tobias Killer B 5. The tuners are due to be replaced and I'm planning on Hipsot Ultralights anyway. I'm just not sure there is room for the Extender due to the volute. I'm heading to the Hipshot sight now for dimensions.

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#4
KB5 said:
Anyone done this? After 36 years of playing bass and almost 25 playing mostly 5 string I had a minor epiphany this morning. I tuned to drop A and almost soiled myself. With a little grit and some chorus or phaser on it was just insane. I had never even considered it before and I don't know why. When I do play a four string I often tune to drop D. I just love they way it makes me approach a song differently and the possibilities it opens up. Obviously it's a slam dunk for a song in D.

Can a Hipshot Bass extender work well on a B string? The low A sounds fine on my bass. It is a little odd feeling but better than many B strings I have tried. I may try a slightly heavier set of strings to add some tension. I'm currently using Kallium Hybrids in a balanced tension set from .041-.1365. I think the next set up from that will be perfect.

The bass is an early Tobias Killer B 5. The tuners are due to be replaced and I'm planning on Hipsot Ultralights anyway. I'm just not sure there is room for the Extender due to the volute. I'm heading to the Hipshot sight now for dimensions.

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I play in Drop A for a few of our songs but Ive never felt the need for the bass extenders. Imo it’s mainly a cool thing to have if you want to switch tunings mid song like Micheal Manring. Our guitar players actually switch guitars for the drop A stuff so I always have plenty of time to manually tune down.
 
#5
Yes, there’s a Hipshot DTuner on every bass I own. All 5-strings.

On Stingrays and Fenders (34” scale), low Ab is solid, low A is kinda flabby, but okay if you don’t hit it too hard.

On my Mik Lull (35” scale), low A is pretty solid. This is with a .135 B string. Don’t know about smaller B strings, that’s all I’ve ever used.

And with anything cool like that, don’t overdo the use of it.
 
#6
I'm about to add one to my 5 string fretless. One of the bands that I use it with has some songs where the low A is really nice to have. Right now, I have to mute and tune the string down to A between songs, then mute and tune back up to B afterwards. I'd rather flip a lever and be done with it.
 

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