• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Info on Piccolo Bass

Pcocobass

Pcocobass

Jun 16, 2005
563
7
47
New York
www.petecoco.net
#1
Hey everyone,

I am looking for information about piccolo bass. I would like to know what the differences are between this and a cello, and also if anyone knows who makes them, and where I might find one to try out, that would be helpful too.

Basically, any info would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Pete
 
#5
Pcocobass said:
C'mon guys. Can anyone give me some direction here?:confused: :hyper:
Click to expand...

Who the hell knows anything about them....who the hell's actually ever played one? I've always thought a "piccolo bass" was like a "baby grand" piano in that it is so general a term as to be not very useful. Wouldn't it simply be a 1/2 or 3/8 size regular bass played by an adult? Wouldn't the difference between it and a cello be that it's tuned in 4ths rather than 5ths? That the strings would be thicker (this I know from trying to get short scale bass strings on a cello) and the scale length longer (a cello is 27"-ish?) giving you a less "plinky" pizz sound? Aren't you in NYC where there are more bass repair shops per capita than anywhere else? I'd bet Gage and Merchant and those kinda guys would be the ones to really know this kinda thing. You've got my curiosity up now....I find out anything I will post please do the same.
 
#9
jbonny said:
Who the hell knows anything about them....who the hell's actually ever played one? I've always thought a "piccolo bass" was like a "baby grand" piano in that it is so general a term as to be not very useful. Wouldn't it simply be a 1/2 or 3/8 size regular bass played by an adult? Wouldn't the difference between it and a cello be that it's tuned in 4ths rather than 5ths? That the strings would be thicker (this I know from trying to get short scale bass strings on a cello) and the scale length longer (a cello is 27"-ish?) giving you a less "plinky" pizz sound? Aren't you in NYC where there are more bass repair shops per capita than anywhere else? I'd bet Gage and Merchant and those kinda guys would be the ones to really know this kinda thing. You've got my curiosity up now....I find out anything I will post please do the same.
Click to expand...

Wikipedia to the rescue:

"The acoustic piccolo bass is an instrument similar to the double bass, but with a range exactly one octave higher. It is featured on Henry Threadgill's 1979 album X-75 Volume 1, played by Brian Smith. Ron Carter uses a piccolo bass that he tunes a fourth higher than a normal double bass (low to high: A-D-G-C)."

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccolo_bass

Ron Carter plays it on some tracks on Bass Farm, ~1973. Also, many years ago there was a NYC bassist, Lyle Atkinson who played a piccolo bass (not exclusively, of course). He was quite bassist too, as I recall.

Since it is tuned higher, the strings would not be soo thick.

Jim
 
#13
Wow, there seems to be a lot of hostility toward the piccolo bass here..... am I missing something?:hiding: Is it because it is a bastardized cello? Seems like some low ended bias to me.... (what a shock around here).:D

Anyway, the reason I asked is because lately I've been getting into playing the cello as a pizz jazz instrument and I wanted to know a bit more about my options with instruments. I have an old Kay cello right now that I've been fooling around with.

As I understand it, Ray, Oscar & Sam Jones used regular cellos but tuned in fourths like a bass. If I'm wrong maybe someone can enlighten me. My friend also told me that he read that Kay built Ray his own cello (or custom cello-ish instrument) that he uses on his cello records. I'm not sure about this either.
 
#16
jsbarber said:
Wikipedia to the rescue:

"The acoustic piccolo bass is an instrument similar to the double bass, but with a range exactly one octave higher. It is featured on Henry Threadgill's 1979 album X-75 Volume 1, played by Brian Smith. Ron Carter uses a piccolo bass that he tunes a fourth higher than a normal double bass (low to high: A-D-G-C)."
Jim
Click to expand...


isnt ADGC tenor tuning and not piccolo?
 
#17
Pcocobass said:
As I understand it, Ray, Oscar & Sam Jones used regular cellos but tuned in fourths like a bass. If I'm wrong maybe someone can enlighten me. My friend also told me that he read that Kay built Ray his own cello (or custom cello-ish instrument) that he uses on his cello records. I'm not sure about this either.
Click to expand...

Don't know about Pettiford and Jones (i thought one of those guys tuned in 5ths) but all the above is true about Ray Brown's instrument. I didn't play it but I saw it and he talked about it at a master class I attended.

I had a cello for a while and I had a heck of a time finding strings that worked in 4ths and eventually sold it. It's an interesting sound though I'm talking to a luthier about building a 34" scale neck onto a an old Czech laminated cello body I have so I can use the more readily (for now) available Thomastik Jazz Flats which are the bass guitar equivalent of Spirocores gauged in a .093 to .042 set.
 
#18
Hey Pete-it's cool you're checking it out; I don't really know much about it myself. What I've heard I didn't dig, but I do like 6 string electric bass though as far as extended range bass.
I absolutely love the cello played arco, just not really a fan of it played pizz in jazz.

Also, Todd Coolman used a cello ala Pettiford on a couple of cuts on his first solo CD. He told me he tuned it like a bass.
 
#20
musicman5string said:
Also, Todd Coolman used a cello ala Pettiford on a couple of cuts on his first solo CD. He told me he tuned it like a bass.
Click to expand...
Boy I'm an idiot. I'll see what Todd says, I didn't even think to ask him. I totally forgot he played cello. Maybe he can find out some info for me from Ron, too, I know they are pretty tight.

I guess what I want to know is about the length of the fingerboard. The spacing on the cello feels slightly cramped to me, and I think this is kind of what a lot of bassists have said. It is amazing though how little info on the www I've been able to find....
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back