Double Bass Just Put on a Hipshot Bass Extender - Video

[rickwolff]

I've been thinking about these for some time and finally got one.

I had all Perpetuals on my 7/8 Shen, but when I tuned the E string down to C it lost quite a bit.

I was going to try it with a Spirocore Mittel, but I'll have to shave off some silk before I do that.

I had some used Helicore strings that I thought were the Hybrids, BUT they have the BLUE and gold tailpiece silk so I guess their Helicore Orchestras. I'm amazed at how good it sounds being their orchestra string. I would expect that much sustain.

Anyway, here is a little video clip:




I would typically only use the low C (or a low D or ....) for the last note on a song so I don't really need to have good articulation on the notes below E (just good fundamental tone).

 

[elmer]

I also tried the Extender. When I tuned my E to D, every time I went back to E again the D string would be out of tune. I didn´t like that feature so now I have a "half extension" which goes down to D. I going to try the Extender with it and see what happens when I hit the low C and come back to D

 

[DoubleMIDI]

For a Hipshot Bass Extender, you may need a 4/5-wire tailpiece (cannot remember the name for it currently).
The different E string tension will influence the other strings by pulling the tailpiece sideways, so the other strings get a different tension too (just less difference than on th E).
But since you should know from your tuning experience, detuning one string more than a bit detunes the other ones a bit as well.
(The only exception might be the middle string of a 5-string instrument.)
A wire tailpiece decouples each string from the others, so this influence should not (or at least much less) happen than with a traditional tailwire hanging tailpiece for all strings.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

I also tried the Extender. When I tuned my E to D, every time I went back to E again the D string would be out of tune. I didn´t like that feature so now I have a "half extension" which goes down to D. I going to try the Extender with it and see what happens when I hit the low C and come back to D

That's because of the friction of the string at the nut and bridge.
The lesser tension might be enough to slip some of the string back to the vibrating part, but the raised tension might not bring that part back to the place before.
I think that that already happens when you tune down and play a bit but that the tension difference is too low to get the D back in position.
The (inner) core might move, but the windings may not move with the core as much as the friction holds them in place until the tension difference is larger than the friction.

 

[elmer]

now I have a "half extension" which goes down to D. I going to try the Extender with it and see what happens when I hit the low C and come back to D

Tuning down from D to C and coming up again I hear no issues with the tuning. With Spiro Mittel E this works wonderfully. So the Extender works fine for me this way. With EP weich E I couldn´t get the C low enough coming down from D.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Tuning down from D to C and coming up again I hear no issues with the tuning. With Spiro Mittel E this works wonderfully. So the Extender works fine for me this way. With EP weich E I couldn´t get the C low enough coming down from D.

That’s because the core is so stretchy. The Hipshot moves the endpoint of the string, but for a stretchy string this not enough to get the interval you want.
Use an Innovation Braided instead. Less stretch and otherwise similar to Evah Weich with a bit more tension.
The problem can arise from retuning the Hipshot string back, but also that the other strings detune when switching the Hipshot.

 

[Kenjuku]

Hey fellas sorry for reviving the thread but I'm looking for an E string recommendations for the Xtender. I currently have Weich pirastros on the bass. I play both pizz and arco. It's only able to get down to C# from E. Ideally id like to get it down to B since im used to it from playing 5 string electrics. What string have you guys gotten reliably down to C and or B. Thank you in advance. I have a concert in 2 weeks so ill be ordering the string right away or buying it from someone here on the forum.













rum.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Don‘t expect to go lower than a D.
String tension drops a lot if you go that much down. Have a look at the stickies in the DB string forum for my Dropbox. You find Formulas.html there. Load it into a web browser with JavaScript enabled and found the right formula for you. You can enter 100 for the string tension and read that as a percentage. The formulas are only written for reference, the calculation is made by JavaScript.

Have you ever tuned down an E string to B and really played that?

BTW, Spirocore Stark and Evah Pirazzi (regular) are strings with a high tension, but you will never be happy with such a tension mismatch from string to string.

The Hipshot extender is only meant to be used for drop tuning. And it will detune your other strings as the tailpiece moves and distributes the changed tensions differently and also the bending of the neck changes.

For a low B either drop the G string and go B to D or get a 5-string. Even a DB extension might not make you happy (C on an extended fingerboard, very expensive).

Live with E to G as this is the standard anyway.

 

[Bruce Calin]

I got a couple of them at a NAMM show several years ago with the idea of trying a 5ths tuning without changing strings. It might have worked if I had given it more of a chance but didn't have the time or patience. On my bass with the C extension I thought I could play the low B that's in the "Pines of Rome" orchestral piece by putting it on the low string but so far haven't had the opportunity in an actual performance. Is it worth it for one note? I believe I would try it if I ever got the chance. One of the groups I play in might do it some day. I'll be ready.

 

[John Chambliss]

I only tried the Xtender with a Spiro Mitt. I didn’t try grease, only pencil lead in the nut and bridge. Agree with @DoubleMIDI on dropping to D as okay - I even considered playing with the E string tuned to D and using the Xtender to drop to C. I may try it again one day for kicks along with a Marvin tailpiece. However, I did not like the impact the Xtender had on the tuning of the other strings.

 

[Don Hergert]

... the impact the Xtender had on the tuning of the other strings.

With a floating tailpiece, it's a natural that if a person de-tunes one string, it effects all the others.

I'd try one of these except for my preference for fat synthetic strings. I looked seriously at them today, reading descriptions, reviews and such, and it seems these devices are best used with steel core strings.

It's not worth it for me to change strings vs. my preference. If I want to tune down to D or C I'll just do that manually.

Nice concept and execution though.

 

[Kenjuku]

Thank you for the advice fellas. However Im still looking to do this. A C extension on this bass is not happening both because it's a plywood thats lived a rough life, and a 5 string bass as much as I want one won't happen. Far too expensive.

 

[james condino]

I use a drop D at some point on almost every gig. I find the low resonance drone when bowing very appealing. Many basses open up tremendous by changing the tension on that one string.

I also mostly use a Spirocore stark E, the big Marlboro sized one. At E, they are a beast, but dropped to D they are glorious and juicy and easy on the hands.
Synthetic core modern strings do not like messing with the tension; it throws off the bass for the rest of the night. Spiros are also very easy to slip away the silks wen using an extender because you can just give them a quick blast with a lighter and problem solved. Try that on a plastic core string and it will snap instantly.

A couple of years ago I made a new neck with a D extension. It hit the note, but all of the bloom and goodness was not the same. The extension keeps the same overall tension, but allows for a longer string length, opposite to the lower string tension but same length when dropped. I disliked the extension so much that within a week I cut it off and went back to a regular four string pegbox configuration and drop tuning.

I used one of the Hipshot extenders for a brief time, but I found that the added mass on the tailpiece really affected two of my basses and choked the entire voice. It was a dealbreaker for that specific application, but.... at one point I mounted up multiple Hipshots and used them to do some pretty modern active flip on and off during the middle of performance solos. I felt vey cutting edge and opened up all kinds of potential, but wow did it piss off guitar players and traditionalist band leaders. It was REALLY COOL when I used a KRIVO pickup and then went into my big pedalboard with all of the effects on. At one gig I removed them during a set break because the guy paying for the day was very upset just seeing them on the bass after what he witnessed!

My only complaint is that they add another layer of complication to everything such that I get too distracted to light my bass on fire.....