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Low B or High C?

Low B or High C?(read before polling)

  • Low B

    Votes: 99 71.7%

  • High C

    Votes: 39 28.3%
  • Total voters
    138
  • Poll closed .
P

paniak17

Mar 19, 2004
1,075
0
36
Northwest, Indiana
#1
So, which one? I play a 5-string and I'm leaning torwards High C because most of the music I play is Beatles related and some of there songs i have to play the guitar part for because my band is just me and my drummer since my guitarist is taking a break for the summer. So what would you do in my situation???
 
#13
Joey3313 said:
Neither. High B and have it like a 5 string guitar but an octave lower.
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I played one like that for years!

I switched to the low B when I started playing in a cover band in the late 90's... Went I got my fretless 6 I tuned it B-B but changed it to B-C within the first week. It's fretless and I don't play chords like I did backin the day
 
#15
I say High C. U buy a 5 string bass, and u only paying for 5 extra notes (standard tuning)... not worthe the $ IMP. I say go with the high C. Plus when u are gigging, every rig can't handle a low B effectively (u may not be playing through YOUR cabs at every gig). There are also more things to consider as well... number of pieces in your band (any keyboards?). Are you playing rhythm bass (classic) or are you carrying the band? Go with the high C Bro!!
 
#16
paniak17 said:
So, which one? I play a 5-string and I'm leaning torwards High C because most of the music I play is Beatles related and some of there songs i have to play the guitar part for because my band is just me and my drummer since my guitarist is taking a break for the summer. So what would you do in my situation???
Click to expand...

I would get a 6 string bass. The low B is awesome.
 
#18
paniak17 said:
So what would you do in my situation???
Click to expand...
I'd wait for the guitarist to come back. ;)

Seriously, I find the B string really useful for many reasons. Of course, you get those five extra notes (the same number as if you get a high C ;) ), but you also get more notes in one position. Also, if you learn a song in E and you use the E on the B string, it's way easier to transpose the song to another key, since you keep the same fingering pattern. :cool:

I can see the high C being useful, too, so you might consider a 6-string, as someone else suggested. But the B string is definitely useful when you play lots of modern cover songs, as I do. :smug:
 
#20
Adding the high C will partially compensate for the lack of guitarist by allowing you to play a certain number of chords that don't sound like mud, even more so if you tune it to B and play regular guitar chords (although again, I'd avoid open-string chords on a bass if you can manage it.) However, unless you have a great deal of skill in playing what amounts to two parts at once, I'd suggest you just wait for the guitarist to come back.
 

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