Thanks for watching! Feel free to run any low note questions by me-I know it can be confusing.

The bassist in a friend’s band (roots rock/folk and country bands) plays a 5-string Kay from the late thirties. They’ve been around for a long time! I didn’t know they made them until I met him.

You bet, Laura!

Glad it was helpful!

That's great--thanks for checking this out!

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks, Justin!

2:36 if this was a D wouldn’t you play open D?

Glad you found it helpful! Extensions can be tricky to get used to at first, but I'm loving mine. 😁

@@doublebasshq Are you able to close the capos as well with the left hand only? I usually need the right hand to press down the C-string to make sure the capo is closed correctly. But sometimes it would be helpful to be able to close it with the left hand alone. Apart from that, how do you tune the C-string, against the open G-string (sounding a perfect fifth?)? Or with some other harmonic? Last question: on my bass the C-string is lifted very much when I am opening all capos, so playing becomes a bit uncomfortable. Is this normal?

Philipp Mai I can close the capos with the left hand only on my extension, but it can vary from extension to extension. I generally tune the closed E, and the extension notes are also it tune, but maybe that’s just due to my particular extension. My open extension string height is a OSSO higher than when closed, so I typically don’t open it unless I needed it. I think that’s one of the trade offs between and extension and a 5 string.

@@doublebasshq Thank you Jason for the answer! So you are tuning the low string with the E-capo closed! I always feared doing that because I thought the string might tear. Is this normal in the US to tune the low string like that? I might try it myself then.. (actually my very first C-extension string tore after a couple of days, so I'm careful...)

@@philippmai4897 I usually close it to tune, then open it to adjust. I don't think you're likely to hurt anything if you tune it with the capo closed, but I have the same fear as you, so I open it up when I move it.

All true but I will add the caveat that most basses designed for 4 strings should stay that way. 4 to 5 string conversions are not practical unless the maker accounted for it in the design. Extra string, extra tension, needs (among other things) a bigger bridge. A knowledgable bass specific luthier will know when it's achievable

@@punkypenguin321 Thomas & George Martin came up w/ a very clever way to convert it:kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rrmaY7Z5yJbQl3U.html & make it playable, so thank Thomas & George Martin for the most playable 5 String Double Bass.

This is essentially the tuning of a cello an octave lower, with the E added at the top. I've wondered if the tuning of the lower four strings could be used on a 4-string bass. As one who truly appreciates the bass sound, I would have less interest in the high E.

@@bobjacobson858 Yes the red mitchell tuning

Fifths has been, for me, way more practical - in terms of cost and playability- than the cumbersome, frankensteinical extension…and having played in fifths for some years - a fiver with a high e would be awesome…

Interesting!

Coming soon, hopefully!

@@doublebasshq I look forward to it!

It’s a good question! Typically, the A and E strings are swapped, so the higher peg goes through the tuner. That’s what’s happening on my bass here.

@@doublebasshq Thank you! yes I saw that in other models as well. Great video

A hip shot. Like shooting from the hip, it's not very accurate. They tend to go out of tune.

@@bryanstarkweather really, I’ve never used one before, I thought they were supposed to be quite good, thanks for enlightening me

@@macmuggo5459 The hipshot for acoustic bass puts the entire bass out of tune when opened. This happens because it changes the tension on the entire tailpiece which is where it is mounted. Agree with @bryanstarkweather. Best suggestion: just don't.

I think that it's a Stenholm-type extension from what I read. Not sure of the exact differences.

@@doublebasshq As a bassist and luthier myself, I have worked on all forms of machine extensions. The Barnaby is a copy of the original Fawcett extension. The main difference between the Fawcett/Barnaby extension machines and the Stenhom (there is also another company that made a copy of the Stenholm, I can't remember the name right now) is that the Fawcett/Barnaby works in the normal chromatic way: the lowest key (closest to the bridge) controls the E natural, the second to lowest key controls the Eb, the next (higher) key controls the D natural, and so forth. With the Stenholm style the keys work backwards: The lowest key (closest to the bridge) operates the C#, the second lowest key operates the D natural and so forth. I have played both styles but prefer the Fawcett, which I have played and maintained on my bass since I got the bass in 1985. I will also say that the materials of the Fawcet are far superior to those of the Stenholm. The Fawcett uses concentric stainless steel tubing whereas the Stenholm uses chrome plated brass concentric tubing. The chrome plated brass is very soft, dents easily, and wears quickly. I have worked extensively over the years to maintain and restore many of both styles of machine extensions. The players that have them love them. They always play in tune and are much easier to play (in my experience) than the newer non-machine extensions. I also have built many of the newer style four capper extensions with tunable cappers. On my personal basses I have Fawcett/Barnaby style extensions and love them. michaelfmagee.com

I was thinking of that exact same passage

3rd or 4th mvt?

Fifths tuning! It’s awesome.

Contrabass Conversations Which also has the added benefit of doubling cellists perfectly as well as making it a familiar platform for cellists.

Wasn't that how the violone was tuned?

But you can break the top string

@@andrewprzybyla8871 no, not if you're talking about the viol family. Most of the tunings on that family were in fourths, and the tenor tuning I believe was exactly the same as the modern guitar tuning. As far as I know, historically speaking, the most popular tuning besides eadg was tuning in fifths with three strings, starting on g. Gda. Going back further in history, I don't think anybody is sure exactly how many tunings were used, but I don't think the octave below the cello tuning was particularly popular at any point, but I could be wrong.