Bass Guitar Questions

[PapaRaptor]

After a rousing All Access Pass session on playing bass, there were several people in the forum who wanted to know more about basses. Griff deferred those questions. There are several of us who also either play bass in addition to guitar or who play guitar in addition to bass.

For anyone who wanted some information on that, please post it here and one of our many bass gurus will try and answer your questions.

Just for starters, I have a few basses. Among them a MIM Fender Precision Bass, a MIM Jazz Bass, a MIA Jazz Bass, an Epiphone EB3 (SG) bass, a Danelectro Longhorn bass, a Westone Raider (Japanese, mid 80's) bass, an Ibanez 5 string (not currently playable) and a Fender acoustic bass guitar (also in need of some work).

 

[ervjohns]

So, on a 5 string bass, the top string is the added string, right? how is it tuned? A normal bass is EADG?

 

[PapaBear]

So, on a 5 string bass, the top string is the added string, right? how is it tuned? A normal bass is EADG?

Can be extra low B or extra high C so BEADG or EADGC all fourths no thirds on Bass, I think adding the low B is most common, but I'm not a Bass Guru

 

[PapaRaptor]

Can be extra low B or extra high C so BEADG or EADGC all fourths no thirds on Bass, I think adding the low B is most common, but I'm not a Bass Guru

I'm not a bass guru either.
Yes, B is the usual addition for a 5 string.
A six-string bass (other than a Fender Bass VI) is generally BEADGC.

 

[ervjohns]

Thanks guys, just curious, not likely to buy a 5 string (or 4 string) bass anytime soon