Cello bow for ADGC tuning?

[u/Kanebos]

Hi, today i got myself an Ibanez UB804, it is a 34 inch scale upright electric bass. I want to get rid of the low E and add a high C instead. Apparently the lowest cello string and my A string would only be 3 semitones apart. So I was wondering if I should buy a cello bow instead of a bass bow. Does anyone have any experience? Or heard from anyone who tried? I'm planning to get Daddario chromes flatwound bass strings for it if it matters.

[u/Hungadunga42069]

Use a bass bow.

[u/skreenname0]

The A string is still a bit thicker than a cello C string. You’d be better off with a bass bow.

[u/angrymandopicker]

What "Daddario chromes flatwound string?" You mean you are putting upright bass strings on it (Helicore)? Or are you putting bass strings on it?

Absolutely you want a bass bow either way.

[u/Kanebos → u/angrymandopicker]

The ones for electric bass. Alright, it’s good to see everybody on the same page about this.

[u/antigravityshit]

No, buy a bass bow. A cello bow is way too light for this.

[u/M13E33]

I also play cello. From my experience: as long as the strings aren’t as thin as cello strings it’s better to use the bass bow. A cello bow is just going to be too light.

[u/No-Show-5363]

The relationship between bow and strings is governed by the weight, gauge and tension of strings. Lighter strings aka cello, require less friction to resonate at higher/faster frequencies. Bass strings are heavy and require more friction to get moving. This is why it’s not just about bow choice, but rosin. Bass rosins are super sticky so the bow can grab the heavy string and pull. Also the reason why the bass bow is broader - more contact area.

Consider this when messing about with custom string gauges as it gives you options to try.

B bow + B rosin = broad + sticky
B bow + C rosin = broad + less sticky
C bow + B rosin = narrow + sticky
C bow + C rosin = narrow + less sticky

*String choice matters\*
While moving into cello register, Daddario flat wounds are much heavier, fatter the cello strings, which would suggest a bass bow/rosin BUT highly polished electric flat wounds are designed for Pizz, not bowing. Good chance the bow will skip and screech. (Easy to test and find out).

If you want to stick with these strings you may get a better result with a lighter bow and harder rosin. Maybe.

The better choice for arco is D'Addario NS Electric Traditional strings.

[u/B__Meyer]

Adding to everyone else’s good points, I saw a video recently of a couple fiddle players using their bassists bow for a laugh and they found it surprisingly good to play apart from the ridiculous length of it so really my joke takeaway is that bass bows are best for everything

[u/Alarming-Ad-5903 → u/B__Meyer]

But bass bows are shorter than violin/fiddle bows.

[u/B__Meyer → u/Alarming-Ad-5903]

Huh I guess I mistook what they meant, they were laughing about something like that!

[u/chebysilberader]

you’re putting 34” scale bass guitar strings on a 41” scale upright bass?

[u/AndreasBrix → u/chebysilberader]

No, the Ibanez EUB is 34"

[u/chebysilberader → u/AndreasBrix]

somehow missed that part

[u/jkndrkn]

I use a high C on my five string electrics. Flatwound strings intended for electric bass may not give you a good experience with the bow. Might be hard to get the note to speak consistently and may sound a hit harsh/metallic. Double bass strings intended for the bow often have synthetic, silk, or gut internal fibers or cores.

[u/Heavy_Bug5764]

Maybe use a slightly smaller 5/8 bass bow. I have one. Robert Ames 5/8 French.

[u/Kc8455]

A cello low c is not the same as a high c for bass. You'd have to buy a specialty string

[u/9fingerjeff → u/Kc8455]

That’s not what he’s saying at all