Piccolo bass

A piccolo bass is either an electric bass guitar or acoustic double bass which has been tuned to a higher range, usually one octave higher than conventional bass tuning. This allows bass players to use higher registers during soloing while retaining a familiar scale length and string spacing.

History

In the early 1970s Ron Carter and Stanley Clarke were independently exploring the possibilities of stringing their instruments in a higher, or piccolo, tuning. The earliest recording of Ron Carter playing his piccolo bass in on the 1973 album Blues Farm.

Design considerations

Acoustic piccolo bass

The acoustic piccolo bass is constructed in the same way as a double bass, allowing the player to use the same arco and pizzicato techniques. The scale length will usually be similar to that of standard upright bass, with thinner strings to allow a higher-pitched tuning. The acoustic piccolo bass is usually tuned in fourths, E2-A2-D3-G3, although Ron Carter often uses A1-D2-G2-C3.

Electric piccolo bass