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IMHO the best way to approach a fiver is to switch towards a floating thumb style technique. Playing with an anchor on a 5 will work for some, but most will encounter muting issues. Problems with strings ringing can make a five string bass bass feel very cramped and unruly to play. With the floating thumb playing the extra string gets reduced to the simple issue of lifting your right wrist a little higher. I love five stringers as I can play far more stuff in the middle of the neck. I rarely need to play a low B, but it's nice to have. I also don't like fiddling about with tunings.

I'd recommend either the floating thumb (which is what I use) or a moveable anchor. Stretching your hand from a static thumb position on a pickup could really hamper your playing, IMHO. Each to their own, however!

I wouldn't pay a premium for "mojo", but then Fender's stuff is very good these days so I don't really see the need. Picked up a 2009 US P5 earlier this year and it plays wonderfully. May get a Jazz 5 next year.

A friend has an ancient cheapo guitar amp that would sometimes pick up European short wave radio. I think he still uses it.

Get the 5 string version!

You should be able to get a s/h Warwick Corvette Standard Ash for around what you have. Here's a brand new one for only £650! [url="http://www.reidys.com/index.pl?submit=View_PLU&PLU=8461&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=PriceComparison"]http://www.reidys.com/index.pl?submit=View...PriceComparison[/url] Also have you thought about a s/h Sandberg Basic 5? Should be within your reach.

Perhaps get in contact with Shuker and look into a swamp ash bodied Jazz Standard? They start at £835. [url="http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/jspec.htm"]http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/jspec.htm[/url]

Fender now do a 5 string P bass and they've done it correctly - simply add a string.

The current MIA basses are very well made. They have also added lightweight tuners and a decent bridge. Well worth the money and should hold their value well.

BO Thumbs can be had for very good money. The tone is great, really thick and growly. They are built like tanks, but the five stringer is also as heavy as one! Because of the weight many folk seem to record on these and take the Fenders and MMs out on tour. Seeing as you already have loads of other options for gigging on your sig, maybe you should go to the "dark side" in full-on fashion with a Thumb

Whoa, they changed the Thumb SC shown on the website to one without a maple inlay! [url="http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/produkt.php?katID=22953&cl=EN"]http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/pro...22953&cl=EN[/url] Much prefer this. I guess their feedback was similar.

Laklands are made from good bits of wood. Should hopefully look something like this:- [url="http://www.bassexchange.com/catalog/images/lakland_44-01_natural_1.jpg"]http://www.bassexchange.com/catalog/images...1_natural_1.jpg[/url] I'll bet you could sand that all off and wipe in an oil finish like on a Warwick. That's what I would do, anyway... As for the pup covers, you could try scotch-brite pads on those. The paint might come off very easily.

[quote name='jamesbass116' post='710510' date='Jan 12 2010, 08:18 PM']hey, i am considering trading in my current 5er (fender 24V jazz) as the neck is wayy to wide for my liking, 1.8/1.9mm i think my school's bass teacher let me try his bass, a G&L US L-2500, he said it had 1.6 spacing and i could feel it cos i was flying all over that neck haha. But i do think that bass is a bit out of my price range. Does anyone know of any other 5 strings, ABSOLUTE max price limit £1000, with a similar narrow neck? around 1.6mm? thanks, James[/quote] Here are two ideas:- Ibanez SR505 at around £350 s/h Warwick BO Thumb 5 at around £700 s/h Cheers-

I have a US P5. Was always a Fender skeptic, but the 2009 models with the new bridges and tuners are great. The neck is really nice to play.

I've got a year's worth of bookings for short one-man gigs in my office/bass toyroom for the next year. Alas, work gets in the way of bands....