Baloney Balderdash

It should, thanks for noticing and correcting me!

Just tell them it's safety precaution in case a string should break, you'll have a spare one ready available, without having to use time on first removing the broken string, then installing a new one.

For slide bass, obviously (currently using a flat naturally polished hollow stone though). And... For hammering the strings, for a Dulcimer effect (currently using a pen with rubber grip though). Also... I'd like to get this one for being able to capo "open" strings chord shapes for slide bass (it's the dAndrea Spider XXL Capo that can be used for 5 and 6 string bass):

Run Run Run - Velvet Underground

+1 to floating thumb technique, gives you more freedom and flexibility in your plucking hand, and not least it is the absolutely most effective way to mute strings you don't play. That said, even to start with, I had no issues going back and forth between my 4 string, standard 19mm string spacing, bass, and then my 5 string, 16.5mm string spacing, bass. Guitar and Bass VI however, every time I play those, which doesn't happen too often, my fingers will stumble over the strings on both my fretting and plucking hand because of the narrow string spacing until I've played it a while and gotten used to it. But we are all different, what might not be an issue for me might for you, and the other way around.

I play bass on this on these 2 songs, from the EP "Are We Enemies" by Menfolk :

Destruction Makes the World Burn Brighter - Chelsea Wolfe

Notice that you got 3 octaves available of the same note, skipping a string and going 2 frets forward downwards, or backward upwards. Like this for instance: --------------5---------------- ------------------------------- ---------3---------3---------- ------------------------------- ----1--------------------1----- This might seem rather basic and obvious, but non the less really helpful to keep in mind to help you orientate on the fretboard, and to me that actually makes it an easier task than on a 4 string, and makes it easy to copy patterns of for instance scales across the fretboard. Overall practicing intervals, getting familiar with both the sound of them and the patterns they form on the fretboard, is a really good idea, regardless of if you play 4 or 5 string bass. Personally I just think 5 strings makes it easier cause more patterns will mirror each other like that, and it is worth to remind yourself of that.

This is awesome! Thank you for making me aware of this band/album!

Here's 2 of mine: My Ibanez GSRM25 5 string Mikro Bass, which beside visual mods, have had the faulty neck J pickup disconnected, and the bridge J pickup wired directly to the output jack socket. The stock J bridge pickup actually does sound pretty awesome, but I still plan to at some point likely replace it for a Gemini Pickups Mountain Lightning J pickup. I also plan to soon pull out the stock side mounted barrel type jack socket, and replace it for a front mounted regular one of proper quality. Possibly eventually I will replace the bridge with ABM single mono rail bridge pieces, milled from solid brass. And I have it strung with Elixir Nanoweb guitar strings of the gauges: .080 - .062 - .046 - .036 - .026, tuned to G standard tuning, as in 3 half steps above the upper 5 strings of a 6 string bass tuned in regular B standard tuning. Named "Mr. Growly - The Noodlemancer" : Poplar body, and a Maple neck with a Jatoba (stiffer than and almost as hard as Ebony, but there is rather conflicting information about its supposed tonewood qualities, though most seems to be of the conviction that it sounds somewhere between Maple and Rosewood, whatever that means, and consensus seems to be that it offers excellent projection) fretboard. And my old trusty 4 string GSRM20 neck + GSRM20B body Mikro Bass, that has had the stock chrome tuners of the GSRM20 neck replaced for black ones, and the stock pickups pulled out and replaced for an EMG Geezer Butler P pickup, wired directly to the output jack socket, the stock side mounted barrel type jack socket having been replaces for a front mounted regular one of proper quality. I will soon likely install the EMG Geezer Butler J bridge pickup, and wire it directly to a separate front mounted output jack socket, so that the 2 pickups can be mixed actively in parallel off board. Will likely eventually also replace the bridge for ABM single mono rail bridge pieces, milled from solid brass. And I have it strung with Elixir Nanoweb guitar strings of the gauges: .068 - .052 - .038 - .028, tuned to A# standard tuning, as in one ½ step above the upper 4 strings of a 6 string bass tuned in regular B standard tuning. Named "Dud Bottomfeeder": Listed as having a Mahogany body, but due to its exceptionally light weight I suspect Okoume (looks a lot like Mahogany, and supposedly has pretty much the same tonewood qualities, but is lighter and softer), body, and Maple neck with Rosewood fretboard. The 5 string is the fuller, not as in fatter, but as in the tone covering a broader frequency spectrum, somewhat more polite, but considerably more growly, sounding, and also got better sustain and is considerably more dynamically sensitive/responsive, the 4 string is the fatter, more punchy and snappy, somewhat dirtier/edgier/cheekier and more compressed, sounding. Pretty much the difference you would expect between a J and a P bass. Also the tonal balance of the 4 string is exceptionally even between the strings and across the fretboard, as you would expect from a short scale bass with a reverse P pickup configuration.

Bird On Your Grave - Marissa Nadler

Low - White Horses

Cocaine Lights - Phosphorescent

Right... So what is your actual point with all this? Also I don't think that is how statistics works. As for OP, maybe try the One Control Silver Peg? For a cheaper solution there is also the Joyo R-30 Tidal Wave Bass Preamp, which is a clone of the Tech 21 Sansamp V2 (I would avoid the original first version and clones of it, as it sucks upper mids big time). If you insist on tubes Sushi Box Effects got an Ampeg like preamp too with real tubes in.

Rockstar - Sebadoh

There are other reasons to be interested in what kind of gear different musicians play than wanting to sound like them, you know... Personally I have no interest in sounding like anyone else than myself... But you are right, anything else is a fruitless chase, unless you want to make a living as an impersonator, and I don't think people impersonating bass players are in that high demand. But I do find what kind of gear people play, even people who play different instruments than myself, interesting, and sometimes even inspiring.

I can make you a bad cable emulator for a 10'er if you are interested? No need for circumstantial expensive boxes or anything. Directly build into the cable and all!

Kiss Me, Son Of God - They Might Be Giants

I now believe this might be the closest bet yet. But what do I know...

Anyone got a Wal Mk 1 bass that they don't use? I'll take it off your back for a tenner, that is you pay me 10£, of course beside you paying the shipping and import fee. And you ought to consider that a very generous offer, it's an old bass, and I can get a shining brand spanking new bass for under 100£. Please send a PM. The offer is final!

Well if your objective with modding your cheap bass is not just visually, but to actually make it a batter instrument, it wouldn't really make sense to cheap out on parts. Why would you even bother if you aren't actually upgrading it to something better? Hardware and electronics, including the pickups, are usually where manufactures save most on the production costs of budget basses, so usually you can improve cheap budget instruments from being decent to great, or sometimes even genuinely amazing, instruments by upgrading those parts. These days what makes cheap budget instruments cheap budget instruments is cheap hardware and electronics and somewhat inconsistent quality, at least compared to higher end basses, rather than overall consistently poor quality.

Show your straps! Here is my most recent addition, to my collection of straps, which now counts whole stunning 3 straps! A 2"/51mm Levys Poly Sunset Strap :

I think I seem to remember something about some people reporting the DI Out to be a little noisy. I wouldn't know though, I use the normal output into a tube preamp/DI, and I don't experience any extra noise whatsoever. But if you have the Treble and/or Drive engaged and set high it would only be natural with some noise.