How many strings?

[skej21]

This reminds me of Anthony Jackson's bass philosophy;

"Why is four the standard and not six? As the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family, the instrument should have had six strings from the beginning. The only reason it had four was because Leo Fender was thinking in application terms of an upright bass, but he built it along guitar lines because that was his training. The logical conception for the bass guitar encompasses six strings."

[pantherairsoft]

[quote name='Wilco' post='1039871' date='Nov 28 2010, 01:04 PM'](Are ERB players just frustrated guitarists? Just go get a baritone guitar if you need those high notes & want to play chords - leave the low zone to those who like groove!!)[/quote]

A little unfair... But each to there own. I consider myself a 'Groove' player, but being able to play around the 2-3rd fret on the B or E strings and pick a quick note down there on the C string is a lot easier and has less room for error than doing a Flea style move and shooting down to the 14th fret on my G to pick and then fly right back to the 2nd on the E again... And repeat!

[EssentialTension]

Four strings, five frets - maybe seven or even nine frets occasionally.

And very occasionally E string dropped to D if really really necessary.

[4-string-thing]

I suppose I could be interested in an 8 string (4 pairs) like the guy from Cheap Trick. Anyone got a Hagstrom? Then again, I'd have to use a pick, and thats another thing I don't like!

[BobTheBassist]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1039759' date='Nov 28 2010, 11:33 AM']Didn't you just say that about 5 string basses?[/quote]

That was kinda intended ironicly! My point was that I used to be adrantly 4 string only and only recently realised that it's all about what you play and how you play it. I play largely punk and ska so a 5 is a bit unusual but it works for me.

[stingrayPete1977]

Im not knocking the 5ers but most the time I watch a pub band with a bassist using one I watch to see how often they play anything on the B and more often than not its very little. Most the pub bands I see with them are playing songs that were all written and recorded on 4 strings in the first place too.

Its funny how we have one thread telling us that if the Alleva Coppolo headstock was different shape it would have dead spots yet most people are happy to play the low notes on a five on the B sting rather than go up the neck to get them on the E which totally changes the sound of the note (or even an octave) and leaves out the slide that often comes with it. Lots of people tell me they have got lazy because of it.

Im not closed off to more than 4 strings but I have never felt the need for more, I play in 3 bands and have never been kicked out for not having more strings or being crap at playing. There are plenty of players who should learn to play before moving to 5,6 or 8 strings!

[pantherairsoft]

It's quite odd actually... One of the few bassists that really inspired me to play more chords and play higher up the neck is Justin Chancellor from Tool. He is also strictly a 4 string player who stands by the 'why would I need more than 4 strings' mentality. Figure that one out!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1040020' date='Nov 28 2010, 03:45 PM']Im not knocking the 5ers but most the time I watch a pub band with a bassist using one I watch to see how often they play anything on the B and more often than not its very little ...[/quote]
I don't mean to knock anyone either - people can play what and how they like as far as I'm concerned - but when I do see five stringers played locally it's often with the left hand at the fifth fret playing the same shapes as would be played using open strings on a four string and very little if anything below the E on the B string.

[Pete Academy]

I use a 5 for live gigs and use the low B quite a lot. I love playing 4 string, though.

[ElectroHippie]

I own a 5, used to play it constantly, but then i got a new 4 and now the 5 hardly ever gets a play!

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1040020' date='Nov 28 2010, 03:45 PM']Im not knocking the 5ers but most the time I watch a pub band with a bassist using one I watch to see how often they play anything on the B and more often than not its very little. Most the pub bands I see with them are playing songs that were all written and recorded on 4 strings in the first place too.

Its funny how we have one thread telling us that if the Alleva Coppolo headstock was different shape it would have dead spots yet most people are happy to play the low notes on a five on the B sting rather than go up the neck to get them on the E which totally changes the sound of the note (or even an octave) and leaves out the slide that often comes with it. Lots of people tell me they have got lazy because of it.

Im not closed off to more than 4 strings but I have never felt the need for more, I play in 3 bands and have never been kicked out for not having more strings or being crap at playing. There are plenty of players who should learn to play before moving to 5,6 or 8 strings! [/quote]

Oh dear. Why do threads like this always end up becoming a "why bother playing more than 4 strings" thread? Why bother constantly knocking it? You obviously don't play a type of music that requires the use of it, that's all.

It's always the bloody same, not just with bass players but musicians in general where people see fit to start dissing on other people for not playing the "traditional" thing...

Edited November 28, 2010 by EdwardHimself

[Doddy]

Lately,I've been gigging on 5 strings all the time. I may only use low B string once or twice during a gig,but I like having it there just in case I want or need to use it. As far as 6 strings go,I've got a couple and am comfortable using them,but I just prefer the five-especially if it has a two octave 'board. I do like the upper range.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='1040162' date='Nov 28 2010, 05:44 PM']Oh dear. Why do threads like this always end up becoming a "why bother playing more than 4 strings" thread? Why bother constantly knocking it? You obviously don't play a type of music that requires the use of it, that's all.

It's always the bloody same, not just with bass players but musicians in general where people see fit to start dissing on other people for not playing the "traditional" thing...[/quote]
I've been dissed for not having a five string more than I've ever dissed anyone for having a five - which is not at all.

Edited November 28, 2010 by EssentialTension

[warwickhunt]

4's

Each to his own but I've never found a B string that I like the sound of when played open (that has included 35" scale basses) and for the sake of an extra 5 (3 if I drop tune the E) notes to add to the 96 I presently have available on my 4 string basses... I'll pass.

[ThomBassmonkey]

There's 4 main reasons that people use ERBs (mainly 5ers).

1) The extended range (duh).
2) They prefer the sound of the thicker strings, so they'd play F# on the 7th fret of the B instead lf of the 2nd on E for example.
3) They prefer closer frets, so they'll stay above the 5th fret and play a string lower and not have to reach as far.
4) They would rather keep their wrist in one position than move up and down the neck when they don't need to.

As you can see, 3 out of those 4 reasons to use an ERB don't involve notes below E. That's before you even start thinking about things like maybe they just prefer the feel of the neck on the one they have, maybe they play in other bands that require them to have a 5er and they can't afford two basses, maybe they think it looks cool. Whatever their reason for owning one, you shouldn't really be critising them for having an extra string that they rarely use, if that's only fault you can find with their playing then you should be impressed.

As for "X bassist uses this or that", different people have different requirements. I dunno if you've ever tried to play Tool on the C string on your 6ers Panther, but it's not as easy as playing it on the D string (usually) due to all the hammer-ons going on. I'm sure you have your own justification for 6 strings, but when I used to play more prog heavy rock style stuff, I often used to go from riffing on the low B into chords, which was physically possible on a 5er (I did it once when I broke a string at a gig) but the amount of hopping about on the fretboard is so absurd and it seriously reduces accuracy when compared to getting a 6 string. I wouldn't mind a 6er again now because I play a few bits up the neck and it'd just be handy to have them closer to where the rest of my playing is.

There's no "best" answer to how many strings you use and I doubt the OP meant the question that way. It seems silly that there's there's people critising people for using different amounts of strings (especially when their justification is way off).

[ead]

Mostly 4s but recently acquired a 5, so who knows!

[Protium]

[quote name='skej21' post='1039879' date='Nov 28 2010, 01:16 PM']The logical conception for the bass guitar encompasses six strings.[/quote]

Why? A four string bass with 21 frets covers 4 octaves, well more than is necessary.

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='Protium' post='1040225' date='Nov 28 2010, 06:22 PM']Why? A four string bass with 21 frets covers 4 octaves, well more than is necessary.[/quote]

Hey, if you get a 24 fret 1 string bass, that's two octaves, more than a lot of people need, why not just use that?

Edited November 28, 2010 by ThomBassmonkey

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='1040162' date='Nov 28 2010, 05:44 PM']Oh dear. Why do threads like this always end up becoming a "why bother playing more than 4 strings" thread? Why bother constantly knocking it? You obviously don't play a type of music that requires the use of it, that's all.

It's always the bloody same, not just with bass players but musicians in general where people see fit to start dissing on other people for not playing the "traditional" thing...[/quote]

You know nothing of the types or style of music I play, But I will enlighten you, Blues, Rock, Indie, Jazz, Funk and anything else that I am asked or I want to do. I have managed to play all of those with 4 strings and the odd drop D or even a B bass from time to time with no problems thanks.

Im not dissing anyone either thats you twisting other peoples words maybe thats why you think these threads fall into the same thing because before you twisted mine and ET's words all was good. There are a lot of players who can use lots of strings to a great advantage that create music I enjoy I will give you that but also there are hundreds of crap bassists who think there better than others because they have more strings thats a fact.

What would you like to see in these kind of threads pages of how cool everyone is for all playing whatever ammount of strings they have? Sounds intriguing!

Edited November 28, 2010 by stingrayPete1977

[4-string-thing]

50 years ago, a lot of bass players used a tea chest bass, 1 string, no frets, no amp!

Wish things were that simple nowdays, I'd have saved a fortune!

[stingrayPete1977]

I bet Ernie Ball would of made a birdseye roasted maple tea chest though! And pre PG tips ones would be worth a fortune, People would be saying how they bust them up for fire wood back in the day

[skej21]

[quote name='Protium' post='1040225' date='Nov 28 2010, 06:22 PM']Why? A four string bass with 21 frets covers 4 octaves, well more than is necessary.[/quote]

I think that Anthony Jackson's implication is that, by definition a "guitar" has 6 strings, and therefore a "bass guitar" should have six strings at lower pitch than standard guitar.

I don't agree with him. Just an interesting take on what a bass should be. Personally, a bass should only exceed 4 strings IF it makes things easier. For example, if it means you do not have to position shift when reading. Other than that, I'd just be happy with standard 4.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='skej21' post='1040303' date='Nov 28 2010, 07:18 PM']I think that Anthony Jackson's implication is that, by definition a "guitar" has 6 strings, and therefore a "bass guitar" should have six strings at lower pitch than standard guitar.

I don't agree with him. Just an interesting take on what a bass should be. Personally, a bass should only exceed 4 strings IF it makes things easier. For example, if it means you do not have to position shift when reading. Other than that, I'd just be happy with standard 4.[/quote]
A tenor guitar has four strings.

[EssentialTension]

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1040291' date='Nov 28 2010, 07:08 PM']You know nothing of the types or style of music I play, But I will enlighten you, Blues, Rock, Indie, Jazz, Funk and anything else that I am asked or I want to do. I have managed to play all of those with 4 strings and the odd drop D or even a B bass from time to time with no problems thanks.

Im not dissing anyone either thats you twisting other peoples words maybe thats why you think these threads fall into the same thing because before you twisted mine and ET's words all was good. There are a lot of players who can use lots of strings to a great advantage that create music I enjoy I will give you that but also there are hundreds of crap bassists who think there better than others because they have more strings thats a fact.

What would you like to see in these kind of threads pages of how cool everyone is for all playing whatever ammount of strings they have? Sounds intriguing! [/quote]

I think you should clarify exactly what your point is, because it sounds like you're saying that players that play ERBs are sub-standard and need the extra range to make up for it, but you can manage fine without. At least that's how I'm reading it. No one's said anything about 4 string players so you bringing it up seems to imply there's a difference in standards.

I don't see what it matters what you or anyone else plays, there's plenty of reasons that can justify playing ERBs, I said a few in my last post. If you can't see them and stubbornly stick with "well I can manage on 4 strings, everyone should" then that's your short sightedness.