4 string is enough for you??

[Chris Horton]

I am fortunate enough to own 4,5 & 6 string bass guitars.

I mostly play bass in our church worship team and a lot of the modern christian songs we play have a 5 string bass parts in them.

For me and the type of music that I play, a 5 string can cover all I need.

Recently , we have lost our lead guitar player from the team and i have just started getting into playing a 6 string bass. The lack of a guitar player has allowed me venture into and explore the upper regiter of the bass world.

it all depends on the type of music ya play . I could easily play our songs on my 4 string, but for me, the low B string just brings another dynamic to the table.

[jezzaboy]

Jaco, Pino, Geddy, Jamerson, McCartney............

If they can get by with 4 strings, then it`s good enough for me. But if you need a 5 or a 6 for the songs, then get one. I just don`t think they look right. IMO of course.

Jez

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='purpleblob' post='1064807' date='Dec 20 2010, 05:09 PM']If I were forced (at gun point and fearing certain death) to choose one configuration, I would choose a five string tuned E-C. In reality this offers me everything I really want from an instrument.

Thankfully I can have more than one instrument, so I'll keep my 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's and 8 string ERB [/quote]

If I could have [b]only[/b] one bass, it'd be a fiver strung as E-C, but dropped a tone to DGCFBb. Covers [i]most[/i] things that way, from Grunge to Jazz...

[Lozz196]

[quote name='gary mac' post='1064815' date='Dec 20 2010, 05:21 PM']I know this will sound like a narrow minded, ill thought out reply but to me the bass guitar is a four stringed instrument.[/quote]
And me.

My attitude to basses with more than 4 strings is that someone sneaked in and broke the instrument whilst the owner wasn`t looking, by adding more strings to it.

No, seriously, I`ve tried 5-strings, and just not my thing. I don`t think its narrow-minded, I just don`t need one for what I do. Would say though, if the music I played required one, then I would have to adapt accordingly.

[Schnozzalee]

I prefer fours but I can't deny when its drop d tuning and I can rest my thumb on a 5th string, its a pretty damn good feeling! 34" scales only though

[Blademan_98]

Being a recent convert to bass, I only have four strings (the nice man in the shop said that's what a bass is.....)

I tried a 5 but the B sounded rather naff.

I will, when I can warrant it, buy a 5 if only so I can say "yeah, I have a 5 string!"

[megallica]

I used a five string in a grunge band in the 90's with some downtuned guitar it really suited the music.
My five string now is tuned EADGC and defretted, I never really need to get below a low E and find four strings are more than enough for me.

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='gary mac' post='1064815' date='Dec 20 2010, 05:21 PM']I know this will sound like a narrow minded, ill thought out reply but to me the bass guitar is a four stringed instrument.[/quote]

Really a bass guitar should be a 6 stringed instrument as it's a guitar in the bass register.

I use 5 strings, I wish I could get by with 4 as there's a lot of basses that appeal to me that aren't available in 5s, but it'd mean swapping basses every song or two and re-writing certain parts which isn't something I'm happy doing when I have 5 strings I enjoy.

[EBS_freak]

It's funny, whenever I read these threads, the common theme seems to be "I don't need the lower notes". It's not just about the lower notes, it's about increasing the ease of reaching notes without shooting off down the fretboard... e.g. the availability of hitting an F on the B at the 6th fret rather than going down to the 1st fret on the E string. As stated, it also makes transposition on the fly a hell of a lot easier.

[Raslee]

I guess for me it depends what kind of music your playing. I recently backed a reggae artist who had written most of his deep dubby b-lines on synth and a lot of the tunes had low D's & Db's so i used my Laky JO5 and loved it, still do. But i found if i was going to a funky jam/open mic i found i would get too complacent on the JO5 and would become lazy and admittedly sometimes thumbing that B thinking it was the E, mainly after a few beers though . For me there is something rewarding about the 4 string and the challenge of less possibilites compared to 5's & 6's but i'd still always need a 5 in my life, even if its collecting dust like mine at the moment.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Rasta

[Rumple]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='1065397' date='Dec 21 2010, 09:09 AM']It's funny, whenever I read these threads, the common theme seems to be "I don't need the lower notes". It's not just about the lower notes, it's about increasing the ease of reaching notes without shooting off down the fretboard... e.g. the availability of hitting an F on the B at the 6th fret rather than going down to the 1st fret on the E string. As stated, it also makes transposition on the fly a hell of a lot easier.[/quote]

+1

My covers band drop and raise the tuning of a song to suit our singer and on a four string this would be a nightmare but that 5th string comes in very handy. if I was in a band playing original material again a 4 string Jazz would be just the ticket.

[Slaveunit]

Changed from 4 to 5 a long time ago now due to necessity (needed the range) and literally havent played the 4 string since. Dont feel the need for a 6 tho, dont need one for my requirements, and wouldnt know what to do with it anyway!

[Chris2112]

Yes, it's quite enough for me. If I need a low D I'll use my Kubicki and open the D Clip, but usually I don't. I much prefer 4 strings, to the point where I avoid 5 and 6 strings in most cases.

[Bottle]

I've played and owned both over the last two or three years. Still sticking with 4-stringers for the time being, although my Squier is strung BEAD (actually tuned down a whole step to ADGC). Had an Ibanez 5-stringer up until last year, was OK, just didn't tick all the boxes (I've discussed this one at length in other threads ).

I've recently tried a five-string Cort (GB35A), as I was interested in getting another four-banger (the GB34A) and it was all they had in stock. Sounded really nice, so might just be tempted to say 'sod it!' and get the fiver

Anyhoo, can't see myself going away from four's in the [i]very[/i] near future, unless Santa is very nice to me at Christmas! I can see a fretless purchase coming up in 2011 as well......damn you, GAS!

Ian

[BigRedX]

An interesting story regarding this:

Some years ago the band I was in at the time did a gig where the headlining band that had a really good bassist with some impressive technical "chops" (who played a 4-string Fender Jazz). He look mightily impressed when I pulled out my Gus 5-string at the sound check.

He seemed considerably less impressed after hearing our set in which I mostly played fairly simple stuff and didn't once use the B string. In answer to his questions about this I told him that while this particular band didn't require notes below E (TBH most of the time I didn't even get below A), but the Gus had the right sound for the band, was the most comfortable bass to play and looked great, and I wasn't going to leave it at home and play something less good simply because the Gus had an extra string that for this band I wasn't going to be using.

I don't think he really got it...

[tauzero]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='1065397' date='Dec 21 2010, 09:09 AM']It's funny, whenever I read these threads, the common theme seems to be "I don't need the lower notes". It's not just about the lower notes, it's about increasing the ease of reaching notes without shooting off down the fretboard... e.g. the availability of hitting an F on the B at the 6th fret rather than going down to the 1st fret on the E string. As stated, it also makes transposition on the fly a hell of a lot easier.[/quote]
The fact that there are so many who don't get it is quite handy, as it means there's all those basses for sale where the advert starts "I've tried 5-string and it's not for me".

I do drop down to the bottom D occasionally, but generally as a passing note in a fill (probably a pentatonic widdle when I'm playing A), or, of course, in "Run to you" or "Summer of 69".

I keep my options open - I tend to play 4-string with the ceilidh band, I play 5-string with one covers band and the originals band, and 6-string with the other covers band. Helps keep my brain active.

[Truckstop]

I like 6ers at home because the size of the fretboard keeps my hands strong and also it can be quite inspirational knowing the range you have lets you do whatever you feel like. Can be very useful if you're writing. I have a 5 because I just think they look the absolute wick and they're useful for when you just need to chug along but without looking like a bit of a twat on a 6er.
For me, 4-strings look weird. However, I will buy one at some point just so I have a complete collection. A 6er, a P5, a J5 and a 4.

Truckstop

[Ou7shined]

Fives are really handy for the flexibility of alternative positions etc but sometimes a cover (originally played on a 4) with a pull offs or riffs incorporating an open string which while are playable in a new position just sound "better" played in the original position.

[stingrayPete1977]

This thread is almost identicle to the last one the other day!

[AsterL]

I definitely prefer 4 string basses. If you need to lower than E, use a sub-octave pedal

[J3ster]

I have one 5 Skjold and because its so damb nice I do play it but prefer the 4's still.
I got on with so few 5's that I was quite shocked when the Skjold came on the scene - With the 5 I tend to play from the 5th fret onwards to give me more range from the E - I do pop into the first 4 if I am up that way for a while. However I have recently also started tuning E - C and find it much more useful.
I've considered another 5 because well why not,?it gives you the extra range should you want it and the other 4 are still there as well. (saying that I'll always have a 4 for slapping)

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='AsterL' post='1066418' date='Dec 22 2010, 08:14 AM']I definitely prefer 4 string basses. If you need to lower than E, use a sub-octave pedal [/quote]

See what I mean?

[Pete Academy]

I played in a funk covers band in the 80s and we started to do some songs that had lower register synth bass. I bought a failrly cheap 5-string and was taking two basses to gigs. I then decided to invest in a good five-string and have used one ever since. In Nearly Dan we do songs that feature below E, so I always use one for that gig. However, I much prefer playing my Jazz. Saying that, with a five it's fun to throw in those low notes now and again.

[greyparrot]

nope i miss having a b and c. I love my bongo, but would like to get the 5 string or maybe the 6 string version next year.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='1067032' date='Dec 22 2010, 06:03 PM']See what I mean?[/quote]

Yup!