mcnach Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1065497' date='Dec 21 2010, 11:19 AM']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...[/quote] Funny that you can play a 4-string bass, and nobody says a thing if you only use 3 strings... or even just 2!!! But try that on a 5 and youre accused of being a poser On the other hand, they people who have that attitude rarely overlaps with the group of people whose opinions matter to me, so I'm cool with that. I don't use one string? Big deal. You don't seem to use your c**k that much yet it's still there in case you get lucky, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) Tried a five once for a while. I didn't like it, found it uncomfortable and hardly used the B string at all. If I need a lower note than E then I tune down the E string but that's a rare occurrence. Edited January 26, 2011 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='1104355' date='Jan 26 2011, 08:49 PM']Tried a five once for a while. I didn't like it, found it uncomfortable and hardly used the B string at all. If I need a lower note than E then I tune down the E string but that's a rare occurrence.[/quote] What if you need a low B and high E in one riff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 The 5ers don't exist JUST to add that extra 5 steps down in tone! They exist to make life easyer to the bass player that, at any given time, could be asked to change the tone in a song. With a fiver you just need to change your hand placement on the fretboard and play the same drawings... and that's it! The 5er isn't a weird beast like many stated, in fact i find a 5er easyer to play and more confortable - smaller string spacing and usualy thinner necks, even though larger - and had no problems apart from hammering the B string thinking it was the E on the first couple of days! I find slapping easyer on the 5er too, almost every 4's i've tried had too much spacing or string height and slowed down my... err... technique. People who say they don't need more than 4 strings or that a bass doesn't need the extra ones must be used to play up and down the neck in the same string or don't now the difference in the tension created on a song by hitting a low B intead of climbing up the E string and giving one in the 7th fret! I remember seeing a Morphine concert (probably the last one before he died) and noticing he played with a jazz bass with only two strings! And he played every song with it! If he was still alive he could drop up here and say: "Hey! I only need two string on a bass! Don't need the extra neck width and if i have to hit a lower note i'll just buy bigger strings and tune them down! A Bass only needs two strings and the rest should be named differently" - of course i'm exagerating! I can only imagine the kind of replyies he would be getting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='1105313' date='Jan 27 2011, 05:39 PM']I remember seeing a Morphine concert (probably the last one before he died) and noticing he played with a jazz bass with only two strings![/quote] the guy from Presidents of the United States of America does too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1104634' date='Jan 27 2011, 12:48 AM']What if you need a low B and high E in one riff?[/quote] I've never had that experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='1105313' date='Jan 27 2011, 05:39 PM']The 5ers don't exist JUST to add that extra 5 steps down in tone! They exist to make life easyer to the bass player[/quote] Although the reason for adding a low B was really just to give the player an extra five lower notes to compete with keyboards.Fenders idea for a 5 was to make position playing easier though,that's why it had a high C and only 15 frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
challxyz Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I only bought a 5 string cuz my covers band at the time wanted to do comfortably numb by floyd which needs that low B, haven't looked back since, a 5 gives you more scope for playing things in different positions and those extra low end notes when needed, I suppose going back to a 4 now would make me look at how I play differently, I might give it a try one day :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I still dream of getting another 6 string for Anthony Jackson style pick playing, but I am quite happy with my 4 strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 (edited) [quote name='EssentialTension' post='1105658' date='Jan 27 2011, 10:20 PM']I've never had that experience.[/quote] The guy in my sig at the bottom writes all his own stuff and plays/sings everything in the studio except drums although he can play but not to the same standard of what appears to be every instrument ever made, I'm playing his live set on Saturday night to promote/celebrate his first full album and the set includes songs that have stuff you physically can't do on a four, I enjoy playing his stuff so much I have joined the erb club without it someone else would of got the position. I have just been to a local jam and found myself naturally shifting position for the first time since getting it. It was jam night favourite superstition and I haven't played it for ages, the singer wanted it in E and I just came in with the riff on the B string and naturally changed it by ear, I know it's not going to challenge Richard Bona but I'm happy that it just fell into position. it's strange how I'm playing by ear more and the thing that worries most erb novices like me about hitting the wrong string because your looking thinking B is an E then becomes less of an issue, it's hard to explain even after playing for 20+ years but I think you long term 5ers will know what I mean? Also while I'm in the right thread and remember, I really don't want to give up my 4's and it was a big concern after only getting my pre EB Ray nearly a year ago that I love more than any bass I have ever played! (including my new Ray5) I didn't want to think I wouldn't or couldn't use both but yesterday at practice barring a little studio slap a couple of weeks ago was the first time since Christmas I have purposefully swapped from 5 to 4 then back to 5 like in a gig scenario with no fiddling about inbetween and I was OK! So their is hope yet That's enough of my rambling but I think all parts of my post are relevant if your either positive everything can be done on four it can't or if your just thinking of giving it a go. Edited January 28, 2011 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassist_lewis Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I've been having this internal battle since I started doing covers gigs every week. I did a few over summer last year with a lakland 55-02 and found lots of use for the low B because of singers changing keys or to play somethign in a more comfortable position (500 miles for example, playing right at the nut for 6 or 7 minutes can be a strain). however i sold the lakland (and every other bass i had including an ibanez 6 string) and got a clover 4 string, i think I wanted to simplify or had a "back to basics" urge, all the usual arguments for having just a single 4 but after a couple of months of gigs this year I started thinking about getting another 5 or even a 6. I'm thinking of reading gigs as well, I haven't got any yet but I'd like to be ready when the opportunity arises. Don't really know what to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Because I only play for fun (gigging in an acoustic duo IS fun!) I only need 4 strings. I have a 5 that I don't use. If I was more professional I would probably persivere, but hey ho Each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I have tried 5 stringers on several occassions but always come back to 4 stringers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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