thebuckets Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Probably been asked before a thousand times so apologies but I can't find much in the forums. After 20 years of 4 strings and still not being anywhere near as good as I should I'm tempted by a 5er. Been drooling over some Sandberg basses and the price difference between 4 and 5 strings is minimal. My question is will I end up with just a fatter neck (on my bass!) and an extra thumb rest or will I become a session virtuoso with 5 strings? Thoughts from you guys who've made the jump up from 4 to 5 especially anyone who's done it after a long time playing 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmettC Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I initially did it because I play in a heavy rock band and the guitarists are tuned really low, initially I just tuned down too, but I didn't like the feel of the floppy strings. I got a used Yamaha bb405 fairly cheap to see if I could manage it, it took about 6 months to get used to it fully, and another 6 months to feel comfortable going from 4 to 5 string. I now mostly use 5 string, for lots of reasons. I like the extra range, but mainly because I play in a wedding band and dep in a few other bands, and it's much easier to transpose on a 5 string, especially if it's in E and needs to go down a little. Everything you can do on a 4 string can be done on a 5, but the 5 can do a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 All the low notes on the E string are on the B string from the 5th fret upwards, means you don't have to move about so much, you can pretty much play everything around the middle of the neck, playing across the fretboard, instead of along it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Whatever you do, don't get a cheap 5-string bass. IME of the people who try one and don't like it, feel that way because the bass simply isn't up to the task of giving a good sounding and feeling low B string. There's more to making a 5-string bass than simply having a wider neck another bridge saddle and an extra set of pole-pieces on the pickup. Even adding another inch to the scale length doesn't guarantee a better sound or feel. IMO it's all about the construction and to do it properly costs money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebassmusic Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 +100 :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebuckets Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 Cheers guys the sandbewrg VMs get great reviews in 4&5 string versions. I like my 4 string basic but no experience of any 5s Sorry mods if this should have gone in theory and technique Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 5ers are great for players that work in a lot of bands or work with lots of different groups of musicians. Transposition's easier, playing complicated pieces can be made easier by playing across the neck rather than up and down it and sometimes having that low D can add oodles of balls to riffs! Plus one on Big Reds post. Buy quality! Minimum spend should be £500 even second hand. Yamaha TRB1005 or even the standard TRB5 would be a great buy. The Ibanez Prestige range are also outstanding instruments for the money. I never got on with Fender or Musicman 5's. B always seems like an afterthought. Good luck! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk7 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) What ambient said above +1 (site won't let me use 'quote') pffft RK Edited March 12, 2014 by rk7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza 2905 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Yeah, another +1 for Ambients comment. Although some people will tell you that they found making the adjustment to a 5-string pretty easy, it does require quite a bit of getting used to, from my experience. If you're used to playing a 4 string, and try to play stuff the same way, the B string will tend to get in the way. However, if you 'embrace' the B-string, and try to incorporate it into your playing, you'll find it much easier. You might find that you need to pay a little more attention to string muting on a 5'er too. Good luck if you decide to make the jump! @rk7 have you tried compatibility mode? next to the address bar at the top of your browser window. It fixed the problem for me when I couldn't quote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I've always found 6 easier than 5 for some reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I tried it briefly but didnt like the neck on the fiver I chose (Ibanez SRX505) as it had wide spacing and it all became a bit of a chore.Tone, tension etc were fine. I might try it again one day but I'll be a lot more choosy about exactly which bass I try it with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) [quote name='charic' timestamp='1394635291' post='2393558'] I've always found 6 easier than 5 for some reason [/quote] D'oh! I was seriously thinking about getting a 5, now you've ruined everything! Thhp! Edited March 12, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GremlinAndy Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1394635291' post='2393558'] I've always found 6 easier than 5 for some reason [/quote] I found EXACTLY the same thing. I got rid of a 5 string because it never felt right, even after 6 months. And yet the 6 string felt much more natural immediately. I agree with the playing across the neck comment too. As a bassist vocalist, I find it easier to stay in the same place on the neck on an extended range bass. (6, ...but same applies) while singing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Never owned a 5. Are they significantly heavier, what with the wider neck and so on..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1394720529' post='2394396'] Never owned a 5. Are they significantly heavier, what with the wider neck and so on..? [/quote] It'll depend on the bass - just think how many weight variations there are in a "standard" 4-string Fender P to J... However I've just weighed my 4 and 5 string Gus basses which are about as similar as you can get between the two types. The 4-string weighs 3.9kg and the 5-string 4.2kg. They are identical apart from the extra string and associated hardware and wider neck on the 5-string (the 4 string neck is 41mm wide at the nut and 61mm wide at the 24th fret, while the 5-string neck is 46mm and 68mm correspondingly). The 5-string has avery slightly larger headstock, and the 4-string is fretless - although I doubt the weight of the frets adds much in the over scheme of things. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 String spacing and neck profile makes a huge difference. That is all down to taste. BigRedX hit the nail on the head - don't be put off by cheaper 5 string basses. Some are fine. Most, IMO, aren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 If you don't think you're anywhere near as good as you should be on a four string then a five string isn't going to change that - you'd be better off spending the money on lessons if your goal is to improve as a player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 To the OP... not a whole lot if you can't hear why you need one. It sounds like a swap for a swaps sake.... To play a 5 I think you need to be hearing lines already and the possibilities otherwise you have a 4 which happens to have an extra string...and never use it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebuckets Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1394736882' post='2394659'] To the OP... not a whole lot if you can't hear why you need one. It sounds like a swap for a swaps sake.... To play a 5 I think you need to be hearing lines already and the possibilities otherwise you have a 4 which happens to have an extra string...and never use it.. [/quote] You may have hit the nail squarely on the head tbh I have thought I could use a d tuner in the past for one or two numbers pink Floyd fx. That a 5er could cover. It Maybe just gas (I'm a chronic sufferer), was rather hoping answers would maybe ' it'll stretch you as a player get you thinking of positions, I was worried but made the change and never looked back' etc but you could be right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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