Paul S Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I am curious as to what kind of percentage of us use various stringed basses. These days I use 5 string only - how about you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I have a total of 32 strings evenly divided between 8 basses. Never played 5 stringers never felt the need to do so. In the circles I move in, I rarely see them, to be honest. Nothing against them, just not something I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Exclusively 4's for me these days. I did flirt with 5's a few years ago but found that I didn't really venture below the low D so I moved back to 4's. Not having the biggest hands in the world, I find the smaller necks of most 4's to be more comfortable too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 The polls different from the question - my go to bass has 5 strings, so do all the ones I routinely play 95% of the time. However I do have some 4 string basses that I play so I can’t say exclusively 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Four but I'd love to bring this out for an encore 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 All my basses are 5ers. I get confused on a 4 these days. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 47 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: The polls different from the question - my go to bass has 5 strings, so do all the ones I routinely play 95% of the time. However I do have some 4 string basses that I play so I can’t say exclusively +1 So I'm the same but other way around i.e. 4 strings most of the time, 5 occasionally and am about to embark on a crazy six string endeavour...(but on a slim neck Ibby of course, which I know @Woodinblack will approve of :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 1 minute ago, Al Krow said: +1 So I'm the same but other way around i.e. 4 strings most of the time, 5 occasionally and am about to embark on a crazy six string endeavour...(but on a slim neck Ibby of course, which I know @Woodinblack will approve of :)) I have so wanted to love 6 strings, but I really can't get my trump-esque hands around 6 strings, it is just a string too far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 To be fair, chaps, it would have been a rather lengthy poll had I split it down to 4 string 10% 5 string 90% 4 string 20% 5 string 80% 4 string 30% 5 string 70% etc. And then someone would have complained that it didn't have an option for using a 4 string 25% of the time so couldn't possibly vote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 (edited) 24 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I have so wanted to love 6 strings, but I really can't get my trump-esque hands around 6 strings, it is just a string too far! I know the bassist in my drummer's (death metal!) band is an accomplished six string player, but I can't see myself using it for band stuff somehow. But for solo noodling I suspect it's going to be a lot of fun. This will be on my 'to learn in 2018' list for sure: Edited November 26, 2017 by Al Krow 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I can happily flip between 4 & 5, but to keep that 'happy' status I have to play both regularly. If I have a period of mainly playing the 5, when back on the 4 my left hand can get confused between B & E!! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 All 4’s, I had a brief fling with a 5 string but it didn’t grab me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 My first, and still "go-to" is a GMR 5. I do sometimes play a 4, just because my Jazz Aerodyne is too beautiful not to play, and the only GMR fretless I've found is a 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 About 25 years ago I gave up gigging for awhile and felt I needed a bass challenge to tide me over. A 5 string was a novel idea back then and I didn't know anyone professionally or locally who played one. It was an interesting project so I bought an MM SR5 from Exchange and Mart and discovered I loved the feel and sound from the first note. I knew I didn't need anything else. After 10 mins I realised it wasn't a challenge at all but a natural extension of the way I'd always been playing. Buying my first bass was the best bass thing I've done. That Sting Ray was a close second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 2 hours ago, Al Krow said: This will be on my 'to learn in 2018' list for sure: Yes, that would be great to learn, but I would say that if you want to learn it, no point waiting to get a 6 string, it was written for the Cello, which has 4! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_m Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Exclusively 4 to date, though I will confess to being 5-curious occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndldean Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Have a 5 String BTB but since I bought my AmStd Pbass ... its been four flatwound strings ever since... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Always four, and a Squier Bass VI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazed Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I have 4 and 5 strings, fretted and fretless. Previously owned a 6 and have a hankering for another. I have for the past year equally and consistently played none Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I have a total of 4 strings. Says it all really ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I've got fives only for electric bass but fours only for upright bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el borracho Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 If I had to put percentages on it it would probably be 80:20 in favour of the 4 strings. I only really use the 5 as I have a very nice 5 string and am reluctant to sell it. I did use it exclusively at one time but drifted back to 4 strings a few years ago when I rediscovered Precisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 5 string 75% of the time, 6 the rest. Have a nice 4 string but only rarely play it, mainly out of guilt when it looks sadly down at me from the wall as I leave for a gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Always 5ers. Any time I touch a 4 I miss the extra string! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danuman Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I only just got as far as sorting out my live rig, so for a long time I just had one four-string bass (a J). I’m currently trying to fix up a MIM P. Recently though, I started with a pretty nice new band and I keep wanting to go lower when playing with them... Seems a low B is next on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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