My New Year Challenge - What 5 String Bass, Harley Benton or Squier?

[Linus27]

When I started playing bass, 38 years ago, my goal was always to be a fretless bassist, and for the last 16 years, that's what I've been doing thanks to my wife coming home with a Squier Fretless Jazz bass after I played one for a bit of fun in a music shop. She basically said I'd never buy it for myself so did it for me. Last year, I took on a new challenge and decided to get an EUB but it sort of back fired as after a week of buying it, I was out gigging it and have since done about 25 gigs on it. So for next year, I'm going for a new challenge and I'm going to get a cheap 5 string bass and if that works out ok, then I'll give 5 string fretless a shot. 

 

I've got two on my list so I'm basically after opinions on them if anyone has owned or tried one. I'm looking at the Harley Benton MV-5PJ or the Squier Affinity Active Jazz. Both are just over £200 and should be a good starting bass to try 5 string on. Any thoughts on either?

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 22:09 by Linus27

[Geek99]

I’d look to spend a bit more on a sire v7/5

the string spacing makes a bass work for you or not IME

[Marvin]

I have my eye on the Squier, as a 5 string would be useful in my band.

I've not really played a 5 string however,  my local music shop has a Squier in stock. 

The only 5 string I've had a quick play of was an Ibanez SR305. I found the 16.5mm string spacing too narrow. I'm not sure but I think the Squier is 19mm spacing?

 

Edited Wednesday at 18:04 by Marvin

[TheLowDown]

I like the HB B550 progressive series. I rather like the tone of it, and it has both active/passive(on mine there isn't much difference), although I rarely use it. I'm not entirely sure but I think string spacing is about 16.5 or 17mm and it's very lightweight.

Edited Wednesday at 18:52 by TheLowDown

[tauzero]

I have a related Squier, a MVM Jazz 5 which has been defretted, and I do rather like it. I had a play on a Harley Benton 5-string Jazz at a bass bash in Derby a few years ago (can't remember who brought it) and was also impressed by that, though it was a tad heavy. So I'm not being in the slightest bit helpful. Still, everyone will tell you you need a Precision, and a PJ means you can have one without the horrible Precision neck, and with the possibility of making a bit of difference to the P sound, so the HB might be the one to go for. Unless, of course, it's got the horrible Precision neck.

Edited Wednesday at 19:41 by tauzero

[Ed_S]

Of the two, I'd have to take the HB (though I think the 'natural' version looks nicest, myself) purely because the nut width and board radius suit me much better. If it's a good example, though, you do seem to be getting a fair bit of bass for not a lot of cash.

 

I've had a Harley Benton PJ5-HTR for a few years now, which I bought during a covid lockdown because it was cheap and I was bored! Whilst the one I received was rough out of the box and took some work on my part to get it playable, the bones of it are solid enough and I still use it.

[Geek99]

I bought an Ibanez srx 5 and it was so wide that it was painful to play. I gave up on 5s

 

then I bought a sire v7/5 which is very tightly spaced and it is almost capable of playing itself.  

my philosophy for 5 is this: 

 

1. don’t try and use the b

 

2. if something can be played more easily using the B above fret 4 then do it. There are no prizes for making your life harder, suffering is not a virtue 

 

3. avoid open strings by using the B - no open E, play across from

B, fret 5

 

you have to know what you want from your 5 in order to be able to get its best value 

Edited Wednesday at 23:39 by Geek99

[Linus27]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

I bought an Ibanez srx 5 and it was so wide that it was painful to play. I gave up on 5s

 

then I bought a sire v7/5 which is very tightly spaced and it is almost capable of playing itself.  

my philosophy for 5 is this: 

 

1. don’t try and use the b

 

2. if something can be played more easily using the B above fret 4 then do it. There are no prizes for making your life harder, suffering is not a virtue 

 

3. avoid open strings by using the B - no open E, play across from

B, fret 5

 

you have to know what you want from your 5 in order to be able to get its best value 

 

Thanks @Geek99 that's really helpful. I think, my thoughts are to play what I play as comfortably and as natural as what I do on a fretted 4. If I then find I use the B string for anything of any significance or as an extra dynamic then all good and well but the main aim is is play my 4 string bass lines just as competently on the 5 string.

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, Linus27 said:

Thanks @Geek99 that's really helpful. I think, my thoughts are to play what I play as comfortably and as natural as what I do on a fretted 4. If I then find I use the B string for anything of any significance or as an extra dynamic then all good and well but the main aim is is play my 4 string bass lines just as competently on the 5 string.

 

I use them to play all over the neck to look as flash as possible while still playing the same notes. It really works, people think I'm a genius!

 

Slightly, but not a lot more, seriously, I tend to anchor my playing at the 5th fret. That's not to say I don't go below it on any string, but it's very handy when you're playing 4-string lines and it means you can damp with the left hand on everything including that troublesome bottom E, and play walking bass lines from bottom E upwards using the same pattern (bottom C# if you want to be pedantic).

[Terry M.]

I owned the Squier briefly and thought it was excellent in every way. Only got rid of it to maintain a one in one out policy. Never played a Harley Benton before. 

[Stub Mandrel]

I haven't played that HB, but I have an HB MB5 and an HB Marquess and they are both excellent. 

 

[SimonK]

Travis Dykes (Nashville Session musician) certainly seems to like the Harley Bentons (the second one featured on the video below is the five string):

 

 

[nikon F]

on the 5 string HB ,,it looks like he only used the bottom string for a thumb rest ,,,,,,or did i miss it ?

[SteveXFR]

I really didn't like my Squier Affinity Jazz. It had sharp frets, tuners made of cheese and I could just never get it to play nicely. Without doubt the worst bass Ive owned.

Id recommend looking for a used Ibanez SR305. You'll easily find one in budget and they're not just good for the price, they're just really good. They're light, comfortable, nice narrow neck and a big range of available tones.

Peavey International V is also excellent but not too common. Surprisingly nice bass and I managed to find one for £150

[Terry M.]

26 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I really didn't like my Squier Affinity Jazz. It had sharp frets, tuners made of cheese and I could just never get it to play nicely. Without doubt the worst bass Ive owned.

Id recommend looking for a used Ibanez SR305. You'll easily find one in budget and they're not just good for the price, they're just really good. They're light, comfortable, nice narrow neck and a big range of available tones.

Peavey International V is also excellent but not too common. Surprisingly nice bass and I managed to find one for £150

Are you referring to the active version of Squier Affinity mentioned on here or the older passive version? I ask because before purchasing my active version I tried 3 different ones to see if it was a fluke and I found them all equally excellent. I'm factoring in price-point here also.

[Terry M.]

On 24/12/2025 at 18:19, Geek99 said:

I’d look to spend a bit more on a sire v7/5

the string spacing makes a bass work for you or not IME

Having owned both this active Affinty 5 string and Sire 5 strings in the past I would say the string spacing on both brands are pretty much identical. 

[Geek99]

That’s interesting. For me the string spacing made the difference between a keeper and a “for sale” sign