5 string revelation

[GreeneKing]

Those who know a little of my bass playing history will also know that I've owned a prodigious number of basses, 4,5 and 6 string.

I really only doodled with 5 and 6 string basses and to be quite honest my 4 string playing has always been elementary my dear Watson.

Since deciding that 4 strings are where I'm at and regularly practising for the past year I finally feel as if I've made some progress at last. I'm able to pick up the bass and go through the set list of about 20 songs while concentrating on the feel, dynamics and timing rather than just the fretting of the notes. I'm slowly getting the ability to improvise within the song structure a little.

Basically I'm enjoying myself and confidence is high.

Russ came around with his 5 string Kinal a few weeks back and very nice it is too. It's narrow spaced (17mm at the bridge) with a 35" scale. Two Aero pups mounted in ebony (kewl or what) with an ebony board and 3 band Bart circuitry with a 3 pos'n mid switch and a passive active pull on the vol knob.

I'd basically aquired a natural Marcus Miller to which I'd fitted a Sadowsky pre and mightily impressed was I.

Russ suggested a trade and I went for it. Why? Honestly? GAS!!

I reasoned that a 5 string would be a good idea. I also love the look of the Kinal and it sounded pretty damn versatile too.

The revelation is that I can pick it up and play it easily - well fairly easily. This is a real surprise. I started off playing it as a 4 + 1 string with no real orientation problems and now I'm using the E on the B string regularly and shifting my position toward the bridge for some songs.

I'm really surprised.

[Guest johnzgerman]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='588147' date='Sep 2 2009, 11:16 PM']Those who know a little of my bass playing history will also know that I've owned a prodigious number of basses, 4,5 and 6 string.

I really only doodled with 5 and 6 string basses and to be quite honest my 4 string playing has always been elementary my dear Watson.

Since deciding that 4 strings are where I'm at and regularly practising for the past year I finally feel as if I've made some progress at last. I'm able to pick up the bass and go through the set list of about 20 songs while concentrating on the feel, dynamics and timing rather than just the fretting of the notes. I'm slowly getting the ability to improvise within the song structure a little.

Basically I'm enjoying myself and confidence is high.

Russ came around with his 5 string Kinal a few weeks back and very nice it is too. It's narrow spaced (17mm at the bridge) with a 35" scale. Two Aero pups mounted in ebony (kewl or what) with an ebony board and 3 band Bart circuitry with a 3 pos'n mid switch and a passive active pull on the vol knob.

I'd basically aquired a natural Marcus Miller to which I'd fitted a Sadowsky pre and mightily impressed was I.

Russ suggested a trade and I went for it. Why? Honestly? GAS!!

I reasoned that a 5 string would be a good idea. I also love the look of the Kinal and it sounded pretty damn versatile too.

The revelation is that I can pick it up and play it easily - well fairly easily. This is a real surprise. I started off playing it as a 4 + 1 string with no real orientation problems and now I'm using the E on the B string regularly and shifting my position toward the bridge for some songs.

I'm really surprised.



[/quote]

such is the nature of a decent well set up 5 string.....

[alexclaber]

I'd been playing exclusively 4-string for almost a decade when I got my RIM Custom 5 but I took to it like a duck to water - really thought it would take me a lot longer to adjust!

Alex

[JimBobTTD]

That bass is just pure sex on toast.

[niceguyhomer]

Good news Pedro - tis a superb instrument

[BassBunny]

Pete, I had a similar "seamless" transition to 5 String. I asked a long time friend of mine how long it took him to get used to his Stingray 5 when he changed from a P Bass. His answer was 18months and that put me off. I took the plunge however with a cheap 5 String Fretless from Bassjamm, (in for a penny), and found that 5 Strings were not a problem, (fretless was however).
I thought it might have been something to do with being an ex-guitarist.
With a band that plays so much in Eb, it is almost essential.

[GreeneKing]

[quote]such is the nature of a decent well set up 5 string.....[/quote]

I don't think it's the bass, more me. I've owned may decent well set up 5 string basses. In fact none of my 5 stringers have been anything but...

Peter

[niceguyhomer]

I'm pleased to say I've reached the stage where I can switch between fours and fives mid-set without any problems. I think it's good to be able to do that.

[JPJ]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='589533' date='Sep 4 2009, 11:47 AM']I'm pleased to say I've reached the stage where I can switch between fours and fives mid-set without any problems. I think it's good to be able to do that.[/quote]

For me the transition from four to five was relatively easy, but I find it really difficult going back the other way.

[thunderbird13]

This may be a stupid question but apart from the low B what is the benefit of playing a 5 string ? Do you play more across the strings rather than up and dowm the fretboard ? I have been told that when I play I tend to overstretch with my fretting hand i.e. i tend to stretch my little finger down the fretboard rather than across to get to the same note and this tends to slow me down .I'm wondering if this would help stop me do this

[niceguyhomer]

Yeh - playing cross the strings is a major advantage and being able to play songs in F/F#/G etc further up the neck where the string tension is lower and IMO the tone is better.

[GreeneKing]

I find that there's time the open E doesn't sound as good as the fretted one. One or two songs we play are simplified by using the B string and it seems to offer more options for improvisation too.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='589577' date='Sep 4 2009, 12:24 PM']... and being able to play songs in F/F#/G etc further up the neck where the string tension is lower and IMO the tone is better.[/quote]

Tension depends on gauges and doesn't vary up and down each string. And the tone is different, not better. But that does give you another tonal option which can only be a good thing.

Alex

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='589676' date='Sep 4 2009, 01:59 PM']Tension depends on gauges and doesn't vary up and down each string. And the tone is different, not better. But that does give you another tonal option which can only be a good thing.

Alex[/quote]

Strings feel tighter at the first fret than they do at the 7th fret and, as I said [b]IMO[/b], the tone is better up the neck.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='589754' date='Sep 4 2009, 03:18 PM']Strings feel tighter at the first fret than they do at the 7th fret and, as I said [b]IMO[/b], the tone is better up the neck.[/quote]

Well to be pernickety the change in feel depends on the nut height, relief and action, plus the change in tension across the gauges/tunings. And is the tone really better per se, or is it just more to your taste for that situation with that bass?

I realise you used the reliable IMO get out clause but if the tone was consistently better a string down and five frets up, then why don't all those five string players who say they don't really use the lower notes just play 26" scale basses, tuned E-C with standard 5-string gauges?

Alex

[Born 2B Mild]

I played 4-stringers only for 35 years. I was a bit wary of five strings, and by not seeing the benefits I wrote them off as a bit 'showing off'. I even tried an OLP Tony Levin for a while but didn't feel comfortable.

Anyhow, I had an epiphany moment to convert to fives, not by playing a five string but by trying out (and then getting in to) six string basses. I found the opportunity to do patterns an octave lower really widened up my 'feel' pallet.

Now, I find I just can't use a four string!

I still like sixers, but have settled in to fivers as my gigging basses.

So yeah Pete, maybe it's a 'Me' thing, and something just clicks?

[BassBunny]

I had a similar "epiphany" moment Peter. I was talking to a pall of mine about his switch from 4 to 5 string. he reckoned it took him 18 months to be really comfortaqble
Decided to give it a go and found out I actually took to it realatively quickly. I though it may be something to do with being an ex-guitarist, but more likely the fact we do shed loads of numbers in E flat and A flat and that is really 5 String territory.
Is ther an order heading Alan's way?

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='589769' date='Sep 4 2009, 03:40 PM']Well to be pernickety the change in feel depends on the nut height, relief and action, plus the change in tension across the gauges/tunings. And is the tone really better per se, or is it just more to your taste for that situation with that bass?

I realise you used the reliable IMO get out clause but if the tone was consistently better a string down and five frets up, then why don't all those five string players who say they don't really use the lower notes just play 26" scale basses, tuned E-C with standard 5-string gauges?

Alex[/quote]

Well Alex, I'll try again shall I?

The tone is more to my taste up the neck.

I don't give a toss about other 5 string players and have no idea why they don't use 26" scale basses. It won't keep me awake at night.

I was merely engaging in the debate and expressing my opinion to which I am entitled and will defend just as much as yours to be pernickety and an unbearable smartarse at times.

[GreeneKing]

Isn't it strange how things go?

I love the Kinal, it's made me appreciate 5 string basses and wish that I'd never sold my 5 string Harlot. Still that was then and now is now.

Russ has been in touch. He's missing his Kinal and reading between the lines I think he wishes he'd never parted with it.

A part of me misses the MM IV too. So the Kinal is returning home having been much appreciated for a couple of weeks.

I'm looking forward to being re-acquainted with the MM too.

I've been looking at trades to re-introduce a 5 string into my armoury. I may have a lead.

Funny old World isn't it.

[farmer61]

Nah I'm afraid I've just finished my second venture to the 5th string, it just ain't working for me....damn B just keeps on getting in the way.

If I need to go down this route again its BEAD for me!

[OutToPlayJazz]

It originally took me a long time to find a 5-stringer that suited me as well. I found my original TRB (back in the early 90's) too slow and cumbersome compared to my Status SII so sold it. A veritable plethora of basses later & I'm now playing 5-stringers a lot of the time, in particular my two Status S2-Classic 5's. A lot of it is due to the type of music I'm playing these days, but also because I actually need the extended bottom end range for a lot of jobs.

Next 5-string is a used ACG I've just agreed to buy and that Fender Am.Std Jazz V is calling my name for the end of the year as well...

[GreeneKing]

Aha, a used ACG

There's not too many of those around and I'd love to know which one.

Peter

[Rayman]

Yes well after a knee jerk idea to trade for Peters MM plus some cash, I realized the error of my ways, and we reversed the deal today, and I'm very grateful to Peter for that.

Having got the lovely Marcus Miller Jazz home, I soon realized that the narrow neck and lack of a B string were going to be a problem, hence, the Kinal is back in my hands.

I made the jump to 5 strings a year or so ago, because I play a lot of hip hop and Jazz, and find the low B absolutely vital for that kind of stuff, so much so, that I've now unloaded all my 4 stringers and ended up with a couple of 5ers only.