Do I even need to get a 5 string?!

[johnnylager]

Tried a Spector Euro 5?

[Musicman20]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='800697' date='Apr 9 2010, 11:31 AM']Tried a Spector Euro 5?[/quote]

I was going to....but the bodyshape and tone arent for me. I had a listen to a few demos and I just couldnt handle it.

Unfortunately Im stuck in Fender/Ernie Ball world. I like it though....I just view all other basses based on the classic designs. Leo's trio is where its at for me.

[Lord Sausage]

[size=3]i agree with Doddy. i got a five string bout 12 yrs ago. it took like a week to get used to and when i play for or five there is very little difference. i think people have the misconception its for metal or hard rock but its a musical addition. The purpose of any instrument is to fulfill its job sonically and arrangement wise. The five string definately has an advantage over the four. if you're in a three piece band you can make the band sound bigger by going lower. if you are in a band with keyboards, you can stay out of the way of the keyboards left hand so you don't creat any unwanted chords or dissonance in the low end. This also applies to big band and pit work. Its about how you use the instrument musically not technically. when, whilst playing a piece of music do you have to run up a 2 octave scale diatonically, almost never. its irrelevant, thats just for practising. personally i've never cared how many position shifts you do. Playing economically doesn't matter. all that matters is you play the right note at the right time.[/size][/size]

Edited April 9, 2010 by Lord Sausage

[crez5150]

[b]LOUD NOISES[/b]

[Bottle]

Hmmmm, the OP has posed an interesting question - do we [i]need[/i] a 5-string bass?

I mean, in my previous experience, I didn't [i]need[/i] a 5'er, but I really, really [i]wanted[/i] one - big difference

TBH, I found the 5'er I got originally wasn't really for me - Ibanez ATK-305NT, got it second-hand off a member here - kept it for about 6 months, enough time to decide it was a nice, well-built bass, but not for me. So I moved it on to a good home (and I still see it being played every other weekend, which is nice). I probably should have stuck with it, and also probably came to it too soon after starting to learn to play properly.

I found the 5'er to be useful in certain situations, and the music I play (mostly contemporary worship & praise music) does require me to fit in with several guitarists (usually a 2 + 1 mix of electric and acoustic, or vice-versa), so having a few extra notes below the standard 4-string range is helpful. However, just couldn't physically get on with the size of the neck & string spacing on the Ibby, so it went. I've now got a Squier Precision special that I've downtuned to DGCF, and that fills in a lot of the blanks, plus it has a Jazz neck which is super slim and fast

Most of the music I play is in A-major, so having the F# (for the relative minor) and low D is nice for the choruses - can help if I'm not just sticking to the root note all the time. And I'm still tuned in fourths, so I can still use the majority of the shapes that I learnt on my older bass (tuned EADG). Just takes getting used to. My next bass purchases will likely be a 4-string fretless and a 4-string Jazz/Musicman hybrid (Sandberg Cali JM4??) - tuned BEAD or (low) ADGC.

Anyway, figured I'd give some of my insight,

HTH, Ian

PS +1 on the LOUD NOISES

[51m0n]

To the OP, if you find the right 5'er then its a perfect tool for the job of playing bass.

Until you find that bass, whatever it may be, then a 5 will not 'do it' for you.

I love mine, and my old bass just never gets played now.... ......poor thing

[fretmeister]

I string my Status 4 BEAD.

Works for me.

When I used to play in a covers band (lots of up to date chart stuff) the low range was important. Beyonce, Anastasia etc all have plenty of lower than E work.

I'd still like a Stingray 5 though!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='51m0n' post='801017' date='Apr 9 2010, 04:29 PM']To the OP, if you find the right 5'er then its a perfect tool for the job of playing bass.

Until you find that bass, whatever it may be, then a 5 will not 'do it' for you.

I love mine, and my old bass just never gets played now.... ......poor thing [/quote]

Thats the problem...I cant find a 5 string around the £1300-1400 mark I really like....but I havent tested a Ray 5 properly yet.

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='801125' date='Apr 9 2010, 06:17 PM']Thats the problem...I cant find a 5 string around the £1300-1400 mark I really like....but I havent tested a Ray 5 properly yet.[/quote]

When you do you will be pleased, I tell you. Try a nice double H one, 5 different sounds on a blade switch, inside coils, outside coils, both humbuckers and in / out series, pukka!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='801129' date='Apr 9 2010, 06:23 PM']When you do you will be pleased, I tell you. Try a nice double H one, 5 different sounds on a blade switch, inside coils, outside coils, both humbuckers and in / out series, pukka![/quote]

I was thinking either a Ray 5 H or a Ray 5 HS....leaning towards the HS as the new Ray 5 H's do not have single coil at the bridge option anymore.

I know ill like it....its just whether I take the plunge hahah.

[BoomBass]

Hm.. here's a few thoughts on the 4/5 issue.

I love B-strings, but they have to be tight and punchy. SO, if you decide to try out a 5-string, be careful... Overall, I would recommend a 35" scale for 5-stringers. However, there are a few exeptions as the Stingray 5's that I have owned have had great sounding B-strings. Also, Sadowskys are OK.

Fender has never really made a good 5-string bass, IMO.

You mentioned Lakland, and I think most of their 5's are 35", and they make great basses. I currently have a 55-02 that sounds and feels really good.

Also, as to why you would need a B-string? Obviously it's nice having the really low notes (particularly C and D (I never Drop-D on a 4-stringer)). But that is not the main reason for me. I have found that I use the B-string a LOT even though I am playing notes that could be played on the E-string. Say, a groove in G, you would normally do that in the 3rd position on the E-string, right? Well, often I find myself playing in the 8th position on the B-string simply because it sounds a lot more deep and punchy. It's no different from wanting to do a groove in C on the E-string in the 8th position rather than in the 3rd on the A-string, which sounds very differently. It's a matter of physics, I guess. Thicker strings just sounds more beefy! They lack some clarity on that account as well, of course, but then you just have to prioritize what's more important in the given situation... At least the B-string gives you the option to choose.

HOWEVER, as much as I love having a B-string, I do play my 4-string Fenders a lot, too. Simply, because no one makes as great sounding basses as Fender did back in the 70's (and 60's, but they are way too expensive for me)... They had it all - exepct B-strings, of course... :-(

[cocco]

The first expensive bass I ever bought was a Warwick Streamer Stage 1 5. What a hateful waste of money and time that was. I've never spent, nore do i ever intend to spend anything like that money before or since. I reckon its just GAS. You want a new bass but you cant quite justify another 4 so you're thinking about a 5. Take my advice, get a 4.

[Delberthot]

I've played about with 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 string, fretted and fretless basses over the years. I go from one to another just for the hell of it to see if there is anything I can play differently to improve me as a bass player.

Right now I'm thinking about going back to a 6 string.

I don't do it according to the music I play or the musicians I play with - i do it for [u]me[/u] to help [u]me[/u] improve.

I would say that unless you are playing stuff that simply must be played below low E then the choice is entirely up to you. Why not try a second hand cheapy first and see how you get on?

[tim126]

I'm with Grand Wazoo and JTUK on this. I switched to 5 about 10 years ago (I saw someone playing one and just fancied having a go for a while)... once you get all that "using the lowest notes possible just because you can" sh*t out of your system, the best of it is being able to pick those end of the neck on the E-string notes from up the neck. And I find (and notice in others) that it is those huge jumps up and down the neck that are not only often way inaccurate, but also very inefficient and, ultimately, bloody tiring!

It took me about 3 months to get comfortable with my first 5-er (a Yamaha BB5GS, I think)... and I now get quite confused if I have to play a 4-string (what key are we in? ah yes... G, not D... oops, my mistake! )

Guess it's one of those things that polarises opinion. Bottom line, I suppose, is: get one, try it for a while (like several months), try to use it exclusively, don't keep swapping and changing, and assess and evaluate after that.

One other factor: 5-string sets cost more than 4-string set... I use Elixir nano-coats, the bottom B is sold separately, so puts the set at about £7.something more than the base 4-string set. But then, a set lasts me about a year, so it's no big deal.

[alanbass1]

I have had a number of quests for a five string and recently concluded it was not a case of 'need' but more one of 'want'. I prefer playing 4 string but have a 5'er as well and it's one of those things that every so often I take out to a gig for a change.

[Basska]

Go with what you're most comortable on! I leard how to play on a 5 string... So I play a five string! A good bonus of it aswell is, you can play a 4 string no problem if you have to switch. Most bassist I've met who play 4 are just baffled by the other string, but if you play a 5, that won't be you


chris

[martthebass]

[quote name='alanbass1' post='801843' date='Apr 10 2010, 03:04 PM']I have had a number of quests for a five string and recently concluded it was not a case of 'need' but more one of 'want'. I prefer playing 4 string but have a 5'er as well and it's one of those things that every so often I take out to a gig for a change.[/quote]

I've had 4, 5 string basses go through the MTB household. As with you I think it was a case of want not need. The only other reason I had was to get familiar with a 5 because on occassion that's all that might be on offer at an open mic night.

Now exclusively on 4s (and can't say I miss the 'B') but might consider a fretless 5 in the future......

To the OP tho, I've had an L2500, a DJ5, a Sandberg Basic 5 and a Ray5, to me from a sound and playability point of view the Ray5 was my definite favourite. It took the offer of a Status Streamline to tempt it from my hands.

Edited April 10, 2010 by martthebass