several people have said to me if i want to solo in songs or have a solo carrer as an electric bassists i should play a six string for example look at John Myung, John Patitucci etc

but then....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bG8hwZ9Bo

i want to do billy sheehan type stuff ASWELL :hmm:

and when i ask people they say a six string is pointless/ over kill / the wide neck means you can't play quickly,

my band has me (bass) A guitarist and a drummer and a singer, the guitaist is decent but not amazing, i myself am not great either... but i've only played 4 strings so far and we just got signed by a minor local record company and each of the us are being give as much money as we need to buy 1 instrument each, i am the only memeber of the band who "solos" :bassist: we are a prog metal band/ Hard rock mainly about 90% of the time rock, but i also play jazz, big band and concert band music so any discussion of the draw backs, Pros and Cons of using a 4/5/6 string for solo performances and in song solos? I do slap and pop regularly btw and this discussion should be leaning main towards 5 vs 6 strings in the context above

:bawl: :help:

Many thanks

I hope this discusion can help many people and open many eyes! :D lol

i hope this will help people including my self


(sorry i do ramble and i'm not very good at writing long texts that are not directed at any in particular...)

Thanks
Adam

You don't need to play any specific bass to solo properly. It just expands your range. Look at Jeff Berlin, he does okay with 4 strings :D
Also, if you slap and pop regularly, your probably going to want wide string spacing, and that will widen the neck quite a bit, especially on a six string.
IMO it's up to you, if you're unsure, than try out a few extended range basses, to see if you like them.

+1.

Jeff Berlin, Chris Squire, Billy Sheehan, Geddy Lee, Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten--Icons who have all contributed greatly to the music world using four-string basses and have proven themselves as virtuosos. Nobody would dare tell them that in order to have a solo career as an electric bassist or to solo in songs they'd better run out and buy a six-string.

It really is a matter of personal preference. Granted, a lot of the newer metal is down-tuned, so if that's the style you're playing . . . What do you want to do with your solos? If you're looking to experiment high up or low down on the register, then maybe a five- or six-string would facilitate that. But you don't NEED a particular type of bass or a certain number of strings to be a good soloist.

Experiment and have fun!

Your soloing prowess is totally dependent on your ear, your influences (who you listen to), your soul, your gut, your mood, how little you're thinking while onstage (the less the better), and the number of bass years of practice you have under your fingers. The number of strings on your bass is completely irrelevant.

Put a 3-string bass in the hands of any of the musicians Hutch1 listed above and they can play melodic, soulful, expressive solos. Contrast that with just about any doofus who picks up the shiny 6-string bass at GC...

Do any of these people who told you that play bass? Are any of them over 16 years old? The last people on earth anyone should take musical advice from are guitar playing teenagers.

Hey guys, good question by the OP, and glad they asked. I do solo bass around a few cities and play my Spector 4 string. I have owned a six string fretted and fretless, and have performed with those as well. As already stated by others, whatever you need to bring about the sound you desire should be what you are looking for in a bass.
Another super talented bassist right here on this forum is Aram Bedrossian, check him out, a fantastic 4 stringer.

yeah i ask three guys one veteran 67 been playing bass since he 20, a guy who's been playing 13 years he is 26 and the other guy was billy sheehan but he said it doesn't really matter but 4 strings is his preferance but he doesn't "solo" he leads with bass


it is true he does reply to ALL Fan mail =)

now basiacally i want to know does the advantage of haveing more notes under one hand position out weigh the fact that the huge neck slows you down...

wish i'd thought of that earlier

Well, IMO one big plus of more strings is that you can play more in one position without moving your hand too much. and pretty much movement economy=speed. unless you struggle with a big board, there is no inherent speed bump in 5+ strings.

If you aren't used too much to the 4 string I'd say at least get a 5er.

I don't see how the neck being wider would slow you down at all.. If anything I find I can play faster with 5 and 6 strings because the strings are spaced closer together.

Let me ask you this, have you ever actually played a 6 string?

i've played 4 six stings A John Myung (which i loved!) a John Pattituci with which i found the neck a bit too wide, frettless cheap nasty £300 six string which felt like a 2x4 with cords on it and a Musicman Bongo 6,

because of where i live now i find it VERY hard to go out and find a store that will have any six strings, i have to make a proper journey to find any basses at all :( i've been looking at the Bongo 6 H/H, H/S and Ibanez Sr5006

idk

sorry i seem very clueless =(

my main instrument is trombone i took up bass a few years ago for my uni course

To be honest, I strongly believe you should look into getting a 6-string bass. I am only 18; I have been playing for about 3 years and 5 months (ever since christmas of '05). I started with a 4-string B.C.Rich, and after 1 year of playing I had heard of Dream Theater who are currently my biggest inspiration as a musician. After I saw John Myung playing his bass, I knew I wanted a 6-string. And I bought one on christmas of '06. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I hate when people say that it's overkill, or that the neck is too wide, because these are all opinion. I had very little trouble adjusting at all. I went from a 4-string to a 6-er immediately, and I was perfectly comfortable after only a week. As long as your hands aren't too small, the stretching/wider neck is no problem at all (I would advise you find a shorter strap, however. It's hard to reach the low B when your bass is down too low). Also, I found that after I bought my 6-string, I had so many more options with my playing. I play progressive metal a lot, so the extra strings are really helpful. I tap chords, arpeggios, and I do a lot with harmonics; having the extra string extension on both the top and bottom ranges helps a lot, and will really aid you in developing your skills as a musician as far as not only improvisation, but also diversity and creativity in your playing.

One drawback to a 6-string bass is the narrower string spacing; this may be difficult to get used to, ESPECIALLY if you slap. You are going to need to take some time getting more comfortable to the strings being closer in general, as well, but it will start to feel normal with time. One last con is that when I went from a 4-string to a 6-string, the fretboard looked like a giant maze. It took awhile to get used to playing old songs I learned on my 4-string because the extra strings threw me off here and there, but that confusion will simply go away after a few days of playing, and you will get used to it. Even with these negativities, they are so minute that the positives you will experience in the long run will far out-weight them.

If you are into Myung, Patitucci and other similar artists, then a 6-string sounds perfect for you. Once you have the added strings, it really opens up more options for your playing, and is much more fun to learn and play on. I would strongly suggest you consider buying a 6-er (or at least look into purchasing a 5-string) and test out a ton of basses before you make a purchase. Hopefully you will find something that you enjoy. Good luck!

Bassman, you just answered everything! Thanks so much to you and every one who has contributed!

i am getting a six string but my brother has offerd to go evens with me for my birthday in september =) up to a max of a bass in totall £1500 so i've decided Bongo H/H, H/S Ibanez Hurra!

now too decide what bass too get.... i would get the john Myung with the AWESOME SMB-6a's but they don't make them any more shame really

No problem, I'm really glad I could help. If you ever need help or have a question, just PM me!

Anyways, about the bass you're getting... You're right, it's too bad that John's old Yamaha isn't produced anymore, I had always wanted to get my hands on one and play it at the very least. The Bongo 6 with the H/H configuration is within your price range, though, if you wanted to get that. I hear they are great, there's even a guy on youtube with a review (search "Bongo Bass" and its the first video). I personally have never even seen one in person, though, let alone played one.

Ibanez basses are always good too; I have an Ibanez SR506 (which is about $630 in USD). It's a really good bass, very smooth and playable with a great feel. The only other 6-string Ibanez I can really suggest is the Ibanez BTB576FM. It's about $850, and I have played it multiple times at SamAsh. Very slick, comfortable, and flexible. I've considered buying it myself; it's a great feeling bass. The BTB576 is still pretty cheap considering your price range, but it and the SR506 are both worth checking out.

Personally, I havn't played a lot of the more expensive Ibanez basses (or even a lot of higher-end basses in general), so I'm unsure of what else to recommend. Just take your time looking and you'll find something perfect. Hopefully this has helped.