Rex Brown and 5 strings

[DLI848]

I know Rex used 5 strings during Pantera. What albums did he use it on and what did he tune to? From the Rex interview with Down he said he was glad he didn't have to use 5 strings anymore like he did in Pantera. Wonder why that is.

[Supa Scoopa]

From what I can hear, Trendkill and RTS use 5'ers.

He used them live before Trendkill.

[Bassmingo]

panteras tuning was always a couple of cents off standard, in sofar as if a song was in standard, down a step, or step and a half its never on the money, its a few cents out. it used to bug me when i'd play along to them as a kid.

rex was fond of using 5er's and seldom using the B, but i'm basing that on music videos. he's using a spector 5 in the 5 minutes alone vid, but afaik the B aint used.

he's using a stingray 5 in the mouth for war vid, and the B is used sparingly (so little you might miss it)

so basically, for most pantera tunes, you dont need a 5, just a 4 tuned for the particular song.

[Sbociol]

He used a white Charvel Fusion V on the Cowboys From Hell album,you can see it in the official video for the title-track

[Bassmingo]

Originally Posted by Sbociol

He used a white Charvel Fusion V on the Cowboys From Hell album,you can see it in the official video for the title-track

forgot about that one! i dont know why he "had" to play one, he hardly used the B.

fernandes 5 in the walk video too.

[Crystalman85]

I'm guessing that rex brown likes playing 5-string basses when he was with pantera(probably because of more ranges in sounds on the low b string). and when he is with down, he decided to switch from 5-string basses to 4-string basses.

[Bassmingo]

Originally Posted by Crystalman85

I'm guessing that rex brown likes playing 5-string basses when he was with pantera(probably because of more ranges in sounds on the low b string). and when he is with down, he decided to switch from 5-string basses to 4-string basses.

that may be true if he actually used the extra range a 5 string gives. but he hardly ever did. maybe he used in case he ever felt like throwing in some low notes. I dunno.

[Supa Scoopa]

RTS is full of 5 string, but its late in pantera career.

[sonic assassin]

maybe he, like myself, has to have a 5 whether we're using the string or not. i cant play 4's anymore. even if i dont touch the B string.. it has to be there.

granted.. i wail on that big SOB.. but on songs that dont call for it, im surely not going to switch basses. im more efficient on a 5 because its comfortable. maybe rex was the same way.

and as i recall, a lot of pantera was either in E or drop tuned.. which would make a 4 make more sense (tuned slightly flat, of course).

[tom once dead]

Pantera was tunes 30cent down on one of their albums. I also have never really noticed rex using the B often.

[jmattbassplaya]

Really guys? I recall the need for a five on a lot of their later material.

[Sbociol]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Really guys? I recall the need for a five on a lot of their later material.

AFAIK they dropped their instruments down one tone on the last 2 albums,so you could easily go with a detuned 4 string

[ilikegrindcore]

Originally Posted by Sbociol

He used a white Charvel Fusion V on the Cowboys From Hell album,you can see it in the official video for the title-track

hahaha me too (my Charvel is green tho)

Even if Rex used only 4 strings while playing a 5 string I can totally relate to that... the low B makes a hell of a thumb rest if nothing else when playing fingerstyle, but I'd imagine it complicates things when using a pick?

[TheHegemon]

Yeah I can't recall him using it too extensively except for the song "Floods" from the Trendkill album during the guitar lead. He is all over the place on that one and he uses the low B quite a bit if I remember right. But like other people mentioned most songs you can just use a detuned 4.

[sonic assassin]

Originally Posted by ilikegrindcore

the low B makes a hell of a thumb rest if nothing else when playing fingerstyle, but I'd imagine it complicates things when using a pick?

does the E string complicate hitting the A string on a 4 string bass?

nope.

just have to have your pick accuracy down. the bassist in my current band does a lot of top string wailing and a 5'er would totally cramp his style. me.. im used to it, so its no trouble at all. i tend to mute the upper strings with the very tips of my fretted fingers. subtle, but it helps.

[ilikegrindcore]

Originally Posted by sonic assassin

i tend to mute the upper strings with the very tips of my fretted fingers. subtle, but it helps.

same here man