Anyone moved away from bothering with a B-string?

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallman

With high impedance pickups, the fundamental of a low E is poorly reproduced, depending on the pickup. The more windings, the more trouble the pickup has reproducing the fundamental of the low E. Not a problem as many cabinets and amps have problems doing that as well. Our ears and brains hear the 2nd and 4th harmonics and produce the fundamental in our heads. A feature of the mighty SVT, touted in advertising copy when the amp first came out that the SVT would not produce the fundamental of a low E and how that was a great thing.

With 5 string, this is even more the case. Perhaps the popularity of active pickups, which use far fewer windings, is partly because of their ability to actually reproduce the fundamentals of the lowest notes...piezos too.

As far as the B string...I'd rather give up the G string, than my low B. I certainly use it more. But since I don't have to give up either, I'm a happy boy.

Are active pickups even very popular?

None of my fives and only one of my sixes (an MTD 635) have active pickups. I don't find pickups to be the main issue with low B reproduction. It's the player.

[curbowkid]

Im still convinced that all you need to do to fix a floppy B is get a thicker string for more tension.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by capncal

Victor Wooten only needs 4 strings. Geddy only need 4 strings. Larry Graham only needs 4 strings. Bootsy only needs 4 strings. John Entwistle only needed 4 strings Jaco only needed 4 strings. i only need 4 strings

The old "good enough for them, good enough for me" thingy.


No offense, great bassists all... if I only got to perform from each of their catalogs of music I wouldn't need a low B either. I cover a few more songs/genres/styles than that... and I have my own ideas that I like to flesh out.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by curbowkid

Im still convinced that all you need to do to fix a floppy B is get a thicker string for more tension.

And I've found the exact opposite to be true... and I prefer the feel of lighter strings. They can take more experience to control but once you figure them out they can sound amazing. I really dislike higher tension and have found it unnecessary. Typically stiffer and less flexible.

I use either a .120 or .125 max. Haven't heard a better sounding B yet. Like I said, if you learn how to control the string...

[Sav'nBass]

I have no problems whatsoever with my B strings on any of my 5s.. For me it is an important part of the bass and I rarely play 4s any more..

[Emibass]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

And I've found the exact opposite to be true... and I prefer the feel of lighter strings. They can take more experience to control but once you figure them out they can sound amazing. I really dislike higher tension and have found it unnecessary. Typically stiffer and less flexible.

I use either a .120 or .125 max. Haven't heard a better sounding B yet. Like I said, if you learn how to control the string...

+1

[ACB0015]

Here are some thoughts: Remember that our instrument is related to the Double Bass, or Contrabass, and in orchestration terms it is a 16' instrument, that is -- the fundamental is one octave below the written note. In piano music, that's a lot of ledger lines! So I think of the B string in arrangement terms. Also, in history there is precedent for adding strings to lute-related instruments to increase range and capability, ie the viol music of St. Coloumbe and Marin Marais.

[ChloroPhil315]

I have thought about moving from the b string before. I've played a lot of great four string basses at stores and thought that i'd never need to have the low b again. Then i play a five string and think "Well when am i going to use this again?" Then i play a four string again and am confused as to why the low c# note i just wanted was an f#. Once I didn't have it i realized what i was missing. Luckily I didn't learn this the hard way by letting my fivers go!

[MrLenny1]

Staying with my 4 five strings.
Also that low B is a great thumbrest.

[chadds]

Originally Posted by Templar

Not all that valid, really. You'll need more than five strings to cover the "whole" range.

With a low B you're merely covering "more" of the bass range than with four strings.

Besides, a "real" bass only has four strings, commonly known as... The double bass, the string bass, upright bass, bass fiddle, bass violin , doghouse bass, contrabass, bass viol, stand-up bass or bull fiddle.

They look like this...surely you've seen one?

Early contra basses were 4 or 5 strings. The low C extension has been around for centuries.

To each his own though. We should play what we like. Four strings fit in the mix in certain frequencies in certain types of music. Five strings muddy the mix if they muddy the mix. Most of the groups I play with there is no one down there but me. The quality of your gear and especially your eq controls that.

[SteveC]

I moved away after years of playing 5's. Went about 2 years and have now moved back. I could "get by" just fine, but I decided that I like the options having a B gives me. I will probably keep my Geddy Lee for a while until I see if it becomes completely unused or not.

[zeb_bass]

Originally Posted by MrLenny1

Also that low B is a great thumbrest.

That is true.... but still a 5 string is not not just a 4 string with thumbrest. to me they remain different animals. That´s why I force myself to go back to my trusted 4 bangers...they just sound better (more openly, less compressed a nicer vintage flavor).
I still haven´t found a 5string bass where the higher pitches sound as full and supportive as on a 4 string Fender style J-bass (which I prefer)
+ your are forced to play differently (more musical less geometrical fingerings)

[Webtroll]

When I first moved to 5ers playing a 4 felt weird, now I can go back and forth pretty easily. That said I don't use the low B often, and when I do it's either to play parts further up the neck without having to shift as far, or to use the lower notes when I'm feeling goofy on songs that don't go that low. I don't see it as a must have, but like any tool it can be the right tool some times.

[awilkie84]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Are active pickups even very popular?

None of my fives and only one of my sixes (an MTD 635) have active pickups. I don't find pickups to be the main issue with low B reproduction. It's the player.

Active pickups are quite popular. Many big name basses use them. Spector, Warwick, ESP, etc. More popular combinations are Passive pickups with an active EQ, though. It's not always the player, either. Sometimes it's just a poor design that leads to a sloppy B. Sometimes it's player's preference.

Originally Posted by curbowkid

Im still convinced that all you need to do to fix a floppy B is get a thicker string for more tension.

This isn't the case. What you need is good tension on the string. My DR Black Beauties with a .125 had better tension on a 34" B than my .130 GHS Brite Flats did.

A lot of it does come down to the player, too. Lighter touch can get away with lower tension. A heavier gauge tends to get muddy, too. Doesn't sound right.

[bikeplate]

Not a 5 fan and won't gig one unless its completely necessary

[paganjack]

I have used both in the past but my tastes have gravitated more towards 4 stringers in recent years. For me the low string is more associated with modern funk and heavy metal, neither of which I'm seriously involved with lately. I started out on electric playing 5ers and gradually I've just grown to prefer the feel of a 4 string neck. It's as much the specific basses that I have (p-bass and a rick) as it is general preference.

[awilkie84]

Originally Posted by zeb_bass

That is true.... but still a 5 string is not not just a 4 string with thumbrest. to me they remain different animals. That´s why I force myself to go back to my trusted 4 bangers...they just sound better (more openly, less compressed a nicer vintage flavor).
I still haven´t found a 5string bass where the higher pitches sound as full and supportive as on a 4 string Fender style J-bass (which I prefer)
+ your are forced to play differently (more musical less geometrical fingerings)

This bolded section is garbage. There are many 5 string basses that get that "open, less compressed vintage flavor" as you put it. Check out a 5 string Fender Jazz or P. They sound quite vintage. There are other 5 string manufacturers that have vintage tones, too. This is more pickup and electronics selection than it is number of strings. That's like saying that ESP basses sound vintage because they are 4 strings. In fact, most ESPs sound more modern & it's due to the pickup types used, not string numbers.

The second statement is garbage, too. There is nothing less musical about a 5 string. Yes, you can reposition for better ease of playing, but it doesn't make it any less musical. It also doesn't make your 4 string patterns & shapes any less geometric. They're just different shapes.

[MAJOR METAL]

Hellz NO, it keeps me METAL!

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by capncal

Victor Wooten only needs 4 strings. Geddy only need 4 strings. Larry Graham only needs 4 strings. Bootsy only needs 4 strings. John Entwistle only needed 4 strings Jaco only needed 4 strings. i only need 4 strings

Quite a funny post, that.
Thanks!

[awilkie84]

Originally Posted by cnltb

Quite a funny post, that.
Thanks!

Too bad quite a few of those players, including Wooten & Jaco, use/used 5 strings regularly.