Playing a 5 string

[Randy S]

I switched in the mid 90s and haven't looked back.

The B does require a more precise right hand attack, and a bit more attention when intonating the instrument. I believe every bass player, four, five, six or eleventy, should learn to do as much of their own setup as possible.

I've had both 35 and 34 inch scaled basses, and at the end of the day, the issue of finding strings that will fit certain 35 inch basses isn't worth it for me. All my basses are 34. I think the whole 34 versus 35 thing is blown out of proportion by manufacturers' sales pitches.

To me, anyway, the convenience of finding easy fingerings in odd keys and the addition of the lower notes available is worth the trouble of adjusting to the 5. The funny thing is that when I sit in with somebody else's four string, I have no difficulty at all going back to four.

And with all my yackety yack, do what seems right to you.

Cheers...

[MysticMichael]

I was exclusively a four-string player for more than 30 years. At one point, I figured I'd probably never segue to the five-string. I'd tried 'em occasionally in the music stores, but with rare exception, could never get accustomed to the MUCH looser tension of the "B" string - or the "woolier" tone. It seemed to slow me down, required way too much babying, didn't ring nearly as clear as EADG, just didn't seem to add enough value to be worth the hassle.

During the past few years, however, there had seemed to be something really missing in my four-string playing. For the first time in my life, I began to really *feel* that something was missing on the low end. And I began to rethink my "no five-string basses" position.

A couple of years ago, I found myself in a position to do something about it. I bought a couple of brand new Carvin Icon 5s - one fretted, one fretless - had them retrofitted with premium aftermarket pickups (SGD) and preamps (Audere), and began to learn how to play 'em.

Wow! I'm lovin' it! It's hard to describe just how many new playing options open up from the addition of just one string - but they do.

After some initial clumsiness (and I'm not out of the woods yet), I find that I'm starting to pick it up more quickly than I'd expected. I've made a point of drilling myself as I play, i.e. constantly quizzing myself with "OK, what note am I on right now?", playing open notes in order to keep myself oriented, learning my new position note equivalents (i.e. 10th fret on the "B" string is equivalent to fifth fret on the "E" string, or open A on the "A" string, etc.).

I now find myself able to play across a complete octave - in any key, from any position on the neck. In many cases, I can now cover two octaves - or more - without any significant shift in playing position. I can play very familiar tunes that formerly required playing in second position - now in first position. And I can now reach down and hit the fifth below the root - even down low on the "E" string - which previously was impossible, thereby giving a whole new feeling of "space" to the bass line or the figure that wasn't available before. And that's just for starters.

Since then, I've gone kind of hog wild, and invested in four (4) additional five-string bass guitars - each one configured for a specific kind of application. So for the foreseeable future, I'm set - and happy!

MM

[basspraiser]

Originally Posted by Phalex

I'm playing in church this weekend, and they've jacked the keys all up...... I'm pulling out my old fretless fiver and giving her a go. I'm sort of excited!!

this is where a 5er comes in REALLY useful! esepcially in flat keys....

as for a 5er sounding "different"...I would agree...not sure if I agree that it makes some of the notes "mellower"...I will say that it makes ALL of the notes on the E string "beefier"...maybe this has to do with the string moving in and out of 2 magnetic fields instead of just one....

makes me wonder if using a 6 string pickup on a 5er would add "guts" to the B...not that lakie Bs need more guts but just wondering....

[basspraiser]

Originally Posted by flyinglakland1

Going to a lakland 55-02 from a Lakland 4 soon and nervous/excited about the transition. My guitarist is moving to a 8 string guitar, so we can play periphery/AnimalsasLeaders type music, and I can't wait to start practicing.
I have played 4 strings since I started playing bass 7 years ago. Haven't sat down with a 5 for more than 10 minutes, so I'm excited.

GREAT choice...you will love the B and the neck feel....congrats!

[JacoNOT]

To answer your question:

I have matching $400 fretted and fretless 5s. Not status instruments - just well built, quality basses. Active 3-band EQ and 34-inch scale, they're a good test bed for what's possible at this price point or higher. Mine arrived with nickel roundwound strings and the B was awful. Just mud - I couldn't determine the pitch most of the time, whether open or fretted.

I replaced the strings on both with D'Addario Black Nylon Tapewounds and now both B strings are GOOD. And for the record, that's ONE PHAT B STRING at .135". Had to open up the width of the B-string nut slot slightly just to mount it. So I'm not sure a lighter gauge string is the answer to improving B-string tone...

Regarding the tone/timbre when fretting above 5th fret: I think it's not worth considering unless you're a SOLO bass artist. I've read concerns by others about how open strings sound different from fretted strings, and how fretting in the upper positions sounds less defined than in the lower positions. I agree that these phenomena do occur, BUT...I think they don't deserve such concern.

I consider the bass to be a (very important) part of the rhythm section, and as such, the sound it makes is heard in combination with percussion and whatever other sources occupy the mix at the same time. Thinking of the bass in this way frees me to do whatever works--anywhere from nut to bridge--limited only by the character of my particular instrument (and my level of skill ).

I returned to music recently, and effectively started from scratch. I researched 5-string philosophy and bought two 5-string basses because I saw a clear advantage to having access to desired low notes at the current playing position - without having to "jump to the nut" all the time. SIX MONTHS LATER, I'M SURE 5-STRINGS WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE.

4 strings aren't enough. 6 are too many, and going higher than a G string takes you into guitar territory. Avoid muddled, confusing mixes by keeping instruments in their own unique pitch/tonal ranges (as much as possible )

GET THE 5.
Put in the time and effort to learn FLOATING THUMB technique. 5 strings requires a serious approach to muting.
Don't look back.

[spector_boogie]

I only play 5'ers. Playing a 4 just feels like I'm missing something at this point. I detune it too. Both main axes are awesome and sound different and unique.

[crizzle]

I am about to make the switch. My main problem when i pick up 5s ,which i basically never do, is the string spacing. The same reason i cant play a regular guitar to save my life

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by JacoNOT

[size="4"]
4 strings aren't enough. 6 are too many, and going higher than a G string takes you into guitar territory. Avoid muddled, confusing mixes by keeping instruments in their own unique pitch/tonal ranges (as much as possible )

GET THE 5.
Put in the time and effort to learn FLOATING THUMB technique. 5 strings requires a serious approach to muting.
Don't look back.

I rarely play 4s anymore mostly the (doubled) 8 string. I wanted a 5er back before there were 5ers! Why is there no Eb for horn keys I'd always be asking (started on piano)? But I wouldn't say 4 is not enough. 4 are just enough for classic basslines. If I'm in that mode I have a bad tendency to "get creative" with a 5er that is NOT usually good for the music. In that case 4 is just enough. But I'm not playing that kind of music right now.

And 6 strings is NOT too many. In spite of the "instruments must never touch each other" philosophy, I'd point out that during a solo there are no other instruments to "touch" you!

Personally I never quite "got" what a 5er was all about until I started playing a 6 string. I usually recommend this as the best place to start because it forces the issue on all the things that will be important on a 5er. You have to learn how to deal with a wide neck. You have to learn how to run scales starting on any string or fret on the neck in any key. And most important of all you have to learn how to damp your instrument using Floating Thumb.

On a 4 string, two fingers on the right hand and the fingers of the left hand easily damp 4 strings. On a 5er one can "get by" by simply using the B string as a thumb rest as TBers often say. But with a 6er you really have to learn how floating thumb damping works. And you have to have it become a natural habit. Then dropping back to a 5 when upper range is not needed is like heaven. That neck is suddenly nice and "narrow" and damping is easy. And presumably the 6er has taught you how to use both the high and low extended range in a tasteful manner.

It's not that you can't learn starting on a 5 string but a 6 string REALLY forces the issues on you.

[Wookieonbass]

Originally Posted by dougazbass

I'm thinking about going 5 string. I have read a number of posts concerning the differences but thought I'd start another.
I have been playing a 4 string for a while and I've tried a few 5s. It is a little awkward at first but it makes sense to me that it would actually end up being "easier" to play.
By that I mean alot of the time you would not have to play the lower notes at the head end of the neck. This is where it is hardest for me to strech my middle and ring fingers apart. Not that I want to completely avoid that, but it would just generally be easier to play the lower notes on the B string further from the neck.
Do others find this to be true?

Yes. This is one of the reasons I switched to 5ers. That and we do a lot of stuff in E and it's pretty easy to mute a low E on a B string.

[KingRazor]

Originally Posted by MarthaSamira

Actually, I have... Probably more than I'd have the desire to write about. That's probably why I find hard to believe that a B string fretted on the 9th fret will have a similar character of the other strings, unless it's a Dingwall...

Or a Carvin SB5000...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEdT9...yPFyZiVXvydebA