4 or 5 strings for a second bass

[Retxed68]

Hello!

I am a French living in the US and I will go back to France in the coming years. I would like to buy American Fender basses as a souvenir from California where I am living right now, so I am going to sell my MIM precision to buy the American Pro II Precision Miami blue (I am in love with it..). No hesitation about this one on my side.

I was thinking of also getting a second one eventually that would be a Jazz one for versatility, because it is always good to have 2 basses in case anything happens with the first one during a show.

So here is my question: Do you think it is a good idea to make this second bass a 5 string bass to have one just in case? Or is it better to stick to what I use (4 string) and maybe one day buy a cheap 5 string if I really need it?

I am scared that I won't play the 5 string that much if it is too different from the 4 string since I am not used to it (which would suck for the price of a MIA), but at the same time I like the idea of having this tool in my bag if needed.

Bonus question: What do you think of having both a Precision and a Jazz? so far I only ever owned 1 bass at a time.

Thanks!

 

[BarqsBitMe]

I prefer 5 string basses over 4 string basses, but honestly not for any practical reason. It is nice to have the low B because it opens up access to a few lower notes and access to more fretboard positions. I don't actually need the low B for 99% of what I play, but I like it anyway. I just think 5 string basses look better than 4s, but that is of course entirely subjective.

The main issues people come across with 5 string basses is it does take a bit more effort to properly mute strings from ringing out due to sympathetic vibrations, and that the fretboard is inherently going to be wider. On that note though, you need to be careful. You might find the close string spacing of something like an Ibanez to be intolerable on a 5 string...or you might love it. On other basses, 5 string fretboards can feel like tree trunks...which again, some people love but I personally do not. I don't think those things are hard to deal with, but there is a little bit of a learning curve if you've only ever used 4 string basses. Other issues are increased weight, increased price of the bass, and increased price of replacement strings (though that is kind of negligible in your case since you are talking about very expensive instruments).

If you are going to be here for a while, I'd suggest maybe buying a cheap 5 string...but not so cheap that is is junk or unsellable... and use it for a month or two to see if you like it. If you don't, it wouldn't take too much effort to sell at minimal loss. If you do, you could still sell it and then buy the expensive Fender you're looking at.

Lots of people will respond with comments about what you "need", which is silly. If people only ever bought what they need in their chosen hobbies, those hobbies would be pretty boring imo.

As far as the having a precision and a jazz, TB is definitely going to tell you that is a good way to go. I don't care for P basses, so I would point you toward the jazz, but again, that is a very subjective thing. And really, the main reason I don't like P basses is their appearance. The single split pickup just looks... unfinished or incomplete. The two pickups on the jazz bass look much better to me.

I also prefer the added ability to adjust tone that the jazz bass provides, especially if it is an active jazz bass.

 

[Retxed68]

I prefer 5 string basses over 4 string basses, but honestly not for any practical reason. It is nice to have the low B because it opens up access to a few lower notes and access to more fretboard positions. I don't actually need the low B for 99% of what I play, but I like it anyway. I just think 5 string basses look better than 4s, but that is of course entirely subjective.

The main issues people come across with 5 string basses is it does take a bit more effort to properly mute strings from ringing out due to sympathetic vibrations, and that the fretboard is inherently going to be wider. On that note though, you need to be careful. You might find the close string spacing of something like an Ibanez to be intolerable on a 5 string...or you might love it. On other basses, 5 string fretboards can feel like tree trunks...which again, some people love but I personally do not. I don't think those things are hard to deal with, but there is a little bit of a learning curve if you've only ever used 4 string basses. Other issues are increased weight, increased price of the bass, and increased price of replacement strings (though that is kind of negligible in your case since you are talking about very expensive instruments).

If you are going to be here for a while, I'd suggest maybe buying a cheap 5 string...but not so cheap that is is junk or unsellable... and use it for a month or two to see if you like it. If you don't, it wouldn't take too much effort to sell at minimal loss. If you do, you could still sell it and then buy the expensive Fender you're looking at.

Lots of people will respond with comments about what you "need", which is silly. If people only ever bought what they need in their chosen hobbies, those hobbies would be pretty boring imo.

As far as the having a precision and a jazz, TB is definitely going to tell you that is a good way to go. I don't care for P basses, so I would point you toward the jazz, but again, that is a very subjective thing. And really, the main reason I don't like P basses is their appearance. The single split pickup just looks... unfinished or incomplete. The two pickups on the jazz bass look much better to me.

I also prefer the added ability to adjust tone that the jazz bass provides, especially if it is an active jazz bass.

Thanks for your answer, it is very informative!

 

[el murdoque]

Having a J and a P is a good idea if you like both.
A Jazz bass has a bit more tonal versatility. It sounds a lot like a P bass with the neck Pickup solo and gets more twangy with the bridge pickup solo, plus you can turn up both for a more midscooped sound.
The neck is slimmer, on the P bass you typically have a nut width of 44mm and on the Jazz it's 38mm If I remember correctly. There is no right or wrong here, it's how it feels in your hands.

Playing a 5 string is something of a religious question. Very few people can do both equally well and have no preference.
Something that 5 string newbies get told often is to lock up their 4 string basses for an extended time period and only play the 5 until they really feel at home on it. When that happened, one can take out a 4 string again and see how that feels. For some, it feels like coming home after a long voyage. Those people tend to stick to 4 strings and play 5 only when they have to. For some it feels like the bass is missing a string. Those tend to get 5 string versions of their beloved 4 string basses and consider themselves 5 string players - or even look at six string basses from there. And sometimes people are able to flip the switch in their brain and play the 4 like they used to, but also can play the 5 without thinking about it.

I was playing 5 string basses exclusively for 20 years, then I switched to six. For some reason, playing the six has opened up 4 string basses again. Swapping between a six and a four is no problem for me. Swapping a six for a five is also no effort. Going back and forth between a five and a four, however, is difficult. I tend to fret the wrong notes on the four then.

The problem is you only know how you're gonna be if you take the journey and learn the 5 string bass.

It would surely suck if you bought a nice MIA 5 string and only used it if you absolutely had to because you found out that 5 strings are not meant for you.
I'd go with the suggestion already made and get a used 5 string Jazz MiM. You know the quality of these because you already have a MiM and you can sell it with minimal loss when you're done.

 

[droo46]

It really depends. I've found that the kinds of gigs I've been getting are much easier on 5 strings. The biggest benefit I'm seeing is flexibility with tunings. I played a country gig last week and the guitars were in half step down, but I didn't even have to think about that because I just had a 5er. I've got another pop gig tonight that I would struggle to do on a 4 string. The extra string makes you super flexible, both with tunings and with hand positioning.

That said, if you're doing mostly classic rock stuff, then a 5 string is probably unnecessary. I played in lots of rock bands and never needed the low B at all. There's also the weight to consider. I cannot use a 5 string on a 3 hour gig without a super wide strap without waking up the next morning with a super sore shoulder.

 

[BassAdder27]

What about a 4 string Sterling Sub Ray 4 bass ?
I use a Fender PBass but just added the Ray4 as a backup / spare bass.
I thought about getting a Jazz and or a second PBass but I like the PBass I already have. Jazz came close but I fancied the Ray and it’s a nice variation to have.

 

[chris_b]

IMO buying a new format of bass on the off-chance you'll play it at some point in the future probably isn't a great plan.

So first you should decide if you have a good reason for playing a 5. If you do it's worth getting a good one. A 5 string bass doesn't have to be heavy. My Mike Lull PJ5 weighs 8.5lbs.

If you're worried you'll pick up your 4 in preference, put your 4 string basses away and only play the 5 until you can play it without any issues. At that point you might never go back to 4 strings. I didn't.

 

[Retxed68]

What about a 4 string Sterling Sub Ray 4 bass ?
I use a Fender PBass but just added the Ray4 as a backup / spare bass.
I thought about getting a Jazz and or a second PBass but I like the PBass I already have. Jazz came close but I fancied the Ray and it’s a nice variation to have.

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll look into it!

 

[Ric5]

Of course I have to say 5

 

[MCS4]

I would just try to get your hands on as many five-string basses as possible before you need to make a final decision, even if your only option is to visit some music stores that have them. And even once you do end up buying a bass, if it is a five-string, make sure you buy it at least a few weeks before you leave so that you have time to return it if you don't bond with it.

We can give you endless reasons why either a four-or-five string bass is optimal in theory, but that is irrelevant compared to the question of whether or not you personally will enjoy and get use out of a five-string.

For myself, I have largely remained a four-string bass player despite having owned some five-strings (and even a six-string, briefly), because they simply suit me better. I definitely found plenty of use for having multiple four-string basses, whether it was to make sure I always had a backup available for gigs or to have different tonal options. I do now also have a five-string bass that I enjoy quite a lot, although I do not prefer it to my main four-string bass -- but that is after around 20 years of nearly only playing four-string basses and generally not liking any five-string basses I previously played. So, for me, the question is not so simple, and my answer would be somewhat different depending on which point in my life you asked.

 

[Pings Bass]

4-string P and a 5-string J will cover a lot of ground. I recommend it.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hello!

I am a French living in the US and I will go back to France in the coming years. I would like to buy American Fender basses as a souvenir from California where I am living right now, so I am going to sell my MIM precision to buy the American Pro II Precision Miami blue (I am in love with it..). No hesitation about this one on my side.

I was thinking of also getting a second one eventually that would be a Jazz one for versatility, because it is always good to have 2 basses in case anything happens with the first one during a show.

So here is my question: Do you think it is a good idea to make this second bass a 5 string bass to have one just in case? Or is it better to stick to what I use (4 string) and maybe one day buy a cheap 5 string if I really need it?

I am scared that I won't play the 5 string that much if it is too different from the 4 string since I am not used to it (which would suck for the price of a MIA), but at the same time I like the idea of having this tool in my bag if needed.

Bonus question: What do you think of having both a Precision and a Jazz? so far I only ever owned 1 bass at a time.

Thanks!

IMO, I have one of each. Three reasons, there are songs, especially those written in the last 25 years were written and arranged with a 5 string in mind. Playing Uptown Funk on a 4 string with std tuning sounds just plain weird. Some retune the bass to BEAD which is an alternative , but to get those low notes, you give up a corresponding number higher ones. Drop D forces more mental gymnastics than it’s worth.

One other consideration. I rarely play the same songs on both basses. Right now for our 2020 shows, I’m playing a song that for 5 years I played on my five string. I don’t want to switch basses for one song bringing the show to halt (the singers do enough of this anyway), and the rest of the show has been polished on a 4 string. It’s pain to switch.

.

 

[micguy]

If you're not practicing regularly with a 5'er, I wouldn't have one as a backup. The extra string can be confusing until you get used to it (for some of us, that takes quite a while), and if your main bass just went down, you're already gonna be a bit frazzled by that. Adding the confusion of playing something that you're not used to at that exact moment seems like a perfect recipe for a bad gig.

In my case, a 5'er is useful enough that, once I got used to it, I rather quickly switched to all 5'ers - I build my own, so all my basses have the same scale, string spacing, neck contours, etc - giving me a consistent physical platform to work with. I can play most of the time without looking because of that consistency, and that helps me connect with what's happening in the room, the other musicians, etc.

 

[AceOfBassFace]

Depends what kind of music you're into. Classic rock? You really just need a 4 string. For modern pop, funk, gospel, R&B etc, the low B comes in real handy if you need to play 'Uptown Funk' or 'Get Lucky'.

You can't go wrong with a 4-string P bass, but I'd look at Ernie Ball Music Man or even Sterling by Music Man Stingray 5-strings over a Jazz fiver. Just personal taste though, I never really gelled with the Jazz bass tone. Plenty of folks get great tones from a Jazz bass.

 

[jastraw]

I started on a 5 last week after playing only 4's for years. For me, landmarks and roadmaps on fretboard is not a problem. I got used to it in 20 minutes. The muting necessary to deal with an extra string is different matter for me. I am working on different techniques both hands to address that. Having a very lively 5 string doesn't help either.

P or J? get a PJ. That's my personal preference.

 

[Retxed68]

If you're not practicing regularly with a 5'er, I wouldn't have one as a backup. The extra string can be confusing until you get used to it (for some of us, that takes quite a while), and if your main bass just went down, you're already gonna be a bit frazzled by that. Adding the confusion of playing something that you're not used to at that exact moment seems like a perfect recipe for a bad gig.

In my case, a 5'er is useful enough that, once I got used to it, I rather quickly switched to all 5'ers - I build my own, so all my basses have the same scale, string spacing, neck contours, etc - giving me a consistent physical platform to work with. I can play most of the time without looking because of that consistency, and that helps me connect with what's happening in the room, the other musicians, etc.

Yes I hadn’t thought of that, better to have a 4 string backup if the main is a 4 string to not add more stress during the gig in case of problem.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hello!

I am a French living in the US and I will go back to France in the coming years. I would like to buy American Fender basses as a souvenir from California where I am living right now, so I am going to sell my MIM precision to buy the American Pro II Precision Miami blue (I am in love with it..). No hesitation about this one on my side.

I was thinking of also getting a second one eventually that would be a Jazz one for versatility, because it is always good to have 2 basses in case anything happens with the first one during a show.

So here is my question: Do you think it is a good idea to make this second bass a 5 string bass to have one just in case? Or is it better to stick to what I use (4 string) and maybe one day buy a cheap 5 string if I really need it?

I am scared that I won't play the 5 string that much if it is too different from the 4 string since I am not used to it (which would suck for the price of a MIA), but at the same time I like the idea of having this tool in my bag if needed.

Bonus question: What do you think of having both a Precision and a Jazz? so far I only ever owned 1 bass at a time.

Thanks!

If it's going to be a main player, and you don't play a five now, get a four. They dont feel the same. And, create a lot more playing problems than you realize. Try a five down the road. Get one you'll love now.

 

[Killing Floor]

I like the option of a low string but I find myself playing 4 strings more often because that’s what I learned. I think a P and a 5 string J would be a good pair.
Have fun choosing.

 

[jshinal]

Hello!
[...]is it better to stick to what I use [...]

I had a similar thought before I bought my first fretless bass. I realized later I had hesitated needlessly. Any bass that helps you grow and enjoy is a good purchase. When you find a bass that you just can't put down, that is the one to get !

I hope you enjoy your stay here. I have wanted to visit your country for a long time. My father worked some in Nice and really liked it there.

 

[Retxed68]

I had a similar thought before I bought my first fretless bass. I realized later I had hesitated needlessly. Any bass that helps you grow and enjoy is a good purchase. When you find a bass that you just can't put down, that is the one to get !

I hope you enjoy your stay here. I have wanted to visit your country for a long time. My father worked some in Nice and really liked it there.

I love California and will for sure be very sad to leave. I am from Marseille, not too far from Nice France is a nice country, so I’m sure I’ll get used to being back home after some time. I just wish I could stay longer