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4 or 5,,that is the question,,,

#21
I just recently started playing a 5 string and I use the b constantly. I find myself changing left hand positions to the middle of the fretboard. If the song is in c, I'll play it around the 8th fret of the e string just like I'd play it up higher. Plus I also believe that a good b string can have a Fuller sound around the 8th fret than the e string does around the 3rd. I also have small hands so I find it more comfortable. And it makes soloing a quick easy shift.

But that's just me :bassist:
 
#23
I love my 5 strings, but I would prefer to play a 4. And now that HipShot has the Double Stop lever out, it gives two "dropped" positions.

I have it set for drop D and dropped down to low B (:eek:).
So I've been actually grabbing my 4 when in some cases I would grab my 5.
 
#24
Ive heard very few 5string basses whose low B sounded good to me. Not into their wider necks, and if I need notes lower then reg bass low E I have keyboard synths that can easilly outdo any bass guitar for ultra low bass notes. I can see where its easier to transpose etc with a fiver for some songs. But again the number of fivers with very good to me sounding low B is very few.
 
#26
Lakie Bs are some of the best...very nice and piano like...maybe the 35" scale has something to do with it....or the overall craftsmanship!

darkstorm said:
Ive heard very few 5string basses whose low B sounded good to me. Not into their wider necks, and if I need notes lower then reg bass low E I have keyboard synths that can easilly outdo any bass guitar for ultra low bass notes. I can see where its easier to transpose etc with a fiver for some songs. But again the number of fivers with very good to me sounding low B is very few.
Click to expand...
 
#27
When I want to play a D note, the 5th fret the A string on my Rick 4004 Cii sounds ballsy enough for me. But then again that's me. You have your preferences and that obviously works for you.

At the end of the day how many people people in the audience come up to you and comment about the number of strings on your basses? So far it's only happened to me a few times and that was with a Fender Bass VI which is, of course, a very strange beast.
 
#28
The real question is... why not both? Unless you really have no use for a B string in the music you play, it's good to have that option. Besides, if you only have 4'ers, getting a 5'er is a good to justify some GAS.

I'm a beginner and already playing both varieties. I had the cash, I wanted two basses with different functions. And I'm a happy camper now :bassist:

P.S. OP, You're forgetting two genres that can use 5'ers commonly: metal and grunge.

P.S.2. I don't know if I'll ever dwell on the 6'ers, they look too massive to me. Only time will tell. But 5'ers all the way, IMHO.
 
#29
funkycoldmedina said:
I just recently started playing a 5 string and I use the b constantly. I find myself changing left hand positions to the middle of the fretboard. If the song is in c, I'll play it around the 8th fret of the e string just like I'd play it up higher.
Click to expand...
I was going to post something extremely similar but you stated it beautifully. I love being able to hit iv and V with ease/without having to move my hand all the way back to 1st position.

I think both enhance your creativity in different ways. A 4-string forces you to come up with interesting ways around the notes you don't have easy access to, and you might find a more interesting line than you would if you had the lower roots available to you, i.e. you might use a 3rd or more passing tones to reach the root in another register. The 4-strings I've played also tend to have wider spacings, which I prefer for heavier or more percussive right-hand stuff. Conversely, the effort to stay clean on a more narrowly spaced 5 can enhance your focus and inform your playing a lot, too.

Long story short, I'll always have both around. :)
 
#33
I bought a 5er after not owning a bass for a long time (it was stolen and I was too broke to replace it...), and I'd only played a 5 string a handful of times and didn't really like it. I thought I'd give it another shot, and if I didn't like it I would just flip it because I got it for cheap and stood to make money if I sold it. Turns out I love it! I love to hit the low C when playing in in that key, or the low D without having to play detuned. I actually like the wider neck and having somewhere to rest my thumb while playing on other strings. I also like being able to play the E on the 5th fret because it sounds smoother and more full, as well as giving you better position on the other notes when playing in E or Em. I really like my Riot-5 (and I miss it, it's being set-up...), and I don't think there are any genres where a 5 string is inappropriate (I suppose it may look out of place at first, but they are useful and provide greater flexibility).
 
#35
cassanova said:
I prefer a 5 string. I like being able to delve deeper in the register when I want to without having to drop tune and I also like the added finger positions that it opens up, hence making many passages a lot easier to play.

I'm not one of those people that subscribe to the mentality of "the music I play doesn't really use a 5 string," because you can tastefully incorporate the B string in on many songs that weren't originally recorded with a 5. If you're composing originals then you can always write a line that does use the B, so that renders the mindset moot.
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Ditto. You can work the the B string into anything if you know what you're doing and it's comfortable for you. A four string would be wasted on me, haha.
 
#38
I played five strings for a number of years, but I rarely used the B string. I've been so used to the position shifts that I never adapted taking advantage of the B, and usage of the lower available notes often interfere with the kick. It's just made more sense for me to use the hipshot to get the couple of lower notes that are actually useful for me. So, the 5's got sold off.

However....... I do keep a 4 string tuned down to C#F# B E, and it finds occasional use.
 
#39
CoreyP said:
I was going to post something extremely similar but you stated it beautifully. I love being able to hit iv and V with ease/without having to move my hand all the way back to 1st position.

I think both enhance your creativity in different ways. A 4-string forces you to come up with interesting ways around the notes you don't have easy access to, and you might find a more interesting line than you would if you had the lower roots available to you, i.e. you might use a 3rd or more passing tones to reach the root in another register. The 4-strings I've played also tend to have wider spacings, which I prefer for heavier or more percussive right-hand stuff. Conversely, the effort to stay clean on a more narrowly spaced 5 can enhance your focus and inform your playing a lot, too.

Long story short, I'll always have both around. :)
Click to expand...

+1

I am about to go 5 and the exact reason is to widen my horizon on how to play,primarily.
Each instrument has something different to teach you and since playing is just another word for learning, different toys give you knowledge on different level and/or on different subject
My opinion...Keep playing, keep experimenting my friend...
 

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