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4 string bass players

#21
My first and so far only bass has been a 5-string. I bought it because I was all into metal and instead of having to drop-tune for some songs I'd just be able to play the extra low notes on the B string.

Then I wound up learning a bunch of songs that didn't involve notes below E, and I realized there wasn't really a reason for me to have a 5-string.

Then recently I've started to discover songs that are really fun and interesting that do involve notes as low as the low B (and even low A...)

There is only one thing I don't like about 5-string basses: The B string. I've tried a variety of them and I've encountered rattling and excessive string noise every time. My amp can't hardly handle the B either, it just sounds like mud when I do anything but feather it.

4 strings is all I need for 98% of what I play, so I will definitely own a 4 string sometime in the near future. For the other 2%, hopefully I can find a bass with a good B string someday.
 
#24
lyes4string said:
Am I the only person who would rather just continue playing my 4 string even though I own a 5 string? I have owned 3 five string basses and always have felt this way. I have only had my latest 5 string a month ( Warwick custom shop 2006 corvette) and I am already trying to trade it on craigslist for a 4 string. Is there anyone else who just loves their 4 string?
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After trying really hard to love 5 strings, I've resolved that I'm a 4 string player. Puts me in company with Jaco, Geddy, Cliff, Jeff, Victor, Stanley, etc, etc etc so I don't feel too bad about it.
 
#26
lyes4string said:
i guess thats your opinion honestly i think its a little more impressive to watch a 4 string bass player just look at jaco
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Alright, I guess my sarcasm isn't cutting through :rollno:

To be honest (and this is just my opinion so don't lynch me) I don't feel there is a necessity for the elitist attitude in art, let alone the art of bass playing. Strings, to me, are completely irrelevent. What draws us to the bass varies from person to person, but generally bass players didn't choose the bass, it chose them. Some nights, I feel like playing a four, others a five. Some days I want to play my semi-hallow on a gig. If I had an upright, or a frettless, or an 11-string, I'd find a way to play those too. I just love playing anything bass-related I can get my hands on without making my girlfriend jelous. Heck, you could give me a 1-stringer and I could do something with it. For me, no preference. It just depends on my mood.

Sorry for the rant, but you asked :hiding:
 
#29
brndn123 said:
Alright, I guess my sarcasm isn't cutting through :rollno:

To be honest (and this is just my opinion so don't lynch me) I don't feel there is a necessity for the elitist attitude in art, let alone the art of bass playing. Strings, to me, are completely irrelevent. What draws us to the bass varies from person to person, but generally bass players didn't choose the bass, it chose them. Some nights, I feel like playing a four, others a five. Some days I want to play my semi-hallow on a gig. If I had an upright, or a frettless, or an 11-string, I'd find a way to play those too. I just love playing anything bass-related I can get my hands on without making my girlfriend jelous. Heck, you could give me a 1-stringer and I could do something with it. For me, no preference. It just depends on my mood.

Sorry for the rant, but you asked :hiding:
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I totally understand where your coming from I guess I'm just to into what I'm into. I wish I could have no preference, but I do but it's also only my opinion so truly doesn't matter as long as it's bass
 
#30
I have a Bongo 5, a custom Minarik P/MM 5 that is both awesome and beautiful, a Squier Active 5 that I love, a 5 string acoustic, a 5 string EUB, and I'm sure at least one other that I'm forgetting I own. I never play any of them any more. Because I never have to.

I only play 5s if I have to.
 
#33
John Wentzien said:
I started in the 60's...and have beeen "flabbergasted" by all the so-called "improvements" for bass guitar.....how about "practice" instead of "Buy more stuff"?
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Me, too, John ( except for the '60s part). I play in wed./sun worship services and rarely get a playlist for new songs w/ more than a day or three of notice, if that (usually just chord sheets, anyway). When I rehearse at home, I will play it up and/or down in a different key in case day of playing it, we lower or raise it for the vocalists. Keeps my head sharp, too. :bassist:
 
#34
I've never really thought about it much, but I've just never felt the need to play anything else. It's probably for the same reason I don't own any pedals, I'm just comfortable with my basses and they do everything I need them to do......
 
#35
lyes4string said:
I totally understand where your coming from I guess I'm just to into what I'm into. I wish I could have no preference, but I do but it's also only my opinion so truly doesn't matter as long as it's bass
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That's great! Only do what feels right to you. I"ve played $5000 instruments that people rave over and to me, didn't feel as good in my hands as my $200 used Cort I bought when I was 13. And since you mentioned it, look at Jaco. He risked completely destroying his first bass by ripping out the frets to make it express his ideas more clearly. That crappy fender was his main axe throughout his career and opened up a whole new world for us. Said crappy Fender has a replica that sells for a pretty penny.
 
#37
I have owned a five string and found that I fumbled with it too much. Plus the low seems to color the rest of the bass's tone.
Much love to my extended range brothers and sisters. I just choose to keep it simple.
 
#38
I realized I never used the low B and wished I had bought a 4 string instead. Then I strung it up with a high C. Highly recommended! More notes that aren't useless (your experience may differ here of course) without position shifting is really nice - especially since it's a fretless. It's also great when recording melodies.
 
#39
Luff said:
I realized I never used the low B and wished I had bought a 4 string instead. Then I strung it up with a high C. Highly recommended! More notes that aren't useless (your experience may differ here of course) without position shifting is really nice - especially since it's a fretless. It's also great when recording melodies.
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I have done that in the past with my 5 it was pretty cool, but it was cooler breaking it on a tv on stage
 

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