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4 string basses with narrower string spacing?

H

harrumphicus

Jan 13, 2017
73
25
#1
I'm really not in the market for a new bass right now, but I'm thinking when I come back down with GAS next I'd like to look at something with a narrower string spacing than my jazz or p-bass.. like, significantly narrower if possible. I like the feel of the spacing on 5 and 6+ stringers, but I don't need it and I don't like the neck width. What's out there?
 
#3
My jazz has adjustable spacing stock (2002 Am Standard), but even at the narrowest setting really just my E and G strings are closer to the A and D.

I've never really though about Ricks as having a narrower string spacing, I've never played one. It does seem like it's a little tighter in pictures.
 
#4
You mean spacing at the bridge? You're not going to find much more narrow than 19mm on a 4 string. Even my Ibanez Mikro, which is all set up for players who like everything smaller has 19mm string spacing. I believe you would have to go custom or to a 5 string to get in the 16-17mm range. My Mikro 5 is 16.5mm spacing and I love it. I dont like wide necks either and its only 1.77" nut width which is better than most that are 1.87"-2".
 
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#5
harrumphicus said:
I just found out about those Mikro's a couple days ago. I've heard they're pretty solid instruments, especially for only $200. I didn't really want a short scale or a 5, but I'm definitely going to give that some thought. They look like stupid amounts of fun.
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The 4 string is great, especially for $179. J pickup is kinda weak and some people swap in different pickups but the rest is spot on. The 5 however is incredible, a total steal for $199. The pickups sound nearly identical to the Bartolini MKs in the higher end models, just not quite as loud. It has more substance to it and doesn't feel toy-like as the 4 string does. It's just as solid as any SR Ibanez bass and it's my favorite bass I've ever owned out of the dozens I've had over the years. I highly recommend it.
 
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#6
mbell75 said:
The 4 string is great, especially for $179. J pickup is kinda weak and some people swap in different pickups but the rest is spot on. The 5 however is incredible, a total steal for $199. The pickups sound nearly identical to the Bartolini MKs in the higher end models, just not quite as loud. It has more substance to it and doesn't feel toy-like as the 4 string does. It's just as solid as any SR Ibanez bass and it's my favorite bass I've ever owned out of the dozens I've had over the years. I highly recommend it.
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Haha.. sorry, I deleted my comment. I couldn't figure out how to word it that didn't just seem like a poorly veiled advert for Ibanez. They really do look solid. Like I said in my original post, I'm not really in the market, but if I find myself alone in a guitar shop with 200 bucks, you bet your ass I'm picking one up.
 
#8
FingerDub said:
Is there any string spacing smaller than a jazz bass that you already play?
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Not anymore. I owned a 5 string Stingray copy until it got stolen at a gig a few years ago. The only things I liked about it, though, were the narrower bridge spacing and that I didn't have to detune for our drop-D songs. Now I just use my P for drop tuning, but I still miss the spacing.
 
#9
harrumphicus said:
I'm really not in the market for a new bass right now, but I'm thinking when I come back down with GAS next I'd like to look at something with a narrower string spacing than my jazz or p-bass.. like, significantly narrower if possible. I like the feel of the spacing on 5 and 6+ stringers, but I don't need it and I don't like the neck width. What's out there?
Click to expand...

Rickenbackers have around 17mm string spacing at the bridge.
 
#17
mbell75 said:
You mean spacing at the bridge? You're not going to find much more narrow than 19mm on a 4 string. Even my Ibanez Mikro, which is all set up for players who like everything smaller has 19mm string spacing. I believe you would have to go custom or to a 5 string to get in the 16-17mm range. My Mikro 5 is 16.5mm spacing and I love it. I dont like wide necks either and its only 1.77" nut width which is better than most that are 1.87"-2".
Click to expand...

19mm is pretty much the standard even on Ibanez SRs known for small thin necks. Besides - if you went much smaller on a 4 string neck - it would probably be way to skinny for the tension involved.
 
#19
Solarmist said:
19mm is pretty much the standard even on Ibanez SRs known for small thin necks. Besides - if you went much smaller on a 4 string neck - it would probably be way to skinny for the tension involved.
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I doubt that very much. Moving from 19 to 17mm bridge spacing, you'd lose less than 6mm of neck width at the base. It's less than the difference between a standard P and J bass at the nut. I think, especially with modern construction methods, you'd still have more than enough stability.
 

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