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4-string vs. 5-string

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#22
FCM3 said:
I'm a recent convert. I started playing 5's in feb this year, after 10yrs of only playing fours, and honestly I'm still not totally sold on the concept. I love my 5-string bass, I really like the extra low notes, and a whole new fingering position, but its been hard to incorporate this new extra string into my old music, guess you get comfortable in certain positions.
New stuff i learn now i automatically use the Bstring, soits been good there
Nevertheless the 5 string has been my main axe, and I'm trying as hard as i can to adapt, but like the poster above, I still play my 4, its still feels more natural.
I also cant slap worth a snot on the 5, where I'm pretty good on my 4. So more practice time for me
frank
Click to expand...

low F#/G in 5/6/7th position was a massive change for me.
 
#25
I don't know why but the idea of 5 strings always bothered me. To me, it's all about either 4 or 6. I play 4 and the only reason I don't play a 6 is because of money. If I'm going to extend my range, I may as well extend the high end as well. But I will always have my baby (4 string) for... let's say, Rush or Maiden covers.
 
#26
I started on a 4 strings 10 years ago. After 1 year of playing and learning I swiched to a 5 strings because to me... why it won't go lower (especialy on a music sheet ) ? So I got one. After a while it was easier in some position. 6 years after that I got a 6 strings bass.

It makes a lot of sense during my music college years. But now I think of going back to either 4 or 5 strings bass.

Some music that I really like is played on either a 4 or a 6 so it makes sense to me to play with either one. But when I'm creating, I can do fine with a 5.
 
#27
The songs I learned on a four-string, I play w/no problem on a fiver.

I just rest my thumb in the B string, and play the top four like usual.

I don’t look at the neck board, though, just at the edge of the neck so I don’t get confused.

I also learn the new songs using the B and no open strings, so it’s easy to change the key buy just moving my hand up or down the neck.

I tried to go back to the four a couple times, but just can’t.
 
#32
i took the plounge, many years ago. I played exclusively my thumb 5 for two years. At the beginning, i found this low B very cool. But after a while, my playing changed. I was more "vertical" than "horizontal" when moving hands. So my playing started to be more "static" than "dynamic". Don't know if it means something. That said, two years later, i picked up a 4 from a friend to play a jam, and it suddenly came like a second birth: my playing woke up. Strange, but that what i experienced.
So, as we are all differents, my guess would be: try it.
 
#33
I find that fretted 4 for me does everything I need it to do for the blues/rock music I play. However, playing jazz is another matter. I've gone from an unlined fretless 6 to a lined fretless 5 and just recently, back to my fretted 4. I still haven't decided what I really prefer.

I found that I got way more use out of a low B as opposed to the high C, so that was the driver going to a 5. I enjoy having the 5 more for position playing rather than anything else. In our entire repertoire of jazz tunes, there's only one tune where I need to go below E (to a D). Because of this, I'm back to my fretted 4 for a while.

The jury is still out whether I'l even go back to a fretless, but that's a whole other issue and off topic.
 
#34
Eulogist said:
FCM3 brings up a good point.

For those of you who started on 4-strings and went to 5, have you been able to incorporate the B into songs you wrote with a 4-string?
Click to expand...

I had no problem adapting, and switch back and forth with no trouble. I play some parts differently of course, such as those in D when the drop-D tuning on a four lends itself to slightly different lines. And for songs in B, I'll more frequently use the low E and F# when playing the five, because I like to use the B at the seventh fret on the E string.

I think I adapted quickly partly because I thought about how I'd use the B string long before I bought a fiver, and occasionally practiced some parts on basses in stores.

I'm still primarily a four string player, but I understand why many will only play fives, and I'll always keep mine because it's very useful. For example, I recently played in a rock musical, and found I needed the five. I only used the B string in two tracks, but hey, that's enough.
 
#35
Eulogist said:
FCM3 brings up a good point.

For those of you who started on 4-strings and went to 5, have you been able to incorporate the B into songs you wrote with a 4-string?
Click to expand...

Well if you wrote the song with 4 strings, just leave the 5th out. You don't have to play the B string. However, if you can (like John Myung playing stuff from WDADU with a 6 string) go for it!
 
#36
I started on a 5 (Ibby Soundgear 905) that was a really nice bass. Then I got an Ibby BTB 1306 6-stringer. Now all I play are 4 stringers. Not because I was uncomfortable on the 5 and 6, but because I never used the B or C strings...so why have them? There's only a few times I wish I had the high C string when noodling, but never for actual music. Also, all the iconic basses I want/own are 4-strings (Passive Jazz, Ric 4003, Stingray H, Tele Bass). Sure, some of them have 5-string offerings, but in the case of the jazz it seems like they're all active, and in the case of the stingray the pickguard is butt ugly. If I really needed that low B, I could always setup something on my effects pedal (pitch shifting or whatnot).
 
#37
It simply comes down to personal style. There have been times where I was soloing and thought to myself, "I wish I had mores strings!" And when I write, I like a lot of harmonics, so obviously the C string comes in to help.

Nicfargo, kinda looks like Boba Fett there is playing through a Peavey TNT Black Widow 115. That's my amp!
 
#38
I play a five primarily, at least on electric. In my opinion the five is more comfortable to play because not only can you get lower notes, you can play a blues in G at the seventh fret. It's a personal preference.

Also in my opinion, it's harder to find a good five. I settled on a dingwall, because the B string is right and tight
 
#39
Yeah I find that Fender 5 and 6 string basses have really loose and sloppy B strings. Maybe it's just the type of strings that they come with, but stock Ibanez 5 and 6 strings have tight and crisp B strings.
 
#40
I started out on 4's. Then I got a Yahama BB 5000 with a high C string. This bass started to hurt my wrist and hands and I realized the problem-the neck was freaking huge! I had small hands! At the time, I was playing in an RnB band and didn't want to give up a 5. I then switched to a Modulus Q-5 and put the B String on. Huge improvement! Hand's stopped hurting.
My story is to give two points.
1. Put the B string on. It allows you to avoid playing Open E and you can play almost everything in a higher position, which sounds better much of the time (imo) This is the true value of the 5. I don't play many notes lower than E. Of course it rocks when I do!
2. Don't have a cheap 5, or a 5 that doesn't fit your body. A cheap five will have a jello like B string that you will just hate. If the neck is too big/small, you won't enjoy it. It takes more time and research to find the right 5 that fits you.
I currently play a Sadowsky M5-24 but would love to try a Dingwall, but am afraid my hands couldn't handle the stretch.
 
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