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5, 6 string basses

B

bass_drum

Feb 13, 2005
809
0
33
Alberta,Canada
#1
Hey guys, I've been playing for abotu a year and some now, and I've been considering gettin a 5 or 6 string just for the soloing :p . So I'm wonderin If a 5 string with a high C instead of low B or a 6 string bass owuld be that helpful, or if you think a 4 string works fine.

Thanks for the input,
~JB~
 
#3
You don't need a 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 string bass to solo. Just ask Jaco, Stanley, Vic, the list goes on.

You just need the bass that chooses you, which may not be 1) what you expected, 2) what you get to begin with. In 20 years of playing, I have migrated from fretted fours, to a fretted six, then to a fretted and a fretless five. Now I feel like I'm home. Hope you find your bass and hope you enjoy it for the rest of your life, regardless of string count. :)
 
#4
I've played both 5 string with high C, my preferred 5 string setup, and six string bass for the past few years. I've migrated back to the basic 4 string, but will be buying a six string fretless shortly. You can actually play damn near anything on anything in my opinion, and when i first started bringing my ERB's to practice or jams some narrow minded asshats made comments, but if you've practiced with them and are familiar, you can play anything you can play on a four string +. The pros for using an ERB are more places to play the same thing, and less neck travel to hit additional notes, the drawbacks are criticism from peabrains and some mild learning curve when first transitioning. I would definitely caution you to make sure you are using good technique if you switch to erb, because the problems related to poor techniques and fatigue/joint stress only get worse with an extended range instrument imho. Also, probably an overlooked aspect, is when and when not to add the extended range notes, either high or low, both taste and experience will help dictate that, i've still got a lot to learn, so take everything i typed with a grain of salt. Good luck, and if your looking to just ease your way into the ERB land, make sure when you purchase one, get it from a place that allows for returns within a period of time, if you don't like it, you can take it back. Good luck.
 
#5
bassmutant said:
I would definitely caution you to make sure you are using good technique if you switch to erb, because the problems related to poor techniques and fatigue/joint stress only get worse with an extended range instrument imho.
Click to expand...
Very well stated :cool: .... A lot of players go to a 5/6 because they think its cool, or they're looking to impress someone, or they see one of the basses on MTV, or whatever, but they forget about the basics of bass playing.

Bassmutant is so right, if you don't have good technique and strong rudimentary skills the extended ranges will only serve to point out all of the flaws. On the other hand, if you have some chops and understand the fundamentals of bass playing an extended range bass opens up all kinds of possibilities.

Best of luck with your search and let us know how you make out :D
 
#6
Yeah guys, I have found "my bass" you know, the one that just calls your name out! It's a Warwick Nobby Meidel bass. Strangely this was my very first bass I actually owned, I had rented an old washburn before.

It all started when I was walking around my uncles music store, and then I saw this one, It was almost liek there was a spot light on it, and I swear there was one cause it just look so heavenly (lol). Anyways yeah I was just considering gettin a 5er or 6er just because some people told me that it was pretty much the best way to go if you want to solo, but I was thinkin a fiver with a High C cant be that much better, since its only 5 more notes.

Anyways, I havent got any pictures of my bass, but ill be sure to get some and show you guys. Its quite an interesting bass, its like a steinberger (same shape and headless) but it has a normal bridge and is made out of wood.

Anywho I'd better get going, my bass doesnt like being alone to long :P

TTYL,
~JB~
 
#7
bass_drum said:
Yeah guys, I have found "my bass" you know, the one that just calls your name out! It's a Warwick Nobby Meidel bass. Strangely this was my very first bass I actually owned, I had rented an old washburn before.

It all started when I was walking around my uncles music store, and then I saw this one, It was almost liek there was a spot light on it, and I swear there was one cause it just look so heavenly (lol). Anyways yeah I was just considering gettin a 5er or 6er just because some people told me that it was pretty much the best way to go if you want to solo, but I was thinkin a fiver with a High C cant be that much better, since its only 5 more notes.

Anyways, I havent got any pictures of my bass, but ill be sure to get some and show you guys. Its quite an interesting bass, its like a steinberger (same shape and headless) but it has a normal bridge and is made out of wood.

Anywho I'd better get going, my bass doesnt like being alone to long :P

TTYL,
~JB~
Click to expand...

...and now: http://www.nobby-meidel-bass.de
 
#10
If you are considering making the jump to a 6, be sure to give ones in a music store a good workout. Not everyone's hands feel comfortable navigating the wider fingerboards. The transition from 4 to 5 isn't that big a deal; at least it wasn't for me.

Your average sixer (i.e. Ibanez SR506, Peavey Fury 6) has a 2.125" nut width and a 3.25" heel width.

Some sixers like Carvin and Warwick have a 2" nut width and a 3.25- 3.27" heel width.

And there is the Samick Fairlane with a 2" nut width and a 3.1" heel width (it's extremely narrow and many folks don't like that.)

While one can solo into the stratosphere with a 4 or 5-string, sometimes that high C on a 6-string just makes various high notes that much easier to grab in the lower positions. I love having my 6 around when I sight read stuff, because it gives me the room I need should I spill over into tangent land.
 
#11
pointbass said:
Very well stated :cool: .... A lot of players go to a 5/6 because they think its cool, or they're looking to impress someone, or they see one of the basses on MTV, or whatever, but they forget about the basics of bass playing.

Bassmutant is so right, if you don't have good technique and strong rudimentary skills the extended ranges will only serve to point out all of the flaws. On the other hand, if you have some chops and understand the fundamentals of bass playing an extended range bass opens up all kinds of possibilities.

Best of luck with your search and let us know how you make out :D
Click to expand...

ACTUALLY this can be good. I'd only been playing for about 10 months when I got my Conklin GT-7, and it helped me fix up my technique and made some of my playing much cleaner.

As stated, you don't need a bass with more strings to solo. I love my GT-7, though, personally...for some reason, when I play it, I can't let go, and unlike on other basses, it just feels RIGHT, you know? For example, today I played a Pedulla Pentabuzz 5 and a Warwick Thumb Neck-Thru 5 today and I preferred my Conklin to both...not even for the extra strings, just the feel in general.

I ramble: Try a 5-string or any other ERB out BEFORE you make the decision of buying one, imo. If you really want to make the plunge without trying first, check out www.rondomusic.net

Hope I helped.
 
#13
Yeah, see i was wondering, How many people have botten ERBs for tapping? I like the idea of tapping but I just cant get it right, oh well, in time it'll come. So how useful are ERBs for tapping? I was also thinking of gettign a 6 stringer, tuning it like a guitar but one octave lower, and then playing chords and then getting some effects to do soloes.
 

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