None of this has anything to do with the topic. "Chix" dance because of your groove, and your groove has NOTHING to do with the number of strings you have.
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5 or 6 strings?
- Thread starter Headless Llama
- Start date
None of this has anything to do with the topic. "Chix" dance because of your groove, and your groove has NOTHING to do with the number of strings you have.
None of this has anything to do with the topic. "Chix" dance because of your groove, and your groove has NOTHING to do with the number of strings you have.
+1. I get so annoyed with people who comment having a 6+ means you can't groooooove or play in tha' pocket. 9 times out of 10, they put a bunch of emphasis on the way they say groove and the pocket, but aren't nearly as tight as they think they are.
Idk for the others, but in my case I just mentionned it was a great decision I made, adds possibilities, it's not much more trouble, and I kinda grew into it, I feel naked without my C string, cuz ya some people are going to shoot me but I enjoy noodling up there
Get what you're comfortable with, but I've never felt the need for a six. For me the C would get in the way for little gain. If you're called to the higher notes, get it.
KO
KO
I gigged for about 10 years with 4 strings (rickenbackers) and never got a single chick.
Also, when I first experimented with 6 string (my old washburn fretted), my suckiness as a player moved right on over to the 6 along with. Picked up my 4 strings off and on after that and found that I sucked just as hard back on my 4's. Hrm.....
Eventually, I came to the conclusion that 4 vs. more-than-4 simply made no difference regarding chicks, my time, musicality and skills. Also, the same long-term injuries in my arms afflict me on the 4 just like the 5 and 6 - my professional career is pretty much over in any case.
so I figured, well with all this...er, why not just play the 6 all the time? Bought my carvin bunny 6 FL and haven't really looked back since.
I am keeping my G&L L2000, tho, for those rare instances where I need a Fender tone. My L2500 got stolen the other day along with my tobias 6, so all that's left besides is my rick. It's probably going up for sale to pay for the stolen stuff.
Otherwise, I can't see any point for less than 6 strings.
Other advantages: 6 strings are built like sherman tanks so they tend to give a very smooth tone, the string spacing tends to be narrow (especially on my bunny) which can help plucking/picking quite a bit, and an unlined 6 string fingerboard looks pretty cool too.
LS
Worst.Advice.Ever.
I think that it's great practical advice. I don't know the OP and my point was just dont get what you aren't going to need.
If I wanted one because I think that more strings are cool I'd get alot more than 6...I need the cool
I am asking because I feel that I need 6, but maybe I could "get by" with 5.
Well then it depends on if "getting by" is ok with you. If not go for the 6 man.
In my case, I prefer slapping on a 4, although I barely play enough slap to justify this. I also have a short scale, some 4s with a Kahler, and I tend to keep my 4 strings tuned to dropped D for a little added variety.
- Dec 7, 2007
- 203
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- Disclosures
- Keeping the Groove staying out of Treble
I respect that...
Out of curiosity....what's the wide 5'er you play? And what is the norm for "wide" spacing on a 5 string.... 21mm or so?
19mm, like a four string with an extra string added. My Skyline 55-01 is one of those. Many, G&L, Carvin, etc. are around 17mm or so. Some are even more narrow.
KO
I agree with you, but I've got to confess that I've never had a B string that really felt totally integrated into the instrument either. I've gotten it close, but never such that I would happily use the B if I can easily get the same note on the E string.
KO
I'm in the process of selling some of my basses at the moment (going from 8 down to 5 
), and I'm moving on two of the 5s because the 6 does everything they do and more.
The only edge I found the 5s had, is I find them easier to slap and pop on, as I end up popping the C sometimes accidentally on the 6, yeagh I know "fat handed T***. But for this I will always keep a four string.
If you have tried the 6 and found it comfortable enough I see no reason to get the 5 unless you play a lot of slap (but you may be better at slapping on a 6 than me anyway). Or if you have small hands and find the 6 too tiring.
), and I'm moving on two of the 5s because the 6 does everything they do and more. The only edge I found the 5s had, is I find them easier to slap and pop on, as I end up popping the C sometimes accidentally on the 6, yeagh I know "fat handed T***. But for this I will always keep a four string.
If you have tried the 6 and found it comfortable enough I see no reason to get the 5 unless you play a lot of slap (but you may be better at slapping on a 6 than me anyway). Or if you have small hands and find the 6 too tiring.
I was somehow under the impression that 19mm was 'standard' spacing for all basses...
Due to (I'm guessing)the long history of the electric bass being originally designed and built that way? Aren't all fender 4's 19mm etc?Kinda thought 'wide' was spacing wider than 19mm... and narrow would be anything less than 19mm.
19mm seems pretty normal to me, can anyone else shed some light on this? FTI, Modulus makes a 'wide' spec'ed Q5 with 22.5mm spacing... now that's what I call 'wide'! I believe it's actually Q6 with only 5 strings, because both necks are the same specs at the nut/24th fret.I was somehow under the impression that 19mm was 'standard' spacing for all basses...
Kinda thought 'wide' was spacing wider than 19mm... and narrow would be anything less than 19mm.
I've owned and played a lot of five strings over the last 15 years. Maybe the tide has turned, but the vast majority of them that I've come across are less than 19mm. I wouldn't call 19mm "rare", but IME they're the minority and you really have to shop for them. I agree that 19mm should be "standard". Given the current state of things, I think 19mm is "wide", though.
Maybe with Fender embracing fives a lot more these days things will change. Most Carvin (not the BB's), G&L, MusicMan, etc. are all less than 19mm. Fender, Skyline and a lot of boutique basses are 19mm.
Most fours are indeed 19mm.
KO
The Carvin 6's are all 16mm IIRC. For some reason Carvin now lists the spacing as 3/4" (19mm) on all the bridges, but that's only the spacing on the 4's and 5 assymetrical wides...... The 5's are 17.5mm or something close to that.
One of the reasons I've gone back to 6's is for as narrow a spacing at the bridge as I could find, without having to play a guitar......
LS
As a proud owner of a SR406 & 506 i would say might as well go for it. But if you dont have an use for the high , then go to five-strings. I cant live without the low B
Thanks for everyones input. I really appreciate it. Most of you have brought very good points. I feel that the general consensus is to go for 6.
I was somehow under the impression that 19mm was 'standard' spacing for all basses...
Kinda thought 'wide' was spacing wider than 19mm... and narrow would be anything less than 19mm.
19mm, 3/4" or "P Bass" spacing are typically considered "wide". Never seen wider than 21mm.
I have a friend who was a long time 4 banger. messed aoriund with a five and a six a few years back but didn't spend any serious time with it. More recently he got a dealon a new five and picked it up. This time he actually played it. then he traded that bass to me for one of mine and and intresting thing happened... he started to shed one of his "bad" four string habits... wrapping his thumb over the top of the neck. ow he's far more comfortable with a five and I think he's genuinely surprised by how easy the transition was. The final test was playing a five I have that has a much wider nut than any five I own.
Piece of cake... and now that he's gotten the thumb thing down, he's considering a six.
It's rare that anyone who doesn't really want to do something will just pick it up with zero effort. More often it's "Hey, I tried, it just doesn't work for me". Not that there's anything wrong with either outcome.
I gravitate towards wide sixes regardless of what music I'm playing. It's not like I'm having to put any extra effort into it, I'm comfortable now that I've figured out how to play them. If I had let my first gig with a six influence me (took an Ash/Wenge MTD 635 out the day I bought it and I had several suck moments
), I never would've picked one up again. Glad I didn't. You have to set expectations.
Ah ha... sounds like 19mm is just "standard" spacing for a P or J bass, not ALL basses. That's what I misunderstood... learn somthing new every day.
