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5-string basses & playing

#21
rapha said:
This is probably not the first posting on this topic. But I’d like to be a bit more specific here.

Looking on advice on a decent 5-string under $450, used or new.

Plus, would appreciate suggestion on how to best tackle the move from 4 to 5 strings.

A bit background:
I’m not a complete bass novice, played 4-strings for decades, but never professionally.
Wanted to start playing 5-string for a while. Was given a terrible used OLP Stingray knockoff years ago. It was either a terrible axe to begin with or the previous owner just treated it poorly. I was so turned off by it that I had to give it away. Nevertheless I realized that the change from 4 to 5 strings won’t be easy - at least for me.

I currently own
  • Matz-customized Jazzmaster;
  • ‘67 Rick 4003;
  • Heartfield DR
I mainly play prog-rock, experimental and Jazz (free/improv).

I tried out a couple 5-ers (in stores): Dimension; MTD; Stingray MMs; a Fodera; an ESP LTD... the ones I liked were way over my budget. Can’t justify that as someone who just starts to play 5.

Can’t spend more than 450. But still, if I spend that much I’d like to have something that doesn’t kill the joy of learning 5-string and it needs to have a good resell value, just in case.

Preferences (if possible):
- Active MM configuration, or maybe MJ - not a fan of P.
- Not too heavy. No neck-dive.
- Fast neck.
- Piano-like punchy, deep growl, but ideally versatile enough to also dial in other tones.
- String-spacing? No idea yet.

Any advice, any experience you can share is appreciated. Thank you!
Click to expand...

Not sure where you're located or what the secondhand market looks like.

Your best bet would be a quality, budget conscious Indonesian import. I'm particularly fond of the Ibanez Soundgear line from the their lower-tier offerings up to the Premium & Prestige series. The middle-of-the-road models are very nice and meet your $400-500 budget constraints. I am not dismissing the others options mentioned including the Cort, etc. I have two of the Soundgears and somewhat biased. I'm also not real picky about string spacing.

Riis
 
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#22
I play a Warwick China made bass. 5 strings, double humbucker. The neck is fast and the string spacing is not as wide as a Fender Jazz. Mine is passive with series/parallel switching. I really like it.
When I first considered a 5 string it was because I wanted the lower D and C notes without drop tuning. It was great for that but after a while I started wondering what those other frets up the neck on that low string were for.
A 5 is great for walking bass lines. You can keep your hand pretty much in the same real estate on the fret board. I believe a 5 is physically much easier to play. At least for me. Once you really learn where all the notes are on the fingerboard a 5 really opens up your fingering choices. I enjoy it more.
BTW...the first 5 string I bought was a G&L L5000 that I still have. The string spacing is much closer since they basically crammed the 5 strings onto a 4 string neck. I take it out once in a while and it takes a few minutes to adjust to the string spacing but after that....nirvana. :)
 
Last edited:
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#23
rapha said:
This is probably not the first posting on this topic. But I’d like to be a bit more specific here.

Looking on advice on a decent 5-string under $450, used or new.

Can’t spend more than 450. But still, if I spend that much I’d like to have something that doesn’t kill the joy of learning 5-string and it needs to have a good resell value, just in case.

Preferences (if possible):
- Active MM configuration, or maybe MJ - not a fan of P.
- Not too heavy. No neck-dive.
- Fast neck.
- Piano-like punchy, deep growl, but ideally versatile enough to also dial in other tones.
- String-spacing? No idea yet.
Click to expand...

If you like the string spacing of a MM, you might look at these: $399 brand new
StingRay Ray5HH - Sterling by Music Man

RAY5HH-CAR_shopify_1200x.png
 
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#24
I switched to 5's in 1990 after using a 4 with a Hipshot D tuner for a few years, mostly leaving it in D. It took about 3 weeks to become very comfortable on it. I bought a better one, Peavey Axcellerator, and converted my first (cheap, used Washburn) to a fretless.

Today I have a bunch...many very cheap or DIY parts basses. When I get done shielding, often better, noiseless pickups, always a preamp, and a good setup, including rolling the fretboard edges, they all feel great, play great, and sound great.

I used to prefer medium width necks, but over the years, I find the neck width and depth isn't as important. I quickly adjust to whatever width it is.

I have one 4 and haven't played it in years. The only time I play a 4 is if I'm working on one for friends.

The rolled fingerboard edges are what makes a bass or guitar comfortable for me. It's probably the first thing I do when I get a guitar or bass.
 
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#25
Sterling by Music Man Ray 5 or step up to the Ray 25 will give you the MM configuration.
I didn't read all the threads here but I was about 6 months getting used to playing a five-string (albeit, not practicing every day) and swapping between the 5 and 4s. If it's the only bass you have, it shouldn't take as long.
 
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#28
KaraQ said:
As others have said, Ibanez SR series could be a good choice for you - my sr305e was less than $400 new...

View attachment 4148583
Click to expand...

I bought this exact sr305 to get started as well. I also played for decades before getting into 5 string. I finally gave in after encountering more and more written music that went below E. And I came to love the fingering options up the neck too, so now my 5 is my main player. It took a couple of months to fully adapt. However the Ibanez, while great for the money, had to go as I did not like the spacing. I am not a large person but it was just too tight. I took the plunge and bought a Sadowsky Metro Express (Japan), and that confirmed wide spacing was for me.
 
#29
rapha said:
This is probably not the first posting on this topic. But I’d like to be a bit more specific here.

Looking on advice on a decent 5-string under $450, used or new.

Plus, would appreciate suggestion on how to best tackle the move from 4 to 5 strings.

A bit background:
I’m not a complete bass novice, played 4-strings for decades, but never professionally.
Wanted to start playing 5-string for a while. Was given a terrible used OLP Stingray knockoff years ago. It was either a terrible axe to begin with or the previous owner just treated it poorly. I was so turned off by it that I had to give it away. Nevertheless I realized that the change from 4 to 5 strings won’t be easy - at least for me.

I currently own
  • Matz-customized Jazzmaster;
  • ‘67 Rick 4003;
  • Heartfield DR
I mainly play prog-rock, experimental and Jazz (free/improv).

I tried out a couple 5-ers (in stores): Dimension; MTD; Stingray MMs; a Fodera; an ESP LTD... the ones I liked were way over my budget. Can’t justify that as someone who just starts to play 5.

Can’t spend more than 450. But still, if I spend that much I’d like to have something that doesn’t kill the joy of learning 5-string and it needs to have a good resell value, just in case.

Preferences (if possible):
- Active MM configuration, or maybe MJ - not a fan of P.
- Not too heavy. No neck-dive.
- Fast neck.
- Piano-like punchy, deep growl, but ideally versatile enough to also dial in other tones.
- String-spacing? No idea yet.

Any advice, any experience you can share is appreciated. Thank you!
Click to expand...


Save an extra 50 up and get a used L2500 Tribute. I’m pretty much done after getting mine.
 
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#30
QweziRider said:
Do you like your Heartfield? They can be difficult to find, but if you like yours and can find a fiver, man, that would be perfect. My first fiver (and still use it) in '91 was a Heartfield.
Click to expand...


If second this.
My first 5 string was a Hohner Steinberger clone. The string spacing was too tight for me and the lack of a body made it move too much when I played aggressively.

I got the Heartfield DR 5 new in 1991, and it has remained my number one bass despite my accumulation of other basses. One of the things that made it easy to transition from 4 to 5 is the wide string spacing and the wide flat neck with a shallow profile.

Now that I’ve been playing 5 strings for a while, string spacing is less critical for me, but I still prefer a wider spacing for slap.

a used DR5 is hard to find, and might be more than $450, but I bet you’ll like it, and if not, it should be easy to flip.
 
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#32
Thank you all for your advice, suggestions and sharing your experiences, and your encouraging words!
All very helpful comments.
Keep ‘em coming!

As some of you pointed out it’s a bit early in the game for me to ask for advice on more specific models, you’re right. But these are valuable comments that will help me to do my homework.
And no, I didn’t expect to find (and don’t really need) a Fodera for under 500. But I still keep up the hope that I either win the lottery or find an instrument that works for me in my budget.

I’ll share some thoughts along the way - for others who are in the same “transition” situation.

Thanks again!
 
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#36
I made the switch from 4 to 5 about 12 years ago and would never go back now. I love the versatility of the 5 string and the fact I can hit lower notes than the guitar players which provides for a more full sound in a band setting. It definitely takes a while to get your brain wrapped around the fact that the top string is not “E” the second string is not “A” and so on. But once you get used to it, I’d put money on it that you’ll sell your 4 strings. As for basses at the lower end of the price spectrum, I’d look for a 35” scale which tends to provide more clarity for the low “B” string. I think Ibanez fit a lot of the features you are looking for and they can be had very reasonably priced on the used market.
 
#37
That's odd, my OLP Stingray clone 5-string sounds pretty good, no EBMM but nice. I drag it out of the closet every month or so to confirm that, no, I can still barely play a 4-string much less this pretty $165 pawnshop 5-string. So learning by osmosis has been debunked. But it's too pretty and toneful (is that a word?) to ever sell. And if covid-19 continues another year who knows. So I recommend pawnshops. Try before you buy.
2019-10-15-17.22.17 (1).jpg
 
#38
Coming from 4-string, it can be hard to "connect" with any given 5-string to start. I also suggest playing every fiver you can get your hands on. You might be surprised what you end up liking. I did that a while back, expecting i would get a J, ended up with a Warwick (one of the "bad" German ones, as they are looked back on now) that clicked for me.
 
#40
For that pricepoint:
Funk/Dance/RnB - Sire V7, Yamaha TRBX, or used G&L L2K Tribute
Rock - SUB Stingray, Ibanez Soundgear, or used G&L L2K Tribute

As far as transitioning, everyone is different --- I can switch between 4 and 5 with no real issues save for a few minutes of re-acclimation
 

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