5 String Basses

[khutch]

I can play the top four strings of any fiver no problem, just as I can play any four I have tried and feel right at home. But I am not considering a fiver just to get a string that I can use occasionally. If I go with five I intend to play all five, all the time. There are only five extra notes available on a fiver after all, the fifth string not the extra notes is the main draw for me. So I would say that the neck width is an issue. You want to find one that you are comfortable with. For some people this is no problem, others strongly prefer either narrow or wide, and at least a few are like me and find that the left hand prefers a narrow neck while the right hand prefers 19mm string spacing. The optimum for me seems to be Ibanez. Peavey is too narrow, Schecter is too wide (but only a little), and anything wider than a Schecter is way too wide.

BTW, if you are looking for small fivers, Guitar Center carries an ESP short scale in both four and five strings. It has a tiny body which makes it hard for me to play seated without a strap, the usual GC condition, but others have tried and liked so it is worth a look. I don't recall the model number, I don't believe it is listed on the GC website or the ESP website, but there are at least two threads here about it if you search for them.

Ken

 

[heckraiser]

I agree with King Rew. When I first wanted to play a 5er, I thought that it would be harder playing because of the neck width. But it isn't. It's just different having that b string in your way. I play in two bands, 1 with a 4 string bass, the other with a five string bass. The best advice I can give you is take your time and find a bass that feels good to your hands. I ended up with a Schecter Raiden 5 Special as that felt really good in my hands and gave me that Geddy Lee - Rickenbacher tone that I love.

 

[free_Bassd]

For what it's worth, I'm trying to make the same decision, 4 vs. 5... and I keep bouncing back and forth. I think I'm gonna end up pulling the trigger and getting a 5...

I keep coming back to the plain-jane Fender Standard Jazz Bass and love that tone, but would love the addition of the low notes and the additional fingering options. I think that I'm going to end up getting the MIM standard bass, but I don't how many strings yet...

King rew is right though, the neck width doesn't make as much difference than you'd expect. The harder thing is muting the additional B string... Under normal circumstances, you can just use it as a thumb rest, but if you're picking, that requires some special attention through a palm mute or clever fretting... but I digress.

I think I'm gonna go 5 strings... or 4 string... or 5...?

I just got a 2000 MIM 5-string J bass from a pawn shop, but for 250 bucks I saw a little life in it yet, so I hopped online to get a new neck from warmoth because the neck had a slight crack developing behind the B-string tuner. Anyway, I ended up going with a pau ferro on maple neck, I also got a new bridge (babicz full contact 5 string) I'm just waiting for the neck to come in the mail I'm thinking about putting in Dimarzio pickups to complete the picture. The key to getting any stringed instrument to sound nice though is simply taking it to a professional to have it set up properly, or do it yourself.

Adjusting to the fifth string is no trouble at all, in fact after a week I have trouble playing a four string because or the string spacing is usually a little wider. I would highly recommend getting the 5-string, the low B is just too sick to pass up!

 

[tjnkoo]

Ibanez 5s have always played well to me, but I've never played one with a very satisfying B. I play a Dingwall ABZ5, and it blows everything out of the water IMO (not just B, but playability, tone, fit and finish, etc). Very very solid B, and even though its a 37" scale bass by the time you get to the B, its more of a finger stretch, not an arm stretch. I've read about plenty of smaller guys who play Dingwalls with no problem.

On the other side, in the past I've owned an SX Jazz 5, and it was just flat out horrible. I've also owned a Squier Jazz 5, and though it felt better it was completely and totally tone dead.