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5 String Purchase Dilemma-What would you do?
- Thread starter Clark Westfield
- Start date
One of my favorite 5 stringers had a string spacing of 16.5 mm and that was pretty comfortable for me and I play quite a bit of slapping. Even though I'm back to exclusively 4 string - for a period of time, I had fivers in my collection and switched between 4 and 5 string bass. There is a bit of time required to get comfortable with a narrow fiver, just a matter of getting used to it. So I'm not saying that the 1mm won't make a difference and you may indeed be more comfortable on a wider spacing, but I think it's in part just a matter of getting more familiar with it as others have mentioned.
There is a significant taper at the nut, as the difficulty I’m having is from fret 5 to the nut.
The neck is skinny, as I have played a few 5’s with a huge fretboard.
The extra string doesn’t confuse me. I know my fretboard very well, and know my note locations.
I need to run to a shop and noodle with a wider 5ver to see if the spacing is indeed the issue.
My pluck hand and muting of the low B is not an issue, as I lay my ring and pinky on the B naturally while string skipping.
But up to by the nut on this bass, it’s tight.
The neck is skinny, as I have played a few 5’s with a huge fretboard.
The extra string doesn’t confuse me. I know my fretboard very well, and know my note locations.
I need to run to a shop and noodle with a wider 5ver to see if the spacing is indeed the issue.
My pluck hand and muting of the low B is not an issue, as I lay my ring and pinky on the B naturally while string skipping.
But up to by the nut on this bass, it’s tight.
So it has nothing to do with spacing at the bridge and is a neck width/profile issue. I see...
Excellent. Get to some stores and try wider necked basses. Best of luck. Let us know what you end up with.
Agree on trying wider. When I made the leap to 5, I struggled on my Ibanez with 17 mm spacing. Switching to Sadowsky Metro Express (Japan) with its wide spacing made all the difference, and I do not have large hands.
No matter what's the string spacing at the bridge or what's the width at the nut: just practice with it, and a lot!
Even if you've found a 5er with 19mm string spacing and wider nut width, it's still not the 4 string you are used to. You still need to give it some time.
Even if you've found a 5er with 19mm string spacing and wider nut width, it's still not the 4 string you are used to. You still need to give it some time.
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I'm not exactly with the "Just practice and deal with it" crowd. They make all kinds of neck profiles for a reason. Some truly amazing players play wide necks. Find what you like. Don't keep what you don't like.
I play 19mm 35" 5 string basses mainly.
Am I capable of playing a narrow 4? Yup. Do I take one to the gig from time to time? Yup.
But a big wide 5 is home to me. And I don't plan on changing that.
I play 19mm 35" 5 string basses mainly.
Am I capable of playing a narrow 4? Yup. Do I take one to the gig from time to time? Yup.
But a big wide 5 is home to me. And I don't plan on changing that.
This! A thousand times this.
“Muscle memory” can be a stubborn thing. It’s not unusual to find yourself on the wrong string every so often for the first few days. Something easily remedied by a little practice.
I’m not challenged at all by scale length. Or much bothered by neck profiles. Or fret types. But the string spacing thing is real for me. It has a significant impact on your whole note attack. You can work around it with practice. But with all the fivers out there today, why bother? Took me awhile before I realized I’d never be comfortable with anything other than 19mm string spacing on a fiver. So that’s what I look for.
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These are my 5 stringers. All are MIA Fenders. String spacing seems pretty consistent between all of them. All I play anymore are 5s.
But.
When I first switched it took time to get use to it.
However I never felt like the spacing was too narrow.
You should try a Fender. They make the best 5 string Basses now.
Yes the best.
When I added a 5 to my stable I went through a lot of them before I found the one that was just right fit my hands and ears. Scale length , string spacing, pickups, electronics, fretboard radius, fretboard wood, and body wood all make a huge difference to me.
MTD CRB5, MTD AG5, MusicMan StingRay5 Special, Fender Elite Jazz V( had 2 ), Sire V3-5, 2 Carvin SB5000.
When the dust settled, I kept the Sire V3-5 and Carvin SB5000 alder/ maple.
Don’t give up . It takes a while to find out what fits.
If the Yamaha isn’t working , return it and move on .
MTD CRB5, MTD AG5, MusicMan StingRay5 Special, Fender Elite Jazz V( had 2 ), Sire V3-5, 2 Carvin SB5000.
When the dust settled, I kept the Sire V3-5 and Carvin SB5000 alder/ maple.
Don’t give up . It takes a while to find out what fits.
If the Yamaha isn’t working , return it and move on .
I don't like tight string spacings either. I want my 5's to have the same spacing as my 4's did, ie 18-19mm. Fortunately there are a lot of 5 string basses that have this spacing. Don't be deflected from this decision to play 5 string basses. This is only a bump in the road not a de-rail.
Can you return the bass to Sweetwater?
So few people actually READ the thread before commenting.
OP stated in post 24 it's about neck profile and nut width not spacing at the bridge.
OP stated in post 24 it's about neck profile and nut width not spacing at the bridge.
Since you mentioned the nut spacing and no one chimed in, I’d suggest you measure the nut width on your Yamaha. It’s likely to be 1-3/4”. If you want wider, you’ll want to focus on basses with a 1-7/8” nut width. That’s typical for instruments with 19mm bridge spacing, though there are no hard and fast rules.
Just make sure the hand cramps are not due to carrying excess stress in the hand due to you’re still adapting to the new spacing. Happened to me when I got my 5er & I realised a little while in I was using too much force & my fingers and hand just weren’t as relaxed as normal. Funnily it hadn’t happened when I tested a similar Ibanez in the music shop.
