Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
5 string to 4 String
- Thread starter DFW_Bass
- Start date
I flip flop back and forth based on the tunes I am playing with various bands. Metal? 5er. Classic rock? 4 or 5. My blues band? Only 4's.
- Feb 27, 2005
- 3,218
- 125
- Disclosures
- Full disclosure, I'm a certified Fender technician working in a music store that carries Fender, Yamaha, and Ibanez products among others.
I tried gigging with my much-beloved 4 banger this weekend, after a few months playing a 5 exclusively. I just wanted to see.
The bass sounded even better than I remembered, but nothing about 4 strings appealed to me, even though I was playing country/classic rock/disco. Maybe it's just the tight spacing on a Steinberger, and I should try a regular 4 banger again, I don't know. I just like 5, planning on buying 6 or 7 next time.
The bass sounded even better than I remembered, but nothing about 4 strings appealed to me, even though I was playing country/classic rock/disco. Maybe it's just the tight spacing on a Steinberger, and I should try a regular 4 banger again, I don't know. I just like 5, planning on buying 6 or 7 next time.
I will still keep my 5 around, but thinking about making the 4 my main bass. With a 4 I can play much faster and smoother. The only tone I like is the Fender Jazz bass, and so far the 5 string, i'm not too impressed because of the way if feels.
With songs requiring the B string, i'm thinking that i can achieve the same with a 4 string.
With songs requiring the B string, i'm thinking that i can achieve the same with a 4 string.
I'm debating the move. I find I play differently on a 4 than a 5 and if I really really miss that string it'll make me want to buy another...and by the time I'm able to do it the new Dingwall Combustion should be out - with a maple fretboard.
I've really missed having a 4 string jazz bass with DiMarzios. Fingers crossed on my eBay scores.
I've really missed having a 4 string jazz bass with DiMarzios. Fingers crossed on my eBay scores.
I've been playing my 4 string P Bass almost exclusively since the spring.
I still love the TL-Five and there's many times that the B string is more than just handy (horn tunes in Eb for example).
Played the New Year's Eve "blues" gig with the P, brought another 4 stringer as back-up. It just depends on the music/set-list really.
I still love the TL-Five and there's many times that the B string is more than just handy (horn tunes in Eb for example).
Played the New Year's Eve "blues" gig with the P, brought another 4 stringer as back-up. It just depends on the music/set-list really.
I tried to go back to the four string after playing the five for about 15+ years. I purchased a Sadowsky Metro MV4, beautiful bass, tone etc. I played it exclusively for 6 months and just could not get in to the 4 string feel.....so I went back to five and added a MTD Z6 bass and Love it. Everyone is different so I suggest trying one out, maybe you have a friend that could hook you up with a loaner for a week....to get a true idea of how it feels. Good luck!!!
i went from 5's to 6's before finally going back to 4's. but i love it. i don't miss the extended range at all. i really never liked the sound of the low b or the high c actually. and everyone says you need to use them tastefully and i agree, but i found the need for the extra range to become less and less. there's just something about a 4 string... the range is just "the sweet spot" i think. and man, after you woodshed on 5's and 6's and then go back to a 4, it's like running without the ankle weights! they are so light and comfortable. like an old pair of tennis shoes. god, i love a fourstring bass!
You hit right on the spot, i think that's the way i'm feeling now. I go to guitar center and play on a 4 string, and I sound so much better, i can do runs all over the neck that i can't seem to do easily on a 5 string w/o looking at the fretboard.
So my 5 string are my ankle weights
Meh, I've gone back and forth a few times now. It is more comfortable to play a 4, but I'm just not myself on a 4. The low B opens up a whole other world for my bass playing, its not just about the 5 extra low notes. Every time I've gone to a 4 exclusively, I have wound up regretting it in pretty short order. One of each is the best answer, but if I had to pick one, I would rather have a 5er. Better to have and not use than to not have and want to use.
Well, I'm heading back to 4 from 5 for a different reason.
Arthritis in my back and hands.
The weight of the 5 string neck puts too much torque on my spine, and even though I thought I had found a lightweight bass that wouldn't do that in the Greg Bennett designed Samick I have. It's around 8lbs which is light for a 5er, but after playing one day and picking up my 10lb fretless jazz and it felt better on my back. I started seriously thinking of going back to 4's.
I've tried a few Peavey's in the store and their extended upper horn seems to make their 5 balance better for me, but it's become one of those situations where I'm afraid to pour more money into another 5 that hurts, especially if the Greg Bennett doesn't sell soon. Playing in my side gig I don't need/use the low B, but I do use it in our worship service. But since my 'revelation' I've used my Yamaha RBX4 A2 exclusively and haven't had any trouble playing the songs, but I have missed that B at times.
Arthritis in my back and hands.
The weight of the 5 string neck puts too much torque on my spine, and even though I thought I had found a lightweight bass that wouldn't do that in the Greg Bennett designed Samick I have. It's around 8lbs which is light for a 5er, but after playing one day and picking up my 10lb fretless jazz and it felt better on my back. I started seriously thinking of going back to 4's.
I've tried a few Peavey's in the store and their extended upper horn seems to make their 5 balance better for me, but it's become one of those situations where I'm afraid to pour more money into another 5 that hurts, especially if the Greg Bennett doesn't sell soon. Playing in my side gig I don't need/use the low B, but I do use it in our worship service. But since my 'revelation' I've used my Yamaha RBX4 A2 exclusively and haven't had any trouble playing the songs, but I have missed that B at times.
Why put pressure on yourself and deem that you are a 4 or 5 string. just pick up what you are in the mood for or what may fit a type of music you are playing that day and go with it.
well, i've recently acquired a 4 banger P bass and am really loving it!
I started on a 5 string, but here lately the 4 string is what i'm going towards. I find that my basslines are more interesting and groove oriented when playing a 4 banger!
I started on a 5 string, but here lately the 4 string is what i'm going towards. I find that my basslines are more interesting and groove oriented when playing a 4 banger!
I started on four strings, moved on to five strings after a couple of years, then I found a P-bass that I absolutely fell in love with and had to sell my fiver to purchase. I played four-strings exclusively for a few years, but a few months ago, I found a six-string for cheap on Craigslist and snatched that up. For me, moving back to four-string after playing five strings helped my playing a LOT. I was getting pretty lazy with the five string, and just hanging out on the low notes, not doing anything that was terribly helpful for the song. When I changed back to four stringers, I was forced to re-evaluate the parts that I had been playing, and I had to move a lot of them up an octave. Most of them sounded pretty thin and wimpy transposed up, but I also learned that playing up higher allowed a lot more movement and melody to come through in my playing.
Now I'm using four-strings with my band (tuned CGCF) and my six-string at church. I still approach the six-string the way I do with my four strings, and I have played a lot of worship sets where I never even touch the sub-E range, but the added strings help a lot with fingering positions.
Now I'm using four-strings with my band (tuned CGCF) and my six-string at church. I still approach the six-string the way I do with my four strings, and I have played a lot of worship sets where I never even touch the sub-E range, but the added strings help a lot with fingering positions.
