After switching to 5+ string basses, what did you do with your 4-string basses?

[A9X]

I don’t listen too much people here because they are either old enough to be my dad, old enough to be my grand pa, in cover band or very into rock and roll.

Hey! I resemble all those things and mainly play 6s.
Young whippersnappers...

 

[osonu]

I sold all my fours except my P bass - I still haven't found one that sounds as good. The funny thing for me was that I got a really nice Carvin LB70 from a professional player because, he told me, he was moving to 5ers - which is exactly what I told the guy I sold it to! I hated to part with it, but I never played it any more even though it sounded great. Even my P bass only gets played "for fun" once in a while.

 

[And I]

I have 'em and play them every now and then.

 

[Element Zero]

I sold my one and only 4 in ‘98. 5 (or more) for life. My wife has a 4 string which has flats and is fun every now and then, but nearly every time I pick it up I wish it were a 5. I’m beyond confident I’ll never purchase another 4 string…

unless a ‘57 P in white/maple with a gold anodized pickguard presents itself on the cheap.

 

[clockworkcorpse]

it took me a long while to get used to five strings, but once i did, i didn't ever want to be without all five of 'em. I sold or traded a whole lot of four string basses to get to the few fives i have now, and i feel better.

 

[Doner Designs]

Tune BEAD and sell the 5

 

[JW56789]

When I switched from 4 to 5 in the late 80's, I kept my four string until I gained some fluency on the five (in other words, once I could gig with it and skip the 'Clam Buffet'). I sold it and never looked back. I never owned another four until 2 years ago when I bought one on a whim, basically.

Honestly, I really didn't think I could go back and forth from one to the other, so once I got the five under my hands, I burnt down the bridge behind me: No turning back, not that I would have wanted to, anyway. Fives just suit me better.

Of course I know guys that effortlessly jump from 4 to 5 to 6 to upright to fretless . . . . . but a five alone is plenty for old JW.

 

[P. Aaron]

I started with a 2002 USA P-bass that I gigged for many years. When I started playing Country, I switched to 5’ers and enjoy them still just fine. Even though I bought the 4-string P-bass new in 2002 for $729.00. I sold it in 2016 for $800.00.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Essentially the title. I played 4-string basses for well over a decade before switching primarily to a 5-string bass last year. I'm conflicted about how to proceed with my collection of 4-string instruments.

Did you keep your favorite 4-banger around for sentimental/practical reasons? Did you purge your collection of all basses without 5+ strings? I know 5-strings float in and out of vogue around here for some, and others have completely converted one way or the other.

I'm interested in how you all feel.

You'll throw your 5+ away when you start playing your 4s again.

 

[Fernando Costa]

To me 4 and 5+ string basses are completely different animals. A 5+ string bass isn't a 4 string bass with more strings, it's something else. Why do leave one for the other?

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Essentially the title. I played 4-string basses for well over a decade before switching primarily to a 5-string bass last year. I'm conflicted about how to proceed with my collection of 4-string instruments.

Did you keep your favorite 4-banger around for sentimental/practical reasons? Did you purge your collection of all basses without 5+ strings? I know 5-strings float in and out of vogue around here for some, and others have completely converted one way or the other.

I'm interested in how you all feel.

I keep them, I have acquired / built new ones. I play them regularly, there are songs that need a 5 so I always bring one.
I had a 6 for a while but didn't bond with it.

 

[juggahnaught]

I own two sixes and a four. I thought I wanted a four-string bass again, and so I bought a used SR750 in my local market. It's a great bass. It sounds lovely, has this wonderful sheen to its tone. Feels great to play, super slim Ibanez neck. (Does need a setup, though.)

I never play the thing.

I think about selling it sometimes, but it does sound really good. So even though I don't play it, I keep it. I actually kind of don't know why. I think that if I sold this bass, I'd probably end up buying another four-string later on, only to not play it. So I guess I'm keeping this one to avoid going through it again.

 

[droo46]

Tune BEAD and sell the 5

Works for this guy:

 

[Jefenator]

I’ve long been a sucker for a good ER (extended range) bass - even just got a 5-string upright.
But there’s something about a 4-banger for old-school Rock & County: the uncluttered look & feel and not least of all the sound.
Believe me, I will keep searching. But until I get my hands on that 5’er or 6’er that out-thumps the P, out-sizzles the J, out-vibes the short scales and out-acoustics the ABG, they’re all staying right where they are.

 

[Bringindafunk]

I sold two and kept two. I doubt I'll ever play them again with a band, but you never know.

 

[beatdatthang]

I guess it all really depends on what type of music you play and in what tunings. I own one 5 string and it gets me all the way down to low B. Some folks will say that’s plenty, but it’s a PITA to play constantly switch tunings and have to transcribe lines to the 5 string. Possible? Yep. Enjoyable? Nope.

The band I play with does a ton of D standard and drop C stuff that’s just easier (and more fun) to play on a 4 string. The less I have to think about transcription (or more importantly continually play the 1st fret on the B string while the guitars are chugging along in drop C) the better.

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to just stay in standard tuning all the time more power to you, but for everyone who says “a 5er is all you need” I challenge you to play all your slap bass lines that are traditionally in E in F and transcribe everything up that half step - for a 3 hour gig. It’s exhausting. I’d rather just have different basses tuned to different tunings.

 

[Chad Michael]

After switching to 5's and selling my 4's, I have one upright 4. Likely the only 4 that will remain.

 

[QweziRider]

Tuned 'em all BEAD.

 

[fauxtoe]

I have three 5 strings and all the rest are 4's. I generally only play the 5's when I need the low B either for an extended range or positioning. They're all so good that my odds of ever buying another one are very low. 4's on the other hand...I'm always looking for the next one.

 

[whero]

I played 5s exclusively for 25-odd years, then played a friend's Fender Jazz while filling in for his band. Then I bought a Fender 4 for myself and realised I was playing better than I had for, well, 25 years. It probably has as much to do with neck profile, etc. as it does with width and the number of strings, but I'm not going back.