I've been playing 4-string bass guitars for over a decade and two months ago I purchased a "starter" Squier Jazz V bass to test out playing a 5-string. Not sure why, but I'm just not feeling it and consistently fall back to my favorite 4-string bass. I'm not seeing the value in the extra string for my playing yet Am I just being impatient or am I just a 4-string player?
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Am I simply not a 5/6 string player?
- Thread starter Honcho85
- Start date
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,060
- 38,443
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
I'm not a 5 string player and I'm ok with that. 4 bangers forever!
You can go with this in one of two ways....
You can keep trying to adapt to 4-string. If you want to, you will eventually.
Or....(and this is the good part...)
You can accept and embrace that you simply don’t care to be a 5-string player and go through life playing perfectly good bass on your 4-string.
As well as sit back and enjoy the next 10-12 pages of posts saying pretty much the same thing in various forms.
You can keep trying to adapt to 4-string. If you want to, you will eventually.
Or....(and this is the good part...)
You can accept and embrace that you simply don’t care to be a 5-string player and go through life playing perfectly good bass on your 4-string.
As well as sit back and enjoy the next 10-12 pages of posts saying pretty much the same thing in various forms.
I started playing 5s out of sheer necessity due to our singer changing keys of songs. If it weren't for that, I'd still be playing 4 strings. If you don't need/want to play a 5, don't!
Notes are notes, just play what you enjoy. Most people would be fine with a 2 string bass.
Dont play it if you don't feel it.
I'm not opposed to playing a fiver, I just don't own one........yet
Ask yourself one question: If that Squier you bought had one string less, would you play it more?
When the answer is along the lines of "No, that's an entry level instrument and I much prefer to play my very expensive pro level basses because the necks are smoother, the sound is fuller and the action is lower"
Then the answer to your question is "I don't know if you're limited to 5 strings, but I can tell you that you don't like playing cheap entry level basses while top notch models are sitting close by".
When the answer is more towards "of course I would, I really like the neck and the feel of it, it's just that I keep getting confused with the B string"
Then the Answer is:
You have not tried hard enough to get to a conclusion. Take all your four bangers and lock them up. Should you manage to practice daily, about seven to ten weeks will suffice. Play nothing but the 5 String tuned BEADG.
Nothing, not even for a few minutes. When you've brainwashed yourself enough so that the 5 String Platform feels like home (learn a few new songs and incorporate the B string), you can lift the lockup for your four string basses and see whether it feels like coming home after a long trip or if it's just a different bass with a different number of strings.
For some, it'll be like "meh, I can do either now"
For others it's "finally the right amount of strings again"
and then there are those that are "huh! this bass is missing a string. How am I supposed to enjoy myself on it?".
When the answer is along the lines of "No, that's an entry level instrument and I much prefer to play my very expensive pro level basses because the necks are smoother, the sound is fuller and the action is lower"
Then the answer to your question is "I don't know if you're limited to 5 strings, but I can tell you that you don't like playing cheap entry level basses while top notch models are sitting close by".
When the answer is more towards "of course I would, I really like the neck and the feel of it, it's just that I keep getting confused with the B string"
Then the Answer is:
You have not tried hard enough to get to a conclusion. Take all your four bangers and lock them up. Should you manage to practice daily, about seven to ten weeks will suffice. Play nothing but the 5 String tuned BEADG.
Nothing, not even for a few minutes. When you've brainwashed yourself enough so that the 5 String Platform feels like home (learn a few new songs and incorporate the B string), you can lift the lockup for your four string basses and see whether it feels like coming home after a long trip or if it's just a different bass with a different number of strings.
For some, it'll be like "meh, I can do either now"
For others it's "finally the right amount of strings again"
and then there are those that are "huh! this bass is missing a string. How am I supposed to enjoy myself on it?".
Yeah, got a 5 recently because it was $70 out the door with a hard case. Got to love pawn shops.
But, like you, I think the experiment is over. Just doesn't do anything for me.
But, like you, I think the experiment is over. Just doesn't do anything for me.
Just my two cents, but this is why you identify a need BEFORE you buy a bass. I played a 5 string on and off for years. Mostly the 5th string was a thumb rest. I only play 4 strings now. No disrespect to those that play them, but I just don't have a need for the 5th string for my particular situation.
If it don't itch, don't scratch it.
People on TB tend to get wrapped around the axle about what is needed. I see plenty of great players out there playing 4 string basses.
If it don't itch, don't scratch it.
People on TB tend to get wrapped around the axle about what is needed. I see plenty of great players out there playing 4 string basses.
Not sure what the extra string would be for other than a thumb rest.
It’s like anything. It takes time. Just curious. In the last 2 months, did you put your 4 string away and only play on your 5?
Real bass players play what they want too.
I had a 5 string bass in the early 80's. Moved away from it - amps don't really do a B string justice. Now, almost 40 years later, I started playing 5's at some gigs - a decent PA nowadays can do a B string justice. The other half of your instrument (whatever rig you play it through) can make a huge difference in how useful those few extra notes are.
Took me a solid year of playing extended-range before deciding to keep a six stringer around. It was my primary for eight years until I fell in love with fours again.
In my experience, I don't think you'll fall in love with the change immediately. Not even after a few weeks. If you want to see if it works out, I recommend soloing your fiver. If after a few months, you're still not feeling it, then sell it. This is how I determined that I was not a Precision Bass guy; 3.5 months of only playing that one axe.
In my experience, I don't think you'll fall in love with the change immediately. Not even after a few weeks. If you want to see if it works out, I recommend soloing your fiver. If after a few months, you're still not feeling it, then sell it. This is how I determined that I was not a Precision Bass guy; 3.5 months of only playing that one axe.
There are only 12 notes in the musical alphabet, and 4-string basses have all 12 of them, which means any song ever written, in any key, you can adapt to the 4-string bass, if you choose.
That said, 2 months is not a long time to master a new skill. The main "value" of a 5-string bass (in my opinion) is that it allows you to study music by the great 5-string players (of whom there are many). If any of your favorite bassists are 5-string players, then in my opinion it might be worth holding on your Squier for a while longer, if nothing else as a study tool for learning songs that were originally recorded on 5-string.
That said, 2 months is not a long time to master a new skill. The main "value" of a 5-string bass (in my opinion) is that it allows you to study music by the great 5-string players (of whom there are many). If any of your favorite bassists are 5-string players, then in my opinion it might be worth holding on your Squier for a while longer, if nothing else as a study tool for learning songs that were originally recorded on 5-string.
If you don't need or want the extended range and flexibility a 5-string offers then there isn't much point in having one. Personally, I like both of those attributes so I mostly play 5s but then I've been playing them for a l-o-ong time.
I love 5 string basses! They are all I've played for the last 30 years. That being said, if you don't jive with them, then you don't. A 4 string bass, does the job just fine! Find the ONE for you.
