Any Reason NOT to buy a 5 stringer?

[MrLenny1]

Nope! Low B IMHO is the balls.
Also a low B is a great thumbrest.
Imagine what Geddy could do with a low B 5?

 

[rotis]

+10000

Many basses I've played that were AMAZING 4-stringers were very lackluster in the 5-string models. For most people it boils down to a few things...these were my reasons for not keeping mine:

1) I never used the B NEARLY as often as I thought I would
2) Made slapping a little more cramped
3) Added cost of strings
4) Re-EQing amps and preamps to suit the B string adequately
5) Changes in string tension compared to the 4-string version
6) The interjected hammer-ons played on a downtuned E string could not be done with a 5'er.


Honestly I think 5'ers are great and very essential in certain forms of music (really detuned metal, jazz, religious music, etc) but just not for what my bands are usually doing. The cost-to-benefit ratio just wasn't in my favor with the 5'ers. I could tune my bass to drop d and only be short 3 notes from what a 5'er can do. I'd strongly recommend getting a used, inexpensive 5 string like an Ibanez or Schecter to get a feel for how often you would really use a 5'er in your music. Just disregard feel and tone for the time being and see how often you will really need to belt out a note that only the low B can do for you. You may surprise yourself

This is really good feedback. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

 

[rotis]

Also, you might try stringing up one 4 string as BEAD to see how much you actually use the B string...or get a cheapo, like an SX to try it out.

I love the sound of a low D, but when its time to play a B or C I think it sounds better an octave up - fretted on the A string.

That is a great idea. Thanks

 

[shaft311]

No.

 

[mellowinman]

Look.

A bunch of people on this forum may give you bad reasons not to buy a fiver. And a bunch of people on this forum may give you good reasons to buy one. But none of them have the guts to tell you the truth.

Buying a five string bass can cause you to get sucked into a bottomless void, that exists outside of time and space. Once there, you will be lost for eternity, and no one will ever see you again. It is a cold, scary and lonely place. Your dog cannot come. Your kids cannot visit you. There will be no women. It will be like Geddy's dressing room, only colder, and scarier.

Sure, there are people who buy fivers who don't get sucked into the void. But why take the chance? Jaco only needed four strings, and Pete only needed nine fingers. I personally know a guy who only seems to use half a brain, and there are a number of musicians operating without any semblance whatsoever of talent.

There are other risks involved, when buying a fiver. You might end up with one that doesn't sound that good, or play that well. Worse, you might discover new techniques, and become a better player. Worse yet, you might not discover new techniques, and might not become a better player, and then you won't be able to blame your lack of a fifth string.

I think its important that we don't take many chances in life. When we take chances, we increase the likelihood of things happening. And not everything that happens is good. So things not happening is definitely safer.

I hope I've helped.

 

[SquierJazz72]

Only reason I can think of NOT to get one is if you honestly don't need 5 strings, otherwise, as always, get one you're comfortable with.

I've never felt justified in getting a 5 string for the stuff I do, but had I ended up with one, I likely would experiment until I found my own uses for the extra string.

 

[deeptubes]

Look.

A bunch of people on this forum may give you bad reasons not to buy a fiver. And a bunch of people on this forum may give you good reasons to buy one. But none of them have the guts to tell you the truth.

Buying a five string bass can cause you to get sucked into a bottomless void, that exists outside of time and space. Once there, you will be lost for eternity, and no one will ever see you again. It is a cold, scary and lonely place. Your dog cannot come. Your kids cannot visit you. There will be no women. It will be like Geddy's dressing room, only colder, and scarier.

Sure, there are people who buy fivers who don't get sucked into the void. But why take the chance? Jaco only needed four strings, and Pete only needed nine fingers. I personally know a guy who only seems to use half a brain, and there are a number of musicians operating without any semblance whatsoever of talent.

There are other risks involved, when buying a fiver. You might end up with one that doesn't sound that good, or play that well. Worse, you might discover new techniques, and become a better player. Worse yet, you might not discover new techniques, and might not become a better player, and then you won't be able to blame your lack of a fifth string.

I think its important that we don't take many chances in life. When we take chances, we increase the likelihood of things happening. And not everything that happens is good. So things not happening is definitely safer.

I hope I've helped.

LOL! I hope this is sarcastic!

 

[ksandvik]

I never had a need for one but hey if someone wants to use one, go for it.

 

[Means2nEnd]

I guess Jaco only needed 5 strings for this photo? Personally I need 5 strings because I'm not Jaco.

 

[TheFenderBender]

You could hit the wrong string, thicker neck, harder to play.

 

[rotis]

Look.

-SNIP-

I think its important that we don't take many chances in life. When we take chances, we increase the likelihood of things happening.

Words of wisdom for 2013

 

[rotis]

You could hit the wrong string, thicker neck, harder to play.

This is something I hadn't thought of till this thread and exactly why I asked.

I was a little worried I would get flamed with "Play a bunch and find out for yourself" replies, but this has been really helpful.

You can get those squire 5ers for almost nothing. Think I will get a used one of those and beat on it for a few months.

 

[DeMayunn]

I think its important that we don't take many chances in life. When we take chances, we increase the likelihood of things happening.

This one's going in my sig

EDIT: Too many characters. darn it you sneaky sneaker!

 

[Dave Siff]

Don't hesitate on the P5. Great bass.
And here's a great deal on one (I have no affiliation with the seller):
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fs-fender-american-standard-p5-944849/

 

[awilkie84]

Off the top of my head:

a) You dislike heavier basses
b) You dislike wider necks
c) You dislike paying more for strings
d) You don't want to adjust to new hand positions

I'm not anti-5 string, but those all seem like viable reasons to go against it if you're looking for them. There's certainly a list of similar advantages as well.

I have a P5. Its lighter than my P.
The neck is only slightly wider, but still very comfortable.
If you're conscious of where to shop, you can get a 5-string set for only slightly more than a 4-string set. And a good set of strings can last a loooong time.
Not wanting to adjust to new hand positions is a reason to get a 5 string. You can stay in one range longer.

As a sidenote, the P5 just doesn't get the sound for me. It's a great & classic P sound, but I want something more modern like a Spector.

 

[Ewo]

You can get those squire 5ers for almost nothing. Think I will get a used one of those and beat on it for a few months.

An excellent plan, IMO. An inexpensive way to find out if the advantages/disadvantages make sense for you, personally.

A couple years ago I migrated to playing 5-ers exclusively. (Bought the first 5-er as an experiment, and eventually came to prefer them.) I like having the extra range, and don't have to think in different fingering patterns down there; this is another advantage over a detuner, apart from having to deal with lessened string tension when a string is lowered.

I needed to revamp my right hand technique considerably, because a 5-er puts more of a premium on muting. This took a bit of getting used to, but in the end my r.h. technique is better than ever. Floating thumb is the way to go, IMO/IME.

 

[Dan Knowlton]

For me, the best reason to not get a 5-string is that I wanted a 1,2,3,4, 6, 7, 8 or more...string.

I used to play 4 strings but have shifted over to all 5's. Contrary to some posters, my basses have a B string that is consistent with the feel and tone of the other strings. I have to admit, I don't use the low B every song, but when I need it, it is there.

FWIW, I went from 4 to 6 then settled on 5's.

Dan K.

 

[alexlocurto]

In my quest for the tone I have been looking for I finally realized that the tone I am after is the classic P-Bass sound. Initially I was not a fan of the look of the Precision bass but it has really grown on me because of the sound.

Since I realized all this I have had my heart set on a Fender American Standard P. While I have been shopping I have begun to look at the P5 which leads me to the question:

Is there a reason NOT to buy the Fender American Standard P Bass V? Help a brother out.

Depending on the string spacing, it may require and adjustment as far as slapping goes. That's the only thing I can come up with. Both my basses are fives and I love it.

 

[popgadget]

I bought a 5 string Jazz primarily so I could play up on the neck more and stay in the same register. However I never got comfortable with it or most of the reasons already mentioned, and sold it. I don't miss it in the slightest, but I'm glad I found out for myself that a 5'r wasn't my cup of tea.

 

[dbd1963]

I learned to play a 5 string and over time it became pretty easy for me to play it, but I just never used the low B except on my own songs, and when I did I wasn't always thrilled with how it sounded. And I felt like the rest of the bass suffered from having to accommodate the B. I tried a 4 again and found I just preferred it over all. But there's nothing wrong with a 5 string if you get one that sounds good to you. If I'd been happy with the sound of mine I'm sure I'd have kept it.

As far as ease of playing, I think the essence is find one that fits your hands. The thicker necks were hard for me as I would cramp up, but I got one that was thinner front to back and that solved my troubles.