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Anyone moved away from bothering with a B-string?

#381
Kmonk said:
...They do sound better in some songs but one problem is that many people who play 5 string use the low B too much and as a result they just "muddy" the sound of the band.
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Which brings me to one the "problems" that I have with the 5-er, i.e. I play MOST of everything on top 4 strings and the B ends up being an expensive thumb rest most of the time because I only bounce onto for the occasional "shock 'n' awe" factor of hitting a D, C, or B down there.
We played a song for awhile that started with drums and then 8ths on a B. I'd use my open B for that. First time I did it, everyone got wide eyed and the guitarist turned around and goes "Whoa...now THAT'S low!" Cool...but otherwise, I don't get much use out of the 5th string.
 
#383
unclejane said:
I've only gone back to 4 strings because of injuries. When I have a B string, I use it so much I tear my arm all up again cranking my hand around to play it lol...if you can do a 5+ string physically, there's no reason not to have a low B...
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Huh, ok. trying to imagine what you're doing that you'd be cranking your hand around.
On mine, when I play E string or higher, I rest my thumb on the B. When I play the B, I rest my thumb on the pickup (or sometimes nowhere at all if I'm going to be crossing strings quickly). In those cases, I just let my thumb float resting against nothing for a moment. Perhaps I have stronger hands than some folks (but I doubt it), but I'm able to pluck the strings quite firmly without resting my thumb on anything at all. Anyway, resting the thumb on the pickup to hit the B, I'm able to keep my wrist pretty straight that way. I've never had to turn it into a claw and reach back like I'm scratching my elbow with it. That's the only think I can think of that you could be doing to crank your hand around. I wonder if you improved your technique if you'd be able to work the B without trouble anymore.
 
#384
totallyfrozen said:
Huh, ok. trying to imagine what you're doing that you'd be cranking your hand around.
On mine, when I play E string or higher, I rest my thumb on the B. When I play the B, I rest my thumb on the pickup (or sometimes nowhere at all if I'm going to be crossing strings quickly). In those cases, I just let my thumb float resting against nothing for a moment. Perhaps I have stronger hands than some folks (but I doubt it), but I'm able to pluck the strings quite firmly without resting my thumb on anything at all. Anyway, resting the thumb on the pickup to hit the B, I'm able to keep my wrist pretty straight that way. I've never had to turn it into a claw and reach back like I'm scratching my elbow with it. That's the only think I can think of that you could be doing to crank your hand around. I wonder if you improved your technique if you'd be able to work the B without trouble anymore.
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I think he's probably talking about his fretting hand.
 
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#385
totallyfrozen said:
Huh, ok. trying to imagine what you're doing that you'd be cranking your hand around.
On mine, when I play E string or higher, I rest my thumb on the B. When I play the B, I rest my thumb on the pickup (or sometimes nowhere at all if I'm going to be crossing strings quickly). In those cases, I just let my thumb float resting against nothing for a moment. Perhaps I have stronger hands than some folks (but I doubt it), but I'm able to pluck the strings quite firmly without resting my thumb on anything at all. Anyway, resting the thumb on the pickup to hit the B, I'm able to keep my wrist pretty straight that way. I've never had to turn it into a claw and reach back like I'm scratching my elbow with it. That's the only think I can think of that you could be doing to crank your hand around. I wonder if you improved your technique if you'd be able to work the B without trouble anymore.
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He's obviously talking about his fretting hand. Wide neck, nut far from ones body, small hands, disfigured wrist... leads to cranking around the neck.
 
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#387
I had a first jam with a new guitar player this afternoon. It dawned on me when I got there that we hadn't discussed tuning. It didn't matter because i took my 5-string ATK. If guitar dude liked to tune down i would have been fine. Didn't end up using the B string, but it sure was nice to have it there.
 
#389
totallyfrozen said:
Which brings me to one the "problems" that I have with the 5-er, i.e. I play MOST of everything on top 4 strings and the B ends up being an expensive thumb rest most of the time because I only bounce onto for the occasional "shock 'n' awe" factor of hitting a D, C, or B down there.
We played a song for awhile that started with drums and then 8ths on a B. I'd use my open B for that. First time I did it, everyone got wide eyed and the guitarist turned around and goes "Whoa...now THAT'S low!" Cool...but otherwise, I don't get much use out of the 5th string.
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I don't see the problem really ... some sets I use the B string for maybe one or two songs, either for low notes or notes in a higher position to avoid a long jump on the neck. Same thing with some effect pedals, I may use a pedal for just one song during the gig. You can choose to play a different note and use a different effect, or none at all, but if the fifth string or extra effect pedal is right for the song I think they are worth having.
 
#391
obimark said:
To each his own- my 4-string playing sounds massive- I do drop D at times and that is plenty low. If I wanted to be in a new country band I would get a 5 though as it is used a LOT on those songs.
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You think so? I guess I hadn't thought about it because I play my 5-er more than my 4 but I play a lot of modern country and I thought I seldom touched the B string. I think I can get to most of it between E, A, and D strings. Maybe I just hadn't paid close enough attention. Sometimes the hands just know where to go so you don't have to actually PLAY the bass (consciously anyway); it seems to play itself. Maybe I have been using the B more than I thought.
 
#393
My feeling is if you use it only once a set, it's worth having.
If you never use it at all, then yeah, it's not.

I can see why some would find a B useless.

I cannot see why anyone would logically think it useless for everyone, however.

There are successful bands out there that don't even have a bass player.
Food for thought.
 
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#394
Vlad5 said:
My feeling is if you use it only once a set, it's worth having.
If you never use it at all, then yeah, it's not.
I can see why some would find a B useless.
I cannot see why anyone would logically think it useless for everyone, however.
There are successful bands out there that don't even have a bass player.
Food for thought.
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+1
 
#396
Lets have another angle to it, from a real pro, Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree:

"
MPc: You play four-string basses primarily and sometimes tune down as low as C, F, Bb, Eb. Why not just play a five or six string bass?

CE: I have thought about that. I have a five string fretless that I use at home, but I’ve always really enjoyed playing a four-string and I’ve never felt the need, until Steven [Wilson, Porcupine Tree singer/guitarist] started down-tuning, and that’s the same time I got this low-tuned Spector that you’re talking about with that tuning. I never really felt the need to go lower than a D. And I’ve always felt a bit uncomfortable playing some of the five-strings with the string spacing a bit closer together. If you think about it, there are only three low notes you’re not getting. You’re not getting B, C, and C#. I can comfortably get to D on my four-string. And I didn’t feel that there’s a trade-off between the low notes and the extra weight, and I’m not particularly tall or anything (laughs) so the extra weight and the extra size of the fret board, I never really felt comfortable with any of the ones I’ve tried so far. I might change my opinion, but I don’t ever find myself thinking, “Oh, I need a lower note.” And I’m also a fan of octave pedals, so I’m quite happy to use an octave pedal if I need to go low.


And as for going up the other end of the bass, going higher, I don’t really find myself having a call for that or playing that kind of chording style that six-string players do. I think that comes from playing in Porcupine Tree for such a long time, it’s very sonically dense. I ‘m actually quite aware of going above the first five frets a lot of the time or playing quite high. It’s something that in an ensemble, you have to be very careful that the bottom end would disappear."

No money above the fifth fret. Again. That catchphrase seems popping up ever so often.

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#398
I love my 5 string passive Fender Jazz. I found it to be a little deeper than my Music Man Stingray Classic.
I use a Thunderfunk 800 with a Bergantino CN212 and the combination sounds great.
I also had good luck with the Aguilar DB751 and Mesa M6 amps along with the Aguilar GS412 and Bergantino NV215 cabs
 
#400
Honch said:
No money above the fifth fret. Again. That catchphrase seems popping up ever so often.
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This was today's gig (didn't use the PA). 3 sets. Would get pretty damn boring if I stayed below the 5th fret. And I got paid for it ;)

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