Are 5 strings on the way out?

[40Hz]

I think it’s more that it’s become so mainstream that hardly anybody feels the need to mention their bass is a fiver anymore.

It certainly doesn’t make people sit up and take notice when you take one out of its case these days. It’s just another bass.

Either way they seem to have become as everyday as four string basses, based on what I see people playing. I doubt they're on their way out.

 

[nnnnnn]

The thing about BEAD or lower tunings is that you have to give up the high notes. Using a five, there is an extended bottom, plus a full upper range of the instrument.

While that's true, the only notes you're losing are the 5 highest you'd have on the G string, since most of what is on the G string can be found out the D string, albeit just in different positions. I'd be willing to bed that 95% of bassists won't miss those 5 highest notes. I'd much rather lose them than lose B to Eb by not having a B string.

I would mostly only miss those five high notes if playing Sir Duke, but it's not just a question of upper range: for one thing moving notes onto thicker strings higher up the neck changes the tone of those notes - sometimes one might want that, but sometimes not; I like having the choice.

I like a fiver because I get the notes below E without giving anything up.

 

[4stringfarley]

I come across more 5 string players than 4 it seems now days.

Now, trying to find a decent fretless.....

 

[blue4]

I don't see much difference from before. People used to talk about how popular they were and I never noticed bassists that I liked switching to 5s. At least live anyway. Who know who plays what in the studio.

 

[40Hz]

According to my sources, they're going the same route as rock!

LOL! Yep. Rock has been on its way out since the late 50s - and with no end in sight. Right up there with Barbara Streisand’s numerous “farewell” performances.

 

[40Hz]

Mine are not. And that's all that matters to me.

^And that is about the only thing that really matters.

In my case I play both and don’t really think about it that much. Why pick one or the other when you can have both by spending twice as much money. YOLO as they say.

 

[JohnnyBottom]

Entirely driven by supply and demand, and it seems there is plenty of demand still. Aside from the obvious advantages it certainly makes a nice thumb rest,
even if not playing it.

 

[G On Bass]

As long as they keep making and selling 5 string sets, I really don't care if 5's are popular or not. What can I say? I'm lazy. I like to be able to play any genre I want in any key I need without having to change tunings or mess with pedals while keeping my playing hand in a very comfortable position. Besides, al the 'Jaco only needed 4' memes keep my eye-rolling muscles in shape.

 

[Afc70]

Besides, al the 'Jaco only needed 4' memes keep my eye-rolling muscles in shape.

I always respond with “ Imagine how good Jaco would have been if he’d played a 5’er”
Seriously tho, 5’s , 6’s & 4’s are all here to stay imo.

 

[JimmyM]

I would mostly only miss those five high notes if playing Sir Duke, but it's not just a question of upper range: for one thing moving notes onto thicker strings higher up the neck changes the tone of those notes - sometimes one might want that, but sometimes not; I like having the choice.

Agreed, especially when it comes to the B string, which has always presented difficulty for me in being able to tolerate its sound past the 5th fret. It's gotten better for me since switching to an ultra-light B string (I'm using a 120), but I still don't like playing, for example, a G note on the 8th fret B string vs 3rd fret E string. I don't mind playing any other notes higher up on the neck on any other strings, but on that B string, I'm not real fond of anything above the 5th fret.

I hate anything thicker than a 120 B, though. It may be a little floppier than the rest, but anything thicker sounds dead to me so I put up with it.

 

[basslifter]

The variety/selection is better for 4. But....I just dumped all of my 4 strings and went exclusively 5....
It just seemed that I liked the additional creative options available on a 5 and well....I have screwed up more than once forgetting to re-set my tuning from Drop-D back to standard on a 4. That won't be an issue now.

 

[G On Bass]

I always respond with “ Imagine how good Jaco would have been if he’d played a 5’er”
Seriously tho, 5’s , 6’s & 4’s are all here to stay imo.

I always wonder if those who post those memes only own and play Jazz fusion on fretless basses... I gotta think that if Jaco sat in with a Immortal-Death-Corpse-of-Satanic-Death-Agony type band that he might find a use for something below that E... Or Bro Country. Same thing.

Everyone should play what they like, and not worry about what others think they should play or what is considered 'popular'. (Don't tell anyone, but I don't even own an HPF )

 

[Geri O]

1966 Fender bass V

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Would you believe there’s a young man in our locale that has one of those? I had forgotten about it, but his grandfather gave it to him. I’ve played it, it’s very cool.

 

[JimmyM]

Besides, al the 'Jaco only needed 4' memes keep my eye-rolling muscles in shape.

Yep. I love playing 4's and even I'm sick of it. If I never see it again, it'll be too soon. Besides, Jaco also lived on the street in his later years. Does that mean I should, too? I don't think so.

Everyone should do what feels best to them and quit using famous bassists as an example of why they should or shouldn't do stuff.

 

[LBS-bass]

Back in my full-time playing days, I briefly went to a 5.
I never put the effort I should have into playing it properly, and have always regretted it, as I do feel the extended range is a great facility to have, with no real downside.
That said, I'm still playing a 4, and doubt I'll change now.

I'm sort of in the same camp. I bought my fivers because the music I was doing required it. I worked on that repertoire with the fivers but always had other repertoire that I wanted to use the 4-string for, because I knew I could do a better job with an instrument that was more comfortable for me. That first band broke up, so now I have the fivers but no real incentive to play them. I am always doing some show where I feel it's important to do my best, and I'm just not working with the fiver as much as I should. I probably need to just put my four strings aside and really work the five, but my four string Jazz is like my best friend and it's really hard to not pick it up.

 

[mmbass21]

I don't find this statement by the OP to be true around where I live. The local scene has mostly guys playing on 5ers here regardless of genre. I only switched back to a 4 last year to get back to my roots and change my technique. I will absolutely go back to a 5 in the near future and I'm definitely not selling my current 5ers.

 

[BergerHead]

... but I still don't like playing, for example, a G note on the 8th fret B string vs 3rd fret E string. ... I'm not real fond of anything above the 5th fret.

I hate anything thicker than a 120 B, though. It may be a little floppier than the rest, but anything thicker sounds dead to me so I put up with it.

I use a .128-.45 set, the .135 doesn‘t work properly for me.
And playing the 5th string above the 5th fret is not the plan, sometimes i do it but playing the further lines on the E string and other is ime the better option.
And no, i wouldn‘t go back to 4 strings, why should i?

 

[LBS-bass]

Agreed, especially when it comes to the B string, which has always presented difficulty for me in being able to tolerate its sound past the 5th fret. It's gotten better for me since switching to an ultra-light B string (I'm using a 120), but I still don't like playing, for example, a G note on the 8th fret B string vs 3rd fret E string. I don't mind playing any other notes higher up on the neck on any other strings, but on that B string, I'm not real fond of anything above the 5th fret.

I hate anything thicker than a 120 B, though. It may be a little floppier than the rest, but anything thicker sounds dead to me so I put up with it.

Yep, yep. When I was playing my fiver, we had one song that I had to play on the higher frets, and across the neck. I hated the tone of that B string up there, but the position I was in for the rest of the notes when I needed those notes I played on the B made it really stupid to play it any other way. I also like a thinner B string but I like my strings thin all across, anyway.

 

[SteveHeissner]

Different jobs may require different tools but...

- 4 string bass.
- 5 string bass.
- 6 string bass.

Will never go out of style as long as there are bass players and G.A.S. Stay thirsty my friends.

 

[socialleper]

No flats for sure, but a lot of good bassists are happy with their Fender fives.

I'm not saying they aren't.
I'm saying they are using their 5 or 6 string basses WAY differently than the guys in Rivers of Nihil, Black Crown Initiate, Cannibal Corpse, Havok, Allegaeon, Infri, Beyond Creation, Obscura, Suffocation, Jinjer, Emeth, etc are.
Fender doesn't make a production 6 to the best of my knowledge, and their 5s aren't known for their speed or articulation. They are vintage designed instruments for vintage style sounds.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I have 2 5s and 11 4s. So, at my house, 4s are more popular.