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Basses only have 4 strings

I was in a music store checking out the basses. A couple of teenagers walked over and were checking out what was hanging on the wall. One said, "Look a 5 string bass!" The other said, "That can't be. Basses only have 4 strings!" If that wasn't enough, he had to say it again in a different way, "If there are more than 4 strings, it's not a bass!" No I didn't say a word. It wasn't worth it. Besides, the first one finally replied, "Dude! It's all about extended range. You see guitars with 7 strings and you still call them guitars!"
 
One thing i remember about playing bass in junior high and High school is being one of the only bassists in school. EVERYONE, as we all discovered, plays guitar in junior/high school. That right there is the main reason that when i myself was only 15, i put down my Peavey Predator and bought an Ibanez TR-505 5 string and haven't put it down since then. Don't let the local "bass clod" (my bad i mean god) get you down. Practice practice practice and when he has ANYTHING to say to you then just show him up. Let him know that there is a new kid in town, and that he is rocking a 5'er.
 
Wow, you really take into consideration the bleatings of a teenager? I have two of them and I tune them both out on a regular basis because 50% of what they say is nonsense.
 
My 15yo not only knows that 5-string basses exist, he wants one -- no, actually he says he _needs_ one.

Apparently, the lack of said instrument will be crippling his musical development, like, forever! :D

I remember saying similar things to my parents at about the same age about a needing a Gibson Les Paul. I had to make do with an Ibanez SG (still got it too -- great guitar, actually!)

-Mark