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Convert 4 string to 5?

#21
Zodiac said:
Thanks for all the input.

Since it's more complex that I thought and the likelihood of ruining a perfectly good bass is high, I'll just go back to comparing 5-strings online and see if I can find one I like.
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Good choice. I have seen many a bass ruined on ebay, one of which was a Fender Urge. :crying: I'm guessing at 32" scale, the low B would have also sounded horrible.

I tried one a long time ago and the spacing was too narrow for my tastes and I typically like narrow/medium spaced 5ers. On your average 19mm spaced bridge, that makes the string spacing about 14.25mm. I would only be able to play something like that with a pick.
 
#23
dumbdrum said:
People have been known to convert Ricks as 5ers are rare. I wouldn't recommend it though you risk ruining a perfectly good bass and you may not achieve the results that you were after.

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/
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Is it just me, or does it look like the Tuners for the A/D/G can actually touch each other?

That would be very troublesome when it comes to tuning.

I would suggest NOT attempting it, as there are so many things that could go wrong (pole spacing, added neck tension, tight spacing, touching tuners, new drill holes etc) and if you botch the job, you've botched the bass and are stuck buying a new one anyways.
 
#24
In this day and age when 5's are plentiful, it doesn't seem prudent to convert a good 4 to a 5 in light of the risks.

However, I've seen photos and read of Abraham Laboriel playing a Yamaha BB2000 throughout the 80's and early '90's that had been converted from 4 to 5 strings. As that bass has the 1.75" nut, I guess it would be no tighter than the narrower 5-stringers out there. I've wondered whether Laboriel's axe was a one-off directly from Yamaha, or instead a retrofit by a skilled LA luthier. As a neckthrough, I'd think this would be a tougher axe to reconfigure...and I also wonder whether there might be pole-piece issues in connection with pickups.
 
#25
Well, I've seen plenty of 5-strings that look doable, but most are out of my current price range.

I found a Rogue LX205B that got good reviews and was looking at the Dean Edge 09. I'm just not sure if a single pickup would be adequate. I've also read good things about the Stellar Neptune 001.

I own an older Ibanez 4 string (Silver Z Cadet) and really like it. I'd love to get another Ibanez, but they're soo expensive now.

I also like Fender, but they're too heavy.

*Sigh*
 
#26
Zodiac said:
Well, I've seen plenty of 5-strings that look doable, but most are out of my current price range.

I found a Rogue LX205B that got good reviews and was looking at the Dean Edge 09. I'm just not sure if a single pickup would be adequate. I've also read good things about the Stellar Neptune 001.

I own an older Ibanez 4 string (Silver Z Cadet) and really like it. I'd love to get another Ibanez, but they're soo expensive now.

I also like Fender, but they're too heavy.

*Sigh*
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What's your price range? I've seen some pretty nice used Ibanez 5ers in the $300-$400 range.
 
#28
I've found a four string bass that converts to a five very nicely, the rickenbacker 4004 series. RIC made the fret boards wider on these than the 4001/3 but they still have a nice flat profile on the back. The pickups are rail type humbuckers so pole alignment is not a problem. The four string nut can be replaced with a Carvin six string nut that has the C string slot removed. The only thing left is to find a place to put the fifth tuner, I use hipshot ultralights and mount the upper tuners reversed in a 3+2 configuration. A Schaller 496 bridge will give you a 2 1/2" spread at the bridge with just a hair under 16mm string pitch. This is wide enough for finger style, could be a little tight for someone who slaps a lot. I'm very happy with the ones I have, very lightweight bass with great tone, especially on the all maple Laredo model.
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#31
Bassman822 said:
If youre needing the low B, why not consider getting a 5 string set and using a B-E-A-D tuning?
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+1

most cost effective solution, and nobody will know that you did it until u start playing.

Adds a "wow" factor for non-musicians, and a "what key are you playing in? It sounds so low!" from guitarists ;)

my B-E-A-D bass is a secret weapon of sorts, I Won't get a 5er, maybe a 6, but that's for a different purpose
 
#32
meev992 said:
+1

most cost effective solution, and nobody will know that you did it until u start playing.

Adds a "wow" factor for non-musicians, and a "what key are you playing in? It sounds so low!" from guitarists ;)

my B-E-A-D bass is a secret weapon of sorts, I Won't get a 5er, maybe a 6, but that's for a different purpose
Click to expand...

That's definitely an idea I hadn't even thought about.
 
#33
I like Carvin six string basses and I own three. I always had a yen to make a bass for myself so when the idea came full circle I looked at the Carvin catalogue. Although I bought the parts seperately Carvin does sell a complete 5 string bolt on bass kit for not much over $450. Active electronics is one of the options. I had them tung oil the neck and do the same to the body. It was an enjoyable project and, after a good set up, the resulting instrument is light, looks and plays like a dream. For very little money you get a first rate instrument

Paul
 

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