Converting 4 string to 5 - crazy?

[halcyo]

My hands are small, and I USED to think a 5 string needed narrow spacing and a thin neck for me to get around. However, I’ve grown to prefer FULL 19mm string spacing on a 5, and even better if it’s 35” extended scale length neck! I’m faster and more comfy than I ever used to be on thinner necks, mostly cuz I just really woodshedded on my skills and technique over the last 2 yrs. I feel like it’s more often “nurture”, not “nature”, when it comes to musical skill. Ya just gotta practice!

14mm spacing would be wildly thin to me now. However, I think you’d be fine fingerstyle or pick style. You’d struggle to get slaps and pops on there due to how accurate youd have to get your fingers between the strings.

The most extreme is the Fender Bass VI (or the Squier version I have). 6 string bass, damn near guitar spacing. Pretty much HAVE to play pick. Even fingerstyle is basically out. With a pick though it’s great haha

 

[Snert]

The most extreme is the Fender Bass VI (or the Squier version I have). 6 string bass, damn near guitar spacing. Pretty much HAVE to play pick. Even fingerstyle is basically out.

Millions of people play fingerstyle guitar, and I have no difficulty playing the same on an SRC6.
There are also YT vids of people slapping similar instruments.

 

[andruca]

I'd only do it (and in fact have done it) to cheap instruments. Mine was a Harley Benton P kit bass which was first converted to 5 strings, then defretted. String spacing ended up being 16mm at the bridge. I personally don't mind the narrow string spacing, I'm used to my Stingray5 (17.5mm) or my Schecter CV-5 (17mm) so not too bad really. The P pickup has no problem picking up all 5 strings. The J at the bridge OTOH wasn't that cool, so I ended up replacing it with a 5 big (cramped) poles cheapo pickup single from AliExpress.

 

[ras1983]

This might be out of left-field but... would you consider a Fender Bass VI?

Check out this video (no prizes for guessing what bass the bass player is playing lol):

The bass player's performance combined with the instrument's tone has me really considering one of these in future.

 

[Ric5]

Fender basses are set up well to convert into a 5 string. A 1 11/16" nut is comfortable for 5 strings, the fender headstock has room for the 5th tuner, you can easily find a 5 string bridge cheap that is 2 1/2", and most 4 string pickups cover 5 strings with no dropout. So a few hours of work and a few dollars in parts and your old 4 banger can now have 5 strings. One of the reasons this works so well is the taper of the Fender neck.

 

[Ric5]

I'd only do it (and in fact have done it) to cheap instruments. Mine was a Harley Benton P kit bass which was first converted to 5 strings, then defretted. String spacing ended up being 16mm at the bridge. I personally don't mind the narrow string spacing, I'm used to my Stingray5 (17.5mm) or my Schecter CV-5 (17mm) so not too bad really. The P pickup has no problem picking up all 5 strings. The J at the bridge OTOH wasn't that cool, so I ended up replacing it with a 5 big (cramped) poles cheapo pickup single from AliExpress.

DIY or die ... I love it

 

[darwin-bass]

...One of the reasons this works so well is the taper of the Fender neck.

Neck taper - this is important. It isn't just width at the nut but width all the way up that is an issue. I spend a fair amount of time playing at the 5th through 7th frets and typical 5 string necks are too wide at that point. I have to change my grip approach and that makes the difference.

So, to take this crazy idea to the next step I guess I need to figure out how wide of a neck I can handle. I think 1 5/8 is fine. 1 3/4 is too wide. I'd like to think 1 11/16 could work to give just a tad more room. None of these have any impact on string spacing at the bridge so I'd have to get used to both 19mm and 14mm.

 

[Doug4321]

14mm spacing would be wildly thin to me now. However, I think you’d be fine fingerstyle or pick style. You’d struggle to get slaps and pops on there due to how accurate youd have to get your fingers between the strings.

I’d tend to agree. My short scale Starfire is pretty narrow at the bridge, hard to slap, finger style is fine though. I hear people slap even guitars but…..

The Alembic Stanley Clarke is short scale, same spacing as Starfire at the nut, but Jazz bass spacing at the bridge. Of course he slaps it. Great-!

Hey maybe instead of converting a four string, just buy a short scale 5 string? The B might be clunky but they make those things. Pretty sure at least Ibanez

 

[Doug4321]

Medium scale five. He talks a bit about that concept, tone effects

 

[Samus C]

This was on Reverb. Some kind of conversion bridge no extra key at the headstock needed

JB Player P Bass 2000's Red 5 String modification | Reverb

https://images.reverb.com/image/upl...0,w_1600/v1471034343/yf31358w5huiluy3gbfy.jpg

https://images.reverb.com/image/upl...0,w_1600/v1471034324/rhezpvumtaexc9uwf2br.jpg

Those were the wilkinson conversion bridges:

Wilkinson USA 4+1 5 String Conversion Bass Bridge | Reverb

 

[Ric5]

There are 3 critical dimensions for the bass neck to have 5 strings. The width at the nut, the width where it meets the body, and the depth front to back. A neck the is too fat front to back is uncomfortable for me. I can handle a narrow spacing at the nut if the neck tapers wider to where it meets the body. This is part of the problem with the original Rickenbacker 4003s5, it had a workable spacing at the nut, but Rickenbacker necks taper a lot less, so when you make the bridge spacing 2 1/2" or 2 5/8" spacing then you put the strings off the neck around the 12th fret.

 

[brocco]

I have a Yamaha BB735A real narrow at the nut 43MM great bass also

 

[darwin-bass]

OK so here is the conclusion.

I price out what it would be to buy a Squire CV P and convert it to 5. Not cheap.
I priced out what it would be to do a full Warmoth build. Not cheap.
I priced out what it would be to convert my own Warmoth bass to 5. Better, still not cheap.

Then I played a P with a 1 5/8 neck and found it just felt wide. Hmmm.

I ended up spending $25 on a set of strings and filed the nut on my bass to convert it to BEAD. Now to relearn all my fingerings and to learn to adjust to the missing G. And if I get tired of it, I'm a string swap away from home-sweet-home.



BEAD - What have I done?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Probably the simplest solution, been thinking about trying that myself, as the width of most 5 string boards cramps my hands. You might have to replace the nut if you convert back to EADG, big whup.

 

[iriegnome]

There is a thread here on TB directly concerning "Nut Widths". You can search the list. There are a lot of 34" or smaller scale basses with tight spacing. I have 2 5 string basses myself with 15.5mm spacing. Both Modulus basses. I know that someone earlier mentioned the GL L5000, but since only 400 were ever made, they are few and far between. Washburn made the MB-5 which is also a 5 string on a 4 string neck type bass. Converting a 4 to 5 is actually easier than you would think. You just need to make sure your 4 string bass has a wide enough nut. Other than that, it is really straight forward

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I bought my first fiver in 1988. It was a Gibson V. My second was an L-5000. Both of those are four string models with a different (narrow spaced) bridge. The Gibson handled the added tension with no problems and was a great bass (for me) for many years. The L-5000 neck didn’t fare as well, which is interesting because it’s the only G&L I’ve ever owned with that problem. I like the narrow spacing. Shoot, you’re giving me G.A.S.!

I have done it. Standard p neck. Dual p body.
Replaced pups with 5 string emg s in standard P shell. Kahler bridge.

 

[Ric5]

if you want a fat necked conversion then replace the neck.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

if you want a fat necked conversion then replace the neck.

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Yup route the pocket ( like I did on this one) or slim the heel to fit the pocket.