I currently have a Fender Jazz & Precision and a Musicman Stingray - all great and all 4 strings. I have been toying with the idea of buying a 5 string, possibly a Fender Jazz V. Before I dive in I wanted to check with you guys who have gone through the same though process. Bottom line, if I go down this route will I stick with 5 as my go to instrument or revert to a 4 once the novelty wears off and will end up selling the 5 down the line?
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Do I need a 5?
- Thread starter Lepparda
- Start date
I had a 5 a couple decades ago. Now I have all 4's, albeit with one always at the ready tuned in D standard. I use that bass maybe 20 percent of the time. 5 just wasn't my thing.
I have never played a 5 string bass, and never wanted or needed one either.
That is not to say that you won't, but there are plenty of examples of brilliant professionals that get by on a 4 string bass just fine.
If you need a deep B and still need what would be the G string of a bass in standard tuning as well, then the answer is definitely yes, you would need a 5 string, otherwise not.
Personally I would never buy a 5 string though, a short scale 6 string tuned E-E on the other hand is on my wish list.
That is not to say that you won't, but there are plenty of examples of brilliant professionals that get by on a 4 string bass just fine.
If you need a deep B and still need what would be the G string of a bass in standard tuning as well, then the answer is definitely yes, you would need a 5 string, otherwise not.
Personally I would never buy a 5 string though, a short scale 6 string tuned E-E on the other hand is on my wish list.
I live the 5 and would never go back to 4 as a main bass.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
If you really really want a 5 string you will like it and keep it. If you don't know if you really really want one, you don't need it your 4 string will be just fine.
You never know till you try. It can also depend on the music styles you play. As for me I played fives for s short time years ago and liked them. Since then it's been all fours. It took me some time to find the right five and I'm very happy with it and it's all I'm playing today.
Oh dear where is my new 2017 popcorn dammit? my scotch and my 6 packs are already here of course!
Do you need one? Only you can answer that question. It's good to be ready for all sorts of different musical styles.
I've been playing for 32 years and for the last 27 of those years, a 5 has been my main bass. I currently own 5 basses, 2 of them are 5 strings and they see most of my work.
Since you already have a Jazz, Precision and a Musicman, I suggest that your 5 string purchase be something different, like 35" scale, soapbars, etc. (of course this depends on your budget. )
I've been playing for 32 years and for the last 27 of those years, a 5 has been my main bass. I currently own 5 basses, 2 of them are 5 strings and they see most of my work.
Since you already have a Jazz, Precision and a Musicman, I suggest that your 5 string purchase be something different, like 35" scale, soapbars, etc. (of course this depends on your budget. )
We play BASS, so why not have more BASS range? Get a fiver. It's 2017.
Fives vary a lot more than fours, so I'd try some before buying. Some people prefer narrow string spacing, others prefer wide. Same with 34 vs 35 scale.
Fives vary a lot more than fours, so I'd try some before buying. Some people prefer narrow string spacing, others prefer wide. Same with 34 vs 35 scale.
This has been my philosophy all along. Bass is the lowest instrument tonaly so it makes sense to go lower. It should (IMO) go as low as the lowest note on a piano but falls one step higher (unless you detune)
The downside to a low B string is that it's natural for many people to overuse it; especially after first switching over. I've been to auditions where someone said "oh, a 5 string. I'm not sure that fits our music." My reply has always been "if you pretend not to see that 5th string, I won't use it. Then it's the same as a 4.
A 6 string doesn't make sense to me. If you need all those high notes and want to solo all the time, play guitar. (again, JMHO)
Think of the greatest bass players in history, did any of them play a 5 string? Enough said.
Mostly true but that makes no difference. The question is should the OP try one. As I said in my last post: I don't see the point in 6 string basses FOR ME but I wouldn't begrudge anyone else from getting one.
That depends what you play..
I have had 4,5,6,7 strings basses
Now all I have are 4s and one 5er
For my play style just doesn't need more than 4 stringa, the extra strings are just getting in the way to me.
And anything more than 4 strings are just have too narrow strings spacing to my liking or too wide of the fingerboard for my girly hand.
I have had 4,5,6,7 strings basses
Now all I have are 4s and one 5er
For my play style just doesn't need more than 4 stringa, the extra strings are just getting in the way to me.
And anything more than 4 strings are just have too narrow strings spacing to my liking or too wide of the fingerboard for my girly hand.
I have played 5 string basses exclusively for 20 years and along with all the others, who have only played 4 string basses their whole lives, we can only say what we do. Our reasons are not your reasons.
You are the only one who can decide if a 5 is for you, but as you are only "toying" with the idea, I'd say don't. Maybe "Toying" wasn't the best use of words but to make a change to 5 string work you need commitment and a long term objective.
If you need a 5 string for the sound you want to make, or for the songs you've got to play then buy the best one you can afford. . . . but without a good reason? Don't!
You are the only one who can decide if a 5 is for you, but as you are only "toying" with the idea, I'd say don't. Maybe "Toying" wasn't the best use of words but to make a change to 5 string work you need commitment and a long term objective.
If you need a 5 string for the sound you want to make, or for the songs you've got to play then buy the best one you can afford. . . . but without a good reason? Don't!
I learned to play on a fiver, but haven't used mine for 3 years or so, except for one gig and that was because it was the only bass I had in that town at the time.
It comes down to what you need. Do you need it? If so, get one, or a drop-tuner or string one of your basses b-e-a-d.
If not, well. Is it fun enough to buy one?
It comes down to what you need. Do you need it? If so, get one, or a drop-tuner or string one of your basses b-e-a-d.
If not, well. Is it fun enough to buy one?
I've been a four string player since I began as a kid back in 1971. It was the middle of 2015 that I finally took a dip in the low B-string, five string world. For me, it proved to be a lot of fun, that I wondered why I didn't add five string bass to my arsenal earlier on. I didn't invest too much in my first five stringer, but because I was having fun, and it opened some things up musically for me, I bought a far better 5-banger as my second five string, and while I still have my beloved four stringers, I now kind of miss that low B-string when I'm playing any of my four stringers. Maybe my mood could change in the future, but for now I'm enjoying the five string thing.
Depends on your musical situation. I dont need a 5 when I am playing along to my favorite tunes in my bedroom, however, in my church gig we transpose songs to lower keys all the time, for that I need my 5, or at least a 4 tuned to BEAD.
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