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Do I need a 5?

Add a 5, yes or no?

  • Go with a 5 and you won't go back

    Votes: 62 61.4%

  • Stick with the 4's

    Votes: 39 38.6%
  • Total voters
    101
#123
hrodbert696 said:
You would only "need" a fiver if you're playing a style of music that calls for notes from all five strings, over the course of a gig if not in each individual tune. It can definitely be useful in prog metal, modern country, and some pop. And the OP doesn't say. But as most of the more sensible people have said, only you can decide if a 5er suits you or not.

My own history - I started on a 5er very early on, it was my first gigging bass (though not my very first bass) and I thought of myself as an exclusive 5-string player for a long time. Then I got a 4 just out of a nagging feeling like I wanted the "classic." Then I got into a classic rock band where none of the songs needed the B string and a 4 just seemed to fit the image better. Wound up with a couple of 4s I really liked and they became my main players. I still have the 5ers and pull them out from time to time, though, like on a recent couple of sub gigs that needed the lower notes. It never hurts to have one in the stable if you fancy a different ride from time to time.



Nathan East?

Or I'm sorry, did you mean only the greatest players from the era before the 5-string became widely available?



Amen.



I have a Yamaha BB415 that cost $300 and am utterly thrilled with it. Never letting that girl go.


I understood we were replying to the Posters original question about 5-strings and not just disagreeing on other peoples opinion? ... Maybe join the conversation and tell the poster why you feel his need to own a 5-string bass.
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#124
mbell75 said:
Im not talking about using a 5 here and there, Im talking about as their main bass. Every legendary bass player you can think of uses/used a 4 string as their main, period.
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That's just because you're only considering bass players From the past and the basses they are most known for playing. A lot of the modern bass "heroes" are known for playing 5 and 6 string and even piccolo bass. When I think of Janek Gwizdala for example And his fodera 5 strings. Sure he has 4 strings also. But spend an hour on YouTube watching him play and the stuff that stands out is stuff he plays on his foderas
 
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#125
The sunshine post of the thread...

It takes a lot of unmitigated gall to tell a bunch of people that just because a lot of great music was made on 4 strings, we shouldn't need or want 5- or anything more- strings. By that logic, we'd still be reading music by candlelight and living in caves. Just because you don't like progress and evolution doesn't mean everyone should adhere to your way of thinking.
 
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#128
Geri O said:
The sunshine post of the thread...

It takes a lot of unmitigated gall to tell a bunch of people that just because a lot of great music was made on 4 strings, we shouldn't need or want 5- or anything more- strings. By that logic, we'd still be reading music by candlelight and living in caves. Just because you don't like progress and evolution doesn't mean everyone should adhere to your way of thinking.
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426148_v1.jpg

(I was looking for a reason to post this)
 
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#131
Nephilymbass said:
That's just because you're only considering bass players From the past and the basses they are most known for playing. A lot of the modern bass "heroes" are known for playing 5 and 6 string and even piccolo bass. When I think of Janek Gwizdala for example And his fodera 5 strings. Sure he has 4 strings also. But spend an hour on YouTube watching him play and the stuff that stands out is stuff he plays on his foderas
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Flea and Wooten are from the past? 5 strings have been available for decades now and do you see any of the icons I mentioned replacing their 4 strings and using a 5 as their main? No. Do you think they would have many years ago if they thought it would expand their abilities? Of course they would have. Call me old school but Im not into these guys with 6 string basses and 10 pedals sitting there noodling away, does zero for me. Give me a Fender P (or sometimes a J) bass running thru a great amp, thats it. I love solid, melodic bass lines that fill up spaces guitar players leave. Only time I like a bass as the driving sound is in something like Flea's work or funk. Even modern day funk like Bruno Mar's "Treasure".
 
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#133
I had a D tuner during the 80's, playing mostly at church (3-5 times a week.) When I found myself leaving the tuner in D most of the time, I figured it was time to try a 5. I bought a cheap, used Washburn, upgraded the electronics (and eventually turned it into a 35" scale fretless) and never looked back.

I had many excellent 4's, but haven't used one except for giving lessons, since around 1990. A 5 just felt right. A 5 gives me more of what I play bass for. Playing a 4 feels like I have a finger missing.

And now, with the band I've been with for 6 years, we drop a lot of songs to match our aging voices, and I can maintain signature bass lines, without having to play them an octave up.

It doesn't matter to me what other bass players prefer. I'm not them, and they're not me. A 5 makes perfect sense to me.
 
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#136
mbell75 said:
Flea and Wooten are from the past? 5 strings have been available for decades now and do you see any of the icons I mentioned replacing their 4 strings and using a 5 as their main? No. Do you think they would have many years ago if they thought it would expand their abilities? Of course they would have. Call me old school but Im not into these guys with 6 string basses and 10 pedals sitting there noodling away, does zero for me. Give me a Fender P (or sometimes a J) bass running thru a great amp, thats it. I love solid, melodic bass lines that fill up spaces guitar players leave. Only time I like a bass as the driving sound is in something like Flea's work or funk. Even modern day funk like Bruno Mar's "Treasure".
Click to expand...
I play 4s, but just because I have a bunch of pedals doesn't mean I "noodle away."
 
#139
Korladis said:
When you group everyone who happens to use pedals (or 5s) together like that, people are bound to.
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When did I do that? I just said that the iconic players I mentioned didn't use 5 string basses and the OP didn't NEED a 5 string. If you like 5 strings and pedals though, have at it. Just saying most the iconic bass players don't mess with that though. Good day sir!
 

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