Do I really need a 5 string bass?

[basslifter]

What it DoubleAgent said plus...I don't need to be concerned with funky tunings. They are just notes and I have lots of them everywhere. Your a 1/2 step down? Got it. Drop D? got that too

 

[ReiPsaeg]

everyone always assumes that a 5 string is for notes under E to the B.. I party on my B string usually up above the 5th fret. The 5th string allows for less left hand movement and the ability to hit that E without an open string. I almost never play a low C and only occasionally play an open B. However the ease of runs and patterns that I can do without having to drop off my B string are what I love so much about my 5'er, but hey, it isn't for everyone.

I've been really getting into my 5 string lately for this exact reason.

But for the OP, it seems as though you don't really need a 5 string for your reasons.

 

[jetsrush]

Hipshot and done, this coming from someone who plays 6 string most of the time.

 

[CenTexThumper]

I thought for a long time I needed one. Played active 5 strings for 19 years. In my senior years (second childhood, if you will) I'm back into 4 string passives. I have hung on to my old TL-5 just in case, though.

 

[bordinco90]

It can be set as a momentary switch so if you need to go between any two tunings. I played it today with a song in Eb. I tried it with the bass tuned to Bb, D and Eb. It felt best set to Eb. So do you really need the low notes since they are so rare for you?

No I really don't play the low notes that much.

 

[Cachaito]

I can say no, you will love the mim pbass . I just got one two weeks ago and love it. The Michael Jordan of the bass (Oteil Burbridge) rocked a 4 with the Allman Brothers and the Tedescki Trucks Band for like 17 years and though he uses a 6 with other gigs. He said Derek Trucks preferred the 4 string and so did Greg Allman.

 

[Leaux-b]

You don't need a five string bass....you need several of them.

 

[IanA]

I have recently moved to playing a 5 most of the time, it is so easy for key changes when playing for different singers. It also gives more of an ability to build a song by gradually moving further down through the octaves.
It has taken about 5 years and a whole lot of cash to find the right bass though, and my 4 string.... is going nowhere, just in case....

 

[jimmykicker]

If you look at my signature it says real basses have 5 strings...but no more than 5. I personally love the tonality a 5 provides. Even E fretted on the B string sounds fuller to me and does allow some songs an "easier play". Let's take Bruno Mars "locked out of heaven" on the verse bass line. it's SO much easier to hit those low notes in a pattern on the B string than trying to slide down to hit them on the E. I will say though I recently bought a 4 string Ibanez Talman bass (there is no 5 option yet).... I was gonna hack it up and turn it into a 5. I found that it plays awesomely and I dig the easy string spacing so I decided against it. So I suggest have some variety. 6 however is too many! . I did play a 7 the other day. The neck was wide as a boat paddle!

 

[rafitoprtx]

Sometimes a wish a dont but i play in church and sometimes somebody wants to sing with a super low pitch voice and you need to transpose the song to a lower scale and i dont have enough time to tune down my bass, i consider a b string like a box of condoms you want to have it when you need it.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

Low B is da bomb!!!!

 

[chris_b]

I have made several attempts to give 5 string basses a chance and I really just don't like them.

That's cool. Not liking or having a use for 5 string basses doesn't make you a bad person.

The bottom line is you must be happy when you're making your music.

I'd sell your 5er and put together some funds to get the best 4 string bass your money can buy.

 

[Thumper19605]

The five was invented to compete with the lower range of the keyboard bass being played.
The jazz and rock guys alike have been using them ever since.
Your choice to use them or not, when I play my fives, I use the B a lot.

 

[Jakub]

I find the bass in this song to no longer be musical. It is more of a low frequency effect rather than part of the music. Sort of like controlled rumbling. I want him to come up an octave and join the rest of the band.

Right ! Sounds terrible ! It sounds like he want to show his extended range off. I play 4 string but I don't underestimate the low B. There's sometimes space for those low notes but when you pumpin in the way like in this song it's ridiculous ! Sounds too rumble and he could play it in different way not rumble those low. I think that if you have 5 string is ok but just use those low notes as rarely as possible. They control the band too much in 99% of time. When I played in cover band there's a lot of lower keys than in original songs and often "I need" a low D but no, I don't use it because it will be sound like in this song ! Too rumble too unappropriate. But when I played in church band the low D (or even lower notes) sounds perfectly and playing those songs octave higher just don't give them the good sound ! So there's a space for B string but not every time and in every song. It's a matter of taste I think no "need".

 

[markmeloney]

Why not just have the b in case you need it? it makes a good thumb rest

 

[markmeloney]

Well I hardly ever drop tune for any song and if I do its usually drop d. It just seems like every 5 string I have played, with the exception of the SBMM Ray35 have been really floppy.

Try a 35" scale. huge difference. ibanez makes a fanned fret sr that goes from 34 on the g to a 35 on the b. pretty nifty

 

[markmeloney]

another cool thing about a 5er is that if you never use your low b, you can tune EADGC and use the extra c to play some chords when the context calls for it

 

[Paul Corrosion]

I'm in a rock covers band and always have the 5'er with me as I play the low D on "Another Brick In The Wall" and the low C on "Sharp Dressed Man". It's there purely for the convenience of not having to down-tune (and back up) twice in the same set. That said though, if I'm honest, it probably takes as long to swap basses as it does to down-tune, so the convenience thing is probably just in my head.

So, in my case I could get by without it. I could thrown on a Hipshot for "ABITW" and the low C isn't necessary on "SDM", I just play it because I like the way it sounds (thanks to Mike Kroeger for that one). ;-)

 

[SteveHeissner]

It depends what works best for you and only you. You summarized it well with the following:

"and all other bands use 5 string basses, but I feel that I don't need a 5 string bass...."

If you feel you don't need a 5 string then you don't need a 5 string. I went from 5 to 4 strings a few years ago. But that doesn't mean others should do the same and I wouldn't try to convince my 5 string friends to play 4 strings because I respect them doing what works best for them.

Of course, it never hurts to keep one 5 string in your collection. Good luck.

 

[basslayer]

No I really don't play the low notes that much.

I found myself in a similar position years ago. I had played five string ibanez basses for 10 years but the low notes were getting less and less action. Going down to four string fender was great for me. The size of the neck and the spacing just felt right. At this point I still play mostly four strings even though I own a six and a five string fretless. If I play with a group with no chord instrument or I'm playing gospel I will bring the six. The five is for all fretless work. My vote is to get the four string fender you want.