Do I REALLY need a 5 string?

[mikeswals]

Well if you don't need it, then you don't need it.
I played 5's and 6's thru the 90's, but by around '02/'03 I found I preferred and felt most freedom on 4's, so I went back and sold off my 5'vers.

 

[Munjibunga]

For me, playing a 5-string is less about the low notes than the ease of playing 5 frets up the neck. All but one of my 15 basses are 5-strings.

 

[bassman314]

Of my three basses, 2 are 5's. I don't play my AEB as much as I would like, because I miss that lower string.

I actually go down to the low B on a fairly regular basis.

If I had to switch back, it would be very hard for me to do so.

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

I didn't get into 5 strings until around 2003. That's when I found that all B string were not flubby. Just had to remember 'A' was in the middle. My 4 strings don't see much action anymore and I'm thinking about letting all but one go. And I do go below low E and like it.

Rezdog

 

[vince a]

"Tasteful use of a B-string can add to ANY music style" . . . Ditto! I use the B string in almost every song . . . I don't care who originally did the song . . . I'm doing it now!

 

[dave64o]

Need it? Of course not.

The key is whether or not it's a tool you'll make use of. And that's a question you'll have to answer for yourself.

I answered it for myself and play only fives. Like several others have said already, for me it's really not about having lower notes. It's mostly about a) having more notes available in a given position on the neck so I can reduce shifting and b) having the option to get a meatier tone by playing notes on a lower string.

If neither of those things are factors for you and you don't use the lower notes, then a four sounds like the right choice for you.

If you're STILL not sure, then keep it for now. No point making a decision when you can't yet find the reasons to take action (i.e. selling it).

 

[Russell L]

I play four strings and that's all I need. Just me, though. Once in awhile a low D would be nice, but not so much as to get a 5-string bass.

 

[DBH_Bass]

My girlfriend's friend plays a 5 string Ibanez and she's always razzing me for not playing a 5 string like her. I'll tell you the same thing that I tell her, if my playing style/music doesn't need it then I won't use it. Be happy playing 4 strings.

 

[vin*tone]

If you don't use it then you don't need it. I have one fiver... it hasn't seen a gig for about 6 months.

 

[Ric5]

You don't NEED five.

All you NEED is one.

 

[DBH_Bass]

You don't NEED five.

All you NEED is one.

half the metal bands in Houston need that bass. one worn out string, 4 others brand spanking new...

 

[topo morto]

What is Bass? not just 'bass'. I mean proper, thumping, primal, infinite, resonating, Bass.

Well, play your open E string. Is that Bass? why, of course. It makes your bits wobble. What about the A string. Is that Bass? Yes. full, righteous Bass.

Now start slowly playing higher notes on the A string.

B, C... still Bass. Still OK. Just about... but....

C#? Hmm... what's going on? That's not very Bassy!

D? Aaaaaaargh! We're not in Bassland any more! this is... like.... low midrange!

OK. So, the high limit of true Bass is about 65Hz. And we know that the low limit of human hearing is about 20Hz, an octave below a normal E string

The truth about an instrument tuned E A D G, is that whatever way you cut it, it can only play less than half of the notes in that real bone shaking, orgasm-inducing deep Bass zone. And more importantly, it has less than an octave of notes in that range.

So, while an instrument tuned EADG might make a beautiful sound, then if you are responsible for, and loyal to, the low end, then you need something more.

Just a view

 

[LiamPodmore]

I play 5's because they are just that bit more comfortable than 4's, and i like having the versatility of being able to play anything that any of my bands throw at me, without needing to detune.

Liam

 

[Col Colostomy]

Try stringing it tenor if you don't like the low B.

 

[darkstorm]

What your saying agrees with a lot of pros. Who also have no need or reason for a fiver.

 

[onosson]

I have my 5-string strung EADGC. If, like me, you don't feel the need to go below low E, you still have the advantage of being able to access 2 octaves in one position, and if you solo at all, it gives you a lot more range without having to go high up the neck (I rarely need to go above 12th fret - plus there is a lot of chordal stuff you can do easily too, which can get cluttered-sounding below a certain range (for me, that's somewhere around Bb or A)

 

[roffe]

I sold my 5-string a while ago, when I realized it had been gathering dust for 2 years. There was nothing wrong with the bass, and I really liked the sound of it, but I guess it just wasn't for me. I never really needed the B string, it was nice to have on a few songs just to keep from changing positions, but... ehhh, I just got a D-tuner for my P-bass instead and used the rest of the money on another 8-string

 

[mikeswals]

You don't NEED five.

All you NEED is one.

Yeah the bands in my same rehersal building, I swear all those guys do is ride the open B and never go past the 3rd fret.

Although I will say, I'd rock that (with a .105 of course)!

 

[monkeyking]

I guess I'm in the "really don't care what was used on the original recording" camp. I have a sub guitarist who freaks out when he finds we've re-arranged a song because that's not the way "that" band played it. I just tell him I'm not in "that" band.

Anyway, I played 4 for the first 20 years, but after a month with my first 5 string, I was hooked. Love to walk an E blues with open strings. Love the low D. Love to shake the ceiling of the club.

Of course you don't "need" it. Mark Sandman did pretty well with 2 strings. It all depends on the way you want to play. Personally I love the additional range and added whump down low. The 5 is totally natural for me. It may become natural for you, or it may not. If it feels good, do it.

(Plus the extra string makes you look cool and seem more like a technical genius.)

 

[Versatek6]

Or, if you want the best of both worlds, make an extra nut and restring for B E A D.