Do you use your B?

[George Himmel]

What up TB!
Been considering a 5 or 6 string for a while. Just to experiment with, i’m not a working musician, just play by myself mostly. Have an opportunity to purchase an mim Jazz 5 for $250. But I only have 4 strings, and I don’t really know how to use the low B. I’m considering buying it to string it to EADGC, just for fun, I like to play above the 12th fret a lot. So i’m sure this question is beating a dead horse, but do you really use your low b string, and how often? If not, do you roll with a 5 string like I’m considering (eadgc).
And........ go

All the time. It's as natural as using E, A, D, or G.

 

[Doug Parent]

For me it's not so much the extra lower notes it's about different fingering options and not having to move so much vertically where on a 4 string I would have to or play differently. I think a low B provides more practical options than a high C unless i was soloing a lot.

 

[DWBass]

When I play my 5............all the time!

 

[the_home]

I am in the 'high c' camp of 5 string players. I enjoy noodling lead bass lines high up the neck. I also regularly play chords on the upper strings with bass line underneath. Adds an additional depth to a standard 'lead, rhythm,bass, drums' band.

 

[MrLenny1]

My gig requires a low B bass.
New Country music has a lot of it.
I also string up a 5 with high C for more fun.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I think if you just play by yourself and along to records you won't find a NEED for the low B. You can do all of your music jamming in Drop D if needed. I play music for a living and need a low B. I love playing my 4 string but lots of my playing is in musicals and they need a low B. Even my fretless if a 5 string.

If I were you I would string it with a C. Better for noodling

 

[Geri O]

These posts with B string topics are like watching NASCAR.

Just for the wrecks, smashups, conjecture by the onlookers, and fistfights.

 

[oheare]

I play the low B *all the time*.

I'm suffering with arthritis, and being able to move over one string and up the fingerboard makes playing much less painful.

 

[mc900ftj]

...and also liked the B string for grabbing lower notes in higher fretboard positions, which IMO is one of the B string's best uses...

This, 100%. It's not always about going low, it gives you more notes in a single position anywhere on the fretboard. Though grabbing that low B or C at the right times is also a benefit!

 

[Paulabass]

A cool guy to watch use all his strings is Otiel Burbridge. He uses his low string as a means of economy of movement, sometimes using it above the twelfth fret. I like it for instances of playing things at the fifth fret that would usually be played first position. I use the B string E (5 th. fret) A LOT. I usually don't go below the D.

 

[five7]

What up TB!
Been considering a 5 or 6 string for a while. Just to experiment with, i’m not a working musician, just play by myself mostly. Have an opportunity to purchase an mim Jazz 5 for $250. But I only have 4 strings, and I don’t really know how to use the low B. I’m considering buying it to string it to EADGC, just for fun, I like to play above the 12th fret a lot. So i’m sure this question is beating a dead horse, but do you really use your low b string, and how often? If not, do you roll with a 5 string like I’m considering (eadgc).
And........ go

Only string I play.

 

[Doug Parent]

These posts with B string topics are like watching NASCAR.

Just for the wrecks, smashups, conjecture by the onlookers, and fistfights.

Don't forget the "tweeter" topic, that's always good for happy hour.

 

[BeowulfKingsley]

I use the B string when I have one (sometimes I'm playing a 4 string, sometimes a 5 or 6...or even 7). It just opens up a lot of possibilities for me, and makes some passages a lot easier. And I've played my 6 string in a lot of bands that played very traditional 30's, 40's and 50's music. I got flack from no one. Hey, those middle 4 are still there!

 

[thewildest]

It is convenient to have a B string when you need it. It ain’t so if you need to play a low B flat though. Then you have to get a 7 string bass with a low F#.

But, your plans will get compromised if at some point you get the urge to play a super-low F. Then you have to get an 8 string bass with a low C#.

At that point, you will be playing for the stars and send messages to another galaxy that most people won’t be able to hear.

While innovative, not a great plan.

 

[PeterF]

Use mine all the time. As many have said, it's not just the extra notes, it's the access to different positions and shapes. Two octaves all the way across the board.

 

[jaymelewis]

What up TB!
Been considering a 5 or 6 string for a while. Just to experiment with, i’m not a working musician, just play by myself mostly. Have an opportunity to purchase an mim Jazz 5 for $250. But I only have 4 strings, and I don’t really know how to use the low B. I’m considering buying it to string it to EADGC, just for fun, I like to play above the 12th fret a lot. So i’m sure this question is beating a dead horse, but do you really use your low b string, and how often? If not, do you roll with a 5 string like I’m considering (eadgc).
And........ go

If you're only gonna play solo that E-C would be very nice. However, if you do any modern rock/pop you may find yourself reaching for the lower string.

 

[AztecViking]

I use it more on the fretless 5 than the fretted. Why? Because I can totally abuse it ( treat it mean ) on the fretless and it still always sounds awesome.

The B on my fretted is a temperamental "drama queen". Must always be treated so gently and with care or it produces way too much klang and ugliness. Maybe I should try a pressure wound or an EB Cobalt Flat for the B string on the fretted? The fretless always wears rounds. Gotta always have some grindiness on the fretless! .

But I love them deeper tones you get with the B! Especially on the cover songs which never had them before!

 

[Brad Johnson]

I use my low B string whenever I feel like it. I've never treated it like it was some mutant string unlike the other strings on my bass. What other string would I basically ignore the usefulness of the notes above the 4th fret? Those are above the so-called "additional " notes.


Playing in F# farther up the neck can be easier than down by the nut. Yet deeper sounding.

As far as EADGC...I play sixes so I have that and a low B.

 

[Slade N]

how much do you use your G string? would you consider getting rid of it? I use the B string often/regularly enough to miss if I play my 4
and you dont just get lower B, C and D notes...you get a differently voiced every other note at your service

 

[Kmonk]

I used a 4 string for about 20 years. About 10 years ago, I went to a 5 but found that I didn't use the low B very often so I went back to a 4. Late last year, I bought another 5 string. I use it for about 25% of the songs my band plays. For the others, I use a 4 string.