Does a 4-string bass become obsolete after picking up a 5-string?

[2cooltoolz]

If you really want the low B to sound "big" on stage, you really need a bass amp and cab that can handle the fundamental. That's a BIG amp! I played 4 string all my life. Picked up a 5 string at a few open mics and it confused me totally. Figure just don't play the low B string but some how, my fingers "muscle memory" was totally thrown off.

That's what I'm saying about going back and forth. I can't! I'm 5er only now.
I've got a big amp, Mesa M6 w/ 2 15s, but I almost never play open B. D quite a lot, but with the key changes I almost never play open positions anymore. The fiver helps with that.

 

[murph7489]

I almost never play open positions anymore. The fiver helps with that....

and that is part one of my answer...I prefer to play up higher on the neck. The 5 string allows for that to happen..the notes sound better to me higher up the neck..thats just my opinion..

part two is slap...its far easier to slap on a 4 string..but not much of that going on in metal..so that may not matter to you. But I would rather use a 4 string for slap...again a personal preference..

here is another thing to ponder, Tone...you might use the 4 string you have because the tone works better for certain songs..So in that sense the 4 string has value. The bottom line is; if you end up not ever using the 4 string again, sell it and buy some other gear that you need..I know there's always a piece of gear that we think we need...its part of the gig...lol....

 

[Henry Prunner]

Hey! This is my first post on TalkBass!
I'm about to purchase a 5-string bass. This definitely is something I can use, I'm playing a lot of metal that needs that low B, and it'll be nice to be able to play in lower keys that would usually require different tunings (like drop-D) without needing to detune. However, my original 4-string was a big investment for me, and I'm worried it'll become obsolete once I start playing this 5'er. Is there any situation you'd rather use a four stringer over a five stringer? The only ones I could think of would be that the 5-string requires more accuracy when playing slap style, and it's more difficult to play bass lines incorporating chords on a five string. However, both of those can be overcome with the correct technique. So, will I have any practical use for my four string? I'm a bit worried it will end up collecting dust in the corner and I'll only play it because I want to use it for something, not because I need to.

Sorry if this has already been covered, I couldn't find an answer to this exact question with a search. Thanks!

4 string and 5 string have different uses and different "feels"..I have both a 73' ripper and a 95' jazz 5 string ( plus a few others..(like a couple of fretless)....I love them ALL....!!..

 

[Ian Lewis]

Hey! This is my first post on TalkBass!
I'm about to purchase a 5-string bass. This definitely is something I can use, I'm playing a lot of metal that needs that low B, and it'll be nice to be able to play in lower keys that would usually require different tunings (like drop-D) without needing to detune. However, my original 4-string was a big investment for me, and I'm worried it'll become obsolete once I start playing this 5'er. Is there any situation you'd rather use a four stringer over a five stringer? The only ones I could think of would be that the 5-string requires more accuracy when playing slap style, and it's more difficult to play bass lines incorporating chords on a five string. However, both of those can be overcome with the correct technique. So, will I have any practical use for my four string? I'm a bit worried it will end up collecting dust in the corner and I'll only play it because I want to use it for something, not because I need to.

Sorry if this has already been covered, I couldn't find an answer to this exact question with a search. Thanks!

I bought my first five string bass in 1990, and haven't played a four since. If I played a lot of slap I'd probably choose a 19mm spaced five, but as I don't I'm happy with 16.5mm and being able to play a wider range of notes without changing position.

 

[BPJeremyPB]

I have some five string basses but overall I prefer a 4. Why? Well to me the fours just feel better and i feel like most bass cabs don't handle the low notes on the B string very well without sounding mushy. I'm not even a big fan of the low E and F for that very reason. imo

 

[SKing_Bonesmith]

I play 6-stringer, and what I really love about four-string basses are their size/weight/etc. 6string is heavy, 6stringer's neck is really wide. 4 strings are much more comfortable, but sometimes I do need that expansion to low B and high C so I'd use both. Depends on situation...[IMHO]4-stringers look better too[/IMHO]

 

[Jimbowhit7]

Not at all. I actually bought a 5-string, and after about a year of use discovered I preferred 4-string basses (although I have no issue with 5-string basses and I'd love to get a Bongo 5 at some point). Regardless, I highly doubt your 4-string will just become a wall ornament - especially if you tune it to something other than standard tuning, so it's not just playing the high 4 strings from your 5 string.

 

[PGold]

I've been playing a 5 string almost exclusively since picking it up. I wouldn't say a 4 string is obsolete at all. It depends on what you're playing. I particularly find I like hammering away at a drop-D open string that hitting the fretted note on the low B. It's personal preference ultimately.

 

[Karlson541]

I would prefer a 4 string in every situation.
I have no need for a low B and to me a 4 string bass with it's narrower fretboard feels a lot more comfortable.
If I did need the low B string and could do without the high G string I'd probably just re-string a 4 string and tune it B-D instead of using a 5 string.

 

[brainiac]

Hey! This is my first post on TalkBass!
I'm about to purchase a 5-string bass. This definitely is something I can use, I'm playing a lot of metal that needs that low B, and it'll be nice to be able to play in lower keys that would usually require different tunings (like drop-D) without needing to detune. However, my original 4-string was a big investment for me, and I'm worried it'll become obsolete once I start playing this 5'er. Is there any situation you'd rather use a four stringer over a five stringer? The only ones I could think of would be that the 5-string requires more accuracy when playing slap style, and it's more difficult to play bass lines incorporating chords on a five string. However, both of those can be overcome with the correct technique. So, will I have any practical use for my four string? I'm a bit worried it will end up collecting dust in the corner and I'll only play it because I want to use it for something, not because I need to.

Sorry if this has already been covered, I couldn't find an answer to this exact question with a search. Thanks!

I started playing bass in 1968 using a Gibson EBO bass. I bought my 1968 Fender Telecaster bass early in 1969 and still have it. So I’m in my 50th year playing just about every kind of four string bass ever produced: Fender, MusicMan, Alembic, Gibson, Ric, etc. I’ve wanted to try a Fodora. In all these years working and making myself into a very good bassist, I’ve never been the least bit interested in a bass with more than four strings. Maybe I’m missing out on something phenomenal, but the view from my four-string world still feels sublime.

 

[Geri O]

 

[7615]

Obsolete - never - the extra string puts a significant amount of additional tension to the instrument. The 5th string with its limited use negatively impacts on the overall tone of instrument. An e string sounds better on a 4 string. Sacrificing any tone for the muddy B not worth it at all.

5 strings require more amp power for the B string which equals more weight. Never a good thing.

5 strings IMHO - unnecessary. I D tune when necessary - or down to e-flat (if guitarist tunes that way).

 

[GroovyBassist]

5 Strings are great. I play them all the time. But a 4 string will never become obsolete!

 

[GroovyBassist]

Obsolete - never - the extra string puts a significant amount of additional tension to the instrument. The 5th string with its limited use negatively impacts on the overall tone of instrument. An e string sounds better on a 4 string. Sacrificing any tone for the muddy B not worth it at all.

5 strings require more amp power for the B string which equals more weight. Never a good thing.

5 strings IMHO - unnecessary. I D tune when necessary - or down to e-flat (if guitarist tunes that way).

I disagree with much of this but to each his own. The B string on my 5er sounds great and is not muddy at all. I use the B string quite a bit. In addition to the 5 extra notes I find it very convenient having low E, F, F#, & G on frets 5, 6, 7, & 8. Not sure about the additional amp power but if so; is that really an issue? I play 4's and 5's and have never had that issue.

 

[Franzino]

Every bass has its own feel, and depending on you mood on a given day you could prefer THIS 4 strings bass over THAT 5 strings bass, just for the feel of it.

 

[jazzalta77]

I didn't want to read every post so I apologize if this has already been mentioned. Some of the best music in the world has a four string bass in it. While I'm not against 5 strings they have their place, but are not for everyone.

 

[mesaplayer83]

Obsolete - never - the extra string puts a significant amount of additional tension to the instrument. The 5th string with its limited use negatively impacts on the overall tone of instrument. An e string sounds better on a 4 string. Sacrificing any tone for the muddy B not worth it at all.

5 strings require more amp power for the B string which equals more weight. Never a good thing.

5 strings IMHO - unnecessary. I D tune when necessary - or down to e-flat (if guitarist tunes that way).

I disagree with pretty much every one of your opinions listed above - to each their own, though...

 

[Kevinlane]

OP answer: no, not obsolete

personal answer: yes. bought a fiver in '87 and basically haven't looked back.
partly because of genre. Covering 90's country DEMANDS a five. (unless you want to bring more basses)
Personally, I enjoy the orchestration the lower notes add and also, the B makes a great thumb rest (for when you need to rest.

 

[hrodbert696]

Twenty three pages already! Wow.

My own experience - I picked up a fiver pretty early, within a few months of starting to learn. For a couple of years I played 5s exclusively. Then GAS kicked in, and I started having that notion that maybe I didn't really need a 4, but maybe it would be nice to have one just for the classic simplicity of it - got one, and another, and then next thing I knew I was playing them almost exclusively. Something about the feel, I guess. I still have the two fivers and use them whenever a song requires it (one of the fours has a D-tuner, but in general I just leave them EADG), but otherwise I default to a four. It's a matter of preference.

 

[mesaplayer83]

OP answer: no, not obsolete

personal answer: yes. bought a fiver in '87 and basically haven't looked back.
partly because of genre. Covering 90's country DEMANDS a five. (unless you want to bring more basses)
Personally, I enjoy the orchestration the lower notes add and also, the B makes a great thumb rest (for when you need to rest.

For me, first it was playing a lot of modern rock that required frequent use of a 5er - then, I moved on to current country - and it was more of the same... That said, I still played a 4 string as much as I could, and although I'm quite proficient on a 5er - I still prefer to play 4 strings whenever practical...