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

#541
"Obsolete" is probably not the best word. I personally stopped playing a 4 string once I became accustomed to a 5 string. It felt "normal" over time. I ended up selling my 4s and played 5s exclusively for at least the past 8 years. Having said this, I traded in 2 of my 5 string Laklands(Skyline models)and yesterday picked up a brand new Fender American Professional Series P bass(4 string). It goes better tonally and esthetically with what my band is currently playing. I could have gotten a 5 string P bass but it wasn't necessary...besides, I already have one...and a beauty at that.(Lakland 55-94 Deluxe in Cherry burst) In case anyone is looking for a really great P bass...the new Fender Professional series are excellent. Definitely worth the money.
 
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#542
7615 said:
Jaco would probably have had little use for the B string being a soloist for the most part and his facility for moving around the neck probably precluded any need for a C string.
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I don't agree with this speculation. One of the things Jaco was interested in was extending the range of a bass. It was the reason for his experimentation with harmonics. For that reason it seems to me that an ERB with a C string (or even more) would have been right in line with what he was looking for.
 
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#543
bassbenj said:
I don't agree with this speculation. One of the things Jaco was interested in was extending the range of a bass. It was the reason for his experimentation with harmonics. For that reason it seems to me that an ERB with a C string (or even more) would have been right in line with what he was looking for.
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If he was interested it likely would be a 5 string with a high C or a 6 string with a high F.
 
#546
Not to me. I have owned several fives.
I have settled on a P bass (oh no ! ) Tuned BEAD . IMHO, a four string tuned BEAD is more articulate than a 5 in the lower notes. This has been discussed before.
That said, to me, some songs beg for those lower notes, but maybe not most.
The five string I still have is a short scale Ibanez, tuned E-C. It is far more useful that way to me than a normal tuning.
None of the above are obsolete, superior, or inferior to me. Just choices. I can't speak for others, only what works works, find what works for you.
 
#547
Interesting topic...I play both 4 and 5 (mostly 5 these days).....but the 4s have their uses....Live: I use the 5vers for dance music/showband stuff.....I use the 4s for (most) rock gigs, blues, and jam nights that I host. In the studio, I use whatever works best

For myself, the redundancy argument isnt applicable because the feel of the strings are different for me. All of my 5s seem a smidge more sluggish in overall response than any of my 4s, especially for slap bass....I can play slap on a 5 just fine but on a 4 its like a greased meteor going through butter.....the strings on my 5s have slightly different feel than my 4s....You may not have this same result that I do but, for me, I have a place for both 4s and 5s in my life :)
 
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#548
pretty much obsolete, especially if you add a C string.

But walking bass line for a beginner is much easier on a 4 string than a 5 string or 6 string due to the limited positions. Eventually if you get really good, you might need a 5 or 6 string for more freedom but it's not a necessity in this case.
 
#549
I've been playing 5 string basses exclusively for about 8 years. Started playing 5 string basses in the 90s and eventually weaned off of my 4s. However, just 2 days ago I purchased a new Fender American Professional series p bass(4 string)and absolutely love it. It happens to be a perfect fit for the music my current band is doing. It has the tone I desire and esthetics to match the genre we do. Obsolete to me means "outdated" or "not useful". On the contrary...it has its place and is very useful and functional depending on the job at hand. Obsolete? No. No more obsolete than an old car that's been well maintained. It may not have airbags, bluetooth, backup cameras, antilock brakes, etc...but it still does what it was intended for, get you from point A to point B. We have cars made for great fuel economy, cars with muscle/speed, AWD, etc...they are all vehicles designed to do something specifically well. A bass is just that...a vehicle to accomplish the job at hand. If a 4 string is obsolete, why are they not only around but still outselling any other type? When I play classic rock, a trusty 4 string bass gets the job done...it did for the bands who we cover. When I play modern country, jazz/fusion, grunge...my 5 String Lakland does wonders. Look up the definition of "obsolete". 67% of basses being sold are obsolete? Really? I love my 5 and have played it for over 20 years...but I still enjoy my P bass when it fits the music I'm doing.

ob·so·lete
ˌäbsəˈlēt/
adjective
  1. 1.
    no longer produced or used; out of date.
    "the disposal of old and obsolete machinery"
    synonyms: outdated, out of date, outmoded, old-fashioned, démodé, passé, out of fashion
 
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#550
Rib 13 said:
Interesting topic...I play both 4 and 5 (mostly 5 these days).....but the 4s have their uses....Live: I use the 5vers for dance music/showband stuff.....I use the 4s for (most) rock gigs, blues, and jam nights that I host. In the studio, I use whatever works best

For myself, the redundancy argument isnt applicable because the feel of the strings are different for me. All of my 5s seem a smidge more sluggish in overall response than any of my 4s, especially for slap bass....I can play slap on a 5 just fine but on a 4 its like a greased meteor going through butter.....the strings on my 5s have slightly different feel than my 4s....You may not have this same result that I do but, for me, I have a place for both 4s and 5s in my life :)
Click to expand...
I concur...as I recently posted on this topic....
ob·so·lete
ˌäbsəˈlēt/
adjective
  1. 1.
    no longer produced or used; out of date.
    "the disposal of old and obsolete machinery"
    synonyms: outdated, out of date, outmoded, old-fashioned, démodé, passé, out of fashion; More
 
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#553
For me it did, but ultimately who cares
bassbenj said:
That kind of speculation does make sense to me. Of course those were early days and some things pretty well developed today were not so obvious then.
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And did you know that in December 1975 Jaco recorded with a 5 string tuned E-C? I like to bring this up in ‘Jaco only needed 4 strings’ threads and memes that pop up. This actually puts him in the camp of early 5 string studio pioneers. Here’s the recording- his first opening harmonic sweep- at the 5th fret, has a c in it

 
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#555
^^^What they said. I've been playing 5s for quite awhile in my band, but have recently been playing my old Fender P exclusively. My Dingwall 5 string (for sale now in the classifieds BTW) is a great bass, but I just have more fun playing the 4.
 
#557
Watchootognbout said:
When the electric keyboard was created the piano didn't become obsolete.
When the electric guitar was created the acoustic guitar didn't become obsolete.
When the electric bass was created the double bass didn't become obsolete.
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Those examples are very different. They have the same range as each other. A 5-string has more low range overall, and a larger range at each hand position, than a 4-string does.

Consider that a lot of modern music has bass lines that go down as low as open B. A 4-string tuned to standard EADG cannot play these bass lines. Example:

 
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#558
el_Bajo_Verde said:
Those examples are very different. They have the same range as each other. A 5-string has more low range overall, and a larger range at each hand position, than a 4-string does.

Consider that a lot of modern music has bass lines that go down as low as open B. A 4-string tuned to standard EADG cannot play these bass lines. Example:

Click to expand...

I think you will eventually call it a diffrent instrument like...a Harp. That should fulfill the never ending desire to go low.
 
#559
JustRoots said:
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!
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No Bass becomes obsolete. The owner just doesn't bond with it anymore.
 

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