Does Justin Chancellor need a 5 string bass (Tool)?

[JimmyO]

What a goofy question. I’d have to go looking for it, but not that long ago I saw one of those gearhead YouTube interviews with Justin where he was running through his rig. He was specifically asked about playing a five string. His response was something like “No, why would I? There’s still plenty to explore with four strings.”

 

[Saetia]

I mean just tune ADADG and have those parallel octaves. People are funny though. Let’s not perpetuate the internet’s perception of Tool fans lol. Happy Humpday.

 

[Supadope]

I play a 5. When I cover tool, I drop the E to D. It’s not impossible. It would be easier on a 4.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Actually he should use a 6 string fretless!

 

[Deleted member 341607]

Ask him.

 

[meisi]

What about a 5er tuned down to A? Any better?

 

[ursusaltered]

Not at all.

In fact, much of what he does would be impossible to replicate with any accuracy on a 5.

Definitely not an accurate statement. All completely achievable on a five string. The higher four strings are exactly the same as a four string.

 

[Geri O]

Not at all.

In fact, much of what he does would be impossible to replicate with any accuracy on a 5.

I'm hesitant to ask because it's just gonna drag out the life of this thread. But.....

Please explain.....

(what follows is irrelevant to the question)

I'm not a fan, don't know the music, but if there was ever a group with music explicitly written for 4-string bass, it's Chicago music with Peter Cetera. I played off and on for 2 1/2 years with this Chicago tribute group using either my 5-string Lull or a 5-string Stingray.

The bandleader, a trombone player and arranger that wrote out the horn charts, was a stickler for details and authenticity. "I don't care what bass you play, just be true to the parts on the record". Which I have a repuation for anyway. Fine, happy to do it. And it was a good Chicago tribute band, if I say so myself.

Somewhere later on, in a rehearsal, I got to wondering, is the leader really paying attention to all the parts. So where there was a third-line D, or the open D string, or the 5th-fret D on the A string, you get the idea, I grabbed the 3rd-fret D on the B string instead. Oh, man, you'd have thought he heard a gun go off! He stopped the band and his head snapped around and before he coujld say anything, I quickly said "Just seeing if you are paying attention". We all had a good laugh, after I promised to never do that again.....

 

[Ritter667]

I think he should use s tuba.

Always wanted to listen to Tool as a horns quartet.

Would totally fit the music...

 

[JazznFunk]

Having seen Justin play, the question of 'should he play a 5' is honestly irrelevant and ignores a huge part of WHY a 5'er wouldn't be practical.... needing to mute the B-string when not needed would seriously complicate matters with how Justin physically plays most all of those parts. Not having another string physically in the way makes it far more practical for his style and for the execution of those lines, especially where the bottom string is functioning as a 'drone'. Sometimes the question answers itself when one pays attention to the most obvious reason(s) for the answer.

 

[FRoss6788]

I'm hesitant to ask because it's just gonna drag out the life of this thread. But.....

Please explain.....

Justin plays drop tuned 100% of the time, either DADG or CGCF. Much of the music requires the use of the open low D or low C. I took the OP as meaning replacing the drop tuned four for a fiver in standard tune which for this particular player and music would be useless as if one's fretting hand is busy fingering the low D or C it cannot possibly be playing the rest of the part.

I did not think the topic would be referring to a fiver with a drop tuned E string because, what's the point, you're simply playing a four string then.

So, as the question asked, no, you don't NEED a five string for Tool.

That's all, no hate for five strings, no gate keeping, I'm simply familiar with the bands music and was responding to what I thought was actually being asked in the OP.

 

[FRoss6788]

Having seen Justin play, the question of 'should he play a 5' is honestly irrelevant and ignores a huge part of WHY a 5'er wouldn't be practical.... needing to mute the B-string when not needed would seriously complicate matters with how Justin physically plays most all of those parts. Not having another string physically in the way makes it far more practical for his style and for the execution of those lines, especially where the bottom string is functioning as a 'drone'. Sometimes the question answers itself when one pays attention to the most obvious reason(s) for the answer.

Precisely.

Thank you.

 

[FRoss6788]

I'm hesitant to ask because it's just gonna drag out the life of this thread. But.....

Please explain.....

(what follows is irrelevant to the question)

I'm not a fan, don't know the music, but if there was ever a group with music explicitly written for 4-string bass, it's Chicago music with Peter Cetera. I played off and on for 2 1/2 years with this Chicago tribute group using either my 5-string Lull or a 5-string Stingray.

The bandleader, a trombone player and arranger that wrote out the horn charts, was a stickler for details and authenticity. "I don't care what bass you play, just be true to the parts on the record". Which I have a repuation for anyway. Fine, happy to do it. And it was a good Chicago tribute band, if I say so myself.

Somewhere later on, in a rehearsal, I got to wondering, is the leader really paying attention to all the parts. So where there was a third-line D, or the open D string, or the 5th-fret D on the A string, you get the idea, I grabbed the 3rd-fret D on the B string instead. Oh, man, you'd have thought he heard a gun go off! He stopped the band and his head snapped around and before he coujld say anything, I quickly said "Just seeing if you are paying attention". We all had a good laugh, after I promised to never do that again.....

Very funny story, BTW.

 

[JazznFunk]

Very funny story, BTW.

What's even funnier is that Jason Scheff, who took over for Peter Cetera in '86 on bass and vocals. often played a 5 string.... even on the older material. All through the 90s he played a mix of Peavey, Fender, and Lakland 5'ers. I saw and heard them many times and man, the 5'er sounded so great. There was a brief point in 2007 or so where he did go back to a 4-string again, but it was a special Lakland 'XS' prototype bass that was specifically made to be strung BEAD. If the 4 remaining originals in Chicago had no issue with a 5-string at any point during Jason's tenure with the band, then the bandleader of a Chicago cover band being so pedantic is even more hilarious.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Based on the discourse in this thread I don't think I understand the question. Does he use a five string? If not, the answer is obviously "no." If that was known before the question was asked, what lead to the question?

 

[JazznFunk]

Based on the discourse in this thread I don't think I understand the question. Does he use a five string? If not, the answer is obviously "no." If that was known before the question was asked, what lead to the question?

Someone trying to stir up a SBL-style bit of controversy, wondering if a 5-string would CRUSH, DESTROY, and MAIM the lines Justin normally plays on a detuned 4-string.

 

[Deleted member 394512]

Due to the ignore feature, this thread is really difficult to follow.

Who cares what people play and why they play it. I know I would have a very hard time playing Tool songs on a 5. Others won't. Justin has access to any bass he wants. He plays a 4. That is his choice.

 

[nonohmic]

Generally speaking, I really enjoy TB. But then there are threads like this… ugh.

Agreed. Does a bassist eminently more successful than 99.9999% of bassists need to change what they're doing? Go touch some grass.

 

[ThudThudThud]

He's never going to have a successful career, or be an inspiration to thousands of musicians with a four string. /s

 

[meisi]

Due to the ignore feature, this thread is really difficult to follow.

No, it’s just hard to follow in general