Every "true" bassist needs a 6-string bass.

[ad9000]

6 strings are great!
5 strings are great!
4 strings are great!
3 strings are great!

7 strings are ok in the right hands (but too much muting for me).

Play whichever one allows you to fully express yourself (or all or any combination of them).

 

[Kael]

Emmit Otter's Jug-Band Christmas taught me that as long as you are willing to jack up your mother's washtub, you too can truly bass.

 

[Jefenator]

Someone actually did once try to tell me I need "at least" 6 strings to play out these days.
Needless to say, it was a music store employee; 299 out of 300 BLs did not concur.

 

[Slade N]

No-one needs a specific number of strings to be a bassist, use what you want, anyone thinking there are gear qualifiers for being a bassist are insecure and wrong

 

[urkel3000]

Yeah you're not a real bassist unless you have a high c string

 

[MrGreen666]

No option for - the real bassman would go for SUPERCOMFORTABLE, slick and fast 3-string bass...

Fanned fret... Ultralong scale!

 

[WaldoNova]

My main bass is a custom made ACG. At the time I was on a 6 string kick. After a while I kinda wished I had it made as a 5 string. But It's still my main bass. I don't even reach for my other basses because I love the tone. I don't use it the way I initially thought I would but the "extra" string does add an extra something.

I don't think the number of strings makes you a legitimate bassist. Use what you like.

 

[edwinhurwitz]

I play 4s, 5s, and 6s, from 30.5" scale to 35" scale. They are all useful and all get gigged. It just depends on what sound I'm going for. I like 6s not only because of being able to play across the neck, but also because it's easier to play chords with the C string.

Not down with the no true Scotsman fallacy, though. Otherwise would you say that Mark Sandman was not a bassist?

 

[Medicine Man]

5 is the sweet spot 4 me. I don't care what anyone else likes.

 

[HelpImaRock]

I hope the double bassists come over here and laugh at these threads. They’re truly ridiculous.

 

[sleddogn]

6 string double bass for the win

 

[micguy]

If you're doing a jazz gig where there is no guitarist, I can see a place for a high C string - there's some space you can work with. The gigs I play, there are often 2 electrics, an acoustic (sometimes 2) and a couple keyboards. I have a lane, and there's no real reason to wander outside of it - there's a lot of traffic up there, no need to make it a complete traffic jam. My basses are 5's with 22 frets, and I never really go past the 15th or so - I have a complete string's worth of notes I don't use already.

I have more than I need on a decent 5, and yes, I am a "real" bassist.

 

[GIBrat51]

I posted a similar question a while back. Curious to get the opinion of those around me.
Is there any real reason to buy a six-string bass? Or is it mostly going to collect dust?

Well...
I voted "Carrots/Don't know/Don't care", but you did ask - nicely- so, here goes.
1. Nothing I've ever played in the 50-some years I've been playing, has ever needed; would have sounded better; or would have been easier to play, if I'd used a 5-string bass; much less a 6-string one. So, I use a 4-stringer...
2. 5-string basses usually present one of 2 problems for me. Either the neck is too wide for my short, thick fingers to get around on; or, the strings are too close together for my short, thick fingers to fret correctly. A 6-string bass? Never picked up one that did not have both problems. That's why I can't really play a guitar, either...
3. I'm irredeemably left handed; left handed 6-string basses are almost always not.
So, as for your 2nd question? It would not only "mostly" collect dust, it would do nothing but collect dust -if I were stupid enough to buy one in the first place. Which I'm not...
And, as for the "true bassist needs an upright bass too" comment? I have arm/shoulder injuries that make it difficult/extremely painful to play one of those - even the electric "stick" ones. And while there are lefty "sticks" out there? Lefty acoustic uprights are very scarce - and very expensive when you find one. And, anyway; I have a couple of 4-string bass guitars that can fake an upright bass sound pretty darn well; including a custom built one, that was designed to do just that. Pretty easy to play, too...

 

[J Wilson]

Often when the questions come up about going from a four to a five or six, more than a few guys couch the questions from a standpoint that your musical manhood may be based on how many strings your axe has, as if you're just obviously smarter, more accomplished, better player, etc., if you're playing a five or a six instead of a four string bass.

This is total and utter BS. bad enough to draw horse flies.

It's simple: Play whatever YOU think will help you make your best music, whatever suits YOU best: Yours is the ONLY opinion that matters.

 

[Super Bass]

I really dislike the wording of "no".
I wouldn't say that every "true" bassist needs a 4 string bass, either.
It's like a 12 lb sledgehammer. Some people work better with a 10 pounder, or with an 8 pounder. Nobody "needs" to use a particular variant of a tool.

8 pounder for me!

 

[Chop11777]

I am amphibious!!! Meaning I can play left or right handed under water !
I am going to go now and count how many strings are on my bass !!!


4 !
Rock whatever moves you is my answer

 

[PunkKitty]

It depends on what kind of music you play, what you want to play, and what you want to learn. You do you. Or, carrots.

 

[Pings Bass]

I say this as an owner of a fretless 6-string:

A real bassist needs an ear, chops, and one serviceable bass with the right number of strings for the job at hand.

 

[TTA]

i think a 6 is nice to have, but mine has an extra string on the low end… not top end to cover some of what i play. next thing i knew it was my main bass. i have zero need for an extra high string.

 

[bucephylus]

The “right” instrument depends entirely on the gig. Serve the gig and play well.

I personally tend to take the fewest strings that will get the gig correctly done. But, that’s me.