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First 5 string search (Squier, Ibanez, Yamaha, Sterling…)
- Thread starter carlosjrf
- Start date
I have owned and been happy with the Sterling by MusicMan 5HH , as well as a couple of passive models of the Squier and the B strings were all solid. I still own the Ray5HH as it is active and an insanely versatile bass, but would not hesitate to try any of the others listed, including a Sire. There has only been 1 5-string I've owned in your budget that had a crummy B string across multiple sets of strings I know to be fine on other basses, but that brand is not on your list.
As others have correctly said, string spacing is one of the main keys to comfort as they can vary from ~15mm to 19mm and it will make a difference. As others have incorrectly (IME) said, there is no general 'most people want' nonsense with a 5. Neck width, string spacing, nut width, scale etc... are all 100% personal preferences, so just find one that 'fits'. You will likely know when you pick it up. Budget 5's can be great instruments on their own merits, and do not need to be looked down upon as a cheap, wanna-be version of something more expensive. In my case, I preferred my Squier 5's over my US Fender PJ5 by pretty much every metric.
Good Luck!
As others have correctly said, string spacing is one of the main keys to comfort as they can vary from ~15mm to 19mm and it will make a difference. As others have incorrectly (IME) said, there is no general 'most people want' nonsense with a 5. Neck width, string spacing, nut width, scale etc... are all 100% personal preferences, so just find one that 'fits'. You will likely know when you pick it up. Budget 5's can be great instruments on their own merits, and do not need to be looked down upon as a cheap, wanna-be version of something more expensive. In my case, I preferred my Squier 5's over my US Fender PJ5 by pretty much every metric.
Good Luck!
I have the opposite experience. As string number increases, I want closer spacing. And vice versa.
For me, this allows me to transition from bass to bass much more easily. my hand positions remain similar, especially my thumb behind the neck, and the only change need be a flattening of my hand for muting purposes.
The one difficulty I had with spacing was when I picked up a Tune brand six string. It had 18 or 19 mm spacing and felt like a surfboard. Best tone ever but it was exhausting for me on a gig. It got sold.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but my experience is the opposite. 5/6/7 with tighter spacing and 4's with classic is comfortable and has the smoothest transition. Remembering where everything is on a 5/6/7 is a different story!
Here's me on a 4 string at a gig, I think my Ibanez RB850 is 18mm. (With my son home from College sitting in on keys!)
And here's a narrow six on a gig. Ibanez SRF706 with 16 or 16.5 spacing. Second time out live with a six — and so much easier with this one than my Tune surfboard.
My first bass was (still have) a pj bass. In the beginning seemed more comfortable as I switched from guitars. This year I finally went wider pbass nut and it feels very comfortable, though still at 19mm is what is comfortable. I tried an ibanez btb that is on the wider side (and out of budget) i think and felt good for the 2 minutes I messed around with it, but longer playtime may be another story. Something to consider I guess. Thanks.
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I go from a tiny nut on mandolin to wide 5-string bass and 7-string guitars without issue so it's really up to the player.
Schecter makes some good quality basses for a really great price point. My Stealth 5 came with an impeccable fretboard, sounds good and has a 35" scale. The string spacing is a tiny bit narrow compared to my Sire, which had the most horrible frets I've ever seen on any bass and had to be taken to a luthier straight out of the box. The Schecter is the one I grab most times. Super comfortable to play for me and definitely a brand worth looking at.
One thing to consider about the BTB and any bass is another KEY dimensional specification, which is fingerboard/fretboard radius. And Scale. The BTB is 35" scale instead of the usual 34" but the real difference in that series for me is the relative flatness of the fretboard, compared to the Soundgears. This makes the BTB feel much larger to my hands.
If you've not read up on or paid attention to radius, I recommend exploring that and understanding what feels right to you. I think it's an underrepresented element of bass building and can be responsible for large differences in the feel of an instrument. I feel like the guitar world speaks more often about this, but it is nearly as important to bass playing.
I do have a seven string BTB747, which I think is more comfortable for me than the 5 strings and 6 strings because it has that narrower string spacing I like.
These choices are very individual -- one would think with my giant lanky hands that bigger would be better, but I quite like a cozy and compact feel. I'm not super into slap beyond adding a little flavor to our sets here and there, so perhaps I don't need that space in the strings for access.
But I also play double bass, and have a heavy RH technique -- I really pull and pluck the strings harder than many bassists out there to get "my tone" and feel. Hooray for individuality!
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