Five Strings? Help a Newbie...

[tpaul]

OK, so I'm a longtime guitarist who has become interest in bass fairly recently. My question is, what's the point of having five strings, as opposed to four? Do you really go below low E that often? Or is it more the case that it makes playing in E easier, since you can start higher up the neck without using open strings, and you can more easily go lower from there?

Also, related question, is the spacing hard to get used to?

 

[Immigrant]

The answer to most of your questions is yes.

The answer to the last question is no, not really, but there are options available that are spaced conventionally, or near it. My current five is tight (16.5-17mm) but I actually prefer 19mm or as close to it as possible.

 

[mech]

........ Or is it more the case that it makes playing in E easier, since you can start higher up the neck without using open strings........

For me it's this. You can play across the neck instead of up and down.

 

[AciDBatH666]

OK, so I'm a longtime guitarist who has become interest in bass fairly recently. My question is, what's the point of having five strings, as opposed to four? Do you really go below low E that often? Or is it more the case that it makes playing in E easier, since you can start higher up the neck without using open strings, and you can more easily go lower from there?

Also, related question, is the spacing hard to get used to?

Yup. You'll get 5 extra notes. For some people, it's not really worth it. For others, it's a deal breaker. It'll give you a few options that will give you an extra space to hold a pattern. For a lot of metal guys, it allows us to play lower tunings without having to do a ton of major adjustments to our truss rods, and we get to keep a fairly stock tension.
My band tunes to C# and I play 99% metal. So that open top string is what I'm hitting the most. Instead of tuning BEADG, I tune my 5 strings UP to C#F#BEA. I run thinner strings that match the stock string tension so it plays like normal. A while back I was playing with some guys tuned to Drop A. So I down tuned it and ran a .150 top string to keep the tension balanced. Handled it well because I set it up for that. If I had to tune that low with a 4 string I'd have a lot of adjustments and tweaking I'd need to do with the nut.

As far as string spacing, that's probably the biggest thing to get used to. I played all 19mm 4 strings and when I got my first 5 it was 19. Worked AWESOME. Moved up to a Warwick Corvette and as much as I loved the tone, the 16.5mm string spacing just wasn't feeling natural to me so I traded it.
Now I look for 18-19 if I'm getting a 5 string. I'd go play some at a local shop and see how they feel before making any purchases.

 

[40Hz]

For rock, having a low D is certainly helpful. Saves you from having to tune the string down or invest in a Hipshot drop tuner that lets you do it more easily.

The other point is that it's possible to fret the standard low E rather than play it as an open string. That gives you better consistency with the other notes you're playing. Open strings on bass have a very different quality to their sound than a fretted note, so it's a matter of trying for more consistent character and sustain with the notes you're playing.

You can also get strings for "high tuning" (EADGC). If you're into a lot of soloing, that higher string can make your life easier - and give you a sound not usually heard on bass.

Is a 5 necessary? No. But it can be nice to have.

If by spacing you mean scale length - it can be hard if your hands are small. Many 5's have a 35" or 36" scale as opposed to the standard 34". First position is a handful on any bass. On an extra-long scale neck it can be a real challenge at times. Practice will usually get you there as long as you avoid injuring yourself in the process. (Easier to do than you'd think.)

If by spacing you mean the distance from string to string, most 5's spacing between is narrower than the standard 4-string bass. The most common complaint many bassists have when starting on a 5-string is that the strings feel too close together. The makers of better quality 5's generally hit a happy compromise on the width of the nut and bridge to minimize problems in that regard however. Most good 5's are very playable now that the ergonomic kinks have (mostly) been worked out. The new fanned fret models seem even more promising. But time will tell.

Hope this helped.

Note: If you're transitioning to bass from guitar, it might work better if you took a 4-string and tuned it E-A-D-flat-G-flat. That gives you the same tuning intervals as the upper 4 strings on a guitar. Many find this alternate tuning works wonders. Some long time bassists prefer it as well. It makes a few "bass things" a little harder to fret. And it destroys that lovely symmetry bass fingering has. But it can make playing more melodic lines easier. YMMV.

 

[Dave Siff]

I hate to sound cliche, but think of a 5-string bass like a car with a bigger engine: you're not always going to use the extra power, but it's there if you need it. I go below E about as often as I play high up on the G string. I like the B string not just for the extra low notes, but also because it allows me to play E/F/F# in the middle of the neck as opposed to first position. I played 4-string tuned down for years, until I finally understood how to use the B as an equal partner. Now I can't imagine going back.

 

[two fingers]

All of your questions tell me that your instincts are spot on. Whether or not it is "worth it" is for you to decide.

I went from 4 to 6 strings and then came back to 5. Now I only play 5 strings. It feels like "home" to me for both reasons you stated (extra notes and being able to move more vertically up and down by playing in second position which starts around the 5th fret).

Enjoy your hunt for your setup and your sound..... which for most of us never ends.

And of course... .

WELCOME TO TALKBASS!

 

[Stevorebob]

Like others have said, yes to all.

The lower notes are nice, especially for playing in Eb and D without de-tuning. Playing up the neck in E or F is nice, also. Having the option to play a fretted E is convenient. But the overall winner for me is having two full octaves over a five-frets reach -- a real advantage.

I prefer narrower string spacing -- 17.5mm.

 

[ArtechnikA]

...If you're transitioning to bass from guitar, it might work better if you took a 4-string and tuned it E-A-D-flat-G-flat. That gives you the same tuning as the upper 4 strings on a guitar.

?
I never had a guitar tuned like that... Mine were always E-A-D-G-B-E ...
So the "high 4" would be D-G-B-E.

I liked the extended-range concept at first because in playing blues jams, you never know when a SRV or Jimi wanna-be is going to show up tuned in Eb. And there are a couple of songs we traditionally do in C, and it's nice having a low C in the root.

It turns out a new project I'm working with writes just about everything in Bm. I'm on the B string all night long.

There are reasons why basses have string counts from 3 (rare...) to 7 and up. If you encounter a situation where you need a "nonstandard" number of strings, you'll find a way to make it work. If it doesn't make sense for what you're doing, don't worry about it. I've never played a 4-string bass. I have a couple of 5's but I almost never play them. My #1 is a 6-string fretless, and #2 is a 7-string fretted. 5's make a lot of sense but 4 is good. Do what makes sense for you.

 

[Thomas Kievit]

I feel bad for asking this, but if people already start asking ''what the use if of a 5 string bass guitar'', I wonder why those people play bass in the first place..?

Just with electric guitar that have more than 6 strings, it's the same for bass guitars with more than 4 strings : it's all about making your range wider on your instrument. For some people it's because they tune down and therefore it's easier to have a low B than a E string. Or simple cause they have to make less movements with their fretting hand.

 

[40Hz]

?
I never had a guitar tuned like that... Mine were always E-A-D-G-B-E ...
So the "high 4" would be D-G-B-E.

Mea culpa! I corrected it in my previous post. I meant tuning intervals - not the tuning itself. (Take D-G-B-E down a 4th and you'll see what I was trying to say.)

 

[Joshua Pickenpaugh]

A great number of singers that I used to play with LOVE those extra 5 low notes, and would not like it if I showed up to the gig with a 4. They also paid the most. So, there's that.

 

[tpaul]

Thanks for all the helpful input, sounds like I pretty much had it sussed, and thinking about it, I could see some real advantages.

So maybe I'll try one out.

Thanks, again!

 

[chris_b]

I play the B string on nearly every number.

I only play below E when I need to and when I want to.

Each player has to decide what he wants out of his instrument and how he contributes to the music. Sometimes these things are a requirement of the band and it's music, otherwise it's a personal choice. I pretty much gave up playing 4 string basses when I bought my first 5er, which I rate as being one of the best moves I ever made.

 

[The Ryantist]

I learned on a 5 string and so those are all I've really played. To me the B string is essential, even though I rarely play notes below the low D. As others have said, I usually don't play open strings because they sound different, so having a low E on the 5th fret is great.

 

[DavC]

it's mostly for an extended range of notes ... either below or above the norm ... my 5 is tuned EADGC ... I wanted the higher register on that bass ... but I do like the more normal low B ... I like the available lower notes especially when playing in D or C ... switching from guitar , you might want a shorter scale .. ? or at least stick with the more normal 34" ... and at my age , I prefer basses with a asymmetrical neck back shape ... a little thinner on the treble side helps the old arthritic fingers .. ! and yes I play guitar and keys also ...

I know Ibanez makes a newer short scale 6 strg bass that is tuned the same as a guitar , ... but an octave down ..?.

 

[Ric5]

OK, so I'm a longtime guitarist who has become interest in bass fairly recently. My question is, what's the point of having five strings, as opposed to four? Do you really go below low E that often? Or is it more the case that it makes playing in E easier, since you can start higher up the neck without using open strings, and you can more easily go lower from there?

Also, related question, is the spacing hard to get used to?

There are a lot of songs where you need a low B to play the song correctly. Also if you play blues, jazz, modern rock, worship, metal, country, and even classic rock then you can use a 5 string bass.

If you do play a 4 then tune it to DGCF.

 

[DaveB in VA]

I took an electric 5-string to an "acoustic" blues jam last week (bass players are exempted from the "acoustic" rule). The first song called during my set was BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone." This was good for me as I play along with the original recording almost every day. The recording is in B Minor and I play it in position 6 (first finger) which uses mostly the B and E strings. Then the singer/guitarist calls the key as A Minor. No big deal, I just move up to 4th position and use the same pattern which I always use. A couple of days later I was sitting out on my deck (smoking a fine cigar) when I realized that if I had brought my 4-string acoustic/electric bass I would have been I real trouble. I not only would have not been able to use the same pattern (which would have caused me much angst), but I would not have the required Eb available to me. Of course, I could have played it an octave higher, but then it wouldn't have been BASS. 5-strings for the win!

 

[XLunacy]

I realized I use my B a lot more than my high G (except for the occasional slap or chord higher up the neck) so yes, well worth having.

 

[Herrick]

I like having the lower notes for songs that are tuned lower and I like having the regular 4-string range all on one bass.

One Bass To Rule Them All.