Going back to Narrow Strings spacing? Anyone done it?

[fermata]

One of the things I love most about my Hofner is the narrow string spacing--around 16.5mm. With 19mm spacing, I lose the great economy of motion (and playing pickstyle isn't as fluid, either).

 

[TinIndian]

My 1st 5er was an Ibanez with the 16.5 spacing. I always liked playing it but couldn't slap on it to save my life. I went full opposite end to a Lakland 55-02 with 19mm spacing. Last year I sold that and got a Sterling Ray35 and a G&L L2500. The Sterling at 17.5mm I can slap on without trouble, the G&L is 17mm and that presents me with some trouble so I guess the narrowest I can deal with is 17.5mm. I play both 4's and 5's and normally when I have a song I need to slap on I just use a 4. Mostly.

 

[bucephylus]

I own and play both. The difference doesn't concern me either way.

I suppose if one really needs the 4 string feel in a 5, that the 19mm spacing will feel familiar. The trade off is that the neck dimensions become significantly larger; which to some extent works in the opposite sense.

No truly perfect answer, except that a 5 simply isn't a 4. Once you get past that, it's just a matter of picking whichever challenges you are going to choose.

 

[aproud1]

I don't think that I could play a narrow spaced bass.

My fingernails are short.
And my fingertip flesh is soft and doesn't stick out from under the nails.
No matter how short I clip the nails

I need the space to play on the finger pads.

It took me some time to adjust but once I got there I caould play just about anything at any speed. I have not gotten that back with a wider spacing, though have come close with a flat radius.

I started on a 4 string with P-bass spacing. Did it for almost 3 years and the spacing was just too wide, especially when running up the strings quickly. Killed 2 birds with one stone when I got the Ibanez, a B string AND 16mm spacing. All my other basses have this narrow spacing. These days it's not as difficult to go back to the 4, but 5 or more strings at the wide spacing would just be too much. I have small hands and skinny fingers.

I have pretty large hands but that doesn't seen to matter that much.

My 1st 5er was an Ibanez with the 16.5 spacing. I always liked playing it but couldn't slap on it to save my life. I went full opposite end to a Lakland 55-02 with 19mm spacing. Last year I sold that and got a Sterling Ray35 and a G&L L2500. The Sterling at 17.5mm I can slap on without trouble, the G&L is 17mm and that presents me with some trouble so I guess the narrowest I can deal with is 17.5mm. I play both 4's and 5's and normally when I have a song I need to slap on I just use a 4. Mostly.

Thats funny. I recently took the time to finally play a MM Bongo and really, really liked it. I was surprised but the design always turned me off. Like, really, really, really liked it.