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Has anyone here abandoned their 5 string basses totally for 4 strings?

#161
I use both interchangeably... although pretty much the only 4 I play these days is my Kubicki Ex Factor, which has the lever to drop the low string to D without changing the fingerings elsewhere.

Hard to get away without that low D for me, and I always find myself missing the low B as a finger rest for fast fingerstyle stuff on the low E.
 
#162
Update - the bands I bought the last five string to use with are a thing of the past.

And, as good a skill it is to play one (for the professional flexibility), the music I regularly play doesn't require one.

So, am selling it to a budding bass player that's been dying to buy one but couldn't afford one. The same kid I bought the Classic Vibe Precision from. Will sell the fiver to him for half of what I spent, since he sold the CV to me for a good price. Didn't cost that much so he'll do fine (only an SX Jazz V copy, plus leather strap, plus gig bag, plus new strings).

The bass is totally set up and restrung so he'll be good to go for a while.

No more five string basses for this old player...I think....unless I break down and get the Fender Precision 5 string some day....though I really don't need to....GAS is a curse...:p
 
#163
To the OP: this in my exact position. Exact.
I have used for a long time a 5 string, a very good one I think (my 5 of choice), but recently my 5th string is used almost a thumb rest solely. A very comfy thumb rest, but now I cannot justify having such a shaped neck (I have small hands) and the extra expense for a string change. I must admit that the neck on my fiver is the most comfortable af all basses that I have tried, even compared to many four stringers! Such a great luthiery work. But, as the OP said, I found that the tone of the 5th string above the 5th fret tends to sound stiff and chocked, if that makes sense. sometimes, having the low B has allowed me to think and play alternative basslines by using the 5th string instead of having to play the E in the low frets-more consistent and fluid playing without too much sweep of the left hand.
But now I tend to like the tone of the low registers on the E a lot more that the lower ones on the B...so my fiver is now for sale
 
#164
Nope. I have left 6's for 5's though. It depends on the type of music you play. I play Funk, R&B, Smooth Jazz. All the cats in these genres play 5's at least. I love my 4 string Geddy Lee and I play it everyday but the gigs I get require 5 string. I try to play the 4 when I can but if we're going straight from one song to the next (which most band leaders I've worked for like to do), it's hard to change back and forth. Thus the 5 even if I'm only playing on 4 strings for a given song. My last two purchases have been 5's. Brubaker Brute MJX-5 and I'm waiting on shipment of a Brubaker Brute MJX5-SC (Single Cut). If I were playing classic rock or blues the balance would be the other way, 4 more than 5.
 
#165
When I went to music school to get my master level certification I noticed that all the cats played either 5 or 6 string basses. I was a die-hard, devout, 4 string bass purist. I read, somewhere along the way, an article in which Bootsy Collins was quoted as saying, "he wasn't going to play a 5 string until he had mastered the first 4!" That always kind of resonated with me. But then, you start working...
There are a certain amount of PAID session, studio, and live performance work that you will not be eligible for, in my experience at least, without having the low B available. So for that sake alone, I'll keep and would always recommend to other bassists to keep, a 5 string in their arsenal.
 
#166
Bass was my 1st instrument back in H.S. Then I joined the army and learned guitar , now Im a singer/songwriter , use synths, loops , drum samples, acoustic and electric guitar , and bass again . I had made the mistake of getting a 5 string cort curbow , I had to sell it . It was to awkward coming from playing guitar all those years . Now im a proud owner of a Lakland 44-01 4 string . I always loved bass guitar driven music ex. The Police , U2 , old White Zombie , Tool , some Rush , and even some stuff off the 1st Coldplay album . So , im a 4 string guy only and only own 1 Bass lol .
 
#167
I only owned a 5-string for a few years early in my bass-playing career, but actually grew to dislike the low B so much that I converted it to a 4-string. Afterwards, I only played 4-strings for about 15 years. Then I picked up a 5-string fretless, not because I wanted the 5th string, but because it was just a really nice bass in particular. Now I string it EADGC! So I'm still not a low-B player, and don't miss those low notes or the alternative hand positions whatsoever.
 
#169
My first bass is a 5 string, I find the B string is almost useless unless I'm playing a song recorded with an ERB, and the other times I use it I usually only go down to D. I want to try a fretted 6 or tenor 5 for chord stuff though.
 
#170
Temporarily. I sold my only five-string to fund a different one. I played my Afterburner for over four years, but finally decided to try shorter scales and more traditional tone with a Super J. I don't necessarily need a five, but I enjoy playing them.
 
#171
Not sure why it has to be an either/or proposition, I say keep the 5. As for the funny sound of the notes on the B, I USE that as an addition to my overall pallet of tonal colors. My B string has a fairly even sound compared to the rest of my bass but if I am not paying attention to my technique I do get some "wolfy" tones occasionally. But even on my Fender Jazz the notes of the same pitch sound different depending on what string I play them on so it's not just an issue with ERB's . Heck I have a custom 6 on order now cause I want to carry my explorations with tones even further. I dont care for the sounds of notes much past the 15 fret or so (not enough string vibrating) so I'm hoping another string will help to solve that. As for a bandleader that thinks he is going to tell me what kind of Bass to play ..:scowl:

PS I tend to agree with Anthony Jackson, who said that the 4 string was the natural and proper amount of strings for a bass to begin with? Leo was just trying to lure Upright players. It should have had 6 like a guitar to begin with.
 
#174
Yes, I've gone full circle.
Started over 30 years ago on 4, after 10 years or so I switched to 5 exclusively, played 5s only for about six years & then switched back to 4 & have been there ever since.
I never liked the feel of any of the 5s I played or owned - the wider necks and tighter string spacing never felt quite right to me, and I still have the lower range when needed by playing a 4 strung BEAD.
 
#175
I only have one bass, a 5er, but have had a 4-string P around the house this week while I was setting it up. It's been many months since I last played 4 strings and I'll say that it felt good and was quick to move around the neck. The problem for me was that firstly, it was of lesser quality than my 5er so didn't sound as inspiring. Secondly, and more importantly, it only took running through a couple of songs before I realised how much I do use that 'flexible thumbrest', either for the low notes or for position. The position I can get round, but I can't get those notes without tuning BEAD. And then I lose those top notes on the G string, which I also use.

It seems that I've made full use of the 5er to the extent that I wouldn't be happy not having that low string. While space and money limit my collection to just one bass, it's going to be a fretted 5er. Who knows what may come in addition, but I'm going to want at least one 5er hanging around.
 
#177
Sometimes those 5 notes add emotion and dramatization to a given song. There is one song at church that doesn't sound right without the open B...the verse says, "clouds of thunder". That's when I come in and hammer that low B for an added effect. It's heart wrenching, I'll tell you what!

For most everything else though, I'll play a four string...and now that I have one with a D-tuner, it'll be hard to put them down.
 
#178
I just sold my Ibanez 5-string. I never made a commitment to the "5" - I always played my 4 strings, and only used the 5 for the songs that called for it. Since I play mainly 60's-70's soul and R&B, it has not seen much use. So, I have made the decision to stick with my 4 string basses. I really could never get used to the 5, but this could be from a lack of dedication on my part.
 
#179
Just for the fact that you already have the 5 string, I would say keep it. You never know when you'll need it, and you would probably GAS for one again if you sold it. Having both a 5/6 and a 4 should be good enough to cover all your bases.

I have a 6 string and I like the chords on the high C, and need the low B for the gospel music I play. However, my 4 string is much lighter and makes me focus more on the basics of playing. Like I said, its just nice to have both.
 
#180
Yep I have a lovely Yamaha TRB 1005 which has hardly been touched, never out of my room and which I am probably going to put up for sale soon because I just don't play it - I just go for my 4's all the time. It's a lively instrument and sounds great - I just don't need it....
 

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