How long did it take you to get used to a 5-string?

[rummy]

Never did. Sigh.

 

[stflbn]

The Benefits of having the low B string on a 5-string far outweighs the negatives of not having it on a 4-string. IMHO. You can 'not' play the low B, but it's not an option if it's not there.

Only time I see the B-string as a hinderance to change is for Pick players that are used to hammering on an E string.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Took me a good while....funny thing, if I remember correctly, I used mu brand new L2500 on a gig perhaps the first or 2nd day I owned it....big mistake....

But now I feel more comfortable on a 5 than on a 4.

 

[southpaw420]

A couple of days. I was pretty comfortable on it from the get-go but after two or three days it felt like home.

 

[vince a]

Took right to it . . . and I do play the low B . . . albeit, only with worship and praise music, and most of the time as an ending note!

 

[ThingsAbove]

Started on a 4 then moved to 5s. Then I got an 8 string NS/Stick which I played exclusively for 4 years

Last year I bought a 4 again due to a bout of GAS. I bought two more 4 string basses since then.

Switching from 8 to 4 was harder for me that going originally from a 4 string to 5 (string spacing issues mostly).

If you get a 5 string I recommend you alternate it with your 4 regularly to keep your brain from getting too used to one or the other.

I find that I really don't need that B string as much as I thought I did.

 

[spade2you]

A good year or two, but my technique was crap at the time. Took some classical guitar lessons and applied many of the principles to bass, which took me about 5-10 minutes when doing things the right way. The transition from 5 to 6 was a cake walk.

 

[madbassplaya]

I played a friend's 4 string for a week or two before I bought my first bass, which was a 5 string. For me, nothing was set in stone and it wasn't bad from the beginning.

 

[tercesyrev]

As long as it took to tune the guitar after taking it out of the box. Four strings seem incomplete to me now. I'd never get one again (but that's just me).

 

[wideyes]

For all of you 5 and 6 stringers, was plucking-hand muting a problem? Did you have to adapt to a floating thumb technique?

 

[Shindig]

I'd have to say it was at least a year of playing the 5 exclusively before I felt completely comfortable. I put the 4 stringer away to force myself to learn the 5. Then I ended up selling the 4 (years ago) because I never played it anymore. I owned and played only 5's for several years.
When I got back into 4's it felt strange at first - the neck felt like it came off a banjo - but I've adjusted

There were no 5's when I first learned to play (we lived in caves and hunted dinosaurs then) but I wish I'd started on a 5. IMO they are easier to play than a 4 (more places to play the first position root notes - the ones we're paid to play )

Give yourself enough time to learn it well.
Good luck.
Shindig

 

[Shindig]

For all of you 5 and 6 stringers, was plucking-hand muting a problem? Did you have to adapt to a floating thumb technique?

It was, and I adjusted to moving my thumb to the string next to the one I was playing.

Shindig

 

[Nate Plays Bass]

I look at a lot of really good bass players, like Victor Wooten, Flea, Marcus Miller, and yeah, they're good, but then I look at Norm Stockton's Groovin' For Heaven videos, and he just looks so smooth on a five string. I mean it's not the low B that interests me, it's being able to play a baseline in E, and then play a D, comfortably.

 

[electracoyote]

5 min.

Wow, you beat my time by 3 minutes. Impressive.

If you have a good vocabulary and working knowledge of universal patterns, the extra string (especially a B below E) shouldn't take massive amounts of time to get used to. Learn the names of the notes on that string, and apply your knowledge of universals to it the way you do the other four strings.

When I practice I sometimes intentionally go an octave lower than usual and work the 5th string just to keep that idea fresh in my head. Sometimes it works, sometimes it sounds like crap, but at least I develop an affinity for that string and will be able to use it in context when appropriate.

 

[pacojas]

my first 5'er was like a 4 string with a thumb-rest that doubled as an extra string to emphasize certain emotions. after adjusting to the slight differences i found it quite easy to go to and fro'.

 

[T-MOST]

I would say it took about a month of exclusivity to get use to a 5'ver. Of course I could play it immediately but that's not the same as developing a second nature feel. I don't think that happens in a day.

 

[M.Wrenn]

Fours have a real appeal to me that I have a hard time putting into words. Four string bass, four piece drumset and a Telecaster. That kind of appeal.

KO

Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Jon_West]

Never did.

Complete waste of time and money and full of unanticipated negatives.

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[FunkMetalBass]

Never did.

Complete waste of time and money and full of unanticipated negatives.

I agree - why waste time with only one more string? If it doesn't have 6+, it's not much more than a lateral transition with more expensive strings.

 

[Mike M.]

As far as the actual physical side of things (5th string, wider neck) it took about a week. That's not to say I had it mastered feel-wise...just more a matter of the instrument feeling comfortable in my hands.

But as far as trying to remember where I was (is that a D or a G)...now that took a bit longer. After owning it for about two weeks I used it live at church for the first time. I pulled it off but man, was I nervous. Told myself I was either going to sink or swim, so I might as well jump in!

I like having both 4 and 5 string basses. I mainly play the 4 but it's nice knowing the 5 is within reach. Sometimes those real low notes can add so much.