How many years (if any) did you play 4 strings before buying a 5 string?

[DiabolusInMusic]

I started playing in 2002 and I got my first 5er this year. I got in a trade only to sell it though, I don't play 5s. I did play 6s exclusively for a few years, 2010-2014(ish), but I am back to 4s these days. I busted out my fretted 6er last week for the first time in ages, might give it some new strings in the near future and bust it out for a while though.

 

[Blankandson]

Played a home-made 3-string in 1965 when I was 1 year old. Was hit by a case of GAS in 1967 which has lasted through maybe 15 4-string bases. Bought my first 5-string in 2006. I still suffer from GAS but as I have now been introduced to JimmyM it's gear-based now. How many years is that??? You'd think I'd be good by now. Oh well. One thing that has surprised me is that I can play either 4-string or 5-string, but both on a 5-string. Sometimes I just never use the low B. Just because it's there doesn't mean I gotta use it. BUT when I do use it, I usually need it. Oh man, now my head hurts!

 

[totem]

First 4 string: 1976 .. Johnson P copy.
First 5 string: 2008 .. MTD Kingston. It didn't take so I sold it.
Second 5 string: 2014 .. Fender American P 5. it took me about a year to make the adjustment but now it's the one that leaves the house almost every time.

 

[Blankandson]

totem is right on. My first 5-string took me about 2 years of weekly use to figure out music scores and charts. Everything was new again. Then another 3 years of just getting my fingers to go where they needed to go. Now it suddenly is like the only bass I've ever had and is so easy to use it's like an extension of my hands and fingers. It's fun again. So for me, about 5 years and it's the one that goes out every time. And the 4-string has left the building.

 

[IngerAlb]

15 years before switching to 5ers...

 

[Fingerpickingood]

I just went to 6. Today.

 

[Nedmundo]

Depends when I start the clock. I started playing bass in 1983, and got my first five in 2008. But my playing was sporadic for most of that time, including almost ten years completely off between 1992/3 and 2002. If I add up all the years I played between 1983 and 2008, it would be about ten.

 

[FourBanger]

ALL OF THEM

 

[Catbuster]

4 string 1999. First 5 string 2005. First time seriously playing 5 string 2013. I had a Stingray 5 before, but I honestly was never serious about playing them until now. What I found was that it's really hard to find five strings I like.

 

[AndreasR]

I got my first 5 less than a year in. That one is long gone now. I got my keeper 5 after give or take 3 years.

 

[Hot Rats]

It was 33 years before I started using a 5er on a regular basis. I had run ins with them throughout the last 10 years (I even bought a 6er) but they never lit a fire under me and I sold them.

 

[OldFenderPlayer]

I've played bass for 40 years ... and still don't own a five-string. I've checked out five and six string basses, but never had the desire to switch.

 

[pappabass]

I would say about 5 years, I owned a 4 string fender Precision, Fender Jazz, then went to a 5. I recently bought a inexpensive 4 as a leave out to practice & open mic bass. My 5 is a little too nice to leave it out of the case or open mic conditions. I need to keep practicing on the 5 because I love the big sound this bass gives.

 

[Dave W]

I started out on a 5er because I knew that's what I wanted to play.

I've owned a whole bunch of 4 strings too but I always go back to the 5.

 

[blmeier7]

1992 started playing 4 string
1995 bought a 6 string
1997 went to 5 string
2007 went back to 4 strings

 

[DWBass]

I started playing bass in 1972. I bought my first 5 string in 1991. 19 years.