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

[MobileHolmes]

About 3 but I went straight to a six

 

[kkaarrll]

zero

 

[Lee Kirkham]

By the way, what I posted was meant as a joke, for those who couldn't figure it out.

 

[Sweet Willie]

4-string fretted -- summer 1986
5-string fretless -- summer 1990

 

[ArtechnikA]

My first bass was a 5'er. Kind of a rare thing I suspect.

Same for me, so maybe so, maybe no.
I've never played a 4-string bass.
I played the 5 for 6 months, bought a fretless 6, and never looked back.
Even my EUB has 5 strings...

 

[R Upsomegrub]

Started playing in 1971 (4 string); switched to 5 in 1992 and have primarily been a 5-string player ever since.

I still own a couple of 4's and play them occasionally. I bought an URB in 2012 (4 string) and play it some as well.

 

[beaglesandbass]

First 4 string - 2001
First 5 string - 2015

Since I've gotten the 5 string basses, they've been played about 90% of the time. I don't even bring 4 stringers to gigs anymore.

 

[lfmn16]

By the way, what I posted was meant as a joke, for those who couldn't figure it out.

Thanks for the clarification. On a forum where jerks post things like "Jaco only needed four strings" and "bass players shouldn't use effects" and are serious, it's not always easy to tell.

 

[Lee Moses]

I played 4-string exclusively for 27-28 years before picking up a 6-string a few years ago. I have yet to play a 5-string; kind of doubt I ever will.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Hmmm - about 20 years. And it didn't stick, so I went back to 4 for another 5 years before I made the switch (more or less) about 10 years ago.

 

[Afc70]

First bass: 4 string, around 1985
First 5 string: October 2014
5's are all I own now

 

[obimark]

30 oh wait, I never switched!

 

[mindwell]

Seventeen years on the 4, nineteen years since then on the 5. I'm selling off all but one of my 4's. After that, I'm hoping to get to/stay at three 5's and a 4.

 

[rob2966]

Zero.

My first bass (actually, first 4 basses were 5 string). My latest bass addition is my first 4-banger .

 

[Mike Sorr]

I started playing in 1982 and bought my first 5 string somewhere in the late 90s. I still don't think of myself as a 5 string player, but I can play one and always have one on hand for when it's needed. Personally I prefer to play 4s. I could just never get completely comfortable with the B string and the wider neck. I must admit that it certainly helps me to be lazy with my fretting hand when I barely have to move it.

 

[Maple]

'79 > 6 strings (guitar)
'89 > 4 strings (bass)
'91 > 5 strings (bass) - that's the way its been ever since
'94 > 4 strings (upright). still can't do 5 strings on an upright.

 

[los100malditos]

I am thinking to switch to a 3 string bass... my hands are small....

 

[Kmonk]

I went about 29 years before I bought a 5 string. I played them exclusively for several years and then went back to 4 string for my main basses but sometimes use a 5 for studio work.

 

[Crash 56]

4 string - 1972
6 string fretted - 1995
5 string fretted, 4 string fretless - 2008

 

[paulears]

First 4 string - 1975 Now never played.
First 4 String fretless - 1977, never played.
First 5 string - 1992 on my third now.
First 6 String - 2002 but played very rarely.
2nd 4 string fretless - 2007 - never played
First 5 string fretless - 2015 - played just a bit so far.