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

[Dan Bass]

I finally bought a 5 string bass in 2014 - after playing 4 string basses exclusively since 1977 - that's 37 years! Still trying to break old muscle memory habits but it's getting better...

32 years, I just got my ESP LTD F415FM 5-string Bass 4 months ago, I still do tons of old school stuff on my 5 but man is it sweet to be able to do all the other kinds of music thats tuned C all the way down to A. And I don't have to swop a bunch of different gauge strings around to do all that music, just keep my stainless steel round wound 45 65 85 105 130 gauge strings on my 5 and I can do it all on one Bass. I love my B string, but to tell you the truth it took a couple months to get used to a 5-string Bass that's 35" scale and has 17mm string spacing. I've had 6 Basses in my life and now I got the ESP F415 and my custom Ibanez SR600, the SR I've had for the last 17 years.That's why going to my 5 was so hard, that SR600 has the thinnest neck I've ever had and been jammin that for the last 17 years and then straight to 35" scale 5-string, wow! Now I'm so used to the 5 the SR600 feels too thin when I jam it now, I definitely thought I'd never say this but I like thicker necks now. Which is great because I'm going to get rid of the Ibanez SR600 and get a Fender P-Bass, yeah! Then I'll have a badass P-Bass 4 or 5 string and my ESP LTD F415FM Bass with the 2 - Active EMG 40DC double humbuckers that sounds and plays just like the Spector NS 5XL USA Bass I A/B tested with my F415 at the guitar shop through an all tube Mesa head and stack. If I had shut my eye's I could not hardly tell the difference between the 2 Awesome Basses!!!! It's really weird, I used to love my SR's thin little neck, now it feels like a broomstick with strings, I don't like that small of a neck anymore. Plus a beefy neck gives you a big fat beefy sound which I love..

 

[Dan Bass]

Definitely my go to main Bass now.
ESP F415FM 5 - string.

 

[Braden Persch]

My first bass was a 5 string. Never owned a 4, don't plan on it either. 4's are too restricting for me.

 

[bearfoot]

24 years with 4-strings, then a 6'er. I don't think I'll bother with 5 unless a particular instrument really calls to me. 6 strings just seems very natural to me now.

Playing the 6 has also made me appreciate the 4 in a new light, which now feels like a "sport bass". One does not replace the other.

 

[twinjet]

I finally bought a 5 string bass in 2014 - after playing 4 string basses exclusively since 1977 - that's 37 years! Still trying to break old muscle memory habits but it's getting better...

Four string - 2006
Six string - 2008
Five string - 2009

 

[Munjibunga]

First 4-string in 1977. First 5-string in 1994. Although Fender (and a few others) built a few 5-strings (strung E to C) as early as the '60s, their popularity didn't start to rise until the '80s. It was probably the '90s before they started seeing widespread use.

 

[wintremute]

30 years.

 

[Minirehak 212]

I wanted to start playing on a 5 but couldn't find one in my budget. Played for about 7-8 months on a 4 and then I got my first 6 string. What's funny is now I like 4 and 6 string basses but I really don't want a 5. Logic

 

[cnltb]

I was on 5 for 20 years before going to a 4.

 

[Goatrope]

15 on a 4 until 1991. Never really switched exclusively to a 5, but have always owned one 5 since '91.

 

[andruca]

5 or 6 years from 4 to 5 strings. Now progressively back to 4, only tuned DAEB ;-)

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I first played 13 years 4 string basses, I stopped for 19 years playing bass. My house got broken into and all of my equipment was stolen (a Guild fretless, a Hayman bass and a Peavey head with a custom cab with a 15" JBL speaker. All the basses were replaced with 5 string ones and now I have one 5 string and two 4 string that are my main ones. So it took 32 years before I started playing a 5 string...

 

[Stempelloos]

28 years of playing a 4 string before getting a 5 string.

 

[mjmeche]

1st 4 string 1974- 1st 5 string 2006

 

[Chrome Dome]

Never owned a 5,started out on 4string,over 40 years ago. I guess according to what type music you are involved with,or need to accomplish? I always felt,anything over 5string bass,you should go to a lead guitar. IMO,anything over 4strings,is not a bass guitar,just the Old School in me,I guess? Whatever cranks your tractor/bass.

 

[pedroims]

25 years, l owned few 5er during this time but it was last December when finally clicked in me, I still play my four but I cant imagine leaving without a 5 string

 

[Susqmike]

4 string for 15 years, then 5 string. Played 6 string and 7 string with no difficulty at all. I find being a "modal player" helps a lot in transitioning to extended range, or any other instrument for that matter. If you know modes inside/out, extra range just becomes a continuation...

 

[denhou1974]

9 years before moving to 5 string. My first thought was "What have I done? I can't play this"

14 years later I can't live without the extended range.

 

[seang15]

I actually went from four to six. My first 4-banger was in 1982. First 6-string, 1998. First 5-string, 2011.

 

[interp]

First four-string in 1967, first five-string (35" scale) in 1999. Took about ten days to adjust.