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I played a five string today...

#41
Gorn Captain said:
The A string does not belong in the middle. There should be no middle. It's just wrong.
Click to expand...

Haha, I generally agree with that - but there is no law against alternative tunings: my 5er has had various tunings over the years and I have now settled for D-G-C-F-A#. Weirdly comfortable for me, but only suits certain (usually dark, sombre) music. Clearly, I am living on the edge...
 
#44
Kukulkan61 said:
Im still learning 4 string,have been for 35+ years,when I completely learn everything there is to know on a 4 string I'll move to a 5er...:rolleyes:
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The "music" is the same on any # of strings--- the mechanics change. 5 strings can be easier for some stuff.

If less strings equated ---- less to learn, a trumpet and saxophone would be simple.....
 
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#45
Slevage said:
The "music" is the same on any # of strings--- the mechanics change. 5 strings can be easier for some stuff.

If less strings equated ---- less to learn, a trumpet and saxophone would be simple.....
Click to expand...
I understand that I was just being sarcastic,I did play 5 string for 4 years or so,sold it went back to 4,dont miss it...guess I'm just Old School like that..besides all my funnest,coolest basses are 4 stringers..:D
 
#46
bassbenj said:
Hey, I only play 5 or 6 these days, but I can handle it if handed a 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15 string bass even if fretless! Because I played 4 for years and and 8 or 12 is just like a 4 and now I play 5 and 6 (basically the same instrument as a 5 where the 6 has greater range) and a 10 is like a 5 and a 7 is like a 6 with greater range (though I'm a 7 string noob and don't quite know what to do with that extra range)

However, I can say that in my opinion life would have been better had I been playing 5ers and 6ers right from the start and would freak if handed a 4! Worst jam session ever was when no bass was available and I was handed a guitar to play bass on the 4 lowest strings! Yeah, I did it because I play guitar too.
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Have my 7 set up f#beadgc. Its a lot of fun. Sounds good with the modded electronics. Just got tired of the weight when playing with my band where 99% of the time i play standing up. So i had to get another 5 string.
 
#47
Fuzzbass said:
I gotta have 1-7/8" nut, 19mm bridge spacing. Those few extra mm make all the difference in the world to me.
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Me too. Absolutely. I gave up my Stingray 5 for the exact same reason (too bad... I loved the way it sounded). The bass in my avatar was built with a 2" nut - at my request.

I played 5-ers fairly exclusively for a few years but started paying more attention to my fours again a while back and now I'm spending more time on the fours again. It mostly has to do with the material I've been playing; it lends itself to the types of voicings you'd choose on a four. Sure, you could play the same voicings on a five but I kind of like having the limitation force me to make different choices. When I switch back to fives now (usually if I'm playing material that seems to call for it) it's like being in a playground! So many options! Wheee!!!

Fours, fives... either way, I'm having a good time.
 
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#51
Played 4's for 30 years, then became the principal bassist at a very large Contemporary Christian church and noticed I didn't have the 5 notes below low E that I was hearing on the recordings we were covering. Bit the bullet on a used MTD Kingston and,........oh my goodness. Stumbled at times at first but quickly adapted. Ever since, I am constantly approached by little blue or white haired ladies grabbing my arm and saying, "I just love that bass!" I finally asked one if it's because the really low notes (through house PA) reminded them of the old pipe organ. She said "That's it!"
They really like feelin' it because it takes them back.
 
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#52
Lo-E said:
Me too. Absolutely. I gave up my Stingray 5 for the exact same reason (too bad... I loved the way it sounded). The bass in my avatar was built with a 2" nut - at my request.

I played 5-ers fairly exclusively for a few years but started paying more attention to my fours again a while back and now I'm spending more time on the fours again. It mostly has to do with the material I've been playing; it lends itself to the types of voicings you'd choose on a four. Sure, you could play the same voicings on a five but I kind of like having the limitation force me to make different choices. When I switch back to fives now (usually if I'm playing material that seems to call for it) it's like being in a playground! So many options! Wheee!!!

Fours, fives... either way, I'm having a good time.
Click to expand...
I have a 1990 Stingray 5, but I have gone to my backup - a late 90s MIM Jazz Bass 5 because the D and G strings are louder, fatter and have great sustain up the neck. I picked up the Stingray a few days ago and now the string spacing seems too tight for me. The 5 string gives you a lot of options. On one song we do I play eighth notes on the A string while I hammer on whole notes an octave lower on the B string.
 
#55
I tell myself I'd rather stick with a 4 but I actually prefer a fiver at gigs. Totally sucks because I just bought a nice 4 string and I'm realizing that it'll end up just sitting.
 
#56
Blueinred said:
Played 4's for 30 years, then became the principal bassist at a very large Contemporary Christian church and noticed I didn't have the 5 notes below low E that I was hearing on the recordings we were covering.
Click to expand...

I've been playing Contemporary Christian Church music in several churches over the last few years (currently 2 different ones). When I started, it seemed like every recording / video, the bassist was using an active 5 string jazz bass....now every time we hit up a new song, it looks like they are all using passive 4 string P basses.... I could be wrong, but it looks to me like that genre has swung back towards 4
 

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