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I played a five string today...
- Thread starter Mechanical
- Start date
I know what you mean. I wanted a short scale, but when I moved to five strings I gave up on trying to find a short scale that would make me happy. It sounds like we are on different worlds trying to get the best of both.
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,608
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- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
I am in the same exact boat.. but I have found that 22 frets work well for me in 34" or 35" with 18mm-19mm spacing.
I've worked with keyboard players who didn't leave room for bass... I wanted to smack their left hand with a ruler. The best keyboard players only play bass notes when there's no bass player. That applies regardless of the number of strings on the bass.
I'm not sure I agree that four strings and five strings sound different. If they do, I don't believe it's noticed in the mix. That said: the most visceral feeling I get is when I'm using those low notes when playing modern hard rock. They can be added to classic rock too. I don't mean transposing lines an octave down. Instead, it can be really cool to emphasize certain notes by adding the lower octave. F'r instance "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd: it's awesome -- and visceral -- to add that low open B (at times) for dramatic effect. You can really feel it, especially with good FOH.
a 4 string could sound different from a five string when one takes a home position on the 5 string further up the neck that provides more useful range of notes without having to move from that home position. The 4 has fewer choices that have to be played lower on the neck.
(unless you're very young Bill Wyman who seemed to play up the neck on his 4 all the time -- what keys where they playing those songs in?)
so playing further up the neck could account for the sound of a 5 being different from a 4.
I started playing 5 with the home position frets 5-8 and feel most at home there, but have been making an effort to work more in the 2 - 5 fret range, but even there I use the B string for E and F, where 4 string players don't have a lot of choice.
I play mostly standards in flat ('horn') keys and really don't do a lot in typical 'guitar' sharp keys and I would probably be playing more in the 2-5 fret range in those keys, so I suspect a 4 is most at home with open strings and low home position in those 'guitar' keys.
(unless you're very young Bill Wyman who seemed to play up the neck on his 4 all the time -- what keys where they playing those songs in?)
so playing further up the neck could account for the sound of a 5 being different from a 4.
I started playing 5 with the home position frets 5-8 and feel most at home there, but have been making an effort to work more in the 2 - 5 fret range, but even there I use the B string for E and F, where 4 string players don't have a lot of choice.
I play mostly standards in flat ('horn') keys and really don't do a lot in typical 'guitar' sharp keys and I would probably be playing more in the 2-5 fret range in those keys, so I suspect a 4 is most at home with open strings and low home position in those 'guitar' keys.
I play 2 5ers and Im surprised it's not the standard because it makes life easier. That being said I think 4s are really cool, have more options and are cheaper so I want to add a new 4 to the collection. Im just afraid itll end up just sitting in the corner...
I have no idea what that means. The B string is an added feature; you can use it or not. If you don't, you have a 4 string.
I know what you mean about playing short scales. I recently got a peavey foundation 5 string and while I like it it's just not as comfortable as my short scales. I love my shorties!
I play bass and Doublebass. Originally the full range of a bass included the 5th string, i mean hundreds of yrs ago. Every piece of music written by beethoven or any other composer around these years took advantage of the 5th string of the doublebass, then it went fading away to what we know, the 4 string curse... I play doublebass in a proffesional orchestra and when we have to play beethoven, we're F**ked up. and its time to do weird transportations to other strings and incurring on harmony inversions for free 
B String its just perfect. and happens to me what MrMerrey said, when i play on 4strg i need that extra string.
B String its just perfect. and happens to me what MrMerrey said, when i play on 4strg i need that extra string.
Isn't there some kind of drop tuning device for double bass?
I seem to recall a double bassists I know online mentioning he has something for added range on his.
I seem to recall a double bassists I know online mentioning he has something for added range on his.
I can't stand B strings, different tonality and limited sustain, give me a good 4 any day
Each to their own hey
Each to their own hey
I will admit I have had problems finding 5 string sets where the B string maintained the same sustain and tone as the other strings. The tendency with the basses I have, 34 inch scale USA G&Ls and a Yamaha BB425x, is for that B string to thud with no sustain. Moving toward strings of lighter gauge innards and outer dimensions seems to resolve that issue.
4 string players would seem to have a lot more options for strings and replacement upgrade parts etc.
4 string players would seem to have a lot more options for strings and replacement upgrade parts etc.
I play 5's because I like not having to play 1st position F,Bb, Eb, Ab. Those notes are so much richer when played at the 6th fret. I use a Tobias Classic 5, a Music Man Stingray 5, a Peavey cirrus 5, a Yamaha BBEAST 5, a Carvin LB75, a Carvin XB-75 or a Fender Jazz 5 and I have no problem with the electronics or the scale lengths/widths on any of them.
I find playing a 4 a much more satisfying experience, since I slap a lot... That said, a 5 can be VERY useful, so I play both.
I started out on five string. Four strings were daunting to me for a long time....and I liked it.
I must be getting old.
