I'm so confused! Advice please :)

[CORBS]

I hesitate to recommend you use the bass with less strings, but it's a much much nicer bass then the SR and it sounds better in every situation. Stringing it BEAD is no problem, I've done it on my $$ Corvette and the B was really great.

 

[SwagAttack]

I don't know what type of metal you plan on playing but being in drop tuning with the $$ would be the best choice for that. Although if it is technical, the SR would be good for the extra string and tight spacing.

 

[bassgod76]

I've owned a couple of 5's in my time but always went back to the 4. I tune to Eb just to mellow things out a bit. As others have said a 4 tuned BEAD is still an option.

+1,000,000

Much love & respect to those who can easily rock the 5 or 6 or whatever. I get excited for a 5, play it, then go back to my 4. I find the smaller string spacing to be cumbersome.

Not that I've played in many metal bands, but I have rarely ever "needed" a 5.

 

[Ken J]

I play a number of instruments, horns I’m most comfortable with. Started bass a few years ago and loving it but I’m limited to four strings and smaller necks. After six basses and a number of try outs I found the one. Squire Jaguar SS. I’ve up-graded the body complete with top of the line electronics and bridge and the neck is out having the frets ground down. Yes a shot scale P/J fretless. I also love playing my Squire jazz fretless. Upgraded the bridge and strung up a set of vinyl coated tape wounds. It’s like playing a bass with power steering. I was also looking for a bass with a little deeper tone and scale so I set up my Ibanez SRX (BEAD) a thin neck four string that goes BOOM.

 

[Audiophage]

Just relegate all of your practice time to the 5. I've found it relatively easy to switch between standard tuned 4 and 5 strings, once I got familiar with the differences.

 

[Jerr130]

I've had the same 4 string bass for the last 20 years(92 ibanez SR900) just recently purchased a prestige 5005E and I'm loving the low B. So the 4 string is taking some vacation time

 

[elavate7]

both basses are sweet, but as of right now, i like playing 4string non standard. i have played 5 string for a while and just got back into 4s. i always thought you needed the low B, but i was wrong. on my 4 string basses, i drop tune a whole step and im good.....

 

[Seb Peters]

A four string was good enough for geezer, wooten, harris, jaco - the list goes on. If four strings are good enough for the best, they're good enough for me.

 

[SteveC]

I'm having trouble deciding between 4 and 5 string basses.

I've always felt more physically comfortable on a 4, but that B comes in really handy on occasion.

I have gone back and forth - mostly 5's - until this past year. I decided that the benefit of having a B didn't make it worth giving up the comfort and playability (to me) of a 4 string.

Yes, the B comes in handy, but in my opinion and in my experience, not enough for me to want a B on my bass. And yes, my opinion has changed over the last couple years.

 

[ric3xrt]

Taking a look at the used section of your local music store will tell you a lot. The metro NYC major stores have seen a 6 month trend of players going from 6 to 5 and from 5 to 4 string basses. It was most noticeable just before the holidays. The shelves are full of 5's and 6's, but not too many good used 4's. Plenty of junk but it's been picked through.

I've been finding this alot lately, lots of 6s and 5s for sale few 4s.
two of my students have dumped the 5s and are going with DGCF, I've been working with a band that plays drop CFCF, took a few practices to get use to it.

I'd look @DGFC since you like to play up the neck, its easy to learn the new postions, because all your doing is moving the nut Tuning up to the 2nd fret.
But in the end play whats comfortable for you.

 

[Wrilley]

I voted 5 string, have to add I have the exact same SR505M and love it. I really like the 5er because with my smallish hands I can play what would be the lowest E string notes further up the neck on the B instead of having to stretch like crazy to span frets 1-4.

 

[Damascus]

I have on my Aria SB-1000 B-E-A-D. Every note sounds so good on this bass that i don't mind moving up the neck due to the absence of a G string. The low notes you can hit with a B make such an impression in a song that i don't want to be without it. B wins out over G.

Plus i like to tune my guitars to full D, and I want to be able to reach 1 & 1/2 step lower than the lowest note on a guitar so that I can always throw in a lower pentatonic-friendly note if i want. B wins again!

 

[Dave W]

I switch between 4's and 5's all the time. I also switch between E standard, D standard, and dropped D tuning on the 4's as well.

At first it was a little weird, but I got used to it pretty fast. I just grab whatever I feel like playing at that moment and make due with it. I try to rotate as much as possible too.

I voted: I don't care, I'll play anything.

 

[marmadaddy]

+1!

+1. With the extended version, going from E to D or C is incredibly useful. I do have a 5er but it's gigged less than the 4s with Hipshots.

 

[Bass4Gsus]

5 string Fretless is my preference. Both of my 5's have the 19mm spacing. Both of them are exactly the same except for color and frets or no frets.

Although I had the low notes in mind when first purchased it's the extend range in one position that make it a keeper and actually easier to play. Maybe I'm just lazy.

The 4 just sits in the case for 2 1/2 years now.

And whenever the mood strikes I got the extra lows.

 

[JMimbs]

The 4 just sits in the case for 2 1/2 years now.

You could give it to me...

 

[jmbjandfam]

4 string BEAD

All my basses are like this. I have played 5's and playing BEAD makes it easy to switch to a 5 at anytime but in the music I play I just don't have a real good use for the G so I prefer the 4 strung BEAD

 

[Solarmist]

I prefer a 4banger to a 5er just because of the simplicity, but that's me. Those are two nice basses you have - why not both?

 

[lowendfriend]

I've also got the Nirvana Black Warwick $$ in a 5 string and love it. I also have a fretless 55-01. My only 4 string is an old Dean ABG beater which I have strung BEAD (and it's also fretless.)

Keep in mind that the main use of a 5 string is not the notes below E on the B-string. It's the fact that having the lower string at E and above (>5th fret and above) gives you all kinds of hand/fingering positions that you just don't have on a 4-string.

On the 4 banger, (I'm talking EADG) you spend more time than I like to working through open string exceptions to fingering that is just more work...not a better sound. In fact, I really don't care for the open string sound and the extra muting steps. In a 5-er, you can use open string elements if you want....you can avoid them if you want. More options: Goodness.

I doubt I'll ever bother with a 4 string again unless it's an upright.

 

[slombovia]

I prefer 6 1/2 strings w/ 1/3 standard and 2/5 non-standard and I might play something. Reverse all that if I play partially Country. Oh, I am very particular about my strings though - they must be shiny except when they're not.