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inexpensive 5 string basses?

#61
Wfrance3 said:
First off, not endorsing or admonishing this seller, I don't know who it is, but hopefully is a good person...
This is just reference for a bass I once owned and was pretty pleased with:
Schecter Diamond Series Elite-5 Active 5-String Bass Cherry Sunburst | Reverb

Mine was red with rosewood board. Weighed 8.5 lbs. For the range of instrument that it is, very good quality.
String spacing is 16.5mm with a 16" radius. That spec is pretty widely used by Schecter. I had a Raiden 5 (passive) that was that spec as well.
Anyway, mine played pretty nice, and maybe it might work out for yo as well. If you go used, you should be able to land one for your budget.
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Schecters are comfy, but I don't think they make any 5 strings shorter than 35" (the main reason why I haven't looked at their vintage 5 string jazz)
 
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#64
pcake said:
in 1993, the first bass i ever had to use regularly was a 36" 5 string with a neck so wide at the 12th that i HAD to play over under as my hand could reach scross it, and it weighed a metric ton. after that, i switched to 4 strings except for a very short period with a mikro 5 string.

but i'm realizing that some of the songs i like to play would really benefit from having a lower string rather than doing workarounds or tuning down.

my first thought was a mezzo 5 string, as i really like the neck on my mezzo 4. but there are a couple things - first, the 5 string mezzo has the same nut width as the 4 string, and while i love the 4 string version, i might love it less if the strings were crammed closer together. issue two is no one has one in stock.

it seems like ibanez is my best bet due to my issue with weight and my shoulder issue, which keeps me from reaching over a large lower bout without pain. the thing is, all the ones i'm considering have the same nut width as the 4 strings and as each other. maybe it'll be fine.

the only ones in stock that i can find are the GSR105 - i have 2 GSR100s, and i love 'em, but the shape/weight means limited playing time - and the GSR205, which has a finish i don't like, but i can live with that. the lightest one sweetwater has has a doable weight. if i kept it, i'd probably change the pickups.

i came very close to buying a GSR200 or SR300 five or six years ago, but ended up with a used SR500, which i've since sold. my shoulder problems have changed since then, and playing a bass for a few minutes at a store has never really let me know what playing it for real on my own chair or on a strap will be like for my shoulder.

i'm sort of asking for thoughts on the above basses, kind of musing it through. right now, my mezzo is my most comfortable bass to play, and it's become my go-to.

i have emailed our rep at sweetwater to ask if he has an approximate date when they'll have more 5 string mezzos or maybe some more 5 string SR305s in case there were some lighter ones than they have now.
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If I am hearing you correct, you are looking for 1.75" nut width bass (45mm) with not too large of a neck radius for $500 or less, and also fairly light weight, is that right? The Ibanez might be the right choice, but I absolutely love the neck profile, nut width (1.75"), and string spacing at the bridge (17.5mm) of the Stingray 5. Liked it so much I have owned several, the most comfortable neck in existence, imho. I also picked up a Sterling Stingray Ray25ca and it feels and sounds almost as amazing as the US model, and the one I have is 9.3 pounds. New I think they are $500. Just a thought, good luck in your search.

Just thought I would throw something out there outside the box.

Be well
 
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#65
way back before 5 stringers were a a thing, there was a luthier taking a P bass, poking a hole in the headstock, recutting the nut and changing the bridge So, a standard 5 made from a 4 with narrow spacing, which became the forerunner of the Yamaha BB5000A. If you like a narrow bridge string spacing and can find one, I think you'd like it a lot..
 
#67
Hevy T said:
@pcake correct me if I'm wrong but you prefer short scale don't you?

Maybe check out an Ibanez Mezo 5 at 32" scale length I've never tried one but they sound awesome
Click to expand...

already ordered a mezzo 5 string. when they arrive in late august or after, and after they weigh them, he's going to pick out the lightest weight one and send it my way.
 
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#68
no surprise at all, but while sweetwater was told their lot of ibanez basses was arriving in late august, they now suspect it's more likely to be october. i sort of figured... no big deal, since i have plenty of basses to play.
 
#69
bringing this thread back from the vaults.

the mezzo sadly hurts to play, and the pain lasts for a few days, so i plan to sell it and get another 5 string. i find the GSR100 more comfortable to play than the SR300 - i have no idea why - so i'm considering a GSR105 or GSR205.

was about to pull the trigger on a steinberger spirit at just over 7 pounds, but someone else beat me to it.

drooling over the spector performer 4 so considered a performer 5, but none to try in person, and i don't know how that extra inch of scale would be for me.

and considering a mikro 5 string. it will be low tension, but my current mikros give me no problems except i find it hard to play them over the 12th due to small frets and position required to get that high up the neck.

anything else small, light and $500 or under?
 
#70
pcake said:
in 1993, the first bass i ever had to use regularly was a 36" 5 string with a neck so wide at the 12th that i HAD to play over under as my hand could reach scross it, and it weighed a metric ton. after that, i switched to 4 strings except for a very short period with a mikro 5 string.

but i'm realizing that some of the songs i like to play would really benefit from having a lower string rather than doing workarounds or tuning down.

my first thought was a mezzo 5 string, as i really like the neck on my mezzo 4. but there are a couple things - first, the 5 string mezzo has the same nut width as the 4 string, and while i love the 4 string version, i might love it less if the strings were crammed closer together. issue two is no one has one in stock.

it seems like ibanez is my best bet due to my issue with weight and my shoulder issue, which keeps me from reaching over a large lower bout without pain. the thing is, all the ones i'm considering have the same nut width as the 4 strings and as each other. maybe it'll be fine.

the only ones in stock that i can find are the GSR105 - i have 2 GSR100s, and i love 'em, but the shape/weight means limited playing time - and the GSR205, which has a finish i don't like, but i can live with that. the lightest one sweetwater has has a doable weight. if i kept it, i'd probably change the pickups.

i came very close to buying a GSR200 or SR300 five or six years ago, but ended up with a used SR500, which i've since sold. my shoulder problems have changed since then, and playing a bass for a few minutes at a store has never really let me know what playing it for real on my own chair or on a strap will be like for my shoulder.

i'm sort of asking for thoughts on the above basses, kind of musing it through. right now, my mezzo is my most comfortable bass to play, and it's become my go-to.

i have emailed our rep at sweetwater to ask if he has an approximate date when they'll have more 5 string mezzos or maybe some more 5 string SR305s in case there were some lighter ones than they have now.
Click to expand...
SX Ursa 2 LT MN BAS 5 CAR Medium Scale 5 String Bass
URSA-2-LT-MN-BAS-5-CAR.png
 
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#71
days later, my shoulder is still sore from playing the mezzo for longer than usual, and even my GSR100EX is a little iffy to play, so i ordered a mikro 5 to let me work on my 5 string playing for now, and when the steinberger spirit 5 makes an appearance, i'll probably give one a shot unless i find a used ursa 3 JR p bass 5er.
 
#72
I have an Ibanez EHB1505, weighs, 3.2kg/7lbs 1 oz and sounds good with it's Nordstrand pickups. For a great sounding lightweight bass I would be hard to beat. You just need to love headless basses.
 
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#74
el jeffe bass said:
@pcake I have a similar but completely different problem. I have MS that causes pretty bad spasticity in my shoulders. Playing bass can pretty quickly become painful. I’ve tried short scale 4 string and regular scale 5 string basses. I prefer the 5
Click to expand...

If you have shoulder issues the Gruv Gear DuoStrap, that supports the bass over both shoulders might be worth a look.
 
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#80
so i ordered a mikro 5 string yesterday, and it shipped immediately from sweetwater's arizona warehouse. it actually arrived this evening (UPS left the box standing up, not leaning against a wall, outside). it's pretty nice, although i expect i'll be changing the pickups at some point. nice neck, good finish, good tone, although the low B sounds a bit - not flubby exactly but not as clear as the other strings.
 

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