Is the 5 string a US phenomenon?

[Bassmunnky]

Have you seen us Americans lately..we seem to love big bottom..

thus..the popular 5 string here in the states.

 

[lbanks]

I didn't twist anything that you were saying. Just because a poll exists doesn't mean that every player on the forum voted in it.

I do agree with you 4's are more popular than 5's



Did you miss the /sarcasm?

There's a poll?

 

[Dave W]

There's a poll?

Apparently

I assume he's talking about another thread?

 

[Fuzzbass]

There's a poll?

Yes, it's stickied at the top of this forum.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/what-kind-bass-guitar-do-you-play-re-loaded-sure-revote-426626/

 

[Fuzzbass]

I'm in the US, the Washington DC / Baltimore / northern Virginia megalopolis, and see LOTS of local bassists playing instruments with five or more strings. I can't speak to Europe, just throwing my observations in as a data point.


And FWIW, after 4-banging for 20+ years I tried a 5 string in Y2K. Once I got used to it I liked it so much that within a few years I sold all my fours. Also, I don't want or need six or more strings. Five is the best choice for me.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Honestly, I haven't figured out all the ways to play four strings. Five strings just seems lazy to me, like I actually can't do the job with four, like I would need an extra string to prove how good I am. And, I am American.

I don't need fancy stuff, I just play.

I'd rather be "lazy" and play 5 strings than have a closed mind and have to justify myself for playing 4 stings.

That said, I play what I feel is appropriate for the gig, including 4 strings, 5 strings, fretted, fretless... whatever. I can't recall how many times I've heard the line "I usually cringe when a guy pulls out a 5-string, but you really know how to play that thing". Guess I'm "lazy" for actually having learned how to use a 5-string appropriately? The last guy that told me that toured as a sound engineer with Cheap Trick.

I'll also add that I see about a 3:1 ratio of 4-strings to 5-strings being gigged around NM, and even fewer 6-strings.

 

[Abaroa]

I can barely handle a 4... And it took me a long time to do it... I think I am more lazy because I do not want to re-learn on a 5 string.

 

[Pollinator95]

I´ve seen more 5 & 6-stringers than 4-stringers in mny hometown. Then again, I only really go to metal shows.

 

[CapnSev]

The ability to fret a low E and not have to constantly tune up or down when I'm playing with different people makes the 5 string invaluable to me.

 

[Pickebass]

I use all. I think the 5 string is necessary for many types of music. The 4 is an old friend. I use a 6 for solo or smaller settings where chords or other soloing does not distract from the music. I don't believe one is better than the other, just a different tool

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

I came late to 5 strings. Kinda awkward at first but once I got used to the idea that the 'A' was in the middle I haven't looked back. I really enjoy shaking it down with a nice tight 'B' string and having a rig that can do it justice. If you're happy with 4 strings hey 'Jaco didn't need any more' that's fine. I do

Rezdog

 

[Russell L]

I like 4-stringers. 5s and others are too low, IMO. The only time I'd like to go below low E is when in the key of D.

 

[mixx80]

In most states 5 strings are banned ! I lot of gigs you have to sneak them in. Most people cant stand bottom end and the government is coming for your 5 string then your guns so when you see them coming turn up the treble and turn down the bass all the way but keep em' grooving maybe they wont notice !

 

[Muaguana]

Based on the most extensive poll, 4s outnumber 5s on Talkbass by 3:1. That's not popular, and all I wanted to point out. Don't twist what I'm saying.

The most extensive poll, which was gathering data from convenience - i.e., each person chose to chime in on that poll. A random sample was not selected and then polled. So the statistics are unreliable; anyone with a few working brain cells in their skull would realize that rather quickly.

 

[Stanley Pugh]

A five is the only think I gig with, A four feels limiting to me now.
I have had carpel tunnel surgery on both hands, and not having to play all over the neck is much better.
The lower range is where I want to play anyway, far away from the other instruments in the band.

 

[Relayer71]

Well, the Talkbass poll doesn't show THAT many 5 string players.

It's funny then that a huge percentage of the basses for sale that I see in the classifieds here are 5 strings or more.

On page 1 alone, 11 out of 30 posts are for 5 strings or more.

 

[Relayer71]

There is one song that our praise & worship band covers that I need in order to produce the low end grunt in the intro to the song.

Whoa, what dark diety do you praise & worship? JK

 

[hover]

I have all 4 stringers, but one of them has 5-string envy, and is tuned BEAD. Gets me where I need to go. Once I get my way around navigating that low B, and can successfully yank an open E w/o banging the B, I may make the jump to 5's. Lol!

it's a (slightly) different approach to the same end, getting yer groove on. Nuthin wrong with that!!!

 

[Relayer71]

And if 4 is good enough for Geddy Lee and Chris Squire, then it's good enough for me

Though I have been considering picking up a 5. I'm not in a band currently, just writing/recording on my own so I don't NEED one for any particular reason than I think it could open up some creative possibilities.

 

[Fretless1!]

Honestly, I haven't figured out all the ways to play four strings. Five strings just seems lazy to me, like I actually can't do the job with four, like I would need an extra string to prove how good I am. And, I am American.

.

That has made me laugh so hard!

So full of WIN!