So I had a big show last weekend opening for the lovehammers and after my bands set, some lady came up to me and asked me why I play a five string. I just told her for convenience mainly, just so I dont hafta downtune when my guitard does and to make some lines easier. Then she hits me with "my husband just wanted to know cuz he's a bass player and he say's he can play anything you played on his 4 string", to which I replied, thats kind of impossible unless he downtuned to drop B(and had a floppy mess) or had it strung BEAD since I dont venture into the high register too much. Im sure there are threads like this already but I havent seen one lately so I'd like to hear similar stories of more than four str hate from u guys that play more than four strings, lol.
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More than four string hate?
- Thread starter Time Consumer
- Start date
Sounds like 5-string envy to me lol
I don't hate on the 5'ers...if you've ever played in a band with a guitarist who tunes down, a 5'er is like a Godsend. 6'ers are pretty awesome too, but I can't fit my hands around one of those. IMHO though, a 7 string is pushing it...THAT'S when you're getting lazy lol. At that level, I'd say "yeah, this dude just doesn't want to move his fretting hand".
Don't let them get you down though, ignorance does come in many forms =)
I don't hate on the 5'ers...if you've ever played in a band with a guitarist who tunes down, a 5'er is like a Godsend. 6'ers are pretty awesome too, but I can't fit my hands around one of those. IMHO though, a 7 string is pushing it...THAT'S when you're getting lazy lol. At that level, I'd say "yeah, this dude just doesn't want to move his fretting hand".
Don't let them get you down though, ignorance does come in many forms =)
5 strings i understand, but i think anything more is unnecessary. i play a four and will likely keep playing fours.
Lol, yeah, I messed around with a 7 string conklin in a pawn shot last week, didnt really no what to do with it, but more power to the guys that do.
This has been annoying me a bit lately, the whole four string hate thing. (I assume you that's what you meant 
)
I'm personally into very simple basses; 4-string, passive, fretted Fenders are just the tone I need atm. However, I see no reason at all to criticize someone for wanting more notes to work with, it's just plain silly IMO.
PS: Please don't bring up the typical "Jaco only needed 4 strings" comment, not everyone in the world wants to sound like Jaco, they want to sound like themselves...
(I'll take the Jaco option any-day, thanks
)
EDIT: Just saw jmercer's comment
)I'm personally into very simple basses; 4-string, passive, fretted Fenders are just the tone I need atm. However, I see no reason at all to criticize someone for wanting more notes to work with, it's just plain silly IMO.
PS: Please don't bring up the typical "Jaco only needed 4 strings" comment, not everyone in the world wants to sound like Jaco, they want to sound like themselves...
(I'll take the Jaco option any-day, thanks
) EDIT: Just saw jmercer's comment
This has been annoying me a bit lately, the whole four string hate thing. (I assume you that's what you meant
I'm personally into very simple basses; 4-string, passive, fretted Fenders are just the tone I need atm. However, I see no reason at all to criticize someone for wanting more notes to work with, it's just plain silly IMO.
PS: Please don't bring up the typical "Jaco only needed 4 strings" comment, not everyone in the world wants to sound like Jaco, they want to sound like themselves...
(I'll take the Jaco option any-day, thanks
EDIT: Just saw jmercer's comment
Yeah, its silly when things like this occur, oddly enough thats the first time this has happened to me, I play with a lot of bands and I think only two other bands I've ever played with had a 5 string bassist, and that was at the same show so it is crazy this doesn't happen more often. I guess thats why I was a lil floored she had the bawlz to say that to me, lucky im a pretty humble guy, or else I woulda challenged her hubby to a "bass off" lol
I would of hit her with the, "so your husband is too big of a ***** to say that to my face?" Then I would of proceeded to sleep with her and not call her back the next day.
The idea of anyone criticizing me about using a 4 banger instead of 5 (or vice versa) would likely leave me with no response, because it's such an irrational objection. I simply can't fathom why anyone would give a flying **** how many strings my bass has. How can you respond to such an illogical question?
"Oh I'm happy you can count, do you want a gold star or something?"
"Oh I'm happy you can count, do you want a gold star or something?"
I played a 5 string for 11 years before switching back, and that was because most of the blues bands I play with insist on Fender bass. (old school old timers..lol) They never actually said it, but you can see the displeasure in their faces if its not a Fender. Additionally, most of my heros can run circles around me on a 4 string bass so I guess I'm still trying to emulate them. What I found funny about your experience was that the guy that could play anything you played on his 4 string sent his wife to talk to you...lol What an A**...lol
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I ws one of those guys who wouldn't try a 5 string and said I can play it all on a 4. The reality is the drop tunings are cumbersome, the BEAD tuning makes me long for a g string. The only 4 string tuning that makes sense is DGCF but then you still lose the 4 lowest notes.
Switching to a 5 was not easy. I like to play intuitively and I had to reprogram my brain. I only played 5 string basses for a while. No 4 string basses and no 6 string guitars. Then I got used to my lowest string being a B and not an E.
Now I prefer a 5 string bass. When I go to a 4 I am missing a string. It is like a 4 string player losing his E string.
Some people will never make the transition because they started with EADG and they will stay with EADG. But some of us are hooked on the sound of the low B.
Now when I play guitar I wish it had a 7th string.
Switching to a 5 was not easy. I like to play intuitively and I had to reprogram my brain. I only played 5 string basses for a while. No 4 string basses and no 6 string guitars. Then I got used to my lowest string being a B and not an E.
Now I prefer a 5 string bass. When I go to a 4 I am missing a string. It is like a 4 string player losing his E string.
Some people will never make the transition because they started with EADG and they will stay with EADG. But some of us are hooked on the sound of the low B.
Now when I play guitar I wish it had a 7th string.
I used to play fours. Then my guitarist conned me into trying a 5er. I got the local music store to lend me one for the weekend. It was ridiculously hard to work with at first. But after understanding the new world that was opened up I made the switch.
Not sure that it was envy, hater, or other...just fear of the unkown. Sides that wank was probably seeing why you guys got the opening slot
Not sure that it was envy, hater, or other...just fear of the unkown. Sides that wank was probably seeing why you guys got the opening slot
Honestly, I find notes lower than a "D" too low anyways. I would never play an open B even if I had a five string to play it on.
That's the main reason why I wouldn't play a five. I have no hate for them, I just don't want those "extra five notes" because I would only ever use two of them, Eb and D. And if my guitarist can find time to de-tune, then so can I. Now if he down tunes to like drop C, then I just don't play anymore, because it sounds like he's got the bass covered...
That's the main reason why I wouldn't play a five. I have no hate for them, I just don't want those "extra five notes" because I would only ever use two of them, Eb and D. And if my guitarist can find time to de-tune, then so can I. Now if he down tunes to like drop C, then I just don't play anymore, because it sounds like he's got the bass covered...
I would have said, "Really? Well, I'm up here and he's not, so do the math."
For the record I used to play 5's but now prefer 4's. Whatever.....
I started on a 5. No other reason than that. I've never owned a 4 or played one that I felt comfortable with. Never gotten any grief for the 5; a lot of amazed looks, actually. "Dude, I've never actually seen one in person, maaaan."
I have a six tuned down to F# that is my main bass now. No need for the high notes, so I'm still shifting positions quite a bit. I love that extra almost-octave down though. That one has gotten some comments. The most memorable was "Six? Wow, I guess some dudes just need to jack off when they PLAY too." ***? Did you feel your ass vibrating that last song? Yeah, that's 20Hz, dumbass.
I have a six tuned down to F# that is my main bass now. No need for the high notes, so I'm still shifting positions quite a bit. I love that extra almost-octave down though. That one has gotten some comments. The most memorable was "Six? Wow, I guess some dudes just need to jack off when they PLAY too." ***? Did you feel your ass vibrating that last song? Yeah, that's 20Hz, dumbass.
i know this is really vain and stupid, i think the necks on 5/6ers are too wide and ugly looking... but im stillgoing to learn one or the other if i get the chance, i suppose you can only get better.
