New to 5 string, now 4's feel odd

[Razman]

TL; DR. Wait until you play a 7 most of the time. 6'ers feel narrow now.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I've only had a 5 string Bass for (approx.) 2 weeks or so but I took to it quicker than I thought, and now when I pick up any one of my 4 string Basses it feels weird . I wouldn't say I've "mastered" the 5 string, but then (in over 25 years) I never "mastered" the 4 string either , but the new 5 feels so right, so comfortable and sounds so good it feels (to me) like I've been playing it longer than 2 weeks; I'm guessing it's probably because the 5 is the only one I've been playing since I got it. Did/Does this happen to anyone else who strictly played 4 strings?

I prefer 5, but the 4's do feel narrow to me these days. Sleeker and faster also.
I also play multiple scale lengths, 5 string 35" 19mm, to a 4 string 30" narrow (16mm spacing) is quite "invigorating"

 

[A9X]

I've never read a more tense thread!

Good grief. This is positively a group hug compared to some threads.
If this bothers you, never venture to twitter or reddit.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

So Anyway, I've owned a couple of 5's but didn't like the sound of the B string...no ring, just thud. I probably didn't spend enough money on a better bass. I've played 5's while sitting in and they sounded fine. It's probably just me.
But this reminds me playing with my fingers after starting with a pick. I wish I would have kept playing a few songs with a pick each gig, just to keep up any dexterity I might have had.
So don't forget to play your 4 once in a while.

 

[coyote1]

Been playing 6 string basses almost exclusively for the past year.
Got a new 4 stringer, and it’s alien territory! Because I’ve spent the past year learning how to play every song in one position (that’s the real magic of that low B string), and now I have to re-learn how to move along the neck again.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Mine is 137. Numerologically, 1+3+7 =11. 1+1 = 2. Therefore my fave basses are 6's because 4+2 = 6. Yay!

Confirmed;
View attachment 4117497

 

[bobdabilder]

Only those that don't know what they're doing.

Most spend more time trying to mute a B string than they actually do playing it.

 

[Ohabanero]

My first bass was a 4. But when I switched to 5, I didn’t look back for many years. There’s something appealing about the compact movement that the 5th string brings. For me, it’s almost a different instrument than the 4, because I don’t approach it as a 4-string with an extra string.

In the last couple of years, I’ve fallen back in love with the 4-string again. The shapes are different which creates a new way of approaching the fingerboard. In some ways, the 4-string feels freer than the 5. I feel like I play differently on my 4s.

Right now, all my basses are 4s. But I recently ordered a new fiver, because I like having the option. For me, they’re two different instruments with different purposes. I’m looking forward to having both in my arsenal again.

I like your assessment and feel the same about the differences of these. I am currently on a 5 kick but recently got a 4 with a drop D tuning machine on it. All the years I played 4 I had never tried drop D. Talk about a whole different animal. I was amazed at how getting used to a low D opens up all lines of different thoughts and ideas. The drop tune machine is nice because it's on the fly and I've written some stuff already that switches mid song. Drop D is great fun. Switching to 5 my 1st thought was this is just a 4 for cheaters! Lol then I really got into the extended range. First 5 was also first fretless. Because I wanted to cheat. It did make initial fretless play much more manageable.

 

[Ohabanero]

TL; DR. Wait until you play a 7 most of the time. 6'ers feel narrow now.

Lol! My only 6 is an EADGBE for adding rhythm guitar to my trio. I come near a 7 string I'm only going to look at it not touch! I can just see me gassing for a herd of 7 strings

 

[Ohabanero]

Opposite for me. I’ve tried to warm up to 5-string basses in the last couple of years, but they aren’t my thing I suppose. I just don’t have a need for that low B string. I’m in my comfort zone with a 4-string. I also play a 6-string bass as well, but it’s tuned EADGBE, so it’s not like the modern extended range 6 strings. Different strokes and all that.

I too have a low end 6 string guitar. Do you play rhythm chords on yours

 

[bluesblaster]

I've never understood this issue, I go back and forth between the two and have no problem whatsoever. However a six feels really weird because of the narrow string spacing, dont think I'll ever get use to that, but hey thats just me

 

[Ohabanero]

I've never understood this issue, I go back and forth between the two and have no problem whatsoever. However a six feels really weird because of the narrow string spacing, dont think I'll ever get use to that, but hey thats just me

Agreed. My daily drivers are 19. my 17.5 feels cramped.

 

[Aidil]

I've never understood this issue, I go back and forth between the two and have no problem whatsoever. However a six feels really weird because of the narrow string spacing, dont think I'll ever get use to that, but hey thats just me

Everyone has different psychological way to play.

I have a problem going back to 4 string after ditching my 1 and only 4 string in early 2000s. But, I can easily go back and forth among 5, 6, and 7 strings. So does string spacing. My 5s are 16.5, 18, and 19 mm. My 6s are 10.8, 16.5 and 17 mm, and my 7s are 15.5 and 16 mm. No problem switching among any of these.

 

[bluesblaster]

If you have no issue with .19 mm string spacing then a standard four banger shouldnt be any stretch. I suspect you arent playing country music on a 6 or 7 string bass, either that or you just prefer to play mostly in one or two positions with that range and number of strings. Not knocking it, I have heard that people that read charts alot prefer that.

 

[krfoss]

After playing a 5, a normal 4 feels odd. Playing a wide neck p bass will feel more normal when you switch. Once you start playing upright bass too, nothing will feel big to you.