Practice more.
The B is just the same as the rest, it's just below your E. The same patterns & fingering work on it. I made the switch to 5ers a long time back & only keep a 4 around for songs that need a drop tuner. 
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Not ready for a 5er
- Thread starter Torkk
- Start date
Practice more.
The B is just the same as the rest, it's just below your E. The same patterns & fingering work on it. I made the switch to 5ers a long time back & only keep a 4 around for songs that need a drop tuner. 
If you tried a Squier Active Deluxe Jazz V, I can understand being put off of 5s! That's the only bass I've ever seen with a 2" nut. I mostly only play 5s, but the strings on that one are just spaced too far apart for me.
I picked up a 5-string less than a year after I started playing, a 6-string about a year after that, a few years later a 3-string. What difference does string count? If a 5-string is too much, still suck on a 4-string, then wouldn't a 3-string be the way to go?
Certainly nothing wrong with playing a four-string, but if you want to end up with a fiver (and play it like a fiver instead of a four-string with a long thumb rest), playing the four string longer won’t make the switch easier.
It's an adjustment to switch to 5, but if you feel like 5 is where you want to be, just go for it. You will adapt. It's not an instant switch, put the practice time into it.
I've been playing for a pretty long time (while I'm not a great player, I feel pretty comfortable on bass) and when I casually tried a 5 string once, it was like "whoa, my fingers don't know where to go!" I'm actually happy with 4 and have never been interested in 5 (this was just a surprise jam and a 5 string bass was the only thing available). I expected it to be an instant adaptation -- it's not. I learned that, that day!
If you want to do something, start now… a year from now you'll be glad you did.
I've been playing for a pretty long time (while I'm not a great player, I feel pretty comfortable on bass) and when I casually tried a 5 string once, it was like "whoa, my fingers don't know where to go!" I'm actually happy with 4 and have never been interested in 5 (this was just a surprise jam and a 5 string bass was the only thing available). I expected it to be an instant adaptation -- it's not. I learned that, that day!
If you want to do something, start now… a year from now you'll be glad you did.
I offer you this tip I used which helped me- I had a muting problem that was solved with a wrist band just over the strings at the nut, like training wheels. Practiced my muting & took it off when I was comfortable.
Your 5-string bass was a girl
Always thought of it as a fat bottom girl. Lol.
And that is my number #2 reason for ordering a new 5 string bass today.
#1 was gas...
And that is my number #2 reason for ordering a new 5 string bass today.
#1 was gas...
It's not just extended range. A 5 is easier than a 4 to play. A 4 has limitations you have to use some skill to overcome. These days I don't play 4s anymore unless I have to and when I do I can feel the concentration level needed going up.
Once you get that cross-neck thing going and start playing further up the neck you'll find that a 5 has advantages that will help reduce your level of suckage much more than a 4 will.
But as others have said, finding a 5er that feels right for you can take some trial and error and bass trying. And if none of them feel right then there is no rule that says you must play a 5. 4s are still the most popular.
This. I find even Fenders too wide, but this Squier is ridiculous. I went with a Yamaha BB415 as the first 5'er I stuck with, it has a 42mm nut like a normal 4-string P Bass!
The BB415 is a killer bass! I had one briefly. I returned it because I just didn't like the color - and I absolutely did NOT NEED another bass.
But, it sure sounded and played great!
exactly if you start playing at the 5th fret on a 5 string, there's a lot less re-positioning required. and any pattern learned can be applied just about anywhere. And the frets are a closer together to get used to the neck feel/stretch. Watching early Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman was always playing up there on a 4 string. I started up there and have worked my way down.
But find a bass that feels like it was made for you and that's a very good place to start.
It's personal preference. I tried several 5string basses, thinking that narrow neck would be good, but I never fully got along with them. Peavey, Washburn, G&L, MusicMan...
Then I tried the Squier V deluxe the OP has, and I found it much better to play.
I realised then that I preferred wide string spacing.
Now I have a Lakland 55-02, with wide string spacing but slightly less chunky neck, in cross-section, and it's made me finally "get" 5 strings.
My advice?
Ignore preconceptions and try every single 5 string bass you can. The one that makes go "oh, yeah" may not be the one you expected!
Just keep trying if you are truly interested in playing a 5er. I am a fan of Squier basses, but the deluxe active 5's neck felt way too chunky back to front for me. Don't give up after trying only one, there are lots of great offerings in that quality/price range.
I'll tell you what, I bought the same bass as the OP last June as my first fiver after 21 years of playing just 4's. I've tried to love it, I do love the sound of it after doing some simple upgrades, but man the neck is huge. I have large hands, but prefer skinny necks, and playing that bass has been a chore. Since then I try to practice on it exclusively to get more acclimated, but I've only taken it to one gig. I would have to think a tighter spacing would feel more natural.
