Quick question for those of you that play five string exclusively...

[Element Zero]

After starting on 4, I bought my first 5 when I graduated high school. Before I started dating the woman who became my wife, I hadn't owned a 4 string since '98. She been playin bass for 5 years and is quite content slamming away on a P bass (despite trying to convince her to try workin on a 5) and I'll play it every now and then and have used it at church a few times. Would I miss having a 4 available? Not in the slightest. Unless my couple buds that I write music with wanted to do stuff in like dropped C or some other in between tuning.

All this being said, I'd say keep it. It doesn't take up a large footbprint in the closet and if you sold it for cheap, you'd kick yourself after a week.

 

[basses51]

Don't sell it....I started playing in 1967....In 1990 I switched to 5-ver's full time as I was playing a lot of current modern country at that time and a lot of those tunes are/were loaded with that LOW B STRING....Over the years I have migrated back to the 4-stringer a lot....Now it's about 50/50 yet although at times I will play the 5-string Jazz all night....And yet, Some music and some songs my passive 4-stg P-Bass just fits like a glove....Sometimes that's STILL a hard thing to beat really.

 

[Maxdusty]

Your 4 string isn't going to lose any value for now so unless money is an issue or you have GAS for a certain other bass, you could wait until you're sure 5 string is going to be exclusively what you're going to play or there's absolutely no need for a 4 string bass in your repertoire. I don't know if it was mentioned previously what 4 string bass it is. If it has a unique enough sound that none of your five string basses can get, then that would be another reason to hold on to it for now. For example, if you have a 4 string Stingray, and you don't have another in your collection, that would be another reason to keep it for now or until you pick up a 5 string Ray.

 

[packhowitzer]

keep it and buy 20 more basses too... like these fellers:

See how happy they look? That could be you.

 

[73jbass]

It doesnt cost anything to keep it.

 

[Ric5]

If I had a 4 I would tune it DGCF

 

[somebrains]

Both have their place.
I own 4&5's of the same model.
I play the 4's lazier bc I don't mute as much, which is weird bc then I miss a 5.
4's seem to ring harder bc there's no B, but you can feel busier on them.

5's feel like home bc if they don't you wouldn't play one.
There are plenty of AHA moments playing a 5, but if you didn't sweat years of band class maybe a 4-string string BEAD would be better.

For those really learn-ed guys I think a 6-string is best bc they can get super wordy with whatever they're doing.

6 is the pocket protector and flood pants of bass.

Then there are those weird 7-string guys that might as well play guitar.

Oh there are super weird people that like 8 and 12 strings bc of no musical reason I can think of.

Own whatever you want to own, it's not like you are walking down the street with an iPhone X in your hand waiting to be the first guy to get smashed in the head with a brick by a thief. It's a bass, play a custom 2 string for all I care.

 

[GreyBeard]

I have five 5 string basses and one - 4 string p-bass. I learned to read bass music on a 4 string and I sometimes get confused reading with a 5 string and that is why I keep my four string p-bass.

 

[MrLenny1]

I got my first 5 string in 1991.
Sold off my 4 string in 1995 and do not miss it.
I do alternate between B-G and E-C 5 strings for fun and frustration.

 

[rafitoprtx]

I own s Jazzbass 5 string and a Pbass 4 string. I prefer the 5 string because is more complete. I use the 4 string when the set let me and to save some weight.

 

[Rayjay]

I got some 5's because I needed the range for a few certain things. Honestly, though, when I don't need the range I'll prefer to bring the 4's. They just feel way more comfortable, to me. I love being able to wrap my thumb around the neck, or use palm muting or a pick with my right hand and not have to worry about hitting the B string by mistake. Maybe it's just from decades of playing a 4...

 

[smperry]

I "converted" to five strings in the early 2000s and never looked back. If a four fell into my lap, I wouldn't shun it, but I don't miss them at all.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

Hang on to people, not things.

My first bass was a Hagstrom Viking. I loved playing it at the time, but TBH, it was a horrible little object.

I should have dragged that thing around with me through the next 50+ years of apartment and house moves? Out of some sort of twisted sentimentality?

Even thinking about that, depresses the hell out of me.

Some family members worth hanging onto, others can sometimes be horrible little objects.

The same twisted sort of twisted sentimentality can be applied to people.....even family.

If they are treat you good, keep them around, this applies to basses and family members.

If they are horrible free them and yourself of those basses or people.

Usually you can get some good pizza money for the basses!

Last I knew, all sorts of issues become problematic when you sell family members.........just sayin'

 

[TheGreatLentini]

I started on a 4 in about 1990, got my 1st 5 about 2 years ago & to me there's just no turning back. Only way I'd go back to a 4 is if I found a wicked deal on a lefty Rickenbacker 4001 or 4003.

 

[Pops OB]

If you aren't playing it and have no particular attachment to it, get rid of it.

Me, I like 5s, but arthritis prevents me from playing them as I once could. So... I opted to adapt the tuning I use on the 4: BGDA. It gives me all I had in a 5 and more because of the A. Granted, there is more movement along the fretboard, but that presents no problem for me; it is the width of the 5 that is painful.

 

[biguglyman]

Although I play a 5 almost exclusively, I still have several 4's. Gotta have my Hofner for the Beatles set, my a/e is a four (someday I'll get a 5), and a precision clone just to have one.

 

[Maxdusty]

For all those who now exclusively play 5 string basses but still have 4 string basses at home, I will do my part as a member of TB - please feel free to send these offending instruments to me, I'll help make the full transition happen for you.

 

[mindwell]

I've kept those 4's that don't work as 5's. The 1980 Ric you see to the left, my 1974 Jazz, and a Danelectro Dano '63 short scale. Niche basses. The Jazz hasn't been on a gig in years. My 5's (Ken Smith BTG-5, Yamaha 2025X, EBMM Stingray 5 fretless) get 90% of the action.

 

[phillipkregg]

2 things to think about...

1) 4 string basses are pretty trendy right now. I think that a 5-string is a lot more practical and in some situations necessary. But think of some really popular bands like Radiohead, Kings of Leon, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Modest Mouse, and Arcade Fire... they all have four string basses. If you're shooting for trendy, then 4 strings are the way to go.

But you may be in several bands... You may be in a trendy band, or you may be in a fusion band where are you need a 6-string, or you may be in a band that plays show tunes where you need a 5-string.

Some bands are going to prefer that you have a 4-string, other bands not so much. Just because of that it's nice to have options.

2) sometimes you just want an "experimental" bass.

What if you wanted to try out Piccolo Bass? If you have an extra four string laying around you can string it with Piccolo strings. Or maybe instead of a 5-string you'd like to tune your bass BEAD. Or some other experimental tuning.

If you have another bass, you can keep your 5-string ready to rock, and do whatever you want to the other bass for practice purposes and to figure out your own unique Style.

 

[Treebeard]

I started on 4, moved to 5 and 6, and had to switch back to all 4s. I just have never found a B string with a timbre that I could tolerate.

Keep both for recording purposes.