Sounds good. I haven’t played this bass at church for a while so it’s hard to remember how the rounds sounded. I should have brought them along and swapped between services.
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Roscoe Club
- Thread starter JOME77
- Start date
Another LG in service this morning of a higher calling.
I needed a 5 today. We changed a song after I was here. That’s why I have trouble - as much as I like them - committing to 4 strings. This LG3000 Custom is a fabulous bass. But I am so engrained in the 5 string thing, even though this works for 90% of what I do, it’s days like today where something changes and I don’t have the “right” bass.
I hate that when it happens, @SteveC, which is the main reason I only play 5’er. That and extra fresh batteries for active only basses. 
Yeah, Keith can’t get my Century 5 back to me fast enough.I hate that when it happens, @SteveC, which is the main reason I only play 5’er. That and extra fresh batteries for active only basses.
5ers definitely have their place. They were a must for my Country Band. Now, in my Rock Band, a 5er is only "needed" for 3 of 65 songs, so a Drop D suffices and I only play 4s. My current basses are 1/2 to 1 1/2 lbs lighter than my 5s, and my 70 year old body is soooo grateful!
Yea in theory it's nice thinking you can just play anything with a 4 but Keith's 5's make it really difficult if you have a choice. I play in a cover band and nearly every song benefits from a 5. Some songs depends on it since we don't have a Keys player. Some people have no issue I just enjoy the 5 so much that the couple 4's laying around never get in the game.
The bass teacher I had plays mostly 6 string basses. He was influenced by John Patitucci and I guess it was natural for me to play 6's. I have been playing 6 string for many years but still enjoy playing 5's and even 4's. For me, the B and C strings are never a handicap but the lack of them, especially the B string, can really cause me miss those few low notes.
I own Roscoe, Gould and Modulus 6's and all of them have B strings that speak clearly as you go up the neck. The graphite necked basses are best in that respect and the B string is quite useful to about the 12th fret. There is a huge amount of freedom that comes with that....if and it is a very big IF....you play using all the notes in each position on the neck. Most songs can be played with no position shifts. Reading is so much easier because of all the notes under your fingers. That said, most players have not been taught to play positionally. Is that a word? I learned to read by playing Dotzauer Cello etudes and my teacher taught me to use the notes available in each position to minimize shifts.
For this reason, I almost never play the only 4 string bass I own. I have never felt handicapped by using an extended range bass but a four string causes me to have to change the way I play.
I own Roscoe, Gould and Modulus 6's and all of them have B strings that speak clearly as you go up the neck. The graphite necked basses are best in that respect and the B string is quite useful to about the 12th fret. There is a huge amount of freedom that comes with that....if and it is a very big IF....you play using all the notes in each position on the neck. Most songs can be played with no position shifts. Reading is so much easier because of all the notes under your fingers. That said, most players have not been taught to play positionally. Is that a word? I learned to read by playing Dotzauer Cello etudes and my teacher taught me to use the notes available in each position to minimize shifts.
For this reason, I almost never play the only 4 string bass I own. I have never felt handicapped by using an extended range bass but a four string causes me to have to change the way I play.
Amen to both of these sentiments. I went straight from a 4 string bass to a Six String Yamaha TRB6P in college and stayed with it in the Army Band. It made reading so much easier and like Chuck, I’ve never felt anything but freedom by the extended range of a six and a five. But ultimately it comes down to “what does the gig require” and what do you WANT to play and what makes you feel comfortable. After many years of 5’s and 6’s I went back to strictly 4’s for a time because the music I was playing was better on a P Bass with flats. I never felt limited with that setup either.
Being primarily a gospel/church guitarist I began playing bass because we didn’t have a bass player and the songs needed that bottom that was easily obtained from a 5 string bass. I’ve never owned a 4 banger although there are plenty of songs I play where a 4 strings bass would work just fine.
I play both and use standard tuning on both. They are completely different instruments and my mind seems to accommodate both.
One thing negative about 6 string basses is the look. I once subbed in a big band where the regular bassist used a Fender P bass. I played my Alembic 6 and played the gig fine and was never asked back. I got a lot of strange looks from the other players in the band when I got the Alembic out of the case.
I get many calls to play upright bass on gigs that are much more suitable for electric bass....again it is the look they are going for not the sound of the bass.
I don’t know that this is always a bad thing. It may be something you do or don’t want to do.
I guess for that no call back situation you didn’t project that standard look. 
I’ve never played a gig where I had to bring a certain type of bass and recall ever being asked to do so. I’ve been told that a certain bass sounded good, but I take the bass(es) that I want to play.
I’ve never played a gig where I had to bring a certain type of bass and recall ever being asked to do so. I’ve been told that a certain bass sounded good, but I take the bass(es) that I want to play.
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Actually it is something I do all the time. My first instrument is 6 string bass and almost all my gigs these days are on upright. Of course, upright is completely different technique anyway. I am happy as long as I am working.
I guess the key here is that I’ve never been asked to participate in special projects where the PM or MD wanted or didn’t want a certain sound from a bass, like a fretless or an upright. At this point, if I was offered a gig/project that required a fretless sound, I’d have to pass. A jazz or modern bass works fine for me.
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Very rarely am I asked to play or bring a particular bass if ever. I usually make the call myself as to what I think best fits the music and generally they like or probably don't even notice what I bring lol. A few times I have brought a fretless for a gig where I thought it would fit well and they have commented that they liked it and wanted me to keep brining it. The main reason I am bringing my 6 string SKB to my current country gig is because it sounds so damn good and the B string is awe inspiring lol.
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