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Should I sell my 5-string?

W

WarPhalange

Jan 20, 2009
44
0
#1
I have a bit of a dilemma. I have an SX 4 string and a nice Peavy Cirrus 5 string. I've been playing both fairly equally, but I'm actually leaning towards my cheapo SX just because it has a 34" scale neck. My fingers are fairly short and it really does make a difference for me. Also, I find myself never using the low B string.

To add to this is the fact that I'll be graduating from college this year and moving out to (hopefully) graduate school, so I can't take all my stuff with me (I have a few guitars as well, but only taking 1). So I need to make some sort of decision fairly quickly.

The reason I don't just straight-up sell it is because I'm not sure if I will get used to it in time or find a use for the B-string. And of course since I bought this thing new, I'll eat like $100 or $200 by selling it used.

I'm just kind of asking if anybody's been in a similar situation. Did you end up opting for a 4-string and feel you made the right choice, or did you end up regretting it? Do you think I'd just get used to the 35" scale after a while? (It's already been a while...)

I play for now at least mostly metal, like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, etc. so I don't think I'd need the extra range. If I'd have to, I could just go BEAD I figure.

Anybody have any advice? :help:
 
#3
man I was in the same boat
I went from a Jazz Bass to a 35" scale Spector 5 string
the Spector had a sound that just melted your ears and was like listening to butter being poured through a cream filled bathtub. I liked it .I liked it alot
however like you I had small hands and after awhile I was losing feeling in my fretting hand after a few songs while playing live. Raising the strap helped a little but the loss of feeling was still there. Enough for me to be concerned healthwise. Plus I hardly ever used the low B or the high C when I had it tuned that way. I used those strings when jamming at home but never in the band situation.
So I traded it for another Jazz which sees triple the play time the Spector did.
Maybe someday I will get a 34 inch 4 string Spector but I had to let the 5ver go.

Personally I don't regret leaving 5 strings behind. A lot of people will argue that most bassists these days especially studio guys absolutely need a 5 string. That probably is true to a degree but I am no longer playing regular gigs and only volunteer at church on Sundays so I play what is comfortable to me which is a 4 string bass.

If you ever plan to sell DO NOT go to Guitar Center or a Sam Ash. I sold my pro rig when I stopped playing the bass a few years back and got ripped off bigtime (basically sold a EDEN cabinet and a 900 watt stereo power amp and a biampable rack pre for a Spector Legend 5 ..I know I know..) This was before I found TB and boy I felt bad that Ididnt find this place sooner. If you do feel you should let your Peavey go..get a subscription and either trade up for a nice 4 string or a 34" 5 string (like a Musicman for example) or sell. You will get a better deal that way
 
#4
Of course, strictly Craig's List for me. If it doesn't sell on CL (economy isn't exactly 100%), then I'll buy out a subscription and try my luck here. :) I just don't like shipping this stuff because that in itself costs a fortune.

I don't think I'll want to trade it though. I'll wait until I get to where ever I'm going (I don't even know yet) and when I'm settled in I'll buy myself a keeper-bass.

Only thing I don't like about my SX is that it weighs like 9lbs. The Peavey is like a feather compared to it. Still, no biggie. But if it wasn't for that, I don't think I'd even think about having a 2nd bass to my SX. I must have gotten a gem or something because the fretwork is good enough to let me get my action looowwww. :D
 
#5
Im considering selling my 5er at the moment. I just find the 4 neck more comfortable and rarely use the B string. I find im just tuning my 4 stringers to E or D these days and thats all I need.

As Bongo said, if your not overly attached / have any other major reasons, just move it on. You'll probably find once its gone, you'll get over it pretty quickly.
 
#6
I've been playing fours mostly for a while now. I just like them better - I have far more hours on a four string than anything else. I also don't like 35" scale much. I'll grant that, on the average, a B string sounds better a little longer, but 35" always feels a little funny to me.

Having said that - no way I'd be without a five string, and my five string of choice has a 37" B string! Sometimes a five string is the right instrument - I've gotten to the point that I don't think about the B as an extra string anymore. It would be more accurate to say my four string basses are missing a string.

I still prefer a good ol' 34" four string bass, and that's my go-to type of bass, but next time I end up on stage, I'll bet you it will be with my five string Dingwall.
 
#7
Funny thing is I bought the 5er because a 4-string neck didn't seem comfortable at the time for some reason. I don't know why, but now I feel great playing it. The 5-string neck is great too, and I prefer the 5-string string-spacing, but 35" just kills it for me. I guess I could look for a 34" 5-string with a Low B, but I think the string would be pretty floppy, kind of defeating the purpose.

I mean, if I ever do play something where I need to down tune, it definitely won't be that low. I love those metal bands, but the bass is hard to distinguish at that point.
 
#12
Don't get rid of it... it's always wise to keep a 5 string around.. you just never know if you'll need it or not, i made a mistake and traded my 5 string for a 4 string because i wanted to change to 4 strings again...

what a mistake, not only do i miss my 5 string but once i took the 4 string home and change the strings, the bridge and tuners broke off, so now i have to spend more money to replace the parts, :(
 
#13
Both of these 5'ers are 34-inch scale basses. Neither one has a floppy B:
MyThunderGirls006b.jpg
 
#14
The bridge and tuners broke off?!?! Who made this bass, Fisher Price?
DFW_Bass said:
Don't get rid of it... it's always wise to keep a 5 string around.. you just never know if you'll need it or not, i made a mistake and traded my 5 string for a 4 string because i wanted to change to 4 strings again...

what a mistake, not only do i miss my 5 string but once i took the 4 string home and change the strings, the bridge and tuners broke off, so now i have to spend more money to replace the parts, :(
Click to expand...
 
#15
A few quick thoughts:
34" scale 5er does not automatically mean a floppy B
35" scale does not automatically mean a tight B
IME string choice and amplification have more to do with the perception of a floppy B than scale length
You might find that the 35" scale is more manageable if you move your hand up the neck and play the lower notes on the B string instead of the E (G on 8th fret of B for example). You will have to stretch and shift less.
 
#16
wvbass said:
If the 35 thing kills it for you, and you don't think you'll get past it, sell it. There are other basses out there - you'll know when you find the right fiver.
Click to expand...

I agree. In fact, I'd take the point further, and say you shouldn't bother having a bass with a fundamental ergonomic issue you need to "get past." Why force it? Plenty of good 34" scale fivers exist. If you need one, you'll find one.
 
#17
I'm a pretty small dude and have been playing a Cirrus from day one. Comfort is all about having a reasonably well-built bass (which you already have) and using good technique. Before I was edjumacated/forced into getting better technique, my Cirrus 5 seemed to tire me out much more than my Cirrus 4. Changed my technique and the bass worked very well.
 
#20
I just might do that. I'd be willing to have a 34" 5-string if the B string was usable. Like light strings, but I could always just get a thicker B while keeping the rest light or something. I just haven't been able to find many 5-strings in my price range that were 34" scale at the time I was out buying one.

I do use proper technique (or at least I think so). I only press down as far as I have to, wrist as straight as possible (strap higher because of that), but it still comes down to trying to do a 1-2-3-4 hand placement. I just can't comfortably reach that far. For example, playing YYZ is a lot harder on my 35" 5-er. On that song I'm lucky I can move up to a higher position and make use of that B string, but sometimes you can't, like having lines that are relatively easy near the 1st position, but have a quick part or something (say Aces High for example). I can move up to play the quick part easier, but I'd have to zoom right back down the neck to stay in time.
 

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