When I had played for two years I longed for deeper notes and was constantly tuning down my 4 string and such. I bought a Godin Freeway 5 bass which served me well for the next 4 years or so but it had such a horrible B string that I have since developed somewhat of a phobia for B strings. I will not get a 5'r any time soon unless I find an exceptionally awesome B string.
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So... When did you leap to 5+ strings?
- Thread starter lameaim
- Start date
Started on a 4 string in 1996 after playing guitar for a year and we needed a bassist to start a band (I know, familiar story lol)
Got a 5 string in 2000 and loved it. I almost went straight to a 6 string for the same price, but I didn't like the wood and it felt pretty chunky at the time.
Then in July 2011 I finally got my dream bass the Gibson Thunderbird IV. I tried like hell to get a 5 string Thunderbird but it was hard enough to get my hands on the IV in Australia at the time.
So now i mostly play 4 string, but i still pick up the 5 string quite a bit at home.
Got a 5 string in 2000 and loved it. I almost went straight to a 6 string for the same price, but I didn't like the wood and it felt pretty chunky at the time.
Then in July 2011 I finally got my dream bass the Gibson Thunderbird IV. I tried like hell to get a 5 string Thunderbird but it was hard enough to get my hands on the IV in Australia at the time.
So now i mostly play 4 string, but i still pick up the 5 string quite a bit at home.
Started messing around on bass a couple of years ago, bought my first 4-string (cheap but good Yamaha from eBay) this year, bought a brand new 5er four or five months later.
It wasn't a desire for lower notes, or for the ability to play across the neck (although I could imagine some benefits of that) - I just tried it and it felt right. And of course, now I've got them, I look for opportunities to tastefully drop in those lower notes.
It wasn't a desire for lower notes, or for the ability to play across the neck (although I could imagine some benefits of that) - I just tried it and it felt right. And of course, now I've got them, I look for opportunities to tastefully drop in those lower notes.
Started on a 5-string because that is what I had. It's fine, but I rarely use the B on it for most of what I play. Went to a 4 later, and prefer the wider string spacing available.
- May 12, 2007
- 481
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist for Low End bass guitars, DNA Amplification
I started playing in '78; got my first 5'er in 2002 or so, for a country artist gig (Invalid Link Removed). Never planned on moving to a 5 string, but country music just about demands it these days. First one was an OLP MM copy -- didn't take much time to be able to play it well enough to get some usage out of the B string, and only a month or so to get over the 'E is the top string' muscle memory. After that, I never looked back, and I play nothing but fivers now.
I played a 4 string for about 6 mo's before switching to a 5er. My teacher at the time was telling me not to do it and you know what you do when someone tells you not to do it. I got an awesome deal on an american deluxe FMT 5er off ebay and have been in love with it ever since. I've been playing for about 3.5 years now and I have gone back to a 4 string, but solely because I've been playing in a different band that doesnt require that low b string. IMO, I say the earlier you are acclimated to the instrument, the better your going to be in the long run at playing it. Feeling awkward at playing it at first is whats going to help you develop your own style
- Jul 30, 2006
- 2,315
- 453
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist:Regenerate Guitar Works Carvin, Micheal Kelly Guitars
I started playing bass when there were only 4 strings and I played one for 20+ years. In the late 80's I started hearing synth bass parts that required a low B string on the bass to match them. Since I was playing primarily reggae I figured lower was gonna be better.....and I was right. I bought a 5 string Peavey Foundation one day and took it to a gig. I just used the B string for a thumbrest until I figured out what to do with it. Now I play only 5s on stage & I use that B string all the time.
I started playing in 1990 when I was a freshman in high school. My first two basses were fours (Yamaha P and Ibanez EX) but, I had been drooling over getting any six string, neck-thru with actives. Back then basses like that that were affordable for a teenager to buy were hard to come by.
So, in 1993 my local music shop got in a fresh batch of Hohners. There were no sixes but, they had a B Bass V. I tried it out everyday after school for a few weeks. I ended up trading in my Ibanez and putting the bass on layaway. A few more weeks and it was mine. I've been playing fives ever since.
That same bass is now my experimental bass. The pups are now Bartolinis with a Bass Mods preamp. For awhile it was tuned as a tenor but, now I went full on piccolo with it. Guitars seem useless to me now!
So, in 1993 my local music shop got in a fresh batch of Hohners. There were no sixes but, they had a B Bass V. I tried it out everyday after school for a few weeks. I ended up trading in my Ibanez and putting the bass on layaway. A few more weeks and it was mine. I've been playing fives ever since.
That same bass is now my experimental bass. The pups are now Bartolinis with a Bass Mods preamp. For awhile it was tuned as a tenor but, now I went full on piccolo with it. Guitars seem useless to me now!
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Bought my first bass, a 4 string jazz, in 2009. Joined a cover band in the summer of 2010 and realized a 5 string would be quite beneficial as our singers require key changes from the original recordings quite often depending on whether the guy or girl sings the given song. Picked up a 5 string jazz and made the transition very smoothly. Since then I have bought two more 4 strings (2 p basses) and use 4 strings exclusively in my original band, but the 5 string gets used every cover band gig without question.
Got back into playing bass back in 2003. Hadn't owned a bass in over 10 years. Thought the 5-string models looked really cool so that is what I gravitated towards. Got my "bass sense" back on this, is what I am used to so this is what I primarily play now. I have a couple of 4-strings and a totally custom short-scale (old school) 6-string I put together myself. My 5-string is my main "go-to" bass and my next bass will probably be a 5-stringer as well.
Thought about going up to a 6-stringer but realized that at the 5th fret on my 5-stringer, the strings go to EADGC (as does a modern 6-string) and I see no need to go higher up the register than that. Dropping any lower than the bottom B (F#) is just plain ridiculous IMO.
one of the main reasons I like the 5-string is because I can play up the neck and not have to move around as much on the fretboard as I would with a 4-string bass.
Thought about going up to a 6-stringer but realized that at the 5th fret on my 5-stringer, the strings go to EADGC (as does a modern 6-string) and I see no need to go higher up the register than that. Dropping any lower than the bottom B (F#) is just plain ridiculous IMO.
one of the main reasons I like the 5-string is because I can play up the neck and not have to move around as much on the fretboard as I would with a 4-string bass.
I started out with a 4 string for about 6 months then went to a 5'er I still have a 4 string but my main and acoustic bass are 5... I just feel more comfortable with a 5
Started in 1981 and my first 5-string came to my house in 1992. Now I own and play both.
Nooooo, the first came in 1990!!! A master built 5-string from a local luthier!
Nooooo, the first came in 1990!!! A master built 5-string from a local luthier!
Been playing 30something years. Started on 4 strings, moved to fivers around 15 years ago (+/- a couple yrs). Why you ask? Got tired of multiple tunings; E - Eb - drop D, I hate retuning or switching basses between songs. I have been using the same 5 string since 2000. It has been the only bass I own for about 8 or so years. In standard tuning it pretty much covers my musical needs.
Ive been playing bass for a little over 10 years now. About 3 years ago I made the switch to fretless, and just last year went to 5 string fretless.
I still take a 4 string with me as backup, but my 4string fretless needs a setup, so I have a fretted backup bass at the moment.
I still take a 4 string with me as backup, but my 4string fretless needs a setup, so I have a fretted backup bass at the moment.
I've been playing bass since 1976 and been a four string guy for almost all that time. I bought my first five-string about ten years ago as I joined a band that was playing songs in all kinds of alternate tunings. I felt it easier to learn to play a five string rather than having to carry around multiple basses or retune bewteen songs. Despite that, I still used a four string mainly and only turned to the five when I needed to. The band I'm in now has a couple of songs that need the B-string, but like before, I only play the five string when I need to. I still prefer a four string. Old habits I guess.
44 years on bass, nearly 2/3rds of those on 5-string. I started playing bass in 1967, and started gigging out in 1972. I eventually reacted to the growing prominence of synth bass by putting a Hipshot detuner on my '64 P-bass (IIRC, it was some time in the late '70's), but I wasn't satisfied. I finally saw my first 5-string around '82-'83, and sold my P-bass shortly afterward.
I've had a few 4-string project basses since then (just got a Squire VM fretless Jazz), but I always get frustrated and flip 'em after a few months. Ditto for the one 6-string I bought.
I know a lot of guys struggle with the transition from a 4-banger, but to me, it felt right from the first time I picked a 5-string up. The wider fingerboard didn't bother me, and I found a bunch of unexpected benefits. I find transposing easier on a fiver (I always hated having to spoil the shape of a riff by popping low notes up the octave). I also liked the freedom to cover a wider range of notes without shifting position, and once I got my amplification sorted out, those low C's and D's were pretty satisfying on some material.
I've had a few 4-string project basses since then (just got a Squire VM fretless Jazz), but I always get frustrated and flip 'em after a few months. Ditto for the one 6-string I bought.
I know a lot of guys struggle with the transition from a 4-banger, but to me, it felt right from the first time I picked a 5-string up. The wider fingerboard didn't bother me, and I found a bunch of unexpected benefits. I find transposing easier on a fiver (I always hated having to spoil the shape of a riff by popping low notes up the octave). I also liked the freedom to cover a wider range of notes without shifting position, and once I got my amplification sorted out, those low C's and D's were pretty satisfying on some material.
