switching to 5 string

[jlo95]

Anyone else have this type of experience?

I picked up my first 5 string, a Stingray Classic, in early 2020 for the forthcoming wedding season. It took me a couple months of consistent gigging to get the hang of it. I'm comfortable switching between 4 and 5 strings, but prefer 4.

I play 5 string like a 4 string with 5 extra notes. I rarely play the B string above the 4th fret. If the set doesn't require those low notes, I generally opt for a 4 string. But, that's what works for me.

Congrats on the new bass.

 

[_B_E_A_D_G_]

Welcome to the 5 strings club! I started playing 5 strings two years ago, and I have sold all my 4 strings since and not coming back.

One thing that you will notice with 5 strings is that different makers / models have different string spacings. The EBMM StingRay's is in the sweet spot for me, but some people prefer wider spacing (19mm, like 4's), and a few people prefer narrower.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

So I bought my first 5 string maybe a week ago. EBMM Stingray 5 HH and I am in love with this bass and really loving the B string. I found the transition actually very easy.
It makes me now want to only own 5 string basses. Maybe I am crazy but I feel like I missed out all these years. Anyone else have this type of experience?

First congrats on your bass, and I glad you like it. Also glad the transition was smooth. For some it is an insurmountable transition, but you’ve done it. Congrats.

I was a long time 4 banger, over 40 years before landing a gig that required a 5 string. As opposed to the music from before 1980 where a 4 string was all you needed, for songs written in this century you’d best have 5er. So unless you are playing you fathers (or grandfather’s music), odds are you are much better off having a 5 string.

Best wishes.

 

[Viggo51]

I played a 5er almost exclusively until about 3 years ago when I joined an Americano band. Then played a 4 with them unveil about 6 months ago. I love both. Playing a four string made me choose different positions and found myself on journey up the neck more. The 5 really opens up your availability sonically speaking. I’ll play a low C or D for big black hole like notes. It just kills!

 

[2cooltoolz]

I bought my first 5 as a dedicated bassist in 2012 (guitar player dabbling before @2010). I pretty much went 5s only about 6 years ago, playing with a band which transposed a lot of covers down for the vocalist. The GP kept several guitars on stage in different tunings and was also a capo-meister. I pretty much gave up on open strings and generally played 3rd position up on a five. Occasionally, a walk-up from B.
Started having back problems; about a year ago decided 5s were too heavy, and moved back to 4s. That took more adjustment than the move to 5s, for me.

Anyway, my back is getting better (surgery), I bought this goofy looking thing

and I'm going to try to go back to fives. They have many advantages, and the only disadvantage I've found tends to be weight (I've owned a couple 11 pound +).

I don't understand why so many seemed to be challenged by their existence. I'm not bothered if one wants to play a 1 string. Play what you like!

 

[Steve Dallman]

Mid-late 80's, I used a Hipshot D-tuner on my 4. When I found myself leaving it in D most of the time I thought I'd try a 5. I found a cheap, used Washburn 5. I took to it immediately and was totally comfortable with it in about a week. That was 1990. I have over a dozen 5's. I have two 4's...one is a headless Explorer bass I built in 1980, and the other is a 26" scale P bass.

I'm so set in my ways at almost 70. I see no reason to ever go back to a 4 again.

 

[groovepump]

Switching from 4 to 5 is easy.... if you can imagine that the 5-string is a 4-string with an extra Low B.

That's how I approached it long ago... back in 1996.

I had a problem with the conversion to 5 because I started using the B string to play across the neck more, so many of my previous approaches to my bass lines changed. When this really sets-in, the 5er is more than just a 4 string with 4 lower frets. It simplifies hand movement in many bass lines. Now I screw up going back to a 4.

 

[logdrum]

I am flexible - 3 to 6 between 29.5 to 36 inch scale and one 4 tuned in 5ths.
I have 2 fives, one tuned to E-C

But just as a pure bassist, support role, 4 is where I am at.

 

[salmon256]

I am also planning to switch to a five string and I feel you on that belief. I play everything but have a legit interest in playing in folk, Hawaiian, polka all those lesser know genres, and crazy as it is, five string is prefer for those genres in my case! I feel you on the missing link I think it may be also that most five strings are users second bass so you get something way more quality compare to your first bass as well, however some basses I prefer the 4 string like L2000 over the L2500. Love the Miller Sire five string! Just my opinion of course!

 

[lomo]

I transitioned from 4 to 5 after playing for a few years and never again felt a desire to play a 4. I have only 5 string BEADG basses and don't miss a 4, which now feels unfamiliar to me. I find a 5 easier to play.....less north-south and more economy of motion moving across the board......easier transpositions and much shorter reach available. Shorties are all the rage now, but a 30" scale bass involves more reach than playing a 5er in 5th position, which is where I spend most of my time.

 

[J Wilson]

I transitioned to fives in the late 80's and didn't own any fours until I bought a Squier Jazz on a whim a few years ago.

I was never comfortable on a four for any number of reasons, and a five just fits me. Six is too many for what I do, and fours are just lacking, so I'm a 'lifer' on a five string.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I picked up my first 5 string back around 2002 or so. Of 5 basses I now only own one four, and as nice as it is I feel like there's something missing every time I play it.

 

[groovepump]

I bought my first 5 as a dedicated bassist in 2012 (guitar player dabbling before @2010). I pretty much went 5s only about 6 years ago, playing with a band which transposed a lot of covers down for the vocalist. The GP kept several guitars on stage in different tunings and was also a capo-meister. I pretty much gave up on open strings and generally played 3rd position up on a five. Occasionally, a walk-up from B.
Started having back problems; about a year ago decided 5s were too heavy, and moved back to 4s. That took more adjustment than the move to 5s, for me.

Anyway, my back is getting better (surgery), I bought this goofy looking thing
View attachment 4829635 and I'm going to try to go back to fives. They have many advantages, and the only disadvantage I've found tends to be weight (I've owned a couple 11 pound +).

I don't understand why so many seemed to be challenged by their existence. I'm not bothered if one wants to play a 1 string. Play what you like!

I had the same experience, exactly. The singer kept transposing, and using a capo all the time, and I went to a 5 to simplify my life. But, as you say, the weight is noticeable in a 3 or 4 hour gig. I recently received a Glarry 5 string with full intent on tearing the frets off. I will still do the conversion, but I have to say, just this once, that I received a Glarry bass that was set-up right. The action, intonation were spot-on. Light-weight compared to my Squiers. No buzz or hiss, even when I switched to a twisted-pair speaker cable as an instrument cable. yes, the strings were crap, and the pick-ups anemic and a bit weak. But with gain and EQ from a pre-amp, it sounded . . . GREAT! This is not a plug for Glarry, as I have written a few terrible reviews about them. But it's a $100 5 string that weighs around 7 lbs, and can be made to serve. Maybe I got the only good one they ever produced. At any rate, I'm happy with it, but I'll still TEAR THE FRETS OFF !!! (and replace strings and pups).

 

[KRJax]

I recently purchased the Ibanez SRMD 205 and I’ve been playing it about a month. The string spacing was a little hard to get used to as was muting with an added string. I’m becoming adapted to it and enjoy playing it.

 

[kerrycares]

I only play 5

 

[Fretless55]

Floating thumb technique makes 5/6 string basses possible.

 

[kumimajava]

Many similar stories shared already - but since about a few weeks from starting on a 4, got curious about 5s.

Quite a bit if the music I listened to and wanted to learn to play required eitehr tuning the whole bass (=hassle), or de-tuning the E->D, which lost the 'symmetry' across strings (= challenging for my little beginner-brain). Tried a 5, and immediately it seemed to feel somehow easier than trying various gymnastics on the 4. Perhaps a 'lazy' choice to some extent - but just what felt comfy for me, from early on.

 

[thisSNsucks]

I’ve pretty much switched to 5s these days.

I think the biggest thing aside from the extra string is all the variations between nut width and string spacing. Oh yeah, and scale length too!

Makes it a little trickier to find something that you’re comfortable on right away.

 

[ThingsAbove]

I played 5 strings exclusively for a few years. Then I came back to only 4 strings for a decade. I am more fluid on a 4 and find that I improvise better. If I'm flying around on a 5 string I seem to become vertically challenged and fret the D string thinking I'm on the A (too many years on 4s).

I now have three 4 string basses including a Rick that I love. I only one five string, a Yamaha BB435.

Even though I play the 4s better and have 3 of them to one fiver, I gig my Yamaha BB435 5 string the most because I just love to hear that B string light up the subs when playing out.

Yeah, I'm "one of those guys". Tasteless and loud.

 

[prndltech]

I always say I’m not smart enough to play a 4

I never say never, but I’ll more than likely never buy another 4 string bass. I haven’t in a decade so….