What 5-String Should I Try?

[jonni lightfoot]

Zon sure!! hey why not recomend these sites as well! Smith /Modulus / Sadowsky / Fodera etc. all have decent 5 strings! my point is a $1000 / ($1500 on the high end) budget ! wont buy a new ZON 5 string !

Zon has $1500 5 strings, they are the imports. Still great basses. Standard Series - Zon Guitars

 

[backin82]

Zon has $1500 5 strings, they are the imports. Still great basses. Standard Series - Zon Guitars

I simply cannot get over the looks of their basses. I am not a fan of that type of natural wood look or the body shape. I like some natural finishes, but those just don't do it for me. I'm sure they're great basses, but I could never look at it.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I use it for the following reasons:
1a: It allows me to play certain lines without moving up and down the neck as much.
1b: It allows me to get a low B, C, or D when needed (and I use this a LOT at church).

To add to this, when you solo on a 21 fret neck 4 string, you are usually topping out in the key of G if you want a lot of flexibility past the 12th fret.

With the 5 string now you can tune your songs up to A B or D and still have that reach up to the 21st fret.

 

[backin82]

To add to this, when you solo on a 21 fret neck 4 string, you are usually topping out in the key of G if you want a lot of flexibility past the 12th fret.

With the 5 string now you can tune your songs up to A B or D and still have that reach up to the 21st fret.

Well, I've played about 10 improv solos on bass (in over 10 years) that require such flexibility, so its not a big factor for me, haha!

 

[Helaskold]

I swear that 2 out of 5 people who have a 5-string bass slung around their necks mostly only got one because they thought it looked cool.

I don't see the problem with this.

 

[placedesjardins]

Been playing for about 10 years. In a little bit of a music lull right now - just playing at church a couple times per month. I have a full-time (non music) career and will likely only play music on the side randomly from here on out.

My current basses are:
MiM Fender Jazz (4-string)
Cort A5 (5-string)
EBMM Stingray (4-H)

I'm looking for another 5-string to compliment my current basses. Given the style(s) I usually find myself playing, I've found fewer uses for the 'Ray these days. It was great for my 3-guitar rock band, but these days it doesn't get much love. I prefer a 5-string about 75% of the time, and will occasionally bust out one of the 4-strings depending on the setlist. I feel like I have plenty of tonal options between the 'Ray and the J, but I'd like a similar range of sounds in 5-string configuration.

So....what are some good 5-stringers to compliment my Cort? I'd probably prefer something with a bolt-on neck, and probably something passive, but I'm not limiting myself to just that setup. Price range is probably in the $1,000 - $1,500 range ($1,500+ if I sell the Stingray).

I've considered a few Lakland models, but some of them come with the exact same MK-1 pickups / pre that my Cort has. The DJ-5 looks pretty cool, and *might* sound more like my Fender (just guessing...). My best music store options are (sadly) GC and a few small shops, but none of them have nice gear really. Its super tough to find good stuff around here.

Thoughts?

Ibanez BTB 5-string basses. The string spacing is wider than other 5-strings. Has a funky neck horn shape that I like. It is 35" scale. Active pick-ups. Plenty of youtube videos with players using that bass.
Ibanez Premium BTB1605E 5-String Electric Bass Guitar Flat Natural

Or the Ibanez SR in 34" scale.
IBANEZ SR1405-DOF PREMIUM Flame Maple Top Mahogany Body ELECTRIC BASS Nordstrand

Or a custom 5-string bass guitar from Carvin

 

[Ken Lloyd]

Yes.

It's a slight difference in the case of a 35" scale. But many players can feel it in the lower positions and some find it uncomfortable. So it's something to be aware of if you're considering buying one.

I play both 34 and 35" scale basses as well as 42" scale upright. On my calculator, a 35" neck is about 3% longer, actually 2.941%
So the distance between frets on a 35" neck will at most be a little less than 3% longer near the nut, decreasing proportionally as you move up the neck.

Some players really notice it and don't dig it. Others adjust. For me, I sometimes get an unclear note because I didn't adjust and then I pay more attention. The fabulous B on the 35" scale makes it work the little bit of extra work.