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What are the up sides for a five string bass???

J

Josh Emmons

Apr 26, 2009
221
9
Castle rock, Colorado
#1
simple question AND NO TROLLS!!!!!!! im getting a custom 5 string bass built for me by the luthier named Pavel De La Fuente, of Pavel basses. needed it for the style of music i play, Lots of Gospel and Jazz, (needed the 4 extra low notes.) but aside from the 4 extra notes, what are the up sides, such as extra bassy notes, any different acoustics, ECC, that a 5 string bass has. and NO, i cant just use a drop d tuner, or just simply just detune. so again, NO TROLLS.:p
 
#11
My favorite is having the E at fret five of the B. That lets you play anything with a low E with no open strings and in the middle of the fretboard as opposed to the end.

A touch more control over notes that were formerly played open and a bit easier on the left shoulder.
 
#12
Josh Emmons said:
simple question AND NO TROLLS!!!!!!! im getting a custom 5 string bass built for me by the luthier named Pavel De La Fuente, of Pavel basses. needed it for the style of music i play, Lots of Gospel and Jazz, (needed the 4 extra low notes.) but aside from the 4 extra notes, what are the up sides, such as extra bassy notes, any different acoustics, ECC, that a 5 string bass has. and NO, i cant just use a drop d tuner, or just simply just detune. so again, NO TROLLS.:p
Click to expand...

Another potential benefit besides the others mentioned is heftier construction. The necks are wider and more heavily built, so this can change the tone over the 4 string version of a particular bass.

So if you're into really massively strong, stiff, overbuilt basses (like I am), a 5+ string can actually be a good choice just for tone alone. My G&L L2500 (before it was stolen that is), was built a lot heftier than my L2000 is and so it had a significantly flatter, smoother tone than my L2000 does. It had a quarter-sawn neck that was built like a tree stump; it went "whack" when you tapped it unlike my L2000 (more of a "tonk" when you tap it).

My Carvin Bunny 6 string is even heftier with a 5 piece thru-body neck. It has a lovely smooth tone....

So even if you don't ever use the extra string, a 5+ string can be a good tonal option depending on what you want....

LS
 
#13
Josh Emmons said:
simple question AND NO TROLLS!!!!!!! im getting a custom 5 string bass built for me by the luthier named Pavel De La Fuente, of Pavel basses. needed it for the style of music i play, Lots of Gospel and Jazz, (needed the 4 extra low notes.) but aside from the 4 extra notes, what are the up sides, such as extra bassy notes, any different acoustics, ECC, that a 5 string bass has. and NO, i cant just use a drop d tuner, or just simply just detune. so again, NO TROLLS.:p
Click to expand...

The fifth string.

:hiding:
 
#15
Playing tunes in Eb with a horn section-easiest transposing on the planet, just shift fingering pattern to root off 5th string 4th fret and you are in like Flynn-and all those horny b@stards who do nothing but read charts in their sleep get new-found respect for you! And all you had to do was move your hand south...
 

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