What is the benefit if a 5-string bass? 6-string?

[Lownote38]

Wow. This thread got crazy! I mainly play a 5 string because I can move across the fret board instead of up it and play difficult passages more easily taking that approach. Also, as a bass player, I love low notes and rattling chairs. 5 strings are great for that.

 

[MikeOnBass73]

I own a 5 string Bass, a 6 string fretted Bass, a 6 string fretless Bass, a 7 string Bass and two 4 string Upright Basses. I am infinitely more comfortable on my two 6 string basses and my 3/4 size upright bass and so I use those three instruments on almost all of my gigs. 5 and 6 string basses allow easier access to more range in less hand positions..... You can play more notes without moving your neck hand as much and they have a greater range than 4 string basses. In the music I play most (Jazz), I find my 6 string basses to be extremely useful and valuable and yes I do take a lot of solos.

 

[bassbenj]

I own a 5 string Bass, a 6 string fretted Bass, a 6 string fretless Bass, a 7 string Bass and two 4 string Upright Basses. I am infinitely most compfortable on my two 6 string basses and my 3/4 size upright bass and so I use those three instruments on almost all of my gigs. 5 and 6 string basses allow easier access to more range in less hand positions..... You can play more notes without moving your neck hand as much and they have a greater range than 4 string basses. In the music I play most (Jazz), I find my 6 string basses to be extremely useful and valuable and yes I do take a lot of solos.

My view exactly. I own 4 string basses (which I never play anymore) 5 string and 6 string in fretted and fretless (often in matched pairs) a couple 7 string fretted basses and an 8 string (doubled) just for grins. These days I am most comfortable with 5 and 6 string basses. My 7 strings clearly need some woodshed time to get proper use of the range in solos. And say what you will, but there is nothing quite like my 8 string when you want that, but my main gripe about it is that it is basically a 4 string bass and I find that limiting. I've got serious GAS for a 10 string! Easy times are with 5 and 6 strings. Generally I choose 6 when I want to solo, use chords, double stops etc. that need the upper range and I use 5 string when I don't need the upper range and a 6 string isn't available like say my G&L L2500 basses which tend to be my main axes for lots of things.

PS. And I'm really getting the itch to get an upright again! GAS never ends! ...and of course I've got my eye on a 5 string upright!