Who hear finds a 5stringer easier to play than a 4?

[Stevorebob]

I have small hands. 5 even with closer spacing bothers my left hand... I don't need the extra low notes all that often, but I have a 5 I use for fun and travel practicing that I didn't pay a lot for.

A five is less about lower notes than fretboard position flexibility.

 

[petrus61]

My next bass will be an 18mm spaced 5. I'm done being a purist. Heck, it might even have active electronics.

I played a 5 on and off for a while and now that I've been back on 4 for a while, I'm really appreciating a 5's benefits.

 

[mjmeche]

A five is less about lower notes than fretboard position flexibility.

Agree, use lower notes as called for. But positioning is really nice.

 

[petrus61]

A five is less about lower notes than fretboard position flexibility.

+1

 

[bass4worship]

Been playing 5-strings awhile and just got a 4-strings again just to use as a practice bass. As much as I like the 4 the 5 is so much nicer to play.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I play better on a 4. when I play a fender style 4 string with lowish but not too low action and a great setup that is fairly flat along the neck I play completely with confidence, without looking, without thinking, and therefore better, faster, with fewer errors and so on.

But how long did you play a 4 string bass before you got to that point? Now you have to kind of start over. But it won't take as long.

When I got my first 5 string I also switched from playing with a pick to mostly playing with my fingers. Even after 19 years of playing I felt like a beginner. I made mistakes and plucked the wrong string and had to look at my fretting hand. I forgot the B wasn't the E.

Before that I was playing a fretless P style bass and Ricks.

So it just took effort and time spent on the bass before it was second nature.

I have several fairly identical 5 string basses I made (one is fretless) and my '87 Ibanez as well as my 2 old Ricks, an 8 string. I like to get to know instruments very well instead of jumping around between basses. especially when going to more than 4 strings. Get used to one bass. When you feel confident switch to other basses.

 

[Mike Sorr]

I play in three bands, two are rock bands and one is roots and dancehall reggae. I'm constantly going back and forth between my five string Carvin, which is an absolute must on the reggae gigs (unless you're Family Man Barrett), and my four string basses which I use for rock gigs. I much prefer playing a four string, and I still trip myself up if I have to switch to the 5er after a few straight gigs playing the fours. I added a Hipshot D tuner to one of my P basses and find that it does 90% of what I need a five string to do. Don't tell the rest of the guys in the reggae band that though.

 

[dkelley]

But how long did you play a 4 string bass before you got to that point? Now you have to kind of start over. But it won't take as long.

When I got my first 5 string I also switched from playing with a pick to mostly playing with my fingers. Even after 19 years of playing I felt like a beginner. I made mistakes and plucked the wrong string and had to look at my fretting hand. I forgot the B wasn't the E.

Before that I was playing a fretless P style bass and Ricks.

So it just took effort and time spent on the bass before it was second nature.

I have several fairly identical 5 string basses I made (one is fretless) and my '87 Ibanez as well as my 2 old Ricks, an 8 string. I like to get to know instruments very well instead of jumping around between basses. especially when going to more than 4 strings. Get used to one bass. When you feel confident switch to other basses.

I started playing bass in 1983. I played seriously and nearly full time on 4 strings until I got my first 5 with a low b around 2000. In the middle I temporarily played a fretless 5 with a high c for a while. High c five is much easier to switch to because positions between hands and muting are virtually the same as a 4, but of course doesn't help with low range. I was mostly a jazz fusion player then.

Then around a year ago I got my first GOOD 5 strings in my "move to fives"plan and this is when I started to do what you're talking about... Retraining myself.

String muting is the hard part. E or B ringing when on a4 it's all automatic for me! LoL

I play a lot and for pay so I'll get it to be automatic I hope eventually

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I play in three bands, two are rock bands and one is roots and dancehall reggae. I'm constantly going back and forth between my five string Carvin, which is an absolute must on the reggae gigs (unless you're Family Man Barrett), and my four string basses which I use for rock gigs. I much prefer playing a four string, and I still trip myself up if I have to switch to the 5er after a few straight gigs playing the fours. I added a Hipshot D tuner to one of my P basses and find that it does 90% of what I need a five string to do. Don't tell the rest of the guys in the reggae band that though.

I've been using the same Ibanez bass for a classic rock cover band (everything from Beatles, Santana, Pink Floyd and even Talking Heads), an original grunge/punk band and a funk/soul band. After all people used to play P basses on everything! I expect my basses to be versatile.

If you want to stop tripping up on the 5, stop playing the 4 strings until you are fluid on the 5. Also don't play with the same hand positions on the 5 as on the 4. This is when you see people only using the low B for notes lower than E. that's now how you do it. Look for places in songs where you might be playing a low F or even G on the E string and move it over to the B. some things are much easier to play as you don't have to make jumps in position.

 

[jason weatherby]

Factoid of The Day(Tm): 4-string basses have one fewer string Vs 5-string basses.
5 - 1 = 4 (+/-3db)

 

[ShirazBop]

I've been using the same Ibanez bass for a classic rock cover band (everything from Beatles, Santana, Pink Floyd and even Talking Heads), an original grunge/punk band and a funk/soul band. After all people used to play P basses on everything! I expect my basses to be versatile.

If you want to stop tripping up on the 5, stop playing the 4 strings until you are fluid on the 5. Also don't play with the same hand positions on the 5 as on the 4. This is when you see people only using the low B for notes lower than E. that's now how you do it. Look for places in songs where you might be playing a low F or even G on the E string and move it over to the B. some things are much easier to play as you don't have to make jumps in position.

This really helped me to get comfortable on the Fiver!

 

[Sav'nBass]

I bought my first 5 string 20 yrs ago and could get my head around it for the first couple of years, then one day I picked up another brand name 5er and everything just clicked. Haven't looked back since then, for me it's a five string or nothing.

My four string basses rarely see the light of day anymore. I just consider them, retired.

TD

I was so out of the loop when I started playing again in 2001 I was surprised to see 5s... Now that is all I play. I have a 4 ABG and my first bass a 78 Jazz but that's it I am now considering a 6, which I never thought I would.

 

[TrebleFreeZone]

I find it easier to pluck faster on a 5er. The low B catches my fingers as I'm playing the E string.

 

[bassbenj]

I started playing bass in 1983. I played seriously and nearly full time on 4 strings until I got my first 5 with a low b around 2000. In the middle I temporarily played a fretless 5 with a high c for a while. High c five is much easier to switch to because positions between hands and muting are virtually the same as a 4, but of course doesn't help with low range. I was mostly a jazz fusion player then.

I started on 4s for more years than I care to count. And switch to 5s was a revelation to me. I virtually never play 4s now unless forced to (like my 8 string or have to play a house bass). But for some time I played my Carvin AC50 strung with a high C for solos. That worked out quite well, but without the low B you had to play it pretty much as a 4 string.

Eventually I got tired of that with too much changing position and making transposing and playing it odd keys difficult and I put it back as a normal 5 er. I miss the high end sometimes but I'd rather have the easy playing. A 6 string Carvin would be best but they don't make that bass in 6 strings. Same goes for my G&L 5ers. But if you don't need the extended high notes a 5er just fine.

 

[cnltb]

I used to be exclusively 5 but have gotten used to 4 by now.
Now I don't find 5 easier any more.

 

[Dave Siff]

Ever since I switched to 5, I find it hard to go back to a 4-string. I still have one, but it feels like a toy when I pick it up. I've become used to the size of the 5-string neck and I simply find it more comfortable to play, even on songs where I don't need the B-string.

 

[tuBass]

I like narrow spacing, so yes. For a while I went back and forth between a narrow 5 and a wide 4, and it was hell. I converted my that wide 4 (my t40) to a narrow 5 and I've been very happy

 

[DigthemLows]

is this a "show off" thread? How about, "wow, I didn't realize a 5'ver would be easy for me, should have done it sooner" .....

I've played 5s that were like butter, but I never found a practical use for the extra string.....and really, until I feel like I've mastered everything, and for some reason need the extra string, I'll be happy.......ya never know though right.........

 

[Stevorebob]

is this a "show off" thread? How about, "wow, I didn't realize a 5'ver would be easy for me, should have done it sooner" .....

I've played 5s that were like butter, but I never found a practical use for the extra string.....and really, until I feel like I've mastered everything, and for some reason need the extra string, I'll be happy.......ya never know though right.........

I think it's a thread about how a 5-string can be easier to play than a 4. No showing off. It just takes a little time to build the muscle memory that the top string ring is B and not E. No special skill needed, but they're not for everyone.

 

[buzzbass]

my hands are big eneough that any 4 banger feels far too narrow in my hand. I made sthe switch to 5s in mid 90s and will never go back.