Who made the permanent switch to 5 Strings?

[IronSpatula]

EUB - currently 4, not sure where I will go with this

A low B played arco can be earth-shattering, FWIW...

 

[wvbass]

I switched from 4 to 5 for quite a while, but the last couple years found myself using only my 4’s.

Last night, I used a 5 all night and really didn’t have much troubleoving parts around to use the B string. I guess it’s like riding a bike.

 

[darwin-bass]

Me - Twice. First time I went back to 4 because the 5 hurt my L hand and my poor muting techniques left one string always droning away.

A few yrs later I improved my muting techniques and switch to 5. Left hand issues came back. I'm now back on 4 to stay.

 

[edro]

There is no universal better. Why limit yourself? I have IVs and Vs...Love em all. Big fun...
Some things are more fun on a IV, some on a V.... Probably some on a VI too... Not VII+, them folks are crazy.
Some things are easier on a Jazz. Some are easier on a Louisville Slugger neck P bass.
Some things are better on Jazz pickups. Some are better on Precision pickups.
Are my Lesters better than my Skrats and Teles? No. Shuffle the three around and the answer is still no.
Is ebony better than rose, maple, BBQ maple, wenge, da Bakelites,etc.? No. Shuffle those around too. Still no.
Is an SVT rig better'n a 371? No. Inverse? No.

I have a Jazz fretless too.... is fre... oh never mind. Same deal as above...

There is no universal better. Play what makes you moist. IV, V, VI... but not VII+...Them folks are crazy...

disclaimer: doubled IVs are not addressed as they are IVs and octave skrangs... Still a IV...

 

[CameronJohnson]

Currently have 4 electric basses (will be 5 as of tomorrow) and only 1 of them is a 4-string. I keep it around for fun and because it’s sounds amazing. But 99% of my playing is on 5ers. My first bass was a 4 and after the first couple years of playing I knew I needed that extra string. I play mostly Soul and R&B.

 

[bassbenj]

Here's a thing I hadn't thought of before as to why I like 5ers. People talk about the difference of tone between playing open strings and playing the same notes on a 5 further up the neck. Well, I try to buy basses where this difference is minimized, but eventually I realized it's still there to some extent. Now here's the deal. The tone further up the neck tends to sound more like the tone I used to get when I played 4 string short scale all the time. Now I don't play short scale 5ers because I haven't found one with a decent B that I can afford. But this effect of playing up the neck does ease the pain and furthermore gives the short scale advantage that I always loved of the frets being closer together to allow you to better reach things. Just a 5 string thought.

 

[megaboogie]

I don't think I can fully switch, they both have their charms. I love playing both 4 & 5's.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I have a 5 stringer. Looking for another but, I can't see giving up on the fours.

In fact, I just strung up a 4 string P bass with Labella Jamerson flats and a foam mute
and for right now, that's my go-to bass.

I have a 6 string, not interested in getting another.

 

[nilorius]

You can love the 5 more and play it more, but if there is also a good 4, why don't leave it, it can always be usefull.

 

[dfoehr]

I play a 5 string, until I play a 4 string. Actually, I have 3 5-string basses and 5 4-string basses. When I first went from 4 to 5 string bass, I thought, I don't need my 4 string basses anymore and was going to sell my 4-string basses. Thank God I didn't. I enjoy playing 4-string basses and they have their place.

 

[Al T.]

I have a 35" scale WarmothGecko 5 with an EMG MM5TW pickup in the sweetspot and a 34.5"scale F- Bass .They both have excellent B- strings and are tonally versatile. I have a 4 string in the classifieds now as I haven't played it for the last year or so. The wider necks are easier on my elderly hands.

 

[Matt Spratt]

I switched a number of years back with the intent of playing both. It was then that I discovered that I reference off the low string; found it confusing and not worth the effort to retrain my brain. I like the Tobias 5 a lot.

 

[Afc70]

I switched to 5’s in October 2014.. bought a Modulus Q-5. Absolutely love it! And honestly, the transition was so easy, way easier than I had thought. About one week of serious shedding, 2-3 hrs a day & I made the switch & have no regrets. Another thing Ive noticed, it seems 5’s generally have a girthier, beefier tone than 4’s (not even counting the low B)- my guess is the added mass, contributes to this. I’m at home on a 5, it’s nice to have that low B string if needed.

 

[C_Becker]

I did. Once I started with a five, I never went back. I only own 5-string bassses now. That A-string as a reference in the middle just works for me.

This. I feel kinda lost on a four-string. And that B-string makes for a very comfortable thumb-rest if nothing else

 

[Jeff Scott]

Who made the permanent switch to 5 Strings?

I did.

















For a few years.

 

[rashrader]

I tried.... For about 6 years I was only on Fretted and Fretless Fivers. Then I got the urge to buy a Four String Fretted to simplify my options on the fretboard. It really did streamline my playing a bit. Anyway. I’m about ready to buy a Fretless Four String now.

Beware the urges of permanence. A little variety can go a long way to sparking creativity. YMMV

 

[eJake]

I needed a 5 for modern dancehall stuff. Now it's pretty much all I gig on. I won't ever sell all my 4s because I love my first bass and she's a 4.

 

[eJake]

Switched to a five string bass in 1990 and never looked back.
The fingering options alone are worth the added girth of a wider neck.
True, to get a clear open low B you need to find a quality instrument and use the right strings, but it's well worth it in my opinion.

The thing about a clean open low B (on my cheap basses) is that it takes very precise technique.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Just got myself my first 5 string and after a few weeks of acclimatisation and technique overhaul I am loving it.

I’m loving it so much I’m seriously considering selling my 4’s and going with 5 strings - anyone done the big change over? Any regrets?

If you’re digging it, have at it!.

 

[SteveC]

... 5’s generally have a girthier, beefier tone than 4’s (not even counting the low B)- my guess is the added mass, contributes to this. I’m at home on a 5, it’s nice to have that low B string if needed.

I think the E string on a 5 string sounds better. The neck on my Roscoe isn’t huge at all, very comfy which is why it “wins” over even a thin jazz neck, but I think there’s something to the more mass theory.

I also think the B string is a nice thumb rest/reference point when you’re not using it.