Who needs five strings??!

[cronker]

Sigh

 

[moody]

I have tried Bead tuning, and while it was okay, I found myself missing the high string. I love my fiver, but I have found that my favorite tuning for right now is a 4 string tuned to D-standard so I can go to drop C.

Having used a 5 string for years, I am looking at tuning all my basses to D-standard. Not worried about drop C though.

 

[Zodion]

I've been looking (casually) for a five'r. Played everyone that look decent at Sam Ash. Could not find a B string that sounded right. Found a couple that had decent spacing and one with a halfway acceptable radius. But not a B to be had.

The search continues.

Many times it's the strings. Only a few companies make them right

 

[Zodion]

With the 5 I use it as a four, five, and instead of a 6 string like almost everyone here has (I'm selling mine) I use the G for those high notes

 

[hrodbert696]

Well, obviously it depends on what you're doing. There aren't a lot of songs that need all five strings to play, but there are some - Get Lucky comes to mind (if you're going to do all the high fills). Heck, there aren't a lot of songs that really require more than two strings to play. The thing is, though, that songs vary in WHICH two they need. In a given set I might have one song that needs the B string and another that needs the G. It's cumbersome and disrupts the flow of the performance to keep switching basses mid-set, so I'd much rather have one bass that can do it all, and that means a 5er.

 

[Zodion]

For metal anyway 5 strings come in handy. Lots of people actually prefer to down tune a 4 but the 5 gives you all the options. I love low notes mixed with the melodious harmony so a 5 is the way to go.....Or my own drop tuned 4

 

[IanA]

I fall in and out of love with fivers, A four string just feels so natural to me especially in live situations, but I do love the challenge of a good fiver.
Am still not convinced that I like the tone of the B string especially higher up the neck, there is something about the tonal purity of a four string that a B string cannot match

 

[cronker]

A big part of the appeal of a fiver is that your positioning changes, and you can access scale patterns easier on a five.

 

[el murdoque]

I was planning on doing the BEAD tuning on one of my four strings just to see if it gets me more comfortable, since i'm a five string guy. I think the change of not having a G string on the bass is smaller than to not having a B string and it messes less with my head - so i might pick up the four strings more often.
It was discussed here more than once, that the five lower notes are not the only issue about playing fivers, but having five strings under your fretting hand at every bit of the neck is. Once that settles in, it's hard to get it out again. Except for those who are 4 string guys by heart.

 

[cnltb]

Who needs five strings??!
To me it's mostly about reading jobs.
There , having the 5th string is very helpful.

 

[RunBeerRun]

I love thick strings, that's why I have a 5. But I don't even want those low notes now.

 

[FretNoMore]

The first time I tried a five string it just felt better in my hands, a four string now feels too narrow and small. Even if the fifth string would only be a glorified thumb rest most of the time (which it isn't) I think I would still choose it over a four string instrument.

 

[Zodion]

I love thick strings, that's why I have a 5. But I don't even want those low notes now.

Always good for harmony and having them there is useful. With my thrash buddies they play in E standard and all you need are 4 strings, but I throw in that 5 because why not? Jason Newsted also played 5 strings but he played in near the 5th fret a lot

 

[Dave W]

I could never replace a 5er with a BEAD strung bass. It's just not the same thing.

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

I would not play a bass without a G string.

I would, but I'd draw the line at playing one without underpants

 

[overit]

Still getting used to my only bass which is a 5. I was tempted to go back to a 4 after a month but there are alot of options a 5 can give over a 4.

 

[Jon Moody]

In a lot of the current musical theatre shows that I'm playing in the pit for, the bass parts are written specifically with a five string bass in mind. Case in point: Hairspray has a TON of low Ds, Cs and even a couple open Bs. This makes having (at least) a five string a necessity, as jumping the octave in these cases just doesn't sound right.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

I'm about to find out whether I like using a 5. Picked up a gig with a New Country band and there are a bunch of tunes that seem to need it. I thought about a BEAD setup, but I don't want to restring, mess with the nut, etc. because I'm lazy. Besides, switching between BEAD and EADG would confuse the hell out of my tiny little brain.

 

[spanndrew]

Personally, I like 6.

 

[Slevage]

Jaco only needed one. But he chose to play four. That's how good he was.

"Was".......

My guess is that he'd be doing justice to and extended (upper) range, fretless instrument these days if he were still in the business.