Why play a four string?

[Chalotrejo]

I had to get a 5 string to land a gig with a Pop band in the late 80's. Loved the extended range and stayed, but I have a 4 string P that I love to play when the gig don't call for very low range (jams and classic rock stuff). Have used 6 string also, loved it too, but the particular 6 string bass that I had was heavy, so no more. Anyway, in my view is like having keyboards available with more or less keys. It comes to what you need for the gig.

 

[micguy]

It’s personal preference. For me 5 and 6 string basses just aren’t rock and roll. Got nothing against them, they’re just not for me.

I understand what you're saying, but if you've ever played through a PA with 20KW driving a decent array of subs, and hit a low B on a 5'er, I think your perception would change. I mostly play 4's, but when the music calls for it, and I get to play a 5 through a great PA, that earthshaking feeling, to me, IS the very definition of rock and roll.

 

[Pitchpole]

I wrestled with the...

Me too, I've been thinking for ages that four strings is too much. Less is better. And there's nothing I can write on four strings that can't be performed on three. Sometimes even just two. I'm going to just rip that low E off.

 

[Ögon]

Why do i play a 4 string bass?

• I am lefthanded
  and i don't want a boring bass color like brown or black. 5 string lefthanded bassguitars are quite rare, and if you find one... They are mostly brown or black. ( I have a tidepool blue Fender Precision )
• About 95% of the songs i play don't require a 5 string or sound fine when i play the B, C, C# or D one octave up or when i play them on the E string, because it sounds more bass'y on the E.
• The low B, C, C# and D could be played using an octave pedal if you are determent.
• Honestly, i never played a 5 string before, but i imagine it's easier to play. You can hold your frethand in the box shape / 3-4 fret-finger spread. Do i want it to play easier? Hmm, i like a challenge.

 

[jdc866]

I have several 4s and a 6. I had and played a single cheap 4-string bass for almost 20 years, always in drop D. Recently I’ve upgraded and added several basses to my arsenal, including a fretless U•Bass.

I bought the 6-string last year and played it almost exclusively. Super fun to learn. Now I switch between all of them depending on the requirements, and sometimes I just grab the 4 because I’m super fast on it, but I’m also limited a bit so I’m forced to be creative in other ways than just slamming those super low tones.

Also bought a Fender 4-string and put flats on it for the classic tone/vibe (has the block inlays...always loved that look).

I absolutely love the freedom and ease of playing a multi-scale. But I also love to switch it up and add some limitations back in, because for me it just adds to the fun of playing.

5-string headless with fanned frets is next on the list. Excited for another new flavor

 

[TJL]

In the immortal words of Kung Fu Panda..."Noodle, no noodle" it does not matter. I have been a 5,6,and 7 string player since the 80's, but my rule of thumb has always been if you can't pull off the music on a 4 string, it is your fault as a player. It is amazing how a good 4 string player can compensate for the lack of a low B string with innovative bass lines. I will go to a gig with a 4 string knowing that the tunes for the night could use a low B all over them, but I enjoy the challenge of making the songs seamless with the handicap. It is not like anyone in the band turns around and gives me the stinkeye if I am relegated to EADG.
I would never have sold off my 4 string because as a session bassist, I rarely use anything else in studio. Producers expect it, and the potential for unintentional string noise make using a 5 string a bit risky. Now I admit that you may not be able to avoid using a 5 or more string if you are working a Gospel or death metal gig, but you would be surprised at how well a 4 string can handle 99% of the situations out there.

 

[Marlon Carbone]

5? Why not 6?

6? Why not 7?

7? Why not 13?

13? Why not 88? LOL

Okay, I'm a 7 string player. Going from 4 to 5 strings was WAY harder than going from 5 to 6 and 6 to 7. 7 wound up being my voice. I've played 8's, but just didn't find that there was anything that I needed, from that instrument, that I didn't already have... ***for what I do***.

Let me reiterate... ***for what I do***

That's the most important part of this entire conversation. Some people find that 4 strings is all that's necessary to do what they do (and trust me... I envy them... their lives are SO much easier). You have found your voice and that's an important part of being a player.

5'ers used to be somewhat rare. Nowadays... just about every maker has a bunch of 5'er options. If you move to 6'ers, you're going to find a lot fewer options. 7's? Fugghetaboutit! There are a few "off the shelf" options (I have one), but you're going to have to go custom to get what you want.

The point? 7 is not better than 6 is not better than 5 is not better than 4... they are merely different. If 5'ers are your voice, don't let anybody tell you you're wrong in any way. You play the instrument you play. If you do it well and it makes you happy... screw everybody else. I catch a lot of flack about playing 7's. I honestly don't care. It's what makes me happy and I never tell anybody that playing fewer strings is "less" in any way. Almost all of my heros play 4's.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I wrestled with the title of this post.

I have been a four string player for a long time (longer than I’m going to tell anyone).

But as music has progressed, last year I found myself in need of the “even” lower register. A lot of music diving down to low D, C and even B.

So after a torrid affair with a cheapo fake Fender fiver I pulled the trigger on a quality fiver.

After a little acclimation I seem to have it well in hand now.

And besides the lower notes I have found the greater freedom of horizontal playing.

I still move up and down the board. You know some old habits will never die.

But I now see no reason to have a four string anymore. I can play everything on the five. Even if I never drop below the E it gives me many choices I didn’t have before. And I find that liberating.

My last four string I had for 7 years. And we had a bond. But when the fiver came into the picture it went into the case and sat for three months.

I don’t think anybody wants to sit a $1600 bass in its case for months let alone years.

I released it about a month ago. While I miss it I have new friends now. And have lost interest in four string entirely.

I understand fivers aren’t for everyone.

Some people have small hands. Same here. I tried them all. Well those I could afford. I’m sure Alembic make a very lovable fiver. But I love my house too.

No one was more surprised as I was that Fender made the five string bass I would love so much.

And after a great while playing only fives I wonder why anyone wouldn’t just play those and let the four just go extinct.

I’m sure the flamers are writhing their hands as they read this.

I think I just heard a MMBWAAAAHAHAHAHA in the distance.

My point is I moved away from fours and I don’t see any reason to ever go back.

So I doubled down.

View attachment 3714769

My situation is very similar to yours. I played four-string exclusively for 20-plus years. I was tempted but unsure about five-string. Finally tried one: wasn't as tricky as I feared. Finally bought one: after a couple/few months of immersion, I was gigging on it.

Yes, it took months to get used to the extra string, break myself out of old habits, become comfortable with new fingerings for songs I'd been playing for decades on four... etc. Once that happened I realized five-string was perfect for me.

I originally thought that I wanted five string to hit notes below low E without having to use a D-Tuner. Once I got one I realized that the real advantage was having a two-octave range in each fingering position -- and that includes above the 5th fret, where all notes are in four-string territory.

I eventually sold all my fours, even my favorites: I no longer played them and don't like to keep unused instruments. I don't recommend that anyone else do this... in fact it's probably better to remain fluent on four and five. It's not like I can't play four string, but now that I'm accustomed to the advantages of five-string, I have no desire to play four.

I also learned that I was more comfortable on normal-spaced fivers: meaning, not narrow-spaced, like the Music Man fivers. After all those years playing four, my right hand especially was accustomed to 19-20mm (3/4") string spacing at the bridge. 17mm, even 18mm spacing feels too cramped to me.


So, why not six-or-more-strings? Reason #1: with six-string I'd have to deal with either a wider neck or narrower string spacing, and would not be comfortable with either. I've played a variety of sixers and have confirmed this. Secondary reason: I haven't heard a high-C string I've liked -- and I've played (and heard) top-of-the-line boutiques. Bottom line: high C is too guitar-y for me. If I ever did get a sixer, it would be F#BEADG. But I wouldn't ever get one because of Reason 1.


Hope I've made it clear that I'm only talking about my own preferences, which shouldn't necessarily affect anyone else's. That said, I encourage any four-bangers who are curious about the benefits of five string to give one a try.

 

[JavierMarr]

Me going to 5 and 6 string was mere progress-ion, progress in music, progress in genres, and above all progress in my playing. I have a 1984 BC Rich Eagle that was my first bass when I started playing and it gets some use because of the sound that is different from my 5's and 6's. So, I'll never get rid of it. But, my go-to's will always be my 5 stringers. My 6 string basses are merely for running finger exercises, scales, just over all finger limbering.
Those are some nice basses you have there. And, good on you.

 

[FunkHead]

In the immortal words of Kung Fu Panda..."Noodle, no noodle" it does not matter. I have been a 5,6,and 7 string player since the 80's, but my rule of thumb has always been if you can't pull off the music on a 4 string, it is your fault as a player. It is amazing how a good 4 string player can compensate for the lack of a low B string with innovative bass lines. I will go to a gig with a 4 string knowing that the tunes for the night could use a low B all over them, but I enjoy the challenge of making the songs seamless with the handicap. It is not like anyone in the band turns around and gives me the stinkeye if I am relegated to EADG.
I would never have sold off my 4 string because as a session bassist, I rarely use anything else in studio. Producers expect it, and the potential for unintentional string noise make using a 5 string a bit risky. Now I admit that you may not be able to avoid using a 5 or more string if you are working a Gospel or death metal gig, but you would be surprised at how well a 4 string can handle 99% of the situations out there.

It's not about being able to pull it off on a 4 string. That's simple.

Playing a "C" that's an octave too high sounds like A$$. It's not hard to do but just sounds wrong. Tuning an E down to a C works but it gets pretty floppy. It's just about impossible to find a string that would work for that much range of tuning.

If someone doesn't need a 5 string, then they simply don't need one. For others, It's essential. I really can't believe there's a debate about this at all.

 

[LowMax]

I wrestled with the title of this post.

I have been a four string player for a long time (longer than I’m going to tell anyone).

But as music has progressed, last year I found myself in need of the “even” lower register. A lot of music diving down to low D, C and even B.

So after a torrid affair with a cheapo fake Fender fiver I pulled the trigger on a quality fiver.

After a little acclimation I seem to have it well in hand now.

And besides the lower notes I have found the greater freedom of horizontal playing.

I still move up and down the board. You know some old habits will never die.

But I now see no reason to have a four string anymore. I can play everything on the five. Even if I never drop below the E it gives me many choices I didn’t have before. And I find that liberating.

My last four string I had for 7 years. And we had a bond. But when the fiver came into the picture it went into the case and sat for three months.

I don’t think anybody wants to sit a $1600 bass in its case for months let alone years.

I released it about a month ago. While I miss it I have new friends now. And have lost interest in four string entirely.

I understand fivers aren’t for everyone.

Some people have small hands. Same here. I tried them all. Well those I could afford. I’m sure Alembic make a very lovable fiver. But I love my house too.

No one was more surprised as I was that Fender made the five string bass I would love so much.

And after a great while playing only fives I wonder why anyone wouldn’t just play those and let the four just go extinct.

I’m sure the flamers are writhing their hands as they read this.

I think I just heard a MMBWAAAAHAHAHAHA in the distance.

My point is I moved away from fours and I don’t see any reason to ever go back.

So I doubled down.

View attachment 3714769

This is and should be, about nothing more than sonics. If you need the lower register then yes. If you don't need that register then don't. You're welcome.

 

[brocco]

I take a 4 and 5 to each gig use them both on a typical 54 song night

 

[RobbieNuke]

My problem with (most) 5-string 'cover tune' performers is when they play low notes on the B-string that aren't on the original recordings. I know those original recordings didn't go that low in the sonic register (there were no 5-string bass guitars back then), so why are they doing it? It just doesn't sound 'right' to me.

I have a Hipshot 'D'-tuner on several basses for the occasional dive into lower registers, but that's usually just a dropped 'D' tuning on the E-string. I also have a rarely used "Fake 5" (4-string bass set-up as B-E-A-D) for authentic low register songs.

 

[Molan]

Simply depends on the gig for me. Played 4 strings for years and then switched to a 5 when I was in a covers band with a female singer who wanted to drop the keys of every song.

We ended up with quite a lot of songs in E and F and some just didn’t sound right playing higher up on the board.

I played 5s for a few years and owned some quality instruments, MTD 535 and a Spector NS were my favourites. Eventually settled on the Spector as it had narrower string spacing that was more comfortable.

Then I joined a band with a singer who had a broader range and swapped back to a 4. Enjoyed playing it much more than my 5 and really didn’t need the extended range so I sold all my 5s.

Now they just feel unnecessarily unwieldy in my hands and I’m a lot happier on a 4

 

[Spooky88]

I built a Warmoth Gecko medium 5 string and a fearful 15/6/1 cabinet to play it through. The cabinet is more important than the bass itself. When I hit that low b.... Oh baby! I'll never go back to a 4 string or the garbage cabinets that are manufactured. Bet me!

 

[thegreenman78]

The clarity of an open low D, C# and C on a 4 string is far superior to a fretted D, C# and C on a 5 string, IMHO.

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[micguy]

6? Why not 7?
7? Why not 13?
13? Why not 88? LOL

You're not thinking big enough,. Pianos have 88 keys, but 230 strings. Some of the big Bodendorfers, more than that

 

[Pilgrim]

Why play a 4-string? Three reasons:

1) I've never encountered anything I want to play that I can't play on four strings.

2) I determined years ago that my fingers aren't smart enough to play more than 4 strings.

3) I don't care to mess with anything having more than 4 strings.

 

[LowMax]

My problem with (most) 5-string 'cover tune' performers is when they play low notes on the B-string that aren't on the original recordings. I know those original recordings didn't go that low in the sonic register (there were no 5-string bass guitars back then), so why are they doing it? It just doesn't sound 'right' to me.

I hear what you're saying but that being said why does "right" have to be so important? having the courage to do things a little differently is the beginning of innovation. And after all Bb is Bb.

 

[armint]

During the last decades (Started playing bass in 1981) I did see a lot of basses come and go.
In total I think I had about 40 odd basses, from which there were about 7 to 10 5ers and one 6er.
Except for only one of them (a LeFay "Herr Schwarz") I always hated the way the neck vibrated in my hand and that's the main reason why I dumped them all. I have Hipshot D-Tuners on all my standard basses, a low D is sometimes quite handy, but every note below D is just big bunch of lost energy.