In a world of 5,6 7,9 string basses, will the four string become obsolete while bass players continue to take advantage of the expanded range of the 5,6,7,9 string basses. I was listening to some old school songs from motown and I just love the sound of the bass on those songs, and I am sure the lines were done with four string basses, but will they last much longer??? hmmmm
The four string is here to stay......there is a place for all the different basses. That being said........ Is the bass guitar gonna be here in 50 years? That is a far more interesting question to ponder.(IMHO)
Most of the players I know play fours, and alot of the fivers I know are converting back. I'm just going to stick with five for now.
Most musicians are conservative when it comes to gear, and they tend to stick with what works... ...4-string basses and tube amps are still gonna be around for awhile.
if you consider the history of the Double Bass; at one time in the 19th century you could get a bass with 3,4, or 5 strings. About the only historically consistent characteristic of the DB now is that the overwhelming majority have 4 strings, tho we now see 5 being made again. The BG is about in the same place historically now as the DB was in the 19th c. The BG is still going thru the experimentation phases. I know its been around for 50 years but in the grand scheme of things and in relation to organological history the electric bass is still quite young. the 4 will be here for as long as there are electric basses...
The four string is already obsolete. Just ask: Vic Wooten Marcus Miller Michael Manring Stanley Clark Brian Bromberg Victor Bailey Mike