Would you rather have a 4, 5, or 6 string bass, and why?

[JimmyM]

4. I do have a 5 but it's relegated to home practice duty and a very occasional request from a client, like two in 10 years.

 

[Dabndug]

Right now, I'm mainly playing Bass VI, with 4-string upright as my number 2. Haven't had the need for a low B yet, but never say never.

 

[BunchyMutt]

My only and longest owned bass is a 6 string. I'd want either a 4 or 6 string. The former b/c it's so different from a 6 strong and usually a more classic p or j bass. The latter because it's an extension of what I know. Interestingly I stay away from 5 strings

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I was just pondering this question, I know the reason most people choose one or the other, but why specifically do you choose one over the other?
What drew you to one? or what made you switch to another?
Me personally I have one 4 string and one 5 string, so I can have the best of both worlds.
I liked the 6 string, but it was not comfortable at all for me.
I like the idea of having 7, or 12 strings, but nothing I would use as my main performer.

4 string. Because I play the bass.

 

[TDR1138]

I learned on a 4, Played 5 & 6...
I have 7 Basses. 6 are 4's one is a 5

I can say this exactly.

But that said, if I could find a 6 string with ergonomics (string spacing, neck, etc) that suit me, I’d forego the 5 and just play a 6 when I wanted more than 4. The only reason I sold my 6 is because the string spacing was too tight. I often wish I still had it.

 

[The Bass Bear]

I started off on an upright 4 string and gigged with that for 4 years now. I started playing electric about a year ago, and I ended up with a 5 string squier to learn on because the guitar center in my area was practically giving it away. Now I can't use 4 string electrics because I'm so used to lines incorporating the 5th string. So I only use 5 string electrics and 4 string uprights.

 

[TomB]

I like the 5 because it puts the low E, F & G etc up where I can see ‘em and I don’t have to reach for them - the lazy man’s bass .

 

[Bass4Gsus]

That low B C D can really set the mode. I went for the 5 for that low rumble. I keep the 5 so I can play across all five strings in one position. I prefer to think of it as efficient. You can't play the low notes if you don't have them, and you don't play those low notes when it's not appropriate. It's versatile and gives me choices up and down the neck.

My upright is 4 strings as is my EUB, the uprights are different instruments. Since this is an EB forum I voted 5.

 

[Whippet]

more strings the better.

I regret not starting out on a Ken Smith 7 string.

 

[Rojd]

I have a 4, 6, and 7(Ashula hybrid, non traditional, does that count?). If I had to pick one for myself, I would choose a 6, which is comfortable for me.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

I voted 5. Use what's right for the gig, but at some point you also have to take into account what you're most comfortable and effective with. For me that's a 5, and I'm pretty much exclusively a 5-string player now (still have one 4 but it's surrounded by four other basses, all 5's which I use constantly). I'm just more comfortable on a 5 with the extra string and lower octave of notes, more hand positions available and the added bonus of scaring most guitarists when they think I'm going to slap my way through the set because I'm not rocking a 4 like they seem to think every bassist should.

 

[logdrum]

I should have said 4 but I am playing upright more but bass guitar, I prefer a 6 nowadays, even though I always played and got paid for 4. I had a 5 stringer briefly.

 

[megarat]

I'm a four-stringer at the moment. I tried six strings for a while -- primarily for the extra range across the fretboard, but also for the added low end -- and it was fun to play around with to stretch myself, but I eventually soured on it. I might have been able to work through some of my issues (I found the fingerboard to be too wide and my fingers would frequently get disoriented and lost), but the more I played the sixer, the more I came to realize that I love the simplicity of the four-string bass. Compared to the sixer, it's just so fast and easy and fun.

I'm considering experimenting with BEAD as a Plan B.

 

[pellomoco14]

5 exclusively for me. Mostly because 16.5mm string spacing is most comfortable for me. If the gig specifically calls for a 4. I'll keep the low b muted and ignore it. I'm thankful for the B when playing unison lines w/keys& bass. Eg; 2 or 3 measures of unison melody. Only breaking the pattern for the D-f cromatic walk up to the root. A lot of Herbie Hancock tunes come to mind. It becomes a very powerfull tool when used sparringly like explatives, cologne and spices.
I however failed to handle a high c with class. It caused me to switch to guitar mode

 

[walking Bass]

I started when the only basses were 4 strings. Played a Gibson EB-2 for years and never felt the need for anything else. Bought a Ken Smith 5 string in the '90s and found the low B pretty irrelevant.

I now play three 4 string basses regularly - Gibson SG, Rob Allen MB-2 fretless and Taylor Mini (for noodling).

I've seen many bassists over the years and I've never personally seen a 5 string bassist I thought special. From James Brown's band to BB King's - all 4 string and then there's Cachao and all the string bassists...

 

[TolerancEJ]

My answer is: All of the Above! I own basses of 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-string configurations and I love them all.

 

[ZAR14]

I can say this exactly.

But that said, if I could find a 6 string with ergonomics (string spacing, neck, etc) that suit me, I’d forego the 5 and just play a 6 when I wanted more than 4. The only reason I sold my 6 is because the string spacing was too tight. I often wish I still had it.

I had a 6, traded it in for something I enjoyed playing more...

 

[ZAR14]

Is this a riddle?

What's tripping you up?

 

[Watchootognbout]

Since 2007 I have settled once and for all on the six.
It has the low B and the extended upper range.

I can tap a low bassline on the B,E,and A strings.
And tap chords on the D,G and C strings above the twelfth.

I can also experiment with extreme upper register chords.

But most of the time I just play regular basslines.

 

[pappabass]

That is a tough one. I played a 5 at church. The b string helped because we played songs in D & F. Plus the lower notes really resonates. Now, the small venue with just acoustic guitars, a 4 string is more approiate.