hey all, am seriously contemplating a switch to 5 stringers. nid ur advice and opinions on this. wad does that extra string mean for the bassist? truth be told, its only four extra notes right? wad abt song writing? lol. our band has written a numebr of originals with me on the 4 string. wad abt them now? wad are the pros to a 5 stringed bass? possibilities? haha, quite confused here. afraid of using only four of the five strings only. =)
5 stringed bass-possibilites and new horizons?
- Thread starter yanxi
- Start date
purplehaze3691
New member
Do you really need the extra low notes, from B to E, that is the question? I rather have a 6 string bass than a 5 string , I have a more notes to improvise with 
for me now , 4 strings is good enough , maybe if my theory of music improved more than I might need the 6 strings.
cheers
purplehaze3691
for me now , 4 strings is good enough , maybe if my theory of music improved more than I might need the 6 strings. cheers
purplehaze3691
3notesAbar
New member
I got very simple advice for you. They are all the same. End of the day its just what and how you play. So follow your heart when choosing, dont scared this and that. Dont look at others. Look at yourself. Do you like the low notes on the B string? Do you think you will find yourself reaching down to play those notes often? Do you use the B string to end the descending scale from 3-5 fret onwards? Do you often need to transpose songs to keys which need notes lower than E to sound 'right'? Ask yourself these questions. Its all about needs and desires.
jeremyrozario
New member
5-stringers are fun, but need sum getting used too
1) first thing is, that if your slapping on a 4-stringer is quiet sloppy, den on a 5 stringer its gonna really sound bad
2) well dunno about the rest, but i don't play much bass, so when i look down at the fretboard when playig, i always confuse the B string with the E string, same as when i play a 7-stringer
3) the extra $7+++ for changing that really thick and juicy string when its time to change
1) first thing is, that if your slapping on a 4-stringer is quiet sloppy, den on a 5 stringer its gonna really sound bad
2) well dunno about the rest, but i don't play much bass, so when i look down at the fretboard when playig, i always confuse the B string with the E string, same as when i play a 7-stringer
3) the extra $7+++ for changing that really thick and juicy string when its time to change
rottenramone
Active member
..
5 string basses confuse and will kill my brain cells.
5 string basses confuse and will kill my brain cells.
3notesAbar
New member
Re: ..
lolrottenramone said:
From personal experience I can tell you that a switch from a normal electric guitar to a baritone electric guitar isn't easy.
Shouldn't be what, 6 strings, tuning the same..
BUT IT'S DIFFERENT :evil:
I wouldn't go for 5 string bass, coz it sounds like too much work =P
Hey but are there 4 stringers that allow you to go as low as A or B? Will my cheap Samick 4 stringer be able to take it? Intonation, neck, etc.
Shouldn't be what, 6 strings, tuning the same..
BUT IT'S DIFFERENT :evil:
I wouldn't go for 5 string bass, coz it sounds like too much work =P
Hey but are there 4 stringers that allow you to go as low as A or B? Will my cheap Samick 4 stringer be able to take it? Intonation, neck, etc.
like wat 3notesAbar said...
do u need it? do u like it?
if u really need to go so low,. why stop urself?
i love the tone of the Low B and the stuff . but i seldom use it on songs..
cos the songs i play aren't dat low..
its just like, why ppl buy BMW, Ferrari or EVO.. as if thy race at orchard..
but thy like it. its nice. feels gd. why not? if it fits ur song well why not?
do u need it? do u like it?
if u really need to go so low,. why stop urself?
i love the tone of the Low B and the stuff . but i seldom use it on songs..
cos the songs i play aren't dat low..
its just like, why ppl buy BMW, Ferrari or EVO.. as if thy race at orchard..
but thy like it. its nice. feels gd. why not? if it fits ur song well why not?
5stringedsoul
New member
a common question among 4 stringers..it depends on urself.. i started on a 5-string which my teacher gladly approve of as it'll be easier if i wanna switch to 4 or go higher, itz juz another string, no nid to fear it if u wanna change.
nothing really confusing la bout adding the B-string, i find it easier compared to a 4 string.
nothing really confusing la bout adding the B-string, i find it easier compared to a 4 string.
exin
New member
This is a little late but i'll just throw my opinion in. I'm an avid 5-stringer. Have been using it ever since i threw away my TGM 4-string. My first 5 string was a Hamer Cruise Bass. Amazing bass man.
Here's a tip on getting 5-strings. Because of the lower spectrum that a 5 string gives, it's very very important to hear out your B string because if you get a bass that has a lousy and muddy 5 string, no point, myself get a 4 string right? Also at the same time you have to understand your scale length. Most basses out there are around 34" but some manufacturers do have 35" scales specially for 5th string to combat that floppiness that you get when you play. I'm thankful for my current 5 string, a Fender Warmoth, nice and tight when you play it low. If you are looking for one you can try Yamaha's TRB series, nice, but modify will be nicer, trust me, their stock ain't that nice. Their BB series are nice too, the 5th string on the BB, even though it's a 34" is amazing.
Also Ibanez's BTB series. Very tight low B string. If you have a bit more budget, you can try either Ernie Ball's Musicman or Lakland's 5502 series. These two basses have legendary low B strings that players covet, macham like playing your E string like that man.
Also like other people have mentioned before, you have to take into consideration of what you use your low B for, for me i'm using it for alot of transitional parts of songs when it needs that "oomph" and also for slower songs. It sounds really nice when everything is quiet, provided that your low B is nice and clear lah. Yeah, that's about all i have to say.
Here's a tip on getting 5-strings. Because of the lower spectrum that a 5 string gives, it's very very important to hear out your B string because if you get a bass that has a lousy and muddy 5 string, no point, myself get a 4 string right? Also at the same time you have to understand your scale length. Most basses out there are around 34" but some manufacturers do have 35" scales specially for 5th string to combat that floppiness that you get when you play. I'm thankful for my current 5 string, a Fender Warmoth, nice and tight when you play it low. If you are looking for one you can try Yamaha's TRB series, nice, but modify will be nicer, trust me, their stock ain't that nice. Their BB series are nice too, the 5th string on the BB, even though it's a 34" is amazing.
Also Ibanez's BTB series. Very tight low B string. If you have a bit more budget, you can try either Ernie Ball's Musicman or Lakland's 5502 series. These two basses have legendary low B strings that players covet, macham like playing your E string like that man.
Also like other people have mentioned before, you have to take into consideration of what you use your low B for, for me i'm using it for alot of transitional parts of songs when it needs that "oomph" and also for slower songs. It sounds really nice when everything is quiet, provided that your low B is nice and clear lah. Yeah, that's about all i have to say.
visa
New member
I used to think the only reason of the 5th string was for two lower notes, but now I can see how it might come in handy by letting me move from the E-string to the B-string around the middle or far end of the fretboard to go down the strings more fluidly than by going down the neck, if you know what I mean
i confuse myself sometimes
i confuse myself sometimes
jbarks
New member
visa said:
no no... that's actually the main reason why I want to get a fiver. Not just because of the extended range, but because I can play a song in, say, C or Dmaj lower down on the neck. Sure, a low B can fill the whole room but quite honestly there's nothing you can't do with 4 strings
exin
New member
Superkicky is right ... i'm a pure 5-stringer now .. nothings going to move me back to a 4-string because all my moves and grooves are already solidified on a 5-stringer so i'm very comfortable with the way i play now ... only complain is that when you want to mod your bass it's hard to find 5-string accessories around despite being common .. e.g. .. pickups and stuff .. have to find hard man ..
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