Should I get a 5-string bass?

[lordie]

i own a 4er and a 5er. depends on situations i will use the 4er. but i am totally in love with the 5er.the string spacing is much more closer together than a 4er, etc..

its just getting used to it. but 5er its like my main bass, its versatile and its really rocking.

try other brand of 5er with a proper set-up u will fall in love with it.

 

[rayson]

haha, i don't think i can ever play a 4. i started with a jazz bass V and it's juz natural to have a low B for me. ^^

i think i'll have the same probs as you if i switch to a 4 stringer lol! enjoy your new bass! =)

 

[edyeo123]

get the 5 string man. At least u can play lower notes without having to detune like the 4 strings.

 

[lexxmexx]

But I already ordered the 4er, now I have 2 4 string basses liao. I like both very much, now dunno what to do with them liao

 

[lordie]

well have 1 4er, 1 5er and 1 6er. my next purchase going to be a 6er. rooting for the yamaha john myung siggies. i need to admit a 5er gets a while to get use to it. but than i love to experiment.

 

[Indigo_blues]

i don't think you can go very wrong with the 4 string so I would advise you not to lose too much sleep over it..

I've been using a 4 string BB 604 myself for the last 6 years and I'm totally happy with it. I tried my friend's 5 string BB recently but I still prefer my 4 stringer. To me the 4 stringer's low notes are 'low' enuff. Don't really need to go 'lower'..

 

[lexxmexx]

i don't think you can go very wrong with the 4 string so I would advise you not to lose too much sleep over it..

I've been using a 4 string BB 604 myself for the last 6 years and I'm totally happy with it. I tried my friend's 5 string BB recently but I still prefer my 4 stringer. To me the 4 stringer's low notes are 'low' enuff. Don't really need to go 'lower'..

Bro, that's comforting to know
Since I have already paid up and placed an order for the 4er, there's no turning back liao.

 

[lexxmexx]

well have 1 4er, 1 5er and 1 6er. my next purchase going to be a 6er. rooting for the yamaha john myung siggies. i need to admit a 5er gets a while to get use to it. but than i love to experiment.

Dude, you are a guitar convert, of course can handle so many strings lah. Do show me your GAS collection when you reached the 12er...hahaha

 

[DarkRed]

congrats on making the purchase bro no worries about the 4/5/6 thing, can always switch later.

Care to share a bit about your background? Sounds like you've been around a while... are you migrating from another instrument(s)?

 

[lordie]

congrats on making the purchase bro no worries about the 4/5/6 thing, can always switch later.

Care to share a bit about your background? Sounds like you've been around a while... are you migrating from another instrument(s)?

i just found out that lex is an old friend of mine, he plays a mean sax with some big band jazz outfit. cool stuff tho

 

[lordie]

Dude, you are a guitar convert, of course can handle so many strings lah. Do show me your GAS collection when you reached the 12er...hahaha

yeah i am a guitar convert. but honestly i been playing both and recently a few yrs ago i got hooked on the bass. really hooked and now been GASing like some mad monkey

 

[lexxmexx]

congrats on making the purchase bro no worries about the 4/5/6 thing, can always switch later.

Care to share a bit about your background? Sounds like you've been around a while... are you migrating from another instrument(s)?

Yeah bro, my old pal lordie had already intro-ed me

 

[lordie]

bleah....when u doing the big band thing that time at thomson, u should have come in to check out my band ;ppp...

 

[DarkRed]

nice to hear of old friends meeting again and learning music together am sure you'll pick up fast by importing your other expertise. enjoy your new acquisition!

 

[lexxmexx]

bleah....when u doing the big band thing that time at thomson, u should have come in to check out my band ;ppp...

You guys had another rock show there last saturday, right?
I walked past but didn't dare to go into the hall. Everyone looked so garang, wait they cannot stand my nerdish looks and hantam me how?

 

[lexxmexx]

nice to hear of old friends meeting again and learning music together am sure you'll pick up fast by importing your other expertise. enjoy your new acquisition!

Yeah man, it's really fun to play the bass and I think I have spend more time on it than I was on my horn...haha. Now looking for a band to play in.

I am wondering.....
So you guys have both 4 and 5 stringers, right? I am wondering if you guys can handle a 5er well, why not make it your main axe since it can do more, and dunk the 4er completely?

 

[lordie]

Yeah man, it's really fun to play the bass and I think I have spend more time on it than I was on my horn...haha. Now looking for a band to play in.

I am wondering.....
So you guys have both 4 and 5 stringers, right? I am wondering if you guys can handle a 5er well, why not make it your main axe since it can do more, and dunk the 4er completely?

well if i have a roadie, i would prolly had both my 4er and 5er for every show, that would be ideal. for some songs i would rather prefer to use the 4er the wider string spacing would be perfect for some crazy ass playing eg) brutal truth, napalm death, some industrial sounding playstyle, etc.. while the 5er will be perfect for massive tech stuff like Nile, CoB, etc.. and these 2 basses will connectt to seperate cabs and seperate effects loop.

 

[kdash]

hmm just to add on to what has been said, there is no obvious advantage that a 5-string bass has over a 4-string, other than the extended range. it's never too late to get a 5er for your next bass acquisition haha. however if you feel that the 4er works fine for you then by all means.

try to borrow a properly set up 5er and try it out for an extended period of time, like 2-3 days as mentioned by lordie, and see if you can get used to it. it's no use to have a 5er and not use the low B string, and you have to consciously remember to mute an extra string. also, the strings are closer to one another, and a conscious effort has to be made that the 1st note of the lowest string is a B, not an E. (at least for people starting out on a 5er)

as a user of the 5er, i would say give it a try!

 

[shinobi]

go for 4

when you need a 5 or 6, you will know

 

[lexxmexx]

Thanks to everyone for the valuable advice. Yup, I have decided and ordered the 4er instead. Now that I have 2 4ers, dunno if I should sell off the first one or keep it as a backup....