Which 5-string for a 4-string player

[FretBuzz]

I am a long-term 4-string player, but I am curious about the 5-string world. My only 5-string experience was with a Yamaha TRBII 5 and I found the neck way too wide for me. I guess I am asking which 5-string has the narrowest neck? Ideally, no wider that a 4-string neck - I don't mind the string spacing being very close. What should I be looking at? Does it exist?

[bassaussie]

I think the Stingray's a nice 5 string for people who prefer 4 strings (such as myself). I owned one for a while, and got along pretty well with it.

[charic]

Yamaha RBX basses are well worth a look

[bass_ferret]

5 string Jazz? Dont know really cos i've not run out of notes on a 4.

[Chopthebass]

I think some of the Ibanez basses have a narrow 16.5mm spacing.

[Machines]

Yeah Ibanez always seem quite close to me.. great for finger style.

[funkysimon]

The Warwick Fortress 1 I've just bought has a great finger spacing - it fits 5 strings in the space that my yahama BBG5 fits 4.

[Faithless]

I use Ibanez Soundgear 5 string, and i enjoy it very much. String spacing is ok for fingers, as i play them, though, it's just a matter of time, you'll become familiar with 1-more stringer.

[ped]

You might like to try an OLP stingray - the spacing is tighter than a standard ray 5, and they are extremely good basses. I beleive we are talking 17mm or less, so pretty tight.

[Bigwan]

The new Ibanez ATK305 has 16.5mm spacing. It just goes to show. I'm a 4 string player and am on the lookout for a good 5er (I'm actually considering saving for a year or 2 for an MTD535 and getting this GAS sorted out once and for all - or maybe I'm kidding myself!), but want full 4 string spacing i.e. 19mm. I suppose it would really be boring if we were all the same!

[Aussiephoenix]

[quote name='FretBuzz' post='59522' date='Sep 12 2007, 08:37 PM']I am a long-term 4-string player, but I am curious about the 5-string world. My only 5-string experience was with a Yamaha TRBII 5 and I found the neck way too wide for me. I guess I am asking which 5-string has the narrowest neck? Ideally, no wider that a 4-string neck - I don't mind the string spacing being very close. What should I be looking at? Does it exist?[/quote]


Curious... usually the biggest problem 4players have when jumping to 5's is that the string spacing is too close...

to me, the wider the string spacing the easier it is to get all my techniques flowing without hindrance.

my MTD Kingston 5 (that I'm selling) was great for me to get around it with its 19mm at the bridge.

Edited September 13, 2007 by Aussiephoenix

[gilmour]

Yeah, I think that Aussiephoenix is right about the spacing. Interestingly I'd been playing 4 for about 8 years before switching to a 5 - I play a TRB 5 at first the switch was tricky but quite quickly you get used to it.

In terms of string spacing I'm surprised to have seen stingray 5 suggested as the ones I've played feel very similar (in terms of string spacing) to the TRB

Warwicks have quite close string spacing (except for the wide neck ones obviously) also Ibanez Soundgear.

EDIT: THinking about it, it may well have as much to do with the profile of the neck as much as the Sting Spacing

If I were you I'd look for something very different from your current 4 - I used to play a Spector 4 and switched to the 5 string version (same model etc) and it was just to similar, couldn't get on with it, so then I made the switch to the TRB which feels completeley different, and I think that because I was so conscious of the difference I found the switch easier.

Edited September 13, 2007 by gilmour

[Rumple]

I recently took up 5 string after many years only playing 4's and find the string spacing fine on my Stingray 5, it's the extra weight I struggle with during long rehearsals.

[BigRedX]

I have a late 80s /early 90s Washburn B105 5-string with really narrow spacing - 7.75mm at the nut and only 15mm at the bridge. Overall the neck is only a couple of mm wider thhan a standard 4 (42.5 at the nut - 57mm at the 12th fret). I'm thinking about selling this as I only play more conventionally sized 5-strings these days. PM me if you want more details.

[theosd]

If you want budget, check out Harley Benton's 5 stringers from thomann, I've used mine for gigging now for over 2 years, and has neevr EVER let me down. Just make sure you keep the battery in check! (£110 for new, mine was £80).

Neck is perfect, every string is perfect taughtness. I will never need to buy another 5 string fretted bass imho, cos this one does the trick. Update the electronics and pickups at your leisure, but what comes standard is AMAZING for the price.

Oh, and it looks pretty swish too (price taken into consideration, naturally!)

Edited September 13, 2007 by theosd

[jacko]

If you have the money and don't mind waiting a few months, Alembic will custom build any neck dimensions and string spacings you ask for.

[Rich]

[quote name='charic' post='59574' date='Sep 12 2007, 10:51 PM']Yamaha RBX basses are well worth a look[/quote]RBXs are standard spacing at the bridge, same as the TRBs. Well mine is, anyway.
The [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4473&st=0&p=47083&#entry47083"]Yamaha BB5000 [/url]has a narrower spacing.

[P-T-P]

Which end of the bass is posing the problem? It's been a while since I first made the switch from 4 to 5, but at the time the problem was at both ends. Strings too close together at the bridge and neck to wide at the nut. I still have that issue with a lot of 5 strings but for my money, the Lakland 5 strings are the best fives for a four string player.

[dave_bass5]

Agree with Pete, I went from playing a 4 string Jazz to a Lakland 55-01 5 string without much trouble. The Lakland neck is wonderful IMO.
I first tried 5 strings a few years ago on a Fender Squire P-bass special thingy and it was a nightmare. the neck was much too wide for my long fingers and this put me off 5 stringers for ages. The moment i tried the Lakland i fell in love with the neck. Oh and its lighter than my Jazz as well.

Edited September 21, 2007 by dave_bass5