Clarky

Playing devils advocate here but why do so many of the world's great living bass players stick with 4 string when they clearly technically capable enough to play 5 strimgs? Just look at the polls and cast your eyes down the list - Flea, King, Wooten, Miller, Weekes, Squire, Burnel, Butler, John Paul Jones and so on. Is it just familiarity, comfort, even laziness? Surely if its a no-brainer to move to 5 they would do so? I know there are examples of great bass players who have made the leap (eg Percy Jones) but they seem to be in the minority.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1330374252' post='1556486'] This thread was mentioned when I tried Happy Jack's double bass on Saturday, and had a quick lesson from Clarky. I am so glad I did that! Now I know for sure I never want to do it again, and a little bit of space in my brain is now free to use for something else [/quote] So that's my teaching career plans in ruins then!

Thing is, I am more comfortable with 4 strings and have not been in a band since 2007 (a metal band ) that required 5 strings. I have a fantastic 5 string but am not playing it as I just naturally pick up my 4s.Still wondering though if this is just taking the easy route snd I should invest my time re-learning the 5 stringer. Hence my OP

I prefer sitting in the mix as people are less likely to notice when I f*ck up

I just met James and sold him my LR Baggs acoustic/DB preamp. Very nice guy and very flexible with meet-up arrangements. I have read a number of his posts about DBs etc so it was nice to put a real face to the avatar. Couldn't find a feedback thread so started one. Cheers James and hope the preamp is what you were after

Clarky death/thrash metal style tips, circa 2006 (and yes I played a 5 string Warwick in those days) [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrruR2749io[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uI3OsjAAIc&feature=channel[/media]

I can send you my Slayer wife- beater shirt to show off your tatts, Marv? Just pair with some baggy camo knee length shorts and black Vans trainers. Can't go wrong

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1330371588' post='1556437'] To be honest Clarky we recommend them [i]because [/i]we use them, if you get my drift. [/quote] Fair comment John. I appreciate the answers everyone has given but its just I feel I am taking advice from those most inclined to err on the 5 side. If I had set up the poll as "4 or 5 string?" there would undoubtedly have been a much more mixed response with plenty pointing out that the greatest bass lines in history were almost all on 4 stringers.

The poll is interesting but I feel its mostly a reflection of the views of 5-string owners who are more inclined to recommend 5'ers. Were this to be opened up to the whole BC community (many of whom will have found the OP title off-putting/dull I suspect!) I suspect the bottom option might well be in an unassailable lead!

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1330366284' post='1556322'] I think it depends how you play as to how long the 'change' will take. If you were just concerned with fretting in the right place and the left hand needed to get comfortable with the string spacing ..and the right hand plucking..then there isn't a whole lot of difference or hardship to have to contend with. If you have advanced techniques that are all about speed and precision, then you'll need to groove that in to be second nature. That will take you a LOT of time, IMO. [/quote] I am basically pretty rudimentary (straight ahead rock, bar my sidetracking with my old band to double bass blues territory) so the first part of your reply applies here!

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1330357508' post='1556128'] [url="http://www.soundindustry.co.uk/acatalog/W-Audio-1100W-1U-Amplifier-Horizon1100-47.html"]http://www.soundindu...zon1100-47.html[/url] I have one of these Clarky - in fact, you played through it for a while on Saturday. If you want to bring your cab round here, you're welcome to fire it up and see what you think as a means of pumping through enough wattage. [/quote] Thanks Jack, kind offer but I'm not looking to buy another amp. Already got two perfectly decent amps (Markbass F1 and AI Clarus) and was hoping there's a quick/easy/cheap way of converting my cab. It appears not, in which case it remians for sale until such time someone moseys along wanting a clear cab for double bass or for studio use

Other than general interest, part of the reason underlying my OP was that I am "time poor" due to work, family etc and to become truly familiar with my 5-stringer will require quite a bit of practice and neglecting my 4 stringers ... so I was wondering if this is a worthwhile exercise or whether I should just stick with the familiarity of my 4 stringers

Thanks Dave, ho hum. Looks like a great sounding practice (as opposed to gigging) cab on my hands for the foreseeable future then!

OK thanks Mr F, sounds like a no-no. Thanks gents for your replies

I have an Acme 8 ohm 2x10 cab that I have been trying to sell unsuccessfully. Its fabulous sounding (studio quality, a la Euphonic Audio) but not very loud and apparently needs a good 600W through it to push any serious air. The 4 ohm version I am told is plenty loud and is what I should have bought. Question for you more technically minded - is is possible to convert an 8 ohm cab to 4 ohms simply and at relatively low expense (obviously via an electrical specialist not by an idiot like me!)? I am sure I could get it done if I sent back to the manufacturer but thats not an option as Acme are in the US.

Bireli Lagrene, the master of gypsy jazz guitar, shows that he could also have been a masterful bassist albeit with a huge debt to Jaco (with whom he played in a trio in the 1980s) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY_wH15a7C0

I have 4- and 5-string basses but find it confusing switching from one to another. Chris_b also mentioned in a post earlier today how he sticks to 5 only as he doesn't practice enough with 4's to be able to be comfortable on both. Thus I thought I'd stick up a little poll on the utility of that 5th string (for argument's sake here assuming its a B string, although I appreciate some have a high C instead)

[quote name='clauster' timestamp='1324637885' post='1476464'] Hello and welcome! Errrm, I have the Anti-Nowhere League [/quote] +1 I too am from Royal Tunbridge Wells, home of the Pantiles, the chalybeate spring ... ... and that famous ANWL line "I've had crabs, I've had lice, I've had the clap and that ain't nice, So what, so what"

Calling Rick's Fine 52!