ThomBassmonkey

I believe they're Indonesian made SR5s, then they're shipped over to the US where they go through EBMM QC before being distributed. I think the materials used are all the same. Since they're made from the same things and pass the same QC, I doubt there's much in them apart from where they're put together and the price. There's probably some slight difference in the electronics and wood quality too.

5 strings seem to be mostly soapbars, but there are enough other ones that they're avoidable, unlike 6ers where the vast majority are soapbars. I suppose I don't need to know what's happening inside, but it's not really like the difference betwen two buckers where they sound similar. To use your TV comparison, it's more like if it's LCD or Plasma, you'd probably want to know before you bought it which it was. I just have a thing against soapbars, that's what made me wonder. With my rig and my fingers, they always sound a little flatter than MM pups and miss the sparkle of Js. I've only got limited experience with them with this rig so I'm not throwing all soapbars out of the window yet, but I do gravitate to other stuff. I'd love a Bongo 6, but for the difference between a 5 and 6, there's a huge price gap.

So if soapbars are used because they can contain any kind of pickup, why aren't they used more on 4 and 5 strings? Also, how are you supposed to know what pups are contained inside the soapbar case if they could potentially be a J or bucker?

I've only heard good things about them myself and I'm very tempted. Gotta be natural with the maple board!

Since I'm taking ages to get a new bass, I'm actually quite tempted to get a cheaper 6er (than I've set my budget currently) and kit it out with tappable MMs. Maybe a TRB or maybe even just kit out my Ibanez BTB in my avatar. I expect getting the routing and drilling (for tap switches) would cost a fair bit though.

They can be used for any, I used mine in prog heavy rock type stuff, though they're pretty common in jazz and solo stuff.

Just did a search on 6 string MM pickups and could only find one, I never really see any 6ers with J pups either, they all seem to be soapbars. How come? Thom

[quote name='topo morto' post='1040654' date='Nov 29 2010, 12:11 AM']I've been playing less than a year and wouldn't like to make life any more complicated by going to more than 4 strings yet. Still, I pretty quickly decided to go BEAD... 4-string BEAD seems like a good 'basic' config.[/quote] If you've got your head around 4 strings, 5 is just the same but with one extra. Especially if you're using BEAD, you should get to grips with it quickly. The only reason I (as a teacher in a shop) suggest people not to get a 5er right away is the size of the neck. Hands have to get used to playing and stretching in the right way. Someone with big hands or that plays another instrument like guitar would probably be fine to start out on a 5er, but people who aren't used to it are better IMO starting with the smaller neck.

[quote name='BobTheBassist' post='1040491' date='Nov 28 2010, 09:42 PM']I never meant this as a which is better discussion cos I honestly think it's a personal preference. While I do agree with the statement that some bassists use the 5 string to compensate for a lack of ability there are many who use it to the full potential. Don't believe me check out streetlight manifesto and mudvayne.[/quote] There's hundreds of bands that use 5 strings to their full potential. Streetlight are awesome though, we supported them a while back, insanely good musicians and so tight. Really nice guys too. I think a lot of the negative rep that 5 strings have is to do with the tuned down nu-metal that has been hovering about for the last 15-20 years. Down tuning has lost all credibility (instead of being something you do when your singer's struggling in the keys the songs are written in) and ERBs are following the same slide, even though they were originally used in jazz IIRC. Whether or not people NEED 5 strings isn't really deabatable, of course we don't, we don't need any more than one (assuming you can justify even "needing" a bass at all), hence my post earlier, but in a creative process like writing music, people should be using whatever allows them to best create whatever they want. If that's an Encore strat copy with bass strings on it that's been set up by Mr Universe 2010 with a pickaxe, then sure, so long as the musician is getting what he needs from it.

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='1040416' date='Nov 28 2010, 08:44 PM']I'm glad you have the sense not to diss other people for what they chose to play. I would never think about dissing anyone whether they played a 1 string or a 100 string bass either. That doesn't mean there isn't a problem with it though and in my experience as a 4 and 5 string player, I've seen more people dissing anything that isn't "the norm" than the other way round.[/quote] I've seen people "diss" people for having a 4 string, it's very rare though and usually only happens with younger people who think that being different is better by default, regardless of any other circumstances. What sucks is that we're on a bass forum where we're supposed to discuss our mutual interest with other people, share our experience and knowledge and there's still people that are so closed minded that they can be paraphrased as "I saw a guy play a 5er in a pub and he was crap, so you don't need more than 4 strings because that's what I use and I'm ok." Just the fact that there's people posting stuff like "When I see people play ERBs, I rarely see them use below E" shows general ignorance in it's self and instead of trying to learn, some people are just posting opinions that are (directly or indirectly) negative towards other posters.

[quote name='Protium' post='1040408' date='Nov 28 2010, 08:39 PM']Because no one can stretch 12 frets to play an octave.[/quote] I can't stretch 9 frets to do 2 octaves on a 4 string. I can and sometimes do the 4 fret stretch on a 5 string though.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1040363' date='Nov 28 2010, 07:59 PM']1 time we had 5 bass amps turn up, another a week later we had 2 guitar amps with no kettle leads, am a guitar amp bead with no cab.[/quote] I've had some classic ones before, I use a GK stack (you've seen my current, my older one was 2x 2x10s vertically stacked) and it looks very impressive so people always want to use it. The best one was at a small pub where my amp was complete overkill anyway. Him: "Hey, is it ok if I use your amp please?" Me: "Uh, no one asked if they could use it before the gig. Do you need to?" Him: "Well I brought my own, but yours is better." I have no problems with people using my gear, it's tough enough to take some thrashing, but that was just silly. I let him use it in the end for the benefit of the soundguy (the band before them were using my amp and we were on after so it just made sense).

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1039762' date='Nov 28 2010, 11:35 AM']Let's be thankful that these days that colour choices are a viable option. When I first started looking at basses in the Mid 70s if you wanted something good your choices broke down to the following: Gibson Thunderbird - 2 tone Sunburst Gibson EB0/EB3 - Red stain Rickenbacker 4001 - Fireglow Fender P and J - 3 tone Sunburst and occasionally natural and very occasional, black, white or red. You did come across other finishes from time to time, usually on Fenders but they were generally pretty rare, and worthy of comment when they did turn up.[/quote] Sounds like heaven! I spend most of the time I'm in the for sale forum going "that's a gorgeous bass, shame about the colour" hehe

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1040291' date='Nov 28 2010, 07:08 PM']You know nothing of the types or style of music I play, But I will enlighten you, Blues, Rock, Indie, Jazz, Funk and anything else that I am asked or I want to do. I have managed to play all of those with 4 strings and the odd drop D or even a B bass from time to time with no problems thanks. Im not dissing anyone either thats you twisting other peoples words maybe thats why you think these threads fall into the same thing because before you twisted mine and ET's words all was good. There are a lot of players who can use lots of strings to a great advantage that create music I enjoy I will give you that but also there are hundreds of crap bassists who think there better than others because they have more strings thats a fact. What would you like to see in these kind of threads pages of how cool everyone is for all playing whatever ammount of strings they have? Sounds intriguing! [/quote] I think you should clarify exactly what your point is, because it sounds like you're saying that players that play ERBs are sub-standard and need the extra range to make up for it, but you can manage fine without. At least that's how I'm reading it. No one's said anything about 4 string players so you bringing it up seems to imply there's a difference in standards. I don't see what it matters what you or anyone else plays, there's plenty of reasons that can justify playing ERBs, I said a few in my last post. If you can't see them and stubbornly stick with "well I can manage on 4 strings, everyone should" then that's your short sightedness.

[quote name='Protium' post='1040225' date='Nov 28 2010, 06:22 PM']Why? A four string bass with 21 frets covers 4 octaves, well more than is necessary.[/quote] Hey, if you get a 24 fret 1 string bass, that's two octaves, more than a lot of people need, why not just use that?

There's 4 main reasons that people use ERBs (mainly 5ers). 1) The extended range (duh). 2) They prefer the sound of the thicker strings, so they'd play F# on the 7th fret of the B instead lf of the 2nd on E for example. 3) They prefer closer frets, so they'll stay above the 5th fret and play a string lower and not have to reach as far. 4) They would rather keep their wrist in one position than move up and down the neck when they don't need to. As you can see, 3 out of those 4 reasons to use an ERB don't involve notes below E. That's before you even start thinking about things like maybe they just prefer the feel of the neck on the one they have, maybe they play in other bands that require them to have a 5er and they can't afford two basses, maybe they think it looks cool. Whatever their reason for owning one, you shouldn't really be critising them for having an extra string that they rarely use, if that's only fault you can find with their playing then you should be impressed. As for "X bassist uses this or that", different people have different requirements. I dunno if you've ever tried to play Tool on the C string on your 6ers Panther, but it's not as easy as playing it on the D string (usually) due to all the hammer-ons going on. I'm sure you have your own justification for 6 strings, but when I used to play more prog heavy rock style stuff, I often used to go from riffing on the low B into chords, which was physically possible on a 5er (I did it once when I broke a string at a gig) but the amount of hopping about on the fretboard is so absurd and it seriously reduces accuracy when compared to getting a 6 string. I wouldn't mind a 6er again now because I play a few bits up the neck and it'd just be handy to have them closer to where the rest of my playing is. There's no "best" answer to how many strings you use and I doubt the OP meant the question that way. It seems silly that there's there's people critising people for using different amounts of strings (especially when their justification is way off).

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1039998' date='Nov 28 2010, 03:19 PM']If you were only buying it because it was cheap that indicates that subconciously you were only getting it to maybe have a try and make a few quid or trade up in in your favour anyway.[/quote] I disagree with that. Lots of people are on strict budgets and want stuff they can't afford, if it comes up for a good price which makes it affordable, it doesn't mean that it's going to be sold straight on. If your dream bass showed up here for half the price it usually sells for, you'd probably buy it and be happy with it.

I wish I could get by on a 4, there's a lot of very pretty basses around, but I just feel like I'm missing something when I don't have that low B. I used to play 6 then moved to 5, I would like a 6er again though if I could find the right one.

Kinda relevant to the original question: How many of you guys have a band image that you try and live up to? I think that's the thing that makes me cringe most about some of the colours. As I said in an earlier post, my band basically uses red, so for the band image, it'd have to be a red, natural, white or black bass to fit in, I think that's one of the things I'm concious about with colours. I quite like blue basses for example, but I don't think I'd travel to try one out at the moment if I was offered it (unless it was a silly price or some other overriding factor).

Bass -> Amp -> tuner out. If I were using a pedal tuner and FX, it'd be bass -> tuner -> FX -> amp. Anything that has the possibility of changing the pitch of your bass (which is almost any effect, one way or another) could potentially make you knock your bass seriously out of tune if it's before the tuner. If your tuner's first on your pedal board, it's only hearing what you're actually playing.

My home tabs are my email, facebook, here and a guild forum for World of Warcraft (yes, I offset my coolness of being in a band by playing WoW).

I wouldn't worry too much at that size to be honest, so long as it's something that works and you can hear yourself. I have a Kustom 15w practice (cost something like £40 new) and it does the job. Unless you're going to be using it for recording, it's never going to stand up to the amount of volume you'd need for rehearsals anyway. Just get whatever's cheapest.