4 OR 5 the bigger picture

[slystewart]

I have moved from guitar to playing bass for a year now using a friends 4 string Pre EB musicman,and have just got working with a band and are sorting out my own gear now...Ampeg SVT 2Pro plus there 4 x 10 PR Cab...now its time to move to getting a bass.I like the Stingray but have seen some Bases with a MM pickup plus a jazz type.....one that looked real good was the Clover xp 15. www.cloverbasses.com and others buy Lakland... .any views on the Clover would be welcome. The main Question is it better to stay on 4 string and soldier on or move to a 5 and go in at the deep end.....and what may sound a stupid question and having never played one ....advice any one

[karlbbb]

Don't be afraid to delve straight in with the 5 strings, although I would advise trying a couple out first! They will feel a little weird but nothing a few horus playing won't fix. My first bass was a 5 string and I've had a 4 and a 5 string since then, now only left with 4. I want 5 strings again =[

[Thunderthumbs]

About 16 years ago, I bought a Warwick Thumb 5 string.

I picked it up, drove home, went to a gig and played it straightaway.......and I completely had to rethink the way I played as it was so strange. I practiced and gigged, got used to it, and it remained my number 1 bass for the majority of those years until recently.

You'll be amazed how many times you'll drop to the low B once you get used to it (if you get one of course), but just keep practicing and it'll become second nature eventually.

[markytbass]

I play a 4 string Stingray and just drop D tune with the band I am in at present. In hind sight it would have probably been easier to use a 5 string. I will probably look for a Stingray 5 in the near future and sell the 4 string. So my vote will be for a 5 string.

[chris_b]

A 5 string (Lakland) gets my vote every time. It is way more versatile than a 4.

[Jase]

[quote name='slystewart' post='112581' date='Jan 2 2008, 09:24 PM']I have moved from guitar to playing bass for a year now using a friends 4 string Pre EB musicman,and have just got working with a band and are sorting out my own gear now...Ampeg SVT 2Pro plus there 4 x 10 PR Cab...now its time to move to getting a bass.I like the Stingray but have seen some Bases with a MM pickup plus a jazz type.....one that looked real good was the Clover xp 15. www.cloverbasses.com and others buy Lakland... .any views on the Clover would be welcome. The main Question is it better to stay on 4 string and soldier on or move to a 5 and go in at the deep end.....and what may sound a stupid question and having never played one ....advice any one[/quote]


Just had a look at the Clover basses, they look great! I'm into the classic series, being a Fender Jazz fan How do you mean "soldier on" with a 4 string? I'd find it a battle if I added any more strings

Just in case you haven't seen it, there's some Ampeg videos on here:

[url="http://www.bassplayer.tv/"]http://www.bassplayer.tv/[/url]

[The Burpster]

Clover are sweet. You will not be dissapointed, wether you get 4 or 5 string.

I will be ordering an Avenger 5 soon (and probably disposing of 2 Fenders to do it!) I believe they are that good.


5 string issue,

Do you need a low B? if you do then a 5 is worth looking at. If you dont, why not stick with 4?

My only suggestion FWIW is if you are changing from 4 to 5 try to get an instrument with the same string spacings and layout and then the transition isn't that difficult. Change too much at once and you can end up in overload.

[chris_b]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='112706' date='Jan 3 2008, 08:22 AM']Do you need a low B? if you do then a 5 is worth looking at. If you dont, why not stick with 4?[/quote]
In my opinion there is more to a 5 string than a low B. I hardly ever go below D but I can play across the neck thus getting lower without having to race up and down the neck. I don't like open strings so I prefer playing E on the 5th string. On my bass the 5th string sounds beefier than the 4th string. You don't have to change the tuning if your band wants to play in Eb or D etc.
If you lean towards playing high or soloing then a 5 doesn't do much for you, but if you want to rearrange internal organs (as I do) then a 5 is the only bass for you.

[niceguyhomer]

I keep having a dabble at 5s thinking as an ex-guitarist that it can't be that hard but in the past I've struggled with muting open strings with 5s and end up selling within a short space of time. I've been taking lessons on 4 strings for about 6-8 months and now my overall technique's a lot better, I don't have a problem muting or playing across the strings and I must say I'm really enjoying my Bongo 5 at the moment.

There are a lot of advantages with 5s as has been stated in other posts once you've got your technique right.

[OutToPlayJazz]

It all depends on what I'm playing at the time. Fast funky stuff & slap especially is always faster and easier on a 4-stringer, but there are times when some extra range is needed. Again, really depends on the music you're playing. I've had a few 5's, but have recently moved onto my TRB-6. A six string with good wide spacing is seeming to be much more useful to me - Covers the jobs of a 5-stringer and a tenor bass all in one go! Didn't take much getting used to, either. I find it's much more efficient to work across the strings, as opposed to leaping up and down the fingerboard, as it were!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='chris_b' post='112716' date='Jan 3 2008, 09:05 AM']In my opinion there is more to a 5 string than a low B. I hardly ever go below D but I can play across the neck...
...If you lean towards playing high or soloing then a 5 doesn't do much for you, but if you want to rearrange internal organs (as I do) then a 5 is the only bass for you.[/quote]

Unless you tune your CGDAE or (quite usefully) down a tone from that to BbFCGD.

The latter really is quite a useful Jack-of-all-trades.

Edited January 3, 2008 by Lfalex v1.1

[Faithless]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='112736' date='Jan 3 2008, 12:06 PM']It all depends on what I'm playing at the time. Fast funky stuff & slap especially is always faster and easier on a 4-stringer, but there are times when some extra range is needed. Again, really depends on the music you're playing. I've had a few 5's, but have recently moved onto my TRB-6. A six string with good wide spacing is seeming to be much more useful to me - Covers the jobs of a 5-stringer and a tenor bass all in one go! Didn't take much getting used to, either. I find it's much more efficient to work across the strings, as opposed to leaping up and down the fingerboard, as it were![/quote]

I'm also after 5-stringer, but, when I took Ibazzy, I didn't think about slap very much..
And, now, damnit, I got problems with it - 5th string is not that serious problem, but, fret spacing 16.4mm, if I'm right, and neck pickup is not that far from fretboard ( as I've noticed only Now ) - as I'm using two fingers to pop the strings, keeping thumb and two fingers right in position becomes a Thing.
I like slap sound very much, but, all in all, it looks to me that my Ibazzy's for everything, but except slap

I know, it's all in work, and I'm working, though, how do you guys struggle with 16.4mm spacing if you even struggle?

[bass_ferret]

There is no right or wrong. Some like 5 or more, some stick to four.

[gilmour]

I play 5 - i've got so used to it that I know struggle when I pick up a 4.

I had a 5 for a long time before I started to use it a lot, when I was playing mostly rock it really diddn;t get used that much as i perefered to de-tune, however I play a lot more funk, jazz an soul these days, and find the 5th string really usefull when playing alongside keyborad players and horn sections who often prefer to play ina different key to guitarists a la Rock.

That said Bass Ferret is right it's just a matter of taste, like I say I trip up on a 4 these days

EDIT: Sorry for my terrible spelling, wrote this in a bit of a rush

Edited January 3, 2008 by gilmour

[Sean]

[quote name='Faithless' post='112788' date='Jan 3 2008, 11:35 AM']I'm also after 5-stringer, but, when I took Ibazzy, I didn't think about slap very much..
And, now, damnit, I got problems with it - 5th string is not that serious problem, but, fret spacing 16.4mm, if I'm right, and neck pickup is not that far from fretboard ( as I've noticed only Now ) - as I'm using two fingers to pop the strings, keeping thumb and two fingers right in position becomes a Thing.
I like slap sound very much, but, all in all, it looks to me that my Ibazzy's for everything, but except slap

I know, it's all in work, and I'm working, though, how do you guys struggle with 16.4mm spacing if you even struggle?[/quote]


I had a serious look into an SR1005 Prestige and had it at home for a while and just couldn't slap on it. My Lakland 55-02 (19mm) is perfect for slapping, no problems and is just as fast for me as the 44-02 but the DJ is much faster to play than either (or that's the way it feels to me anyway)

The 55-02 is great for long grooves in F - it's the ability to play in position more comfortably that I like about the 5 string.

Edited January 3, 2008 by Sean

[stingrayfan]

Depends what you're playing and whether it feels comfortable to you. Fivers to me feel too big and the strings always seem floppier which is no good for the sort of punk and indie covers I gig. Plus, I'm so used to 4s, that it seems odd to try and do something new. I think they're good for soul and heavy metal but they feel a bit strange playing the Clash and Green Day on!

[Raggy]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='112869' date='Jan 3 2008, 01:23 PM']Depends what you're playing and whether it feels comfortable to you. Fivers to me feel too big and the strings always seem floppier which is no good for the sort of punk and indie covers I gig. Plus, I'm so used to 4s, that it seems odd to try and do something new. I think they're good for soul and heavy metal but they feel a bit strange playing the Clash and Green Day on![/quote]


+1 to that

[Faithless]

[quote name='Sean' post='112856' date='Jan 3 2008, 03:14 PM']I had a serious look into an SR1005 Prestige and had it at home for a while and just couldn't slap on it. My Lakland 55-02 (19mm) is perfect for slapping, no problems and is just as fast for me as the 44-02 but the DJ is much faster to play than either (or that's the way it feels to me anyway)

The 55-02 is great for long grooves in F - it's the ability to play in position more comfortably that I like about the 5 string.[/quote]

Well, in fact you Can slap on it ( ok, I can, however...), but it takes/will take a lot of time to cope with spacing like SR's...
But as longer I slap, more I imagine, what the... heaven would be to play on 4ver with 19mm spacing.. Damnit. But I'll cope with the Ibazzy.

[slystewart]

Thanks to all who replied to this topic...moving from Fender Stat to MM Stingray in a short time due to band needs was hard going at first ...All i can say is 20 odd years of playing guitar it was so different to be thrown in at the deep end to play bass in a few months....I seem to be overplaying on everthing... Basic 3 cord rock and roll numbers so easy on guirtar seemed so busy on bass. A year later and with the help of other bass player friends to guide me along my thoughts on trying a 5 string was would it be like going from guitar to bass .....going from 4 string to 5 thanks for the info Stewart

[peted]

Get a 5. That leaves more 4 stringers for me

I don't get on with the string spacing of most 5s. Plus I started to learn on a 4 and I don't find it restrictive in any way (I have down tuned when necessary).

[iamthewalrus]

Got my first 5 about 12 years ago, biggest problem initially was getting used to the extra range & playing the odd bum note! It does get easier with practice.

The other main things you have to get used to (as already highlighted by one or two posters already) is the string spacing - they do tend to vary quite a bit. Muting is also something else that you have to contend with as you now have another string to keep quiet.

I'd recommend a 35" scale neck if possible as this does tend to make the notes on the B string pop out better (my opinion only). My BBN5 is a 34" scale neck & the B on that is a bit indistinct.

Enjoy if you do decide to go for 5!

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

[bremen]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='112869' date='Jan 3 2008, 01:23 PM']Depends what you're playing and whether it feels comfortable to you. Fivers to me feel too big and the strings always seem floppier which is no good for the sort of punk and indie covers I gig. Plus, I'm so used to 4s, that it seems odd to try and do something new. I think they're good for soul and heavy metal but they feel a bit strange playing the Clash and Green Day on![/quote]

Definitely, wouldn't part with my 5 now but can't thrash and flail at it like I can my 4.

I take both to gigs, and the set seems to naturally divide into heavy grooves and punk/indie/rock depending on which instrument I'm playing. I'd prefer not to have to change basses mid-flow and it's been suggested that I should be able to play everything on a 5 but I believe they're quite different instruments.