gub Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 I was having a ponder what it would be like playing a 5 string after being used to 4 for so many years , never actualy tried one but was wondering what you guys think who have gone from 4 to 5 ? is it really strange or does it come pretty natural? what ya think? Quote
moonbass Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Just made the change 2 months ago after 20 years on 4 string... Best thing I ever did! Stingray 5 all the way. It's a bit like turning your amp up to 11 - those magic seconds when you first venture down to D, C or even lower. Watch out for the brown note though. It took me about a fortnight to get used to not mixing E and B strings up - well worth it. A Quote
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Everything he said down to the years played, when I changed and what I changed too. Very strange...... Quote
mcnach Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) [quote name='gub' post='1089834' date='Jan 14 2011, 08:54 PM']I was having a ponder what it would be like playing a 5 string after being used to 4 for so many years , never actualy tried one but was wondering what you guys think who have gone from 4 to 5 ? is it really strange or does it come pretty natural? what ya think?[/quote] I've come and gone several times. First I got a wide-spacing 5 stringer... but sold it to get a very narrow spacing 5-stringer, which was easy to play with a pick, but not so much fingerstyle, and slap forget it. I'm just coming round to 5-string basses myself... and what I find is that some basses I can't stand, and others feel much more natural. So my advice is to try everything you can get your hands onto. I find slap style harder to adjust to. Muting that low B takes a lot of concentration and doesn't come so natural to me. Playing fingerstyle however is relatively simple and after a weekend you'll feel confident to gig with one. Or I do. But slap still makes me sound crap. I am a mediocre slapper when I am at my best, and on the 5-string bass I sound so much worse. But finger style is not hard. The nice thing is to play the 5-string continuously... and then get the 4-string again. Suddenly it feels as though you could fly The best about the 5-string is not so much the lower notes, but the ability to play higher on the fretboard which can make many things a lot easier to play. On most of my 4-stringers I have a Hipshot D-tuner, which allows me to get the E string down to D at the flick of a switch. So if you just need to get a few lower notes occasionally, a D-tuner may be an option that requires a lot less effort. Edited January 14, 2011 by mcnach Quote
bubinga5 Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) The best most comfortable 5 ive ever played was a Sting Ray 5, comfort, punchy tone..effortless... .. going from 4 to 5 was fairly easy. going to 6 was a little more time consuming.. i always found a wide neck more difficult.. my ultimate 5 string would have a very narrow, jazz like neck, with 18/19 string spacing at the bridge.. Edited January 14, 2011 by bubinga5 Quote
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 I wouldnt say you were a mediocre slapper mcnash I have seen your chilis clips! Quote
tippbass Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 As a 5 Stringer of a good few years now I can only recommend it !!! I'd echo all the comments above ...... what I find the 5 does it enables you to be a bit more economical with your playing i.e less left hand up and down the neck....but play a 4 every while to keep yourself sharp !! and as it has been mentioned above ..... Slapping a 5 ???? ....NAA....thats for the 4 strings...I know there are people who can but I cant,I'd be an average slapper but the B string just gets in the way ! Best 5 string for the Job in my opinion ..... my current squeeze the Musicman Stingray 5....virtually plays itself Quote
7string Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 This is turning into a MM5 love-in See if you can try a 5 string out for a while and see how you get on. Don't worry too much about the extra string, just dive in!! Quote
Rich Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Got my first wide-spaced 5 in 1994 and have never looked back. You might find yourself hitting the B instead of the E occasionally at first, but you soon get used to it. And once you do, it is really simple switching between the two. Quote
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 On advice from EBS_freak I gigged my MM5 the day I got it, There was a few (more) bum notes than normal but it was a good confidence booster and I did a mates wedding the week after that I wouldn't of dreamt of only a few weeks earlier. Slap has to be done mainly on the 4 I agree although I do a bit on the five in both bands I use it in. I did a little slap for someone the other day in a studio and the pre EB just shines I don't care what the doubters say it was incredible! Quote
bubinga5 Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) i want my SR5 back..anyone remember the guy who was selling ? blue with matching headstock.. Edited January 14, 2011 by bubinga5 Quote
AttitudeCastle Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='7string' post='1089938' date='Jan 14 2011, 10:28 PM']This is turning into a MM5 love-in See if you can try a 5 string out for a while and see how you get on. Don't worry too much about the extra string, just dive in!![/quote] +2 (+2, one for each string i leapt from the 4 stringer!) Was fine for me! still working out and refining the technique on it, but its not like a new instrument Quote
7string Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Yup, I went from a 4 to a 6 as well. It was great fun and wasn't that bad at all. Got lost a few times, but nothing too serious Quote
Schnozzalee Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='bubinga5' post='1089871' date='Jan 14 2011, 09:28 PM']The best most comfortable 5 ive ever played was a Sting Ray 5, comfort, punchy tone..effortless... .. going from 4 to 5 was fairly easy. going to 6 was a little more time consuming.. i always found a wide neck more difficult.. my ultimate 5 string would have a very narrow, jazz like neck, with 18/19 string spacing at the bridge..[/quote] Your next for a Marleaux then! Quote
Happy Jack Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='Rich' post='1089944' date='Jan 14 2011, 10:34 PM']Got my first wide-spaced 5 in 1994 and have never looked back. You might find yourself hitting the B instead of the E occasionally at first, but you soon get used to it. And once you do, it is really simple switching between the two.[/quote] Rich hits the nail on the head by mentioning the spacing. If you're used to a 19mm spacing on a 4-string (most P's and J's, for example) then a 16.5mm 5-string will feel impossibly cramped but the fretboard on a 19mm 5-string will feel impossibly wide. Try before you buy, and make sure that the string-spacing feels natural to you. After going through a dozen fivers (no, I'm not joking) I've settled on 18mm as my ideal spacing for five strings, but I will also be keeping one with a 19mm spacing because I just love it to bits. Quote
Schnozzalee Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 The 4/5 times i've played a 5 or 6 string I've never really used the B, only as a thumb rest or instead of drop Eb/D tuning. Quote
Jigster Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 Altho I play 4, I find my self thinking about 5's a lot - pretty much set on a mooch to Brum this Sunday to have a play on a SR5 or something...I have a battered old Yamaha 5er that I would never gig but I like the economy of notes and playing higher up the board so much that I keep looking at my other basses and wondering what I might sell/trade to make the move for a decent 5 string -- Quote
AttitudeCastle Posted January 14, 2011 Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='7string' post='1089978' date='Jan 14 2011, 11:08 PM']Yup, I went from a 4 to a 6 as well. It was great fun and wasn't that bad at all. Got lost a few times, but nothing too serious [/quote] Were talking all over Basschat tonight haha I still get lost, on a four string Quote
absolutpepper Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 If you're interested and giving the love for the SR5s in this thread maybe check out my Ray 35 thats for sale. Sorry in advance for the obvious JAG. Quote
bassbora Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 I usually dont comment much here but I thought I might. Changing from 4 to 5 is different for us all. Different size of hands and all that. I had been playing for 7 years or so when I finally bought my first and only 5 string. It suited me perfectly. I have been playing that bass for 14 years or so now. No its not SR5 but a Warwick Thumb NT. I will never buy another 4 string. I sold my SR4 because of it missing that crucial B string. Like someone said I found that you play less up and down the neck and more vertical. I have to say I never found it a problem slapping on a 5 string. When I bought a 6 string I found it more of a transition than changing from 4 to 5. What I would suggest is go to a shop and try out as many 5ers as you can. You can read all the advise but a 5 might not suit you at all and the hipshot extender might be more for you. If a shop is not an option you might find a very cheap 5er on here and could try that out. Quote
WalMan Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 Fine for me. Used 4's for the first 25+ years bass playing and the switch to a 5'er was very easy with just one exception, that being I use a Hipshot D-Tuner on the 4 and was used to the shifted positions. Got the 5, took it to a gig without a r/h and had a bit of a 'mare as the positions & muscle memory on songs where I used the D-Tuner were all out. Otherwise, great and I've not looked back, to the extent that I added the Fretless L2500 to the Fretted one I have. As well as a 'Ray you should also try a G&L (if you can find one) IMO. Great basses. Quote
hillbilly deluxe Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 I love my 5 string,it has a 34" thumb rest. Quote
jimmyb625 Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 The first bass I bought was a 5 string, although I had played 4's a couple of times before that. I've just bought my first 4 string (a fretless one as well) which is a remarkably stupid thing for someone who plays as badly as I do. For me, switching between the two hasn't been that bad, although I have had the occasional moment of 'brain fade' where I end up playing on the D string of the 4, when I wanted to be on the A. Quote
mcnach Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1089874' date='Jan 14 2011, 09:29 PM']I wouldnt say you were a mediocre slapper mcnash I have seen your chilis clips![/quote] /whispering how much did we say I would pay you? Quote
mcnach Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1089948' date='Jan 14 2011, 10:35 PM']On advice from EBS_freak I gigged my MM5 the day I got it, There was a few (more) bum notes than normal but it was a good confidence booster and I did a mates wedding the week after that I wouldn't of dreamt of only a few weeks earlier. Slap has to be done mainly on the 4 I agree although I do a bit on the five in both bands I use it in. I did a little slap for someone the other day in a studio and the pre EB just shines I don't care what the doubters say it was incredible![/quote] I'm surprised so many people go with "nah, slap on a 4-string" comment. Well, actually it's been two people, but if you read them one after the other it gives you the impresion of a generalised statement I want to be able to slap fine on a 5er... many people manage just fine. It'll just take a bit of effort to get there, and it seems like a step back at first which I think puts people off (it puts ME off for sure). As for your pre-EB... ah, you just haven't heard my OLP Quote
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