Are 5 strings still considered as ERBs?

[dc2009]

A quick look on ebay shows that there are currently just over 2000 basses on ebay, of which over 200 come up when you add in the search term '5', the numbers are almost identical when you narrow it to about electric basses, which are just over 1000, just under 100 are 5ers, and just under 50 are 6ers. Not counting the odd 7/8/more string basses of which there may be a few in that number, it is clear that 5ers and 6ers make up 10% and 5% respectively of the bass market. This is a pretty high figure, and I would say that actually you see quite a few more than even those percentages at gigs.

So are 5 and perhaps 6 string basses becoming the norm in lots of music, or increasingly prevalent to the point where you think in future they might make up 50% of the market?

Discuss.

[Doddy]

I think that the bass is still considered to be a four string instrument,for the most part.

A few weeks ago I would have said that the five string had pretty much become the 'new standard',but a couple of
weeks ago a guy came up to me and was all "Wow,a five string".....so I guess in some circles the five is still not
particularly common.

[dc2009]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1291036' date='Jul 3 2011, 02:41 PM']I think that the bass is still considered to be a four string instrument,for the most part.

A few weeks ago I would have said that the five string had pretty much become the 'new standard',but a couple of
weeks ago a guy came up to me and was all "Wow,a five string".....so I guess in some circles the five is still not
particularly common.[/quote]

So is that in the general musical world, but what about the perception in the bass community, is it different? And you think it'll change in future?

[waynepunkdude]

I think 4s/5s and 6s are used quite commonly, I don't need a 5 for the Punk stuff but it comes in handy for Ska.


I think once you get over 6 then you get into a very niche area.

[Tait]

I usually think of "standard" basses as having four or five strings, any more is an ERB to me!

[stingrayPete1977]

To class a 5 as standard which factually has an extended range over a four would in turn meen four string basses are sub standard?, So the op is saying everyone that has only four strings can only ever play mustang Sally for the rest of their lives over and over! That's well out of order IMO

[chris_b]

On the rare occasions when the world thinks of bass, I think it believes that a bass only has 4 strings. But as 5 string basses are pretty common in professional circles these days I think they can be considered a standard. 6'ers are less common but to me ERBs to start at 7 strings.

[Fat Rich]

I would say 5s are very common in R&B, soul, funk and hip hop although there will always be plenty of Fender Jazz and P and Stingray basses there too. Most slappers seem to prefer 4s maybe because of muting issues and string spacing although there are plenty of exceptions.

Quite a lot of music these days seem to be more about image and that means a classic Fender, Ric, Gibson, 'Ray (not that there's anything wrong with those basses) maybe 5 or more strings would be making the wrong kind of statement.

I think (rightly or wrongly) of ERBs as 7 or more strings but maybe that's because I've been playing 5s pretty much since I started out.

[dc2009]

Mmm, asides indie where 4 strings (and fenders) seem an absolute must, I think if you watch a pop performance on a show nowadays the bass player will invariably have a 5, perhaps something ultra-high end or maybe simpler. I think I see a lot of ray 5s used in modern pop music, as they keep the traditional enough shape but somehow seem to less obviously have 5 to the eye?

[Doddy]

[quote name='dc2009' post='1291223' date='Jul 3 2011, 05:49 PM']Mmm, asides indie where 4 strings (and fenders) seem an absolute must, I think if you watch a pop performance on a show nowadays the bass player will invariably have a 5, perhaps something ultra-high end or maybe simpler. I think I see a lot of ray 5s used in modern pop music, as they keep the traditional enough shape but somehow seem to less obviously have 5 to the eye?[/quote]

I think in modern pop music a 5 string is pretty important,purely because a lot of pop is recorded using synth bass. If you are doubling
on electric and synth bass,you might be able to get away with a 4 string for the numbers played on electric bass,but I know that on a lot
of my gigs I need a 5 string.

[Blademan_98]

Anything more than 4 is 'extended range' as the bass is a 4 stringed instrument.

If you play a 5er or more it gives you an extended range (hence the name!).

That's Mustang Sally for me then

[ZMech]

I'd suggest that there's an aspect of skewed perception here. You're probably far more likely to 'notice' that it's a 5 string, where as the fact it's a four won't really register in the same way, so you would end up thinking it's a much higher proportion than it is.

[bobbass4k]

I'd say they're less common than 8 or 10 years ago (chirst, it's depressing I can use phrases like that), when all the nu-metal bands were around, 5 strings were the standard amongst those kinds of bands. Now that the most popular stuff is middle of the road indie/folk/electro twaddle, I'd say 4 strings are definitely the standard now. In fact, I'm struggling to think of a current popular band that has a 5 string playing bassist. Maybe people have realised that Drop C is just perfect for every situation.

[ThomBassmonkey]

I think of 5s as ERBs even though I've spent most of my bass playing time on a 6 string. I need the B string for what I do so I play 5 strings, it doesn't matter to me if it's considered an ERB or not. I don't think I'd ever properly go back to a 4 string now, I do fancy having one tuned in 5ths, but that would technically be ERB anyway as the range would be extended via tuning.

[Maverick]

To take it one step further, is a 4 string with a 24 fret neck an ERB?

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='Maverick' post='1291265' date='Jul 3 2011, 06:20 PM']To take it one step further, is a 4 string with a 24 fret neck an ERB?[/quote]

What do double basses have?

As the whole thing started with them, I would reference it to that.

I think that having a full two octaves is just a good move rather than an extended range.......

Edited July 3, 2011 by Blademan_98

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Maverick' post='1291265' date='Jul 3 2011, 06:20 PM']To take it one step further, is a 4 string with a 24 fret neck an ERB?[/quote]

Or a whole step and a half step if you play a Fender.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1291274' date='Jul 3 2011, 06:26 PM']....What do double basses have?....[/quote]
There have been 5 string double basses for over 100 years.

[dc2009]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1291325' date='Jul 3 2011, 07:14 PM']There have been 5 string double basses for over 100 years.[/quote]

This much I knew, is it also the case with cellos too?
How many frets do they have? Or distinct notes per string, before some smart alec says none.

[louisthebass]

I'd say that 5 strings & upwards are classed as ERB's. I was stunned when I saw a 5 string in use the first time at the 2nd Bass Centre Weekend in 1988 (Joe Hubbard & Tim Landers both had Peavey 5 string basses). It was another 8 years before I got my hands on one! (now I've got 4 of 'em!).

I'd still say the 4 is still the standard - a lot of the major bands (KoL, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, Coldplay, etc) still have bassists using a 4 quite happily.

Cheers,
louisthebass

[dc2009]

[quote name='louisthebass' post='1291423' date='Jul 3 2011, 08:39 PM']I'd say that 5 strings & upwards are classed as ERB's. I was stunned when I saw a 5 string in use the first time at the 2nd Bass Centre Weekend in 1988 (Joe Hubbard & Tim Landers both had Peavey 5 string basses). It was another 8 years before I got my hands on one! (now I've got 4 of 'em!).

I'd still say the 4 is still the standard - a lot of the major bands (KoL, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, Coldplay, etc) still have bassists using a 4 quite happily.

Cheers,
louisthebass[/quote]

Valid points though the main bands that have been cited are all much of a muchness, with the exception of perhaps coldplay all can be said to be modern day indie-pop, and coldplay are the same if not something very similar) - as I said earlier, this scene calls for almost exclusively 4 strings and almost exclusively fenders at that (a few rics too I guess) - many other scenes where the bass conformity is not so necessary, I would say 5ers are quite often becoming the weapon of choice for the bass player.

[Doddy]

[quote name='dc2009' post='1291504' date='Jul 3 2011, 09:52 PM']as I said earlier, this scene calls for almost exclusively 4 strings and almost exclusively fenders at that (a few rics too I guess)[/quote]
I don't think it's a matter of the scene calling for 4 string Fenders,I think it's more that most of the guys in these bands really
don't give a sh*t about gear (and playing in some instances.)

[dc2009]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1291524' date='Jul 3 2011, 10:13 PM']I don't think it's a matter of the scene calling for 4 string Fenders,I think it's more that most of the guys in these bands really
don't give a sh*t about gear (and playing in some instances.)[/quote]

Yea perhaps, none of the bands listed were exactly my cup of tea either. It's either your reason or mine or some combination of both (IME the scene calls for Fenders and Rics based on looks, never with sound as a consideration). Still those bands so rarely even bother with the D below E, let alone any lower, never any need to deviate from a 4er (although a few do play in Eb because they have sh1t vocalists).

[4 Strings]

You say around 10% are for 5 string basses, probably about right.

Someone mentioned about noticing 5s and so they seem more, I agree. There certainly are plenty of fives around but in my experience 4 is 'a bass' and a 5 is 'a 5 string bass'.

Also, in my experience and sweeping statement here, 5s are played by people who are gear enthusiasts.

That's my experience.

Greg

[dc2009]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='1291574' date='Jul 3 2011, 10:41 PM']You say around 10% are for 5 string basses, probably about right.

Someone mentioned about noticing 5s and so they seem more, I agree. There certainly are plenty of fives around but in my experience 4 is 'a bass' and a 5 is 'a 5 string bass'.

Also, in my experience and sweeping statement here, 5s are played by people who are gear enthusiasts.

That's my experience.

Greg[/quote]

10% was simply based on percentage for sale on ebay at present, and taking that as typical of the market (which I think is a reasonable assumption).

I think your generalisation is somewhat correct, many 5 string players, such as myself, also own 4 stringers, which they might not talk about so much! Though I also happen to think that most bass players are gear enthusiasts in general, the ones who aren't (the ones in interview who just say, gimme this bass and that amp and I'll be away) are often converted guitarists and aren't all that enthusiastic about bass playing, not saying your gear enthusiasm is directly proportional to your bass enthusiasm, but it is a correlatoon with some I think.