Want A 5 String Bass But Which?

[Gordon Thudmaster May]

[font=comic sans ms, cursive][b]I want to move onto a 5 string, but having tried quite a few, I'm still confused! I need one with a small string spacing! Is 19mm the smallest spacing? My favourite at the moment is a Fender USA Jazz Deluxe 5, but the sting spacing still a problem! Can you put me in the right direction! [/b][/font]

[geoffbyrne]

Have a go at something like a Yamaha BB425 - sort of Jazz spacing at the nut going down to about 18mm at the bridge.

G.

[Alec 'Aleb' Mills]

have you tried any ibanez basses? They generally have quite slim necks.

http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Ibanez-GSR205-Soundgear-5-String-Bass-Guitar-Black/667
http://www.dv247.com/guitars/ibanez-sr505-5-string-bass-guitar-brown-mahogany--50256

These have 16.5 mm spacing, but I can't vouch for the accuracy as I don't own one.

[Conan]

I'm selling a Cort Curbow 5. String spacing is "just right" for me - not too close or too far apart. The body shape is not for everyone, but it balances and plays very well with a good range of sounds from the 3-band EQ....

£250? Can't go far wrong at that price as they list at nearly £500!

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/56436-string-spacingneck-width-on-cort-curbow/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/56436-string-spacingneck-width-on-cort-curbow/[/url]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXVxNiCzfKE[/media]

Edited March 7, 2012 by Conan

[thepurpleblob]

Spacing on a 5 is a minefield. I was quite the opposite I wanted wide spacing. I think you'll find that (19mm) at the bridge (same as most 4 strings) is unusual and tends to turn up on more expensive models. You also have to consider what happens at the other end too - the spacing can vary widely there too. And, how close do the B and G strings get to the edge - I don't like models where the strings are really close to the edge. Moan moan moan

[uncle psychosis]

I went from a 4 string jazz to a 5 string yamaha trb without any real trouble and I've got teeny girly sized hands.

[Chris Horton]

[size=5][sub]I would recommend a Yamaha TRB,[/sub][/size]

[size=5][sub]But then I am a little bit biased as i am selling one if you are interested [/sub][/size]

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1331134263' post='1568206']
[size=5][sub]I would recommend a Yamaha TRB,[/sub][/size]

[size=5][sub]But then I am a little bit biased as i am selling one if you are interested [/sub][/size]
[/quote]

So would I, but they are about as wide a spacing as you can get - all the way up !!

[aldude]

[quote name='Alec 'Aleb' Mills' timestamp='1331131943' post='1568153']
have you tried any ibanez basses? They generally have quite slim necks.

[url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Ibanez-GSR205-Soundgear-5-String-Bass-Guitar-Black/667"]http://www.gear4musi...uitar-Black/667[/url]
[url="http://www.dv247.com/guitars/ibanez-sr505-5-string-bass-guitar-brown-mahogany--50256"]http://www.dv247.com...mahogany--50256[/url]

These have 16.5 mm spacing, but I can't vouch for the accuracy as I don't own one.
[/quote]

My Ibanez 5 string, which is for sale (shameless plug! http://basschat.co.uk/topic/118050-ibanez-prestige-sr4005e-5-string-now-l800/) has fairly narrow spacing, which I like.

The neck depth i.e. distance from the front of the fingerboard to the back of the neck is quite shallow too, which I like. Still too much for my tiny hands though!

[dannybuoy]

Yamaha BBs have great necks. My BB415 is a slim 42mm at the nut for comfort and 18mm spacing at the bridge.

[musophilr]

I play a Yamaha RBX375 and I've got tiny girly hands*. The BB & TRB models are probably better than the RBX; I've tried them, they sound great and play well, but the RBX did it on price because bass is not my 1st instrument and at the time I couldn't justify spending more than I did on the RBX.

* They're not pretty though and the rest of me is quite ugly.

[Mylkinut]

My BB5000 has about as tight string spacing as you can get. It can be fiddly to play, but it suits me because the neck doesn't feel like such a massive change from my four-stringers.

[EdwardHimself]

19 mm is pretty wide for a 5 string bass. A musicman has about 17.5 mm iirc but if you want something really narrow then go with something like a peavey.

[BigRedX]

You need to go and play some. Looking at measurements is no substitute for hands on experience. Also spacing at the bridge is only half the picture. I've just gone and measured the seven 5-strings that I play most regularly and every make has a different spacing and taper. The widest at the bridge (Yamaha BJ 5B) at 18mm between strings is also the narrowest at the nut - 36mm from B to G. Conversely the narrowest at the bridge (Gus G3) at 17mm is the widest at the nut 40mm.

Personally I'd ignore the numbers and go with what feels most comfortable to play.

[Musicman20]

I settled on Musicman 5s....17.5 mm spacing.

[Lfalex v1.1]

Play it? Like it? Is it made well? Buy it!
Otherwise, do remember that some bridges do offer a degree of adjustment for string spacing;
The Warwick 2-piece bridge
Kahler 2400 series
In fact, any saddle with more than one groove- so that includes some BadAss and Bbot models, too

[chris_b]

I bought a Musicman SR5 as my first 5 string bass. But in the end I wanted the same string spacing as my 4 string so I went for the 19mm Lakland.

Wide spacing isn't a problem. You just have to adapt your technique, practice and don't keep chopping and changing between 4's and 5's.

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1331198525' post='1569127']
I bought a Musicman SR5 as my first 5 string bass. But in the end I wanted the same string spacing as my 4 string so I went for the 19mm Lakland.

Wide spacing isn't a problem. You just have to adapt your technique, practice and don't keep chopping and changing between 4's and 5's.
[/quote]

I did exactly the same thing... the SR5 is a nice bass but I found the strings to be a bit 'crammed in', the Lakland just has a bit more room on the neck. I also have a TRB5 which is incredibly similar in neck shape for half the price (if you can find one).

As has been said, however, you need to try some.

[jojoagogo234]

only ever got one 5 string... this has treated me well over the 4 years iv had it ^_^ perfect for a first 5 string in my opinion . and lets face it... its not too bad looking
also its not too expensive
[url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/peavey-millennium-bxp-5-string-bass-guitar-quilt-top"]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/peavey-millennium-bxp-5-string-bass-guitar-quilt-top[/url]

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1331198525' post='1569127']
Wide spacing isn't a problem. You just have to adapt your technique, practice and don't keep chopping and changing between 4's and 5's.
[/quote]

Wide spacing isn't a problem. For some people.
I agree with practicing and working on technique, but chopping and changing between basses keeps it fresh for me and makes me think about what I'm trying to do, rather than just dropping into autopilot.

[chris_b]

What works for you. For me that interest isn't provided by the instrument but what I'm playing and who I'm playing with.

[chardbass]

I don't know about string spacing but your font is killing my eyes :-)

[BigRedX]

I've been thinking about the string spacing issue some more. Having measured my basses last night and found a wide variety of string spacings at both the bridge and nut, I have just now measured the string spacing at the point where I most commonly pick or pluck on each bass and guess what? They are all the same at 16mm between string centres.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='chardbass' timestamp='1331201951' post='1569198']
I don't know about string spacing but your font is killing my eyes :-)
[/quote]

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/nocomicsans8164.gif[/IMG]

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1331132142' post='1568158']I'm selling a Cort Curbow 5. [/quote]


[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1331134263' post='1568206']I would recommend a Yamaha TRB, ... i am selling one if you are interested[/quote]


[quote name='aldude' timestamp='1331135304' post='1568236']My Ibanez 5 string, which is for sale ...[/quote]

Classy.