Do you stick to 4/5/6 strings, are you a hot swapper or in between!?!

[Ashwood1985]

Been pondering his regarding myself recently as I really tend to miss my B string when playing a 4.

So whatcha'all sayin? Does swapping on the regs feel natural and still feel like 'home'? Do you feel most comfortable and fluid on one string count but make do a little on others for the sake of the material? Or do you hardline it and stay loyally consistent to a digit?

[Ashwood1985]

... and why?

[Doddy]

I play 5 strings for the vast majority of my electric bass gigs-in fact I've used a 5 on every gig since this
time last year.However,last week I took out a P-Bass and felt really comfortable. I really don't find it a
problem switching between 4,5 or 6 strings (although I've not gigged the 6 for a long time).Even though
I mostly play 5 strings,I still consider my Jazz Bass to be 'my' bass.
All my Upright gigs are on 4 strings anyway...and it's harder to swap between Electric,Upright and Synth
Bass than it is between 4,5 or 6 string electric (especially if you've had time away from one or the other).

[chrismuzz]

I feel more at home on a 6 string, so I play one as much as possible.

With the cover band, we go from Eb standard tuning, to playing in drop C#... So I just use a 4 string and drop the bottom string up and down so that I don't need an extra bass (drop tunings are too weird with an extra string below it!)

I've got a 5 string, but strangely it confuses the hell out of me still

[funkypenguin]

My Warwick 6er is my go-to practice bass and i gig it 95% of the time, other than that i use my 50's classic P. Never had a problem switching between the 2, but i do miss the extra strings whenever i play on the P bass

[krysh]

I swap between 4- & 5- strings and have no problem with it.
also I use D-tuers on my 4-strings.
I love to use the lower notes on a 5-string.

[jimbobothy]

Started on 4s, went to 5s for ages then back to 4s! I do have a 5 at the mo and like to use the B where appropriate but I think as I learnt on a 4 initially that is what I feel most comfortable on. Also oddly I find it easier to read on a 4, I think as there are less options in the hand position department so you just get on with it!!

Edited September 11, 2012 by jimbobothy

[El Bajo]

I'm more comfortable with the 6 string. I have big hands so a 4 string neck feels to slim (I find my thumb is always creeping over the neck), also the string spacing makes fast run easy. Unfortunatly the 2 bands I'm in just don't require the 6 string. Ones a detuned metal band where I have to pay a pick, and its mainly root notes. The second is an acoustic band that only requires once again root notes. So the 6 string is sadly gathering dust at the moment.

[Bilbo]

I only use a 4 string electric and a 5 string double because that is all I have and I have no GAS for anything else. I can see why people want 5s and 6s but I have no real use for them (I have ownded both but they hung on the wall gathering dust). For a long time now, for me, it has been about the music not the bass and my relationship with the instrument has changed as a result. I consequently don't drool over new gear and don't really play musics where a low B or high C (i.e. the top 5 notes) are that relevant.

[Roland Rock]

I've bought a 5 recently, having only played 4s since I started. I've taken to it like a duck to water, love it! Playing the 4 now, it seems a bit restrictive, but I can still swap between them no problems. It may be a honeymoon period thing, but at the moment, the only instance which I envisage wanting to play the 4 live is when the 5 doesn't fit in with he image of the band/genre.

[chris_b]

My 5 string bass sounds so good why would I leave it at home? If you’re a “[i]because I can[/i]” kind of guy then OK, change basses and amps, but I wouldn't bother swapping basses because of extra strings.

Some of my gigs hardly use 3 strings and some don't use the B string but I'll always take the 5.

[Ashwood1985]

Interesting responses!

And what about practise? Are there any who think it might be a hindrance to settling down really solid and effortless technique and intuition by practising between different string counts a lot?

Or simply that 'hey, if I play a 6 then why no practise all the time on that so when I'm on my 4 I know I've covered all options in hand positions!'

Or simply a case of practising fluid movement around runs/lines twice/thrice on different string counts?

Which then begs another 'why'!

You see I've got to ask myself: 'what does a 4 give me that a 5 doesn't?'
My hands a large enough and I enjoy the extra low range for each hand position.
I course with 5s and 6s being the new kids on the block, Theres a vibe that 'proper' bass players play a 4 on stage. How much do you guys think this influences our decisions?

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1347356104' post='1799633']

Or simply that 'hey, if I play a 6 then why no practise all the time on that so when I'm on my 4 I know I've covered all options in hand positions!'

[/quote]


I play a 5 quite differently to a 4, taking advantage of those convenient extra notes without having to move my fretting hand. When moving on to the 4, I find I have to think a bit more, and move my fretting hand more. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

Regarding choosing which one to play on the gig, you need to consider tone and aesthetic. The 5 fits right in with my reggae band, but I have depped with a Bowie tribute on occasion, concentrating mainly on the Ziggy era, (sorry Bilbo) and the 70s P just sounds and looks right.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Roland Rock

[Bilbo]

I got my Wal before 5s and 6s were de rigeur. I dipped my toe in with Staus Energy 6 and a similar 5 but didn't see any major benefits for the music I prefer to play. In fact, the only gig I did that needed a low B was cheesy pop and I didn't really like the gig (it was a good band, just the material was a bit bland and the MD wanted to make it blander (I said he wanted to stamp his lack of personality all over the music' ). After that episode, I've never really seen the point, much as I love AJ, Patitucci, Jimmy Johnson etc. I woudl liek to own a Fodera ANJ Presentation before I die (because it's there) but can't see it happening anytime soon. In the meantime, I am happy with what I have.

[shizznit]

My go to bass will always be a 5 string mostly because I have very long fingers and the width of the fingerboard feels a bit more natural for me, but I do swap over to a 4 once in a while. I will also use a 4 when I am teaching as none of my students have 5 strings, so it helps to avoid confusion when they watch me repeat what they are playing.

I don't feel that my playing style changes when I switch over to a 4. I notice that I will use the E string whilst playing up the dusty end a bit more than I would if I was playing a 4. Dunno why really...its a weird sub-conscience thing.

[El Bajo]

The 6 string was my only bass for 8 years! I went to a jam night once without a bass and ended up playing a song, I kept missing strings becasue I wasn't used to a 4 string neck! Its worth having both a 4 and a 5/6.

Also, as previously mentioned, on a 4 string you may find you have to move around more wheres as on 5 and 6 strings all the notes are pretty much under you fingers. In some ways 4 string is harder...But on the other hand I find myslef trying to play more busy lines on the 6 (which gets me into trouble with guitarists)

At the end of the day does it matter? Its just a tool. I doubt a pianist would ask for a 2 octave piano becasue he doesen't need the rest on the keys for a performance

[Ashwood1985]

[quote name='El Bajo' timestamp='1347364951' post='1799779']
I doubt a pianist would ask for a 2 octave piano becasue he doesen't need the rest on the keys for a performance
[/quote]

This pretty much sums up how I'm feeling about my axes at the moment. Problematic because it means I may need to start seeking to replace my thumb 4 with a 5! (sigh)

[El Bajo]

Finance is your friend

[EssentialTension]

4 .....



..... that's it.

[funkypenguin]

[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1347356104' post='1799633'] I course with 5s and 6s being the new kids on the block, Theres a vibe that 'proper' bass players play a 4 on stage. How much do you guys think this influences our decisions? [/quote]

I'm not bothered what people think of the 6er when im on stage, Only what they think is good/bad about my playing and whether or not they enjoyed the show, which at the end of the day is what matters proper bass players? Anthony Jackson and John Patitucci are about as proper as bass players get. End of

Edited September 14, 2012 by funkypenguin

[Ashwood1985]

[quote name='funkypenguin' timestamp='1347584420' post='1802854']
I'm not bothered what people think of the 6er when im on stage, Only what they think is good/bad about my playing and whether or not they enjoyed the show, which at the end of the day is what matters proper bass players? Anthony Jackson and John Patitucci are about as proper as bass players get. End of
[/quote]

I fully agree my man and it's great to see you're using the instrument(s) that're best for you.

Although the main aim of that question was to ask opinions on the pressure that many players may feel about what basses and how many strings they should be playin. Whether from a snooty jazz player or old rocker they look up to, the latest teen 'bands' who are all seen with Vintage Fender Jazzes or a popular player who is always seen slappin the life out of an active 6'r... whatever... - how much do we make our instrument decisions based on what is good in our hands and our ears and how much because we've been told its fantastic?

[chrismuzz]

I'm not a proper bass player even when i am on a 4 string

[Fat Rich]

I started out on 4 but soon switched to 5 exclusively for many years. I found switching over to 5 quite easy but couldn't go backwards and forwards between 5 and 4 without getting confused. I had a 6 but just found I didn't really play the extra string, I'm more of a groove player.

More recently I've been playing 4s more often again, and I'm now able to switch between 4 and 5 with no problems. So I'm playing 4 string Fenders for a more vintage sound, and 5 string Status basses for a more modern sound.

[Johngh]

i've got two 6ers a 5 and a 4 (see signature) my go to bass is the Status 6 headed because it feels right. I've had many 4 strings over the last few years but sold them because I wasn't using them as I prefered a 6. I'm keeping the Geddy though because it's the best jazz I've ever had, it's got Lindy Frailins in it and its brilliant.

If I play a 4 I miss the bottom B, I've currently got the Dingwall 5er up for sale as for me now it's either a 4 or a 6. The next stage will be to fit a drop tuner on the Geddy just to add a bit more versatility to it.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1347587385' post='1802857']
....Although the main aim of that question was to ask opinions on the pressure that many players may feel about what basses and how many strings they should be playin....
[/quote]

[font=Arial]I'm too old to feel pressure. [/font]

[font=Arial]Swapping basses and getting different sounds per song may make you feel like you're going the extra mile but it's only an indulgence. No one else cares.[/font]

[font=Arial]The [i]real[/i] pressure is to play the right notes in the right order.[/font]

[font=Arial]IMO, of course.[/font]