which 5 string has the narrowest neck

[markbass555]

Hi,

looking for a 5 string but looking for one with the a narrow neck... I have got small hands and because of medication I am on for an illness one of the side affects tends to be pins and needles in my hand after playing for a while so it has to be a narrow profile neck with a narrow string spacing. I am currently using a drop D tuner but would love a 5 string. Was originally thinking either a musicman or A Lakkie JO. dont know anyone near me that has any so havent tried just relying on the wealth of expert knowledge on these forums!!! ....any comments appreciated.


Dave

Edited May 19, 2008 by markbass555

[obbm]

The OLP copy of the SR5 is narrower at the nut and the bridge than the SR5.

In a rash moment I once bought a Westfield fiver that was also very narrow.

[Machines]

Ibanez have pretty tight spacing - check out an SR505. The 'Fenders' as it were (Precision / Jazz / Stingray) will have fairly wide spacing in comparison.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='obbm' post='201982' date='May 19 2008, 10:38 AM']The OLP copy of the SR5 is narrower at the nut and the bridge than the SR5.

In a rash moment I once bought a Westfield fiver that was also very narrow.[/quote]

However, as an owner of both, I find the SR5 the easier of the two to play. There's more to neck dimensions than just the width at specific points...

My recommendation for a slim 5 goes to either a Vigier through-neck model or a (particularly mid-priced) Ibanez, such as an SR505.

(Sorry, Machines! I didn't read your post, but it goes to show that great minds think alike - right down to the same model!!!)

Edited May 19, 2008 by Lfalex v1.1

[Huge Hands]

At the cheaper end of the scale, my Cort C5 has tight string spacing, which is one of the reasons I'm now thinking of getting something else.

I had a look at a Squier p5 recently and it was like a workbench in comparison!

[Sean]

The combination of string spacing and the profile of the neck are well worth considering as a whole. My Lakland 55-02 has 19mm spacing but the neck is really very slim (low profile) and makes playing quite easy. The Squier 5s (19mm) I've played have been completely unmanageable for me by comparison due to the neck profile. I bought an Ibanez SR1001 a couple of years ago and found I just couldn't get on with the 16.5mm spacing after a while.

Again, this is one of those cases where you just have to go and try them. I've always found Status 5s easy to play and they have near enough 19mm spacing.

[Hamster]

I think you can get a Pedulla Rapture in 17.5mm spacing, some Warwick Fortresses come in at 16.5mm, Modulus Flea, Yamaha TRB1005, SR5's, early Yamaha BB5000A all are pretty narrow IIRC.

Hamster

[BigRedX]

*Shameless plug*

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13248&hl"]This Washburn[/url]

Edited May 19, 2008 by BigRedX

[markbass555]

thanks for the replies so far.... i agree about the squire 5's I had one a few years ago and last I heard Andrew Flintoff is now using it as a cricket bat!!!!!

[simon1964]

[quote name='Machines' post='201983' date='May 19 2008, 10:40 AM']Ibanez have pretty tight spacing - check out an SR505. The 'Fenders' as it were (Precision / Jazz / Stingray) will have fairly wide spacing in comparison.[/quote]


+1 on the Ibanez SR505. Very slim neck (too slim for me!), and very nice pickups and electronics for the money.

[BOD2]

Schecter Diamond Series are pretty narrow (I have an Elite-5)

Might have a job finding a new one as Sound Control were sole UK distributors, but there may be a few around.

[budget bassist]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='202061' date='May 19 2008, 01:17 PM']At the cheaper end of the scale, my Cort C5 has tight string spacing, which is one of the reasons I'm now thinking of getting something else.

I had a look at a Squier p5 recently and it was like a workbench in comparison![/quote]
Yeah, the squier P5's neck is like a spade, it's horrible.

Also SR5 necks are pretty wide, i wouldn't recommend it. My tobias' neck is pretty nice feeling though, nice and tight and the asymmetrical neck feels really nice. Nicest neck i've ever played on a budget 5, or any 5 for that matter. The SR505 has a nice thin neck too though.

Edited May 19, 2008 by budget bassist

[nig]

When I wanted to try a 5, I purchased an aria that kinda looked like a p bass, as ive got small mitts I enjoyed the small neck, I ended up throwing the body away as it was cardboard and a luthier made me a stingray body with emgs, the neck was the only bit worth keeping

[muzzer]

Excuse the blatant plug..................
Having just given in to a case of G.A.S. and bought a custom frankenjazz from this very forum
I'm thinking of selling my Ibanez EDC705.
This has possibly the narrowest spacing I've ever seen on a 5 string, not much wider than many 4's in fact.
From memory the string spacing at the bridge is around 16.5mm (about 66/67mm across all 5 strings)
It looks like this one:



If you like the unusual style it's a pretty nice bass in my opinion, plays well with nice range of tones from the two soapbars and 3 band EQ with swept mid.
PM me for more pics/info/price if you are interested

Steve

[Bigwan]

Hi Dave,

I recently tried the Ibanez ATK 5 string. It's similar to a musicman 5 in sound but the neck, to me, feels a little narrower (I had a MM5 a few years back that went because the neck was too narrow for me). I think you'd go a long way to find a better deal than one of those (under £400). I almost walked out of the shop with the 4 string version (which for me blew away the 2 stingrays hanging next to it!).

For your requirements stay away from a Lakland - much too wide (and right up my street!)

Hope that helps

Cheers

Ian

Edited May 20, 2008 by Bigwan

[machinehead]

Hey Dave

I have a MM3, a US jazz 5 and, best of all, a Spector NS5.

You are welcome to call in and give them a try.

The jazz has the widest and deepest neck but to me, is still nice to play.

The Spector has a narrower string spacing and plays beautifully.

The MM3 string spacing is a little too narrow if anything.

But I have to say, ease of playing is not just about string spacing. Neck depth and profile are even more important on a 5 than a 4 string IMO.

Giss a shout if you're interested.

Frank

Edited May 20, 2008 by machinehead

[tauzero]

[quote name='markbass555' post='201979' date='May 19 2008, 10:33 AM']looking for a 5 string but looking for one with the a narrow neck...[/quote]
I've got a frankenbass with a Westfield Precision neck and Wilkinson 4-to-5-string adaptor bridge - so it's a 4-string bass with 5 strings on it. It would be rather impractical for you to try it out, but it's a route worth considering. It's very playable - I found it easier to play than a 4-string Jazz.

[geilerbass]

+1 for Ibanez - the SR range have a very narrow string spacing and the necks are very slim and playable.

Old Bass Collections are also worth considering as they have very slim necks and are also seem to be quite cheap when they appear in the classifieds here or on Ebay.

[thedarxide]

Another + for Ibanez, I've got an Ergodyne EDC715 which I usually have to play with pick because it's uncomfortable adjusting my hands to the smaller string spacing.

[metalmickey]

[b][quote name='geilerbass' post='204375' date='May 22 2008, 04:01 PM']+1 for Ibanez - the SR range have a very narrow string spacing and the necks are very slim and playable.[/quote][/b]

And another +1. I had tendonitis that was quite bad for a while, and I was told that it may stick around for up to 10 years. It affected my fretting hand, wrist and most of the forearm with pain, pins & needles etc - The Ibanez SR505 is probably the only bass I got on with for a long time. Thier current model has gone back to the popular 80s neck shape, and overall it's a great bass for the money, Bartolonis and a nice 3 band eq, and a lovely jatoba/bubinga neck.

[lowhand_mike]

=1 another 1 for the SR 505, i'm not a 5 string player but i did try the 505 (cos i wanted the 500 but they only had the 505 in the shop i was in) and it was very playable, the soundgear necks are lovely, they are narrow and slim and very well finished, they look sweet too. the whole package feels alot more expensive than it is.
but then i would say that as i am slightly biased

[machinehead]

Hey Dave,

See my post on the G&L Tribute thread.

I was told that the 5 string is made on the same neck width as the 4 string.

If that's true then that would make that an excellent bass for you. Superb value for money and top class instruments IMO.

Frank

[Delberthot]

A couple of suggestions if you can find them would be a Yamaha BB5000 but you'll need to fight me for one cos I've been on the lookout for years. Another one would be a Rickenbacker 4003S/5 or alternatively there's a guy on the rickresource forum called Jeff Rath that can convert a 4 string into a five string using modified bridge saddles and pickups.

If you're brave, try and find a 4 string with a large enough headstock to add an extra tuner. Change the pickups if need be for bar magnets rather than individual poles and get something like a Kahler bridge which adjusts every way possible. I've done this a couple of times with a Rickenfacker and a Stingray copy.