5 String Question

[Si600]

This probably counts as a silly question. I've got a P-Bass copy that I'm refinishing and I was wondering whether I could rebuild it as a 5er rather than the 4 it is at the moment.

Presumably all I need is a new neck, pups and bridge? Will the new neck fit the existing neck pocket on the body?

If it's going to be too much work then look for a half finished p-copy in the marketplace

[hubrad]

The simple answer is that it is too much work.
However, you list' randomly making stuff' as an interest, so speaking as one whose one bass for years was a ridiculously customised (4 string with head eventually became 5 string headless) Ibanez I'd say go for it. .you could learn alot a lot about how basses work.

[Si600]

Good idea Time to start looking for new necks and pups

[hubrad]

I didn't even change the neck.. when I measured up I figured I'd just about get away with it, so fitted all 5 into the space provided.
I just remembered there are piccies in this thread: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/44673-ibanez-roadster-megacustom/page__hl__ibanez%20roadster

[Si600]

Sounds like an even better plan, it might be quite narrow spacing and need rail pickups rather than poles but it should be a giggle.

[JTUK]

yep..agree, NO.

The thing that defines a 5 is the low B.... and you could go through all that and end up with a dud.
I don't recommend cheap 5's for this reason and even Fender made their fair share of duds for too long...maybe they still do...
but if you are doing this on the cheap... and you are, IMO.... set your sights on a £300-500 5 from a known maker and test it.

If the B is wooly..and a lot are..then move to the next one.
People will tell you a decent set up and new strings can do wonders...and sometimes they help a lot.... but why on earth hasn't the guy selling the bass done that in order to sell it...?????
Chances are.... being a tad cynical here..... because it hasn't worked on that bass.

[bubinga5]

its never a good idea, unless you want a project. very neck heavy, the body was possibly designed for the weight of a four string neck. you will have to re route for a five string set of pickups. unless you want only a few of the strings to be amplified properly. these are just 2 reasons why people tend not to convert 4 string basses into 5 string. there are lots more. and believe me, unless your a luthier genius, the B string will be as dead as a dodo.

much less effort to buy a 5 string that was designed to be one.

Edited October 8, 2013 by bubinga5

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Maybe you could put new nut on , and adjust truss rod. Only do that tho ' if you're gonna permanently have it B-E-A-D imho

[chris_b]

Will this conversion sound good or play well?

Probably not, so, for me, that would make it a waste of time and money.

[Si600]

Thank you for your input. It was an idea I had as my only working bass is an Aria Pro II 5er, and even when the 4 was complete it was hardly used so I thought as I'm doing the work refinishing the 4 maybe I could turn it into a 5 in the process instead of looking for a new one.

It would be nice to have a second bass though as it will be another PJ 5er I can't see a compelling reason at the moment. Unless the Aria goes wrong in some way.

[tauzero]

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1381243124' post='2236289']
This probably counts as a silly question. I've got a P-Bass copy that I'm refinishing and I was wondering whether I could rebuild it as a 5er rather than the 4 it is at the moment.

Presumably all I need is a new neck, pups and bridge? Will the new neck fit the existing neck pocket on the body?
[/quote]

You just need a Wilkinson 4+1 bridge. Goes on in place of the standard bridge, has a tuner on the bridge for the D string, there's a combined string tree/D-string anchor.

[stingrayPete1977]

That is brilliant!

[Fat Rich]

My MIJ was a fiver a few years ago, I've converted it back to a 4 string again now.

Low B was pretty good but it went off the edge of the neck as you went up the dusty end. String spacing was a little tight but felt OK, EMG Jazz pickups with the battery in half the hole left by the split P pickup. Standard neck coped fine with the extra tension of another string.

[url="http://s751.photobucket.com/user/richardmatthews_photos/media/forum%20stuff/FrankensteinPbass.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited October 15, 2013 by Fat Rich

[iiipopes]

There is a gentleman who goes by the avatar Ric5 on talkbass.com and the two Rickebacker forums, rickenbacker.com and the enthusiast's forum rickresource.com . He has quite extensive experience in transforming all sorts of basses from 4-string to 5-string, and has posted pictures of his handiwork. I encourage surfing his threads if you are really serious about a conversion.

[Karnage]

Personally I don't like the narrow string spacing you get when doing this. I've ended up using quite a wide 6 string, and besides refining the damping technique (I now have 5 strings to keep quiet instead of 3) I found it much easier to move onto that I expected. The wide neck really isn't an issue even with my smaller than average hands.

I do occasionally use slap, and the narrow 5-strings and 6-strings are a real pain there, but not only when slapping in my experience. I don't personally think it's that much of an introduction to what a good 5 or 6 can offer. Just a cheap way of getting a 5 for occasional recording maybe?

Get a 5 or 6 with a 'tight' sounding B (not always the case at all as pointed out) and you'll really get a feel for whether you like using the extra string(s). My old Status 4 isn't getting much play these days!