5 string bass into a 4 string?

[mrhectic]

[size=2][b]ive been looking at the musicman stingray 5 for a long time now. always loved the look of it! but...i dont get along with 5 string basses.

i was just wondering, would it be possible to take the 5 string neck off it, and put a 4 string neck onto it? or are the completely different width?

ive never done modifications before, so i probably wouldnt do it myself. I'l probably get a friend to do the DIY work to it. lol
it would probably be too much hassle, but i love the look of the stingray 5. hehe[/b][/size]

[Lfalex v1.1]

As far as I know, the 5 has a wider neck.
Also....
The 5 string bridge is (1 saddle) wider. Genuine Musicman bridges are virtually impossible to come by.
The pick-ups have 5 poles (x2) The string alignment would be completely out, and would yield (at best) unreliable results.
It'd be easier to get a Stingray 4 or Sterling and get a luthier to attack it with draw knives, spoke shaves and router until it resembled a5
What is it that you like about the 5?

[mrhectic]

yeh, its a bit too much work. It was just an idea.
I just really like the look of it, with the scope out of the 'horn' (dunno what you call them), where as the stingray 4 is just a flat top. Also in honeyburst, it looks beutiful!

[mathewsanchez]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='264135' date='Aug 17 2008, 07:59 PM']As far as I know, the 5 has a wider neck.
Also....
The 5 string bridge is (1 saddle) wider. Genuine Musicman bridges are virtually impossible to come by.
The pick-ups have 5 poles (x2) The string alignment would be completely out, and would yield (at best) unreliable results.
It'd be easier to get a Stingray 4 or Sterling and get a luthier to attack it with draw knives, spoke shaves and router until it resembled a5
What is it that you like about the 5?[/quote]

Not sure the 5 string pickup would be such a problem. This bass, hand built by Leo Fender and now owned by Sterling Ball aparrently works fine:




However I do agree this 5 to 4 string project is too much work and shouldn't be done with such a nice, not to mention expensive bass. I would recommend buying a Musicman SUB, putting in SR5 style contours and refinishing it. Or just find a bass you love and leave it as is.

[neepheid]

[quote name='mathewsanchez' post='264473' date='Aug 18 2008, 12:37 PM']Not sure the 5 string pickup would be such a problem. This bass, hand built by Leo Fender and now owned by Sterling Ball aparrently works fine:




However I do agree this 5 to 4 string project is too much work and shouldn't be done with such a nice, not to mention expensive bass. [b]I would recommend buying a Musicman SUB[/b], putting in SR5 style contours and refinishing it. Or just find a bass you love and leave it as is.[/quote]

I'd recommend an OLP/other budget copy body if you're going into butchery mode to be honest.

I understand where the OP is coming from, I much prefer the look of SR5s over SR4s. Just don't like that isolated pickguard/chrome control plate combo.

[Kev]

yeah the SR5 is a fantastic looking instrument

what is it you dont like about 5 strings? is it the B gettin in the way? the width of the neck?

[SJA]

another problem- 22frets on the SR5, 21 on the SR4. so you'd have the move the bridge, and you'd change the tone as the pickup would be in a different spot in regard to the strings.

so, yeah, mod an OLP, or get a body custom made.

[mrhectic]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='264549' date='Aug 18 2008, 01:40 PM']yeah the SR5 is a fantastic looking instrument

what is it you dont like about 5 strings? is it the B gettin in the way? the width of the neck?[/quote]

Yeh, the wider neck, and the B string. Ive always played 4 string, and when i had a play on my friends 5 string bass, it didnt feel right. I may one day explore into 5 string basses, but not for now.

Thanks for the feedback, seems like alot of problems with this idea lol

getting a body custom made sounds like a better plan.

[Sibob]

Wouldn't a much simpler plan be to just buy a 4 string Stringray, and have a scratchplate custom made like the 5 string version, doing away with the metal control plate etc.

Easy
Si

[Tait]

why not try a 5 string OLP or something, you might find you like it... i know you played your friends and it didn't feel right, but you can get OLPs really cheap and they sell well. if you do like it saves the hassel of modifiying basses, and you can then go out and buy a SR5 eventually as well. surely has to be worth a shot?