Teddy_Hitch Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hello guys, I have a bit of dilemma well its not really but anyway..... So i want a 5 string and the look of an ibanez is appealing and i have the money its just I have a bad rep for getting one then selling it around a month later cause I dont ever use it. I've never had a 5 string before and the bass I use at the moment is a Fender usa P which I love to bits. But I cant stop looking at 5 strings on the net and in shops etc any thoughts? anybody had the same problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Tub Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 If you haven't already, go and have a play on a 5er. Personally, it took me a little time to get used to the narrower string spacing and the different feel of the neck, but now it's my instrument of choice. Just that one additional string opens up a whole new range of tonal and position possibilities. My playing has certainly improved too, which is an unexpected bonus! Like I said, try before you buy. As a matter of interest, where are you? I'm sure I'm not the only Baschatter who would offer you the chance to have a go, if you're close by? (Note: That last sentence was worded [i]verrrrrry [/i]carefully, but still doesn't sound quite right! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy_Hitch Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hey thanks for the offer, lols did sound a biiitt strange hahas. I live in a town called barnstaple in devon, problery to far away! cheers anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Just to show off again I bought a 5 string this weekend for a tenner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy_Hitch Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Hey thats unfair haha anyways this is the one im looking at! [url="http://www.ibanez.com/bass/guitar.aspx?m=SR705"]http://www.ibanez.com/bass/guitar.aspx?m=SR705[/url] I'm soooooo tempted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teen t-shirt Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 i tried out a squier p 5 string today, and it was fantastic, weighed no more than a normal p bass... for about 700 quid... if you live anywhere near the town of lincoln, i suggest you get your self to the pink music shop near the bus station... fantastic little shop i spent over 2 hours in there today just playing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 700 quid for a Squire??????????????????????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 [quote name='bass_ferret' post='275042' date='Sep 1 2008, 10:46 PM']700 quid for a Squire???????????????????????????[/quote] I thought that but I think he meant it wieghs the same as a Fender P five that costs £700 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 (edited) I had more or less the same problem. I gig with a MIJ P, the rest of the band love it and I have to admit it does sound good and it fits what we do. But I wanted to try a 5er, so I bought a cheap active Vester, which was actually nicer than it had any right to be for the money, but the neck was too narrow, so I sold it and bought a less cheap Spector Rebop 5. The Rebop is absolutely stunning to play, neck width is perfect, but I didn't like the pre-amp, so I bought an Aguilar and fitted that, and it sounds really good, but still seems to frighten our guitarist half to death. So, I thought, maybe it's because it's active, there's been a few MIM Jazz 5ers going cheap in the States, I'll try one of those. Got a nice one in Midnight Wine, but the pickups were a bit weak, so I changed them for Basslines, which make it sound like it should. And that's how I ended up with 2 5ers, one of which comes off the stand for 2 songs a gig if it's lucky. Because, of course, the band still prefer the P. Before anyone uses this cautionary tale to suggest I should have gone round shops and tried basses before I bought any, there is no way on earth I would have bought that P in a shop, it was only an opportunistic, spur of the moment purchase on eBay. Sounds awful solo, it's only with the band it comes into its own. I do not have an ounce of regret. My advice is go for it, but realise what you might be getting into and check neck widths (at the nut). If you're used to a P, some 5ers may feel tight. Both the Rebop (1.84") and the Jazz are ok (surprisingly, as I find 4-string Jazz necks are too narrow). Edited September 2, 2008 by spinynorman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 What I keep coming back to is that I don't get on with the narrow string spacing on many 5s. Of course they're not all the same. You can get a 5 string with the same string spacing as a 4 (or wider even), but this only seems to happen at the very expensive end of the market for some reason. I've settled on one of those Hipshot Xtender jobs. Drop-D is nearly as useful once you get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='Teddy_Hitch' post='274855' date='Sep 1 2008, 07:22 PM']Hey thanks for the offer, lols did sound a biiitt strange hahas. I live in a town called barnstaple in devon, problery to far away! cheers anyway[/quote] You been looking in Soundpad aint you?!! Get on the Train to Mansons....make a day of it,try a few out. I know what Barnys like its trad city,not many 5s & 6s,I bought the 1st 6 in the town, 10 years ago there. Who you playing for/with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_the_bassist Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='274874' date='Sep 1 2008, 07:49 PM']Just to show off again I bought a 5 string this weekend for a tenner [/quote] flash git punkassed checkerboarded so&so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='275185' date='Sep 2 2008, 08:45 AM']flash git punkassed checkerboarded so&so [/quote] This 5 string is as ugly as sin I'll post pics later but I'm trying to work out how you would make it look worse apart from putting a Warwick badge on it I guess for a tenner I can't complain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geilerbass Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 Those 705's really do look sweet - though if you're unsure about how you'd get on with a 5 string, it would be worth trying a few out before you splash out around £500 on a 705 (I think it's in that price range). Particularly if you're used to a P Bass, since Ibanez necks feel very different to Fenders. I prefer them, but they're not to everyone's tastes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='geilerbass' post='275205' date='Sep 2 2008, 09:33 AM']Those 705's really do look sweet - though if you're unsure about how you'd get on with a 5 string, it would be worth trying a few out before you splash out around £500 on a 705 (I think it's in that price range). Particularly if you're used to a P Bass, since Ibanez necks feel very different to Fenders. I prefer them, but they're not to everyone's tastes.[/quote] The Squire P and PJ 5's are really outstanding for the money, especially used As with any "not sure" GAS attack, buy used, sell if you don't like it and you may not loose any money (specially if you buy now during the depression and sell when things pick up again ... As a Precision player, when I got my P5 I put my Fender P4 away in its case for about 6 months and just played the 5. It was the only way I could convert. Happy on 4 or 5 now I can even play a 6 I'd recommend trying these if you fancy something close to a P bass in feel .. Yamaha BB405 [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/yamaha-bb-405/70761"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/yamaha-bb-405/70761[/url] and the Musicman Sub 5 [url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product.asp?id=4082"]http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product.asp?id=4082[/url] Incidentally my Shuker P5 has the neck profile of the Ibanez BTB 405 .. flat and wide, just like a 62 p bass, well with a few extra mm for the extra string [url="http://www.nevadamusic.co.uk/Bass_Guitars/Bass_Guitars/Bass_Guitars/p101.aspx"]http://www.nevadamusic.co.uk/Bass_Guitars/...itars/p101.aspx[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teen t-shirt Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='bass_ferret' post='275042' date='Sep 1 2008, 10:46 PM']700 quid for a Squire???????????????????????????[/quote] yeah it was 700 quid brand new... the one in the shop was brand new... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='teen t-shirt' post='275254' date='Sep 2 2008, 10:48 AM']yeah it was 700 quid brand new... the one in the shop was brand new...[/quote] errrrrrrrrr what model's that then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmandan Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='275197' date='Sep 2 2008, 09:20 AM']......I'm trying to work out how you would make it look worse apart from putting a Warwick badge on it [/quote] ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='teen t-shirt' post='275254' date='Sep 2 2008, 10:48 AM']yeah it was 700 quid brand new... the one in the shop was brand new...[/quote] £700 for a squier!!! that's ridiculous!!! i'm guessing its the P5 with the jazz pups (i don't know of any other P5)? they're much cheaper than that new! by the way, those ibanezes sound great, i've got an ibanez SR500 with the same pups and electronics in, and its one of the best (beaten only by the warwick thumb IMO) sounding basses me and my dad own. i don't like five strings so i havent played a five string version, but you should definatly try it out if you get the chance. i agree with OldGit about buying used, as well though, if you're not sure about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy_Hitch Posted September 2, 2008 Author Share Posted September 2, 2008 Thanks for all the replys, has been very helpful! anyway there is one on ebay in blue moon which looks sweet as and I have e-mailed the seller and he seems like a good guy 100 positive and what not. However it works out to be £2 more to order from canada than what it would be to get it from dv247 here, but as I say in the better colour. But another problem is that I am going on holiday on sat for a week and he said that the delivery would take about a week, so no one will be in! lols I reli prefer the bluee moon colour over the black tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master blaster Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='Teddy_Hitch' post='274855' date='Sep 1 2008, 07:22 PM']Hey thanks for the offer, lols did sound a biiitt strange hahas. I live in a town called barnstaple in devon, problery to far away! cheers anyway[/quote] haha barnstaple. thats where im at college Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='Teddy_Hitch' post='275699' date='Sep 2 2008, 06:40 PM']Thanks for all the replys, has been very helpful! anyway there is one on ebay in blue moon which looks sweet as and I have e-mailed the seller and he seems like a good guy 100 positive and what not. However it works out to be £2 more to order from canada than what it would be to get it from dv247 here, but as I say in the better colour. But another problem is that I am going on holiday on sat for a week and he said that the delivery would take about a week, so no one will be in! lols I reli prefer the bluee moon colour over the black tho[/quote] You'll have to pay duty and VAt and handling charge to the cost as well ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy_Hitch Posted September 2, 2008 Author Share Posted September 2, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='275701' date='Sep 2 2008, 06:44 PM']You'll have to pay duty and VAt and handling charge to the cost as well .....[/quote] really? is that a good lot more then Im guessing, maybe ill have to settle for the black colour here is a link to the item [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=130249865700&Category=38080&_trksid=p3907.m29"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...rksid=p3907.m29[/url] No one buy it! haha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 It'll end up being about 20% more than what you expected when you add in VAT and the handling charge. Plus any problems and you'll have a major pain in the rear to content with trying to send it back.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy_Hitch Posted September 2, 2008 Author Share Posted September 2, 2008 damn, looks like my blue ibanez is out the window I will head to mansons on thursday, see if I can find and have a go one one before I end up getting one. Getting it from canada seemed like a half decent idea before then lols! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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