How many strings on your main bass?

[CamdenRob]

Hi Guys, I'd be interested to know how many people out there are primarily playing basses with Five or more strings... Perhaps not in some genres, but I reckon overall that the humble Four is still by far the most popular

Personally I play a six string for almost everything as having the extra strings / weight doesn't bother me and I like the flexibility. However I could get away with a fiver for 99% of the material I play in the bands I've been in and to be honest, a four would cover well over half of it... I also like a four for the odd occasion I dabble with slap and for reading, just to keep things as simple as possible.

I'm aware that many have numerous basses with differing numbers of strings, this question is really about your main instrument or the one you use most of the time

Edited January 29, 2016 by CamdenRob

[PaulWarning]

without exception all my favourite bass players play a 4 that's good enough for me, I don't even like playing below low G, tend to play the octive

[Roland Rock]

I've just switched to four strings.

[Machines]

Hmmm, I don't have a main bass so will go with my favourite (5).

[Hobbayne]

4 string P bass. I did dabble with a 5 once

[elephantgrey]

I got my hands on a Deco 6er, and fell in love with it almost instantly. Having never played a 6er, and "lost"* my 5er a few years ago and not felt the need to replace it, i got it as more of a novelty. My thoughts where that id try it out, think "thats weird, way too many strings", and sell it on for cost. Turns out though that it turned up set up perfectly, and played better than any other bass i have.

I mainly play the middle 4 strings (the normal ones) and use the B and C strings for the odd note to stop me having to change hand positions for it.


*It got stolen by the drummer of the band i was in when/lived with when the band fell apart and he moved out.

[chris_b]

I have 3 basses and they are all 5 ers.

I have never seen any logic in the "the original was recorded on a 4 string, so that's what we should use" argument.

Play what's comfortable and what works.

[Cameronj279]

I play a 5 string with everything. I just find it overall more comfortable to play and I like having the option of lower notes/being able to play the same notes but higher up the neck. Doing the latter gives the notes a different sound to my ears so it's a good thing to be able to have.

6 string necks are just a little thicker than what I find comfortable and the string spacing on 4 string basses is too much for me.

[Doctor J]

4. I've spent lots of time on and every now and then still play 5's and, for a while, had a 6 as my main player, but 4 is what my hands feel happiest on.

[FinnDave]

Never felt the need to try more than four.

[Marc S]

Have dabbled a bit with 5. But 4 is my main bass and preference.
nothing against 5's or using a 5 when the original was on a 4

I still own a rather nice Yamaha 5, but it's just for noodling on occasionally
I'm sure if I gigged it, I'd find myself accidentally playing the wrong string at some point (I will gig it one day)
For me though, my left hand particularly feels more comfortable with 4

With 5's I tend to find either the strings are a tad closer together than I'm comfortable with, or else the neck is overly chunky
Those are just my thoughts and opinions though. As I say, nothing against 5's

Don't think I'd ever need a 6 though

[alyctes]

Fives are handy for low notes, but the real point of them, to me, is having to move less often. But I'm one of those people who doesn't get on with wide necks, so I'm steadily moving my fives on.

[Twigman]

Where's the option for 3?

[Cato]

I'm getting tempted to get my first 5 after 25 odd years of playing. That may be down to Basschat inspired gas rather than any practical need though & I'm not entirely confident that the extra string won't end up getting most use as a 34 inch ( or longer) thumb rest in my case.

[Chiliwailer]

Voted 4 due to my P Bass, but prefer practice on a 5. Will change my vote when I get the right Lull PJ5.

[CamdenRob]

So early days but around 60% four stringers... That's not far off what I expected, maybe a little lower.

A couple of comments already about playing a 4 string P... It'd be interesting to see what percentage of players play a four string P bass versus anything else... I bet it's quite high... maybe Leo did get it right first time It would certainly show that for a number of people, not much of note has been done to improve upon the original design of our instrument over the last 60 years... asides perhaps a move to lighter weight basses in recent times.

Edited January 25, 2016 by CamdenRob

[Bobthedog]

Currently my main base is a 5 whilst I get used to it. If I cannot do the switch successfully I will move back to a 4.

[Lozz196]

4, though having been in the studio at the weekend and spent most of the time recording on just the A string, I find myself wondering what the other 3 are for.......

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1453723340' post='2962070']
Where's the option for 3?
[/quote]

Or 2 or 1?

I'm been playing 5-strings almost exclusively since 1989. I can't see myself changing any time soon. Even if I don't always need the notes or fretting positions offered by the low B string, it puts the E and A strings in position across the width of the neck the neck that I find far more comfortable than on a 4-string

[CamdenRob]

I can add another option if anyone really has a 3,2 or 1 string bass as their main player?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1453725279' post='2962103']
I can add another option if anyone really has a 3,2 or 1 string bass as their main player?
[/quote]

When I was playing in my classic rock covers band I could quite easily have got away with a two string bass (E and A) for the majority of the songs we played.

Conversely with The Terrortones despite being the most musically conventional of all my originals bands I have made the most use of my 5-string basses for both the extended range and playing positions.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1453725463' post='2962106']
When I was playing in my classic rock covers band I could quite easily have got away with a two string bass (E and A) for the majority of the songs we played.

Conversely with The Terrortones despite being the most musically conventional of all my originals bands I have made the most use of my 5-string basses for both the extended range and playing positions.
[/quote]

Yeah to be honest I reckon a two string would be enough for half the stuff I do in bands...

[Graham]

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1453719540' post='2962008']
I play a 5 string with everything. I just find it overall more comfortable to play and I like having the option of lower notes/being able to play the same notes but higher up the neck. Doing the latter gives the notes a different sound to my ears so it's a good thing to be able to have.
[/quote]

Sums it up for me

[Rich]

Five all the way. I have several fours, but TBH I might as well sell them** for all the use they get.


** I won't, obviously

[jazzyvee]

I use 5 string bass most of the time even though most of what I do could adequately be covered on a 4 string. I really like the choice of being able to use the warmer tones of the E to A notes available in the middle of the bass on the B string for some songs.