Guest MoJo Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I recently got an Ibanez SR305 in a trade. For the price point, it's an excellent instrument. Well put together with a nice array of tones. My only gripe is the string spacing at the bridge, just 16.5mm. After years of play four string basses spaced at 18-20mm, the Ibby feels alien to me. In every other way, it's great. Even my band mates like it, but as soon as I put on my Jazz bass, it's like taking off a pair of new shoes and putting on a pair of comfy slippers. I'm almost certain that if I were to play it exclusively, eventually the muscle memory would kick in, but that would mean leaving my four stringers in their bags and weeks/months of discomfort and hard work. I'd be interested to know what other BC'ers would do. Would you spend time, exclusively playing the SR or would you put it up for grabs in the 'For Sale' section and stick with what you feel comfortable with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubsonicSimpleton Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Might be worth considering your RH technique in this decision - if you lean towards an economy of motion approach and let the amp do the work, then the narrower spacing can potentially make your playing more efficient(in which case stick with it), but if you have a more animated or heavy handed approach, then the tighter spacing might always feel cramped and wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) Had a similar experience when I dabbled with five-string bass and gave it up as a bad job in the end. It's a whole different instrument and the added weight, expense, investment of time and overall inconvenience involved just for a few extra notes and/or different fingering positions just weren't worth it in the end - in my opinion. Also the B-string always felt like a bit of an afterthought to me and I found it necessary to address it differently from the other four strings to get a decent sound out of it, which was a constant source of irritation. And I found changing from four to five strings and back again a right pain in the arse. Boo! Having said that, I think if you stuck with a fiver exclusively you'd have no problem, but I wasn't prepared to sell my four stringers or just have them hanging around doing nothing for the rest of time. So I moved on my fiver. Your mileage may vary, of course. Edited August 25, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr zed Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 You could of course go for option 3 which is sell or trade the Ibby and get a 5 string with a wider string spacing. Of course the neck will be wider but they tend to be narrower front to back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I had a corvette fiver for a while. It sounded awesome but the string spacing was so tight it was unplayable to me... There are so many bargain basses out there at the moment, there really is no need to stick with something you find uncomfortable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Yamaha's have a very nice 5 string with 18mm spacing at the bridge https://www.gak.co.uk/en/yamaha-trbx505-5-string-bass-tbn/81960?gclid=Cj0KEQjwi_W9BRD_3uio_Jz-p8UBEiQANU80vvr_nSg7aqP_UfLfHPopYd23krmVFPLu8BbRVkwCyu0aAqUk8P8HAQ I know as I have one! I had same issue as you in that strings felt too bunched up and the spacing of the Yam did help. Having said that I can sympathise with Discreet re swapping between a 4 and a 5ver, and I love my 4's too much, so I can see the Yam 5 going at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Get a well known ebay "luthier" to turn it into a 4 string... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Bin there, dun that, didn't work for me. There's no shortage of lovely fivers with 19mm spacing. I own several. Of all the differences between basses (scale length, number of strings, active/passive, etc.) by FAR the one that I notice the most is string spacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Ibanez necks are famous for being " fast" but this comes at the expense of string spacing. I have a K5, which is a pretty nice bass , but the strings are too close together for me. I struggle to get to grips with it. It's definitely built for small hands, not my sausage fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 My vote is, if you don't need the added notes, then stick with 4. It's nice having the bottom E and all the "1st position" notes much closer to you, so you don't have to reach so far, but you have the added weight, expense and the stress of the learning curve. (If there was no stress involved you wouldn't get the "old slippers" sigh of relief). If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you love the Ibby sound/feel, get a 4 stringer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 If you find a really great bass that needs you to adapt your technique in order to play it then why not. So far I haven't found a bass that is that good. All my great sounding basses are 18-19mm and there are a lot of even better basses out there with the same string spacing so that's what I require in a bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Looks like a post in the for sale section then. Makes sense really. It's a lovely bass, but not that outstanding that I couldn't bear to part with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi 2 kenobi Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Had a Ken Smith 16.5mm 5 string. It was too much of a change when switching with standard 4 strings. Sold it and bought a SR5 (17.5mm spacing). Much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) Now up for sale (sadly) Link below if you're interested [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/290596-fsft-ibanez-sr305-rbm/"]http://basschat.co.u...anez-sr305-rbm/[/url] Edited August 25, 2016 by MoJo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Took me about a year to really get on with a 5 string.The string spacing hadn't even occurred to me, I just thought it was the change from 4 -5. Once the initial change had sunk in, I played only 5 strings for about 15 years or so. Even went at one point to a 36" scale. I realised for the sake of just a few extra notes I was actually making life harder and taking the fun out of it. Every time I picked up a 4 it just seemed so effortless by comparison. I bit the bullet and went back to a 4 and stayed there ever since. I almost had to retrain my self to play a 4! These days I de-tune to D and Eb on the E string when I need it. Yes 5s are great and lots of fantastic players use them well with no problems, and I will use one when I actually really do need those notes like a C and Db, that pattern, that key change ect but I guess they are not a main go to string configuration for me. I think you have to persevere with it till you get used to it but keep the 4 close by and see if the novelty wears off or if it leads to something good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 [quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1472122043' post='3118660'] Took me about a year to really get on with a 5 string.The string spacing hadn't even occurred to me, I just thought it was the change from 4 -5. Once the initial change had sunk in, I played only 5 strings for about 15 years or so. Even went at one point to a 36" scale. I realised for the sake of just a few extra notes I was actually making life harder and taking the fun out of it. Every time I picked up a 4 it just seemed so effortless by comparison. I bit the bullet and went back to a 4 and stayed there ever since. I almost had to retrain my self to play a 4! These days I de-tune to D and Eb on the E string when I need it. Yes 5s are great and lots of fantastic players use them well with no problems, and I will use one when I actually really do need those notes like a C and Db, that pattern, that key change ect but I guess they are not a main go to string configuration for me. I think you have to persevere with it till you get used to it but keep the 4 close by and see if the novelty wears off or if it leads to something good. [/quote] In honesty, I traded a P-bass for the SR because I was finding that some of the songs that my pub covers band play ('Tears of a Clown' - The Beat and 'Stuck in the Middle' - Stealers Wheel) were a bit of a stretch, playing them down around the second to fifth fret. On a five string, they're a lot easier to play higher up the fretboard. More recently, my rock covers band has decided to play half the set in concert pitch and the other half, mainly Lizzy and DC, half a step down. This means either tuning up/down between numbers or taking two basses. Using a five would mean that I could do all the songs on the one bass. I would like to try a bass with a wider spacing at the bridge, see if that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 My Cort Curbow 5 has a 17mm string spacing at the bridge and my Squier Jazz is the standard Fender 20mm. For sure I notice the narrower string spacing but I don't find it to be too much of a hindrance at all. As it is I seem to be the sort who copes with various string gauges and tensions without much of a problem so I imagine that's got something to do with my finding a five string acceptable but I do have relatively small hands so that might help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 [quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1472122791' post='3118670'] In honesty, I traded a P-bass for the SR because I was finding that some of the songs that my pub covers band play ('Tears of a Clown' - The Beat and 'Stuck in the Middle' - Stealers Wheel) were a bit of a stretch, playing them down around the second to fifth fret. On a five string, they're a lot easier to play higher up the fretboard. More recently, my rock covers band has decided to play half the set in concert pitch and the other half, mainly Lizzy and DC, half a step down. This means either tuning up/down between numbers or taking two basses. Using a five would mean that I could do all the songs on the one bass. I would like to try a bass with a wider spacing at the bridge, see if that helps [/quote] Yes see your logic. Nothing wrong with that at all. Well there's one way to find out..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 It's just down to using it. I had a Zon 6 that was 16.5mm, I could comfortably go between it and my Yamaha TRB6 that was 20mm. Don't think about it so much, just play it. Sometimes we think about things too much, creating barriers between us and the playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I've had two 6 strings for years and swap between them a lot. I didn't realise until the other day when a mate played them that they have different string spacings. I've just never even noticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I voted 'abandon' because I recently sold my 5-string after owning it for a couple of years. I imagined it might make my services more desirable, but it was only really of benefit on one (1) gig. I don't think I ever identified string spacing as an issue, but I totally get the 'comfy slippers' thing! I now have a Hipshot Xtender on one of my basses - quick access to low D is generally enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472123313' post='3118679'] Don't think about it so much, just play it. Sometimes we think about things too much, creating barriers between us and the playing. [/quote] Wise words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472123313' post='3118679'] It's just down to using it. I had a Zon 6 that was 16.5mm, I could comfortably go between it and my Yamaha TRB6 that was 20mm. Don't think about it so much, just play it. Sometimes we think about things too much, creating barriers between us and the playing. [/quote] I'm still trying. Even though I've posted it in the 'For Sale' forum, I've been playing it this afternoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 (edited) When I first picked up a hofner I couldn't hardly play it due to the string spacing. After not too long of practicing on it I can manage it. I thought that it made me a better player (slightly!) not that I'm very good anyway but it forced me to think and learn. Which surely is a good thing. Edited August 25, 2016 by Twincam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1472137802' post='3118825'] When I first picked up a higher I couldn't hardly play it due to the string spacing. After not too long of practicing on it I can manage it. I thought that it made me a better player (slightly!) not that I'm very good anyway but it forced me to think and learn. Which surely is a good thing. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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